What you Think is not what you do in the Classroom: Investigating Teacher's Beliefs for Classroom Management in an EFL Classroom

Abstract

This study explores a non-native English teacher's pedagogical beliefs about the students’ behaviors as a part of a classroom management through a qualitative research methodology. The study also aimed to understand the teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about teaching and learning by comparing what they say about students’ behaviors to their classroom practices. The study employed three data collection instruments: semi-structured interviews, classroom observation data, and stimulated recall interview. The results show both consistencies and inconsistencies between teacher's practices and beliefs. This may be because different practices can be dependent on local teaching context (Li and Walsh, 2011). The study offers some implications for the complex relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practices in the classrooms.