Abstract
How teaching could be conducted effectively and consequently student learning could be enhanced presumably vary from teacher to teacher, arising from a variety of such factors as the conditions in the workplace, teachers’ year of teaching experience and their prior schooling experiences. In this regard, English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers’ (EFLTs) beliefs about quality teaching leading to facilitated student learning are also highly likely to be divergent. This survey research aims to add to the growing literature on teacher beliefs via unveiling EFLTs’ (N = 520) beliefs regarding effective teaching in general and effective EFL teaching in particular, student learning and development, and the probable changes that may occur in their beliefs according to the year of their teaching experience and the level of education they teach. The results revealed that the EFLTs held strong beliefs with respect to the effect of constructivist and humanistic concepts on effective teaching and student learning, and believed implementing communicative approach and conducting interactive activities induced effective EFL teaching and student learning. The findings also indicated that there existed statistically significant differences in EFLTs’ beliefs concerning constructivist concepts and EFL teaching practices according to the year of their teaching experience.
Highlights
Belief is defined by Borg (2001) as ―... a proposition which may be consciously or unconsciously held, is evaluative in that it is accepted as true by the individual, and is imbued with emotive commitment; further, it serves as a guide to thought and behaviour‖ (p. 187)
This research aims to find answers to the following research questions: What are EFLTs‘ beliefs about effective teaching, student learning and development? Do EFLTs‘ beliefs of effective teaching, student learning and development change significantly according to the year of their teaching experience and the level of education they teach? What are EFLTs‘ beliefs as to effective EFL teaching methods and techniques? Do EFLTs‘ beliefs as to effective EFL teaching methods and techniques change in accordance with the year of their teaching experience and the level of education they teach?
More than half of the participants (60%) agreed with the statement that it is important to be accurate in expressing one‘s thoughts in English, and 59.4% of the EFLTs believed that teaching students the rule of English language structure is important
Summary
Belief is defined by Borg (2001) as ―... a proposition which may be consciously or unconsciously held, is evaluative in that it is accepted as true by the individual, and is imbued with emotive commitment; further, it serves as a guide to thought and behaviour‖ (p. 187). Belief is defined by Borg (2001) as ―... In keeping with the definition of belief, Pajares (1992) describes teacher belief as ―an individual‘s judgment of the truth or falsity of a proposition 316), and Kagan (1992) states ―teacher belief is a provocative form of personal knowledge that is generally defined as pre- or in-service teachers‘ implicit assumptions about students, learning, classrooms, and the subject matter to be taught‖ In the construction of which prior schooling experiences occupy a prominent. Gülten Koşar, PhD, Department of English Language Teaching, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Tayfur Sökmen Campus, 31060, Hatay, Turkey. An inquiry into EFL teachers‘ beliefs concerning effective teaching, student learning and development.
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