Secondary Teachers Research Articles

Stage directions: Evidence-based professional development in improvisational drama for foreign language teachers

A significant body of research supports the affective benefits of drama activities in foreign language (FL) learning, yet little is known about how to train teachers to implement such activities. In this study, we tested a professional development program (PDP) aimed at galvanizing FL teachers to integrate improvisational drama techniques (IDTs) into their repertoire. IDTs are defined here as activities which place pupils in a fictional situation and stimulate spoken interaction. Nineteen Dutch secondary school FL teachers participated in the PDP. The goal of this research was to discover the extent to which (1) teachers implement IDTs according to the study’s definition, (2) the techniques become integrated into the teacher’s repertoire, and (3) teachers develop the self-efficacy to execute IDTs. All three areas were met with positive results as evidenced through questionnaires, logbooks, observations and interviews. Teachers demonstrated that they could inspire the fictional artistry of drama while simultaneously stimulating FL speaking. Frequency of implementation also increased after the training. Self-efficacy furthermore improved widely, both in implementing IDTs and speaking activities in general.

The Identity of a Storyteller in Teachers’ Facebook Status Updates

This paper explores how teachers discursively construct the identity of a storyteller when posting Status updates on Facebook Timelines. Data were generated using participant observation where 29 Timelines belonging to Malaysian secondary school English language teachers were observed throughout a six-month period. A total of 178 teaching-related Status updates were recorded and then analyzed using a discursive analytical approach combining ‘broad discourse analysis’ and Edwards and Potter's (1992) discursive psychology. The analysis shows that most of the Status updates fit the structure of a narrative genre and the teachers use various storytelling and discursive psychology strategies to engage readers. This paper argues that teachers' Status updates are more than just an account of mundane teaching-related experiences but serve as a mechanism for them to construct desirable identities.

FOSTERING ESL STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN WRITING THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF ICT: A FOCUS ON TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

This study investigated the motivation in English writing by using the ICT in secondary school. The objectives of this study are to examine the impact of using ICT on ESL students’ motivation to engage in writing skills, and to explore how teachers incorporate ICT into ESL writing instruction to enhance motivation among students. This study used qualitative approach as the main approach by implemented semi-structured interview and open-ended questionnaire as the instruments. The total eight respondents including two secondary school English teachers age 31 and 46 years old meanwhile 6 secondary school students age 13 to 16 years old were participated in this research. The result reveal that ICT significantly enhances student motivation and engagement, making the learning more enjoyable and less monotonous, helping students clarify doubts and develop ideas more quickly especially in writing lesson. Implications of the study are where it enhanced student engagement and motivation, and improve learning and understanding in English writing lesson. Future research for this study is recommended due to the fact that majority of secondary schools in Malaysia such as rural area might need a better ICT implementation especially in English writing lesson. Addressing these issues could involve exploring how to improve ICT infrastructure, provide targeted professional development for teachers, and develop strategies to incorporate technology into curricula more effectively.

An Analysis of Common Errors Made by Grade 7 Students in Writing English Paragraphs at a Secondary School in Hanoi, Vietnam

Error analysis is a technique that identifies and classifies the inappropriate forms that foreign language learners produce (Crystal, 1987), and it is considered a useful tool for helping them improve their writing skills. The study investigated the secondary students' common errors in writing English paragraphs. During the first term of the school year 2023-2024, 43 grade 7 students from a secondary school in Hanoi participated in a descriptive quantitative research project. The participants were asked to complete three writing tests at three different times to generate their written errors based on Ferris’ (2014) model of error analysis. The findings indicate that the types of errors that grade 7 students made are lexical errors, syntactic errors, morphological errors, orthographical errors, and paragraph errors. Lexical, syntactic, and orthographical errors are greatly committed by the students. Accordingly, it comes to the conclusion that secondary students in general and 7th graders in particular struggle with writing English paragraphs. The results of the research would also give the secondary teachers of English some implications, such as focusing on grammatical patterns, emphasizing irregular instances, offering adequate practice opportunities, implementing explicit instructions, and engaging students in interactive exercises, visual aids, collaborative activities, authentic materials, etc. to mitigate the students' written errors.

Secondary science teachers' conceptualizations and modifications to support equitable participation in a co‐designed computational thinking lesson

AbstractIncreasing access to computational ideas and practices is one important reason to integrate computational thinking (CT) in science classrooms. While integrating CT into science classrooms broadens exposure to computing, it may not be enough to ensure equitable participation in the science classroom. Equitable participation is crucial because providing students with an environment in which they are able to fully engage and participate in science and computing practices empowers students to learn and continue pursuing CT and science. To foreground equitable participation in CT‐integrated curricula, we undertook a research project in which researchers and teachers examined teacher conceptualizations of equitable participation and how teachers design for equitable participation by modifying a lesson that introduces computational modeling in science. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What are teachers' conceptualizations of equitable participation? (2) How do teachers design for equitable participation through co‐design of a CT‐integrated unit? Our findings suggest that teachers conceptualized and designed for equitable participation in the context of a CT‐integrated curriculum across three primary dimensions: accessibility, inclusion, and relevancy. Our contributions to the field of science teaching and learning are twofold: (1) obtaining an initial understanding of how teachers think about and design for equitable participation is crucial in order to support teachers in their pursuit of creating equitable learning experiences for CT and science learners, and (2) our findings show that we can study teacher conceptualizations and their design choices by examining specific modifications to a CT‐integrated science curriculum. Implications are discussed.

Communities of secondary science teachers: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Many parts of the western world are struggling with a teacher shortage, which is particularly severe in some teaching areas including science. Part of a potential solution to this shortage is reducing teacher attrition rates, especially among early career teachers. At the same time, a need has been identified to drive larger numbers of students towards studying science. This creates an environment whereby teachers are required to teach science either out of field, or out of science specialisation. The community in which teachers operate has been identified as critical to both increasing teacher satisfaction and driving effective professional development. At the same time, the emergence of social media provides an avenue for teachers to effectively communicate and collaborate. This systematic review, therefore, aims to summarise the research on communities of in-service secondary science teachers since 2010, corresponding to the significant adoption of social media. It shows that whilst significant research has been done across a range of different community structures, there exists a lack of rigorous distinction between these different styles. There is also a research gap surrounding the use of social media, as well as the use of communities to support out of specialisation science teachers.

““The last bastion of democracy”: teachers’ perceptions of the democratic potential of English curriculum”

Purpose Faced with increasing systemic constraints and pressures, secondary school English teachers often implement transactional approaches to pedagogy and curriculum aimed at improving student results on external exams, which are then used to rank schools. Despite the pressure to teach this way, teachers acknowledge the power of literature, literacy and language in the English curriculum as vehicles for educating students to be critical readers of texts for a democratic society. As such, the purpose of this paper is to share perspectives of secondary English teachers in relation to the democratic potential of their subject. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative case study method, this paper shares data from six Australian secondary school English teachers who work in culturally diverse schools. Teachers were interviewed about their perspectives regarding how the Australian English curriculum enabled and/or constrained the teaching of critical and creative thinking in support of a democratic society. Findings Using Marri’s model of multicultural democratic education, interview data were deductively analyzed to identify elements of the model, including critical pedagogies, disciplinary content and community building. Teachers were concerned that building critical literacy skills was minimized by the system and students’ personal dispositions. Originality/value The English teachers in this study held a strong belief that the subject of English could emancipate students, although they felt it might be “the last bastion” for a democratic education.

Teachers’ Attitudes Towards STEM Education: Exploring the Role of Their Readiness via a Structural Equation Model

Over the past decade, there has been an intensified emphasis on STEM education to correspond with the goals of twenty-first century education. Educators play a vital role in executing a cohesive approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning; hence, considerable focus has been directed towards the elements influencing teachers’ attitudes. The study aimed to provide empirical evidence illustrating the significant influence of teachers’ readiness on predicting attitudes. This was achieved by developing a conceptual model that explores the factors affecting individuals’ attitudes towards teaching STEM courses. The emphasis was put on self-efficacy, commitment, cognitive readiness, emotional readiness, and teaching attitudes. A total of 494 Greek primary and secondary education teachers participated electronically in the survey, answering according to the TRi_STEM and TASET scales. The validity of the conceptual model was evaluated using a structural equation model (SEM). The results demonstrated a positive association among all six factors. More notably, general attitudes towards teaching impact positively, either directly or indirectly, the four readiness variables and, finally, teachers’ attitudes towards STEM education. The current study contributes to the existing body of the literature by identifying and analyzing critical attributes that substantially impact teachers’ attitudes towards teaching STEM courses.

Social Support and Expectancy as Predictors of Licensure Examination Success Among Professional Teachers

This study aimed to determine the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) profile, the Level of Social Support and Expectancy and their relationships and identify the dimensions that predict LET Success Rating. This quantitative study utilized descriptive-correlational design among LET Passers and Licensed Professional Teachers produced by the University of Mindanao from 2019–2023. 303 LPTs composed of 109 Elementary and 194 Secondary teachers selected via convenience and snowball sampling responded to the virtual survey. The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, spearman correlations, and multiple regressions. Results revealed that 87% of the LPTs were top-performing and had high social support and expectancy levels during their LET preparation. The correlation between social support and the LET Success Rating is positive but very weak. Likewise, the correlation between expectancy and LET Success Rating is positive but very weak. Moreover, social support predicts the LET Success Rating by 1.9%; expectancy predicts it by 0.4%. Furthermore, support from Friends and/or classmates has moderate and positive correlations and has a strong positive predictive power with LET Success Rating.

From problem-crumbling to innovation: The design of a comprehensive professional development training programme to enhance creative competence among TEFL educators

This paper explores creativity in English language teaching through a multiple-case study action research-based continuous professional development (CPD) training programme. It introduces a professional creativity framework for EFL teachers, fostering pedagogical innovation through a blended course delivery. The study, involving seven EFL (English as a Foreign language) teachers, employs a triangulation of methods and data sources, including action research, surveys, Think Aloud Protocol (TAP), reflective diaries, and semi-structured interviews. The research sample consists of primary and secondary EFL teachers. The CPD training integrates creativity into English lessons, enhancing professional creativity for EFL teachers. The findings shed light on the relationship between professional development and creative endeavours, highlighting the need for interventions to boost self-awareness and self-efficacy among TEFL teachers. The study underlines the significance of individual and group tasks, reflective practice, and technology-enabled communities of practice. Additionally, it offers a descriptive overview of diverse TEFL teacher creativity profiles, contributing to understanding this specific creativity domain and suggesting avenues for future research.

중등학교 기악 교육의 내용과 방법, 평가에 관한 실태 분석

This study aims to analyze the current state, perceptions, and demands related to instrumental education in secondary school music classes, which has been receiving increasing emphasis in recent years, in order to identify issues and discuss possible solutions. To achieve this, various literature on the content, methods, and assessment of instrumental education was reviewed. Based on this review, a survey tool was developed to examine the actual state and demands of instrumental education, and a survey was conducted among secondary school music teachers across the nation. Statistical analysis was performed on the responses from 63 participants. The analysis revealed that secondary school music teachers strongly recognized the necessity of instrumental education. As a result, it was found that the majority of class time in music lessons is devoted to instrumental education. Most teachers also perceived a high level of student participation in instrumental lessons and held a very positive view of instrumental education. However, instrumental education was mainly limited to solo instrument instruction, focusing on posture, techniques, and basic performance skills, while instrumental ensemble activities were not well implemented, despite teachers’ high awareness of their importance. The predominant teaching method involved teachers directly demonstrating through performance and using modeling as an instructional approach. However, teachers felt that their own performance skills were inadequate. In terms of assessment, it was found that the evaluation of artistic and creative expression was not being adequately conducted.

국어과 중등교사 임용시험(2002-2024) ‘고전 시가’ 영역의 분석 및 방향

Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze the questions in the ‘classical poetry’ area in the Korean Language Department Secondary Teacher Appointment Test (2002-2024), and to suggest what direction to proceed in the future. Methods Questions in the classical poetry area were extracted from the Korean language department secondary teacher appointment test questionnaire and analyzed ‘tendency’ and ‘type of question’ based on the direction and principles of questions provided by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation. Results The tendency of the questions could be divided into three main categories. First, there was a great tendency to consist of 2-3 passages only within the classical poem. Second, there was a bias in the classical poem section that is presented every year. Third, there were many cases where the works that were presented reappeared in different forms with similar content. The types of questions were analyzed by dividing them by period. First, in the 2000s, there was a great tendency to write questions by memorizing knowledge or content about the work. Second, questions before and after 2010 were presented focusing on knowledge of literary history and understanding and analysis of works. Third, the written questions from 2014 to the present are presented to allow objective evaluation as much as possible, and the narrative questions are presented in the direction of analysis, reasoning, synthesis, and evaluation based on data. Conclusions Based on the analysis results, four directions for the future classical poetry appointment test are proposed. First, it is necessary to expand the scope of complex passages in classical poetry. Second, reduce the deviation of the frequently asked branches, and evenly present the branches of oral literature, Korean literature, and Chinese literature. Third, develop questions to measure more diverse and higher-order thinking. Fourth, the questions are presented so that the essence of the classic poem, “a poem” and “a song (歌)” can be confirmed or realized.

B. Ed Professional Training: A case study of Secondary School Teachers in Bangladesh

One year professional B.Ed training is mandatory to build teaching foundation of the secondary school teachers in Bangladesh. This paper explored the actual scenario of B.Ed professional training. The objectives of the study is to find out the reasons of regular B.Ed training for little number of Govt. secondary school teachers and to suggest effective strategy for ensuring quality B.Ed degrees for large number of non-govt secondary teachers. Findings of this study was revealed through qualitative analysis. I conducted document reviews, Key Informant Interviews (KII), Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and questionnaire survey. A total 35 respondents took part in this study. Among them 11 participants were female and 24 participants were male. In addition, B.Ed training scenario in 2023 from 14 Govt. Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) and literature reviews.It is found that all govt. secondary school teachers (6%) are bound to complete residential and regular B.Ed training from Govt. Teachers’ Training Colleges by the office order of Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education under 1 year deputation. On the contrary, non-govt. secondary school teachers (94%) are achieving B.Ed certificates from govt. TTCs, private TTCs, private Universities and Bangladesh Open Universities (BOU) according to their personal choice and timing due to regulatory gap and administrative mismanagement. Secondary teachers are attending class on Friday at BOU, private TTCs, private universities and continuing teaching in the schools on the working days and getting higher scale of salary for obtaining B.Ed degrees with low skills. For this reason teaching capacity of the non-govt. secondary schools are affected negatively due to irregular B.Ed training.

Exploring lower secondary Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the ‘Pulse 2’ textbook

As Malaysia’s education is going through major reforms, an impact from the recent global development worldwide, various efforts have been put forward to ensure the Malaysian education system is globally competitive. One of the crucial steps taken was to align its English language education system to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). In implementing the CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms, the Pulse 2 Textbook was introduced as the key resource. Although the initiative to bring in Pulse 2 textbook was a welcomed approach, just like any policy implementation, the textbook brought various challenges. This hindered both teachers’ and students’ capability to fully participate in the curriculum and accomplish the required language proficiency outcomes. The study reported in this paper is one part of a larger study on CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms. Since this study was one of very scarce studies that explored the practicality of the foreign, CEFR-aligned English textbook to teach listening skills, the focus was to explore teachers’ perceptions. Specifically, the study investigated teachers’ level of satisfaction, pedagogical approaches, and challenges in using Pulse 2 for teaching listening skills to lower secondary students. A phenomenological qualitative research design using open-ended interviews was applied to gain a detailed understanding of teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the Pulse 2 textbook. The sample consisted of five teachers currently employed as lower secondary English language teachers in a government school in Semenyih. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Six-phase Thematic Analytic Process. Coding was done using the In-Vivo coding method to develop themes for discussion. The study found that overall, teachers were satisfied with the materials in the textbook to be used in teaching listening skills. Although teachers still faced issues of cultural content and lexical suitability, activities from the textbook were easily modified and adapted for students of various proficiencies to achieve curriculum objectives. However, much still needs to be done in terms of improving school infrastructure, supplying quality equipment and providing professional development support to teachers to ensure that they can accurately and confidently carry out the listening activities outlined in the Pulse 2 Textbook. This study has crucial implications that suggest a need for a more inclusive and supportive approach to managing both the pedagogical requirements and professional development of teachers involved in teaching listening skills to lower secondary students using the Pulse 2, CEFR-aligned textbook.

Science and Mathematics Teachers’ Integration of TPACK in STEM Subjects in Qatar: A Structural Equation Modeling Study

This study aimed to explore how secondary school science and mathematics teachers in Qatar integrate Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) into their teaching practices. The study examined the relationships between the subcomponents of TPACK using structural equation modeling (SEM), complemented by an analysis of additional categorical variables. A total of 245 science and mathematics teachers from Qatar participated in the research. The model’s findings showed that the internal components—technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge—had a significant and positive direct effect on the external factors: technological pedagogical knowledge, technological content knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. However, these internal components did not directly impact TPACK itself. Together, these variables accounted for 77% of the variance in TPACK. Among the findings, Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) emerged as one of the most influential variables affecting TPACK, emphasizing its importance in teachers’ TPACK integration. On the other hand, it was found that Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) did not have a direct and significant effect on TPACK. Categorical variables like certificates and postgraduate education significantly impact TPACK and its subcomponents, while gender, field of study, and teaching experience do not. This finding underscores the importance of structured training and postgraduate education in enhancing TPACK skills for science and mathematics teachers. Participation in technology-based certification programs and postgraduate studies in STEM is crucial for their TPACK development in teaching STEM subjects. Future studies could explore the long-term impact of structured, technology-based training programs on enhancing STEM teachers’ TPACK development and assess how this improvement influences student learning outcomes in science and mathematics classrooms. This would provide deeper insights into the effectiveness of such programs and their potential to transform teaching practices and student achievement in STEM education.

SECONDARY SCHOOL PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEACHERS’ BELIEFS ON THE PURPOSES AND GOALS OF SCIENCE TEACHING: THE PRESENCE OF CULTURAL MYTHS

Understanding why teachers teach the way they do is important especially in a time of curriculum reforms. Hence, the aim of this research is to unpack the secondary school physical science teachers’ beliefs on the purposes and goals of science teaching (PGST) and to check the alignment of their beliefs on PGST with constructivism. A convergent parallel mixed method design was employed. Scale and checklist were used to collect data on the teachers’ beliefs. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews was used to explore the teachers’ implementation of the science curriculum. Results revealed that while teachers agree with the basic tenet of constructivism, their beliefs on the PGST were traditional. Difficulties of implementing their constructivist ideas on teaching and learning reinforced the cultural myths. Length of teaching experience and actual classroom teaching hours were seen as significant factors in the development of beliefs, whereas familiarity of curriculum intentions correlate negatively with the development of constructivist beliefs. Keywords: constructivist physical science education, purposes and goals of science teaching, teachers' beliefs, cultural myths in physical science education

The impact of training provisions on novice English language teachers in Hong Kong: A systematic review

AbstractThe early years of learning and the transition period are important for novice teachers. This systematic review investigated the influence that training provisions for novice primary and secondary English language teachers in Hong Kong have had on their initial workplace experience. From a large body of literature dated between 1980 and 2023, a final set of 20 articles that met our inclusion criteria was analysed using Kumaravadivelu's (2012) model of second language teacher education (consisting of the five modules of Knowing, Analysing, Recognising, Doing and Seeing). The findings were condensed into three thematic strands: (i) teacher authority: novice teachers can feel lost among different authorities (including ideological conflicts between university and school authorities) and their desire to establish their own teacher authority, but must eventually learn to think from the students' perspective to improve teaching, (ii) teacher socialisation: whether obtaining sufficient colleague and mentor support or not would lead to their diverse experiences, and (iii) two weaknesses in teacher preparation that require attention across both university preparation and in‐school training: the novice teachers were under‐prepared in procedural knowledge and in learning to theorize. These findings provide internationally relevant theoretical contributions that can advance the understanding of both novice teacher development and primary and secondary English language teacher training. From a practical perspective, the findings point to areas that need attention in novice language teachers' transition to the workplace and this may be relatable to international audiences. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThis systematic review aims to reveal how the training provisions in Hong Kong have influenced early‐year primary and secondary school English language teachers' initial workplace experience.Why the new findings matterOur findings will reveal what impact training provisions for novice English language teachers may have on their initial workplace experience and what gaps may exist in such provisions.Implications for researchers, practitioners and teacher educatorsThe findings in this study can be applied to many other contexts like Hong Kong where English is used as one of the official languages or as a second language. Our recommendations can inform English language teacher education, by highlighting: (a) how novice teachers can feel lost between two different authorities: the school and the university; (b) how novice teachers can undergo a range of positive and negative experiences in their socialisation process; (c) how novice teachers struggle to develop their procedural knowledge; and (d) that novice teachers may not have received enough support in theory‐building.

“I sit here thinking I can do this”—Developing justice‐centered ambitious science teaching identities in professional learning communities

AbstractExplicitly attending to justice in science teaching and learning is long overdue. Here, we examined the professional teacher identity development of 13 science teachers as they collaborated in networked professional learning communities (PLCs) to implement and revise a culture‐setting unit focused on the science of COVID and engaging in collaborative inquiry cycles to identify and refine justice‐centered ambitious science teaching (JuST) practices in classrooms. These JuST practices are conceptualized as a synthesis of justice‐centered pedagogies and ambitious science teaching. To accomplish our research aims, we drew on qualitative methods, where we relied on transcribed video recordings of 21 PLC meetings and three transcribed end‐of‐year focus group interviews of two PLCs (i.e., 13 secondary science teachers, mostly white) across a year‐long period. As a result of our analyses, we identified how professional learning arranged through PLCs, culture‐setting units, and collaborative inquiries supported professional JuST identity development by, among other affordances, providing space for the critical and emotional work of learning to discuss race, affording teachers strategies for getting to know their students and the assets they bring to classrooms, and recognition and positioning of teachers as professionals capable of identifying or developing, refining, and contributing to knowledge about JuST science teaching and learning. Challenges identified included, among others, identifying how the culture‐setting units could be effectively integrated into existing curriculum maps and the uneven implementation support from administrators. In the end, what is revealed helps better conceptualize how engaging teachers in PLCs around tasks like curriculum implementation and refinement or collaborative inquires support professional JuST identity development and how such experiences can be more carefully negotiated.

A Study on the Influence of Social Support and Work Engagement on Secondary Teachers’ Occupational Well-being in Sulaymaniyah-Iraq

The educational system in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, faces significant challenges due to political instability, economic hardships, and conflict. These factors contribute to the stress and burnout experienced by secondary school teachers, affecting their occupational well-being. This research aims to investigate the relationship between social support and work engagement on teachers' occupational well-being, with the objectives of understanding how these factors interact and proposing strategies to enhance teachers' occupational well-being. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilized the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, the NIOSH Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale to collect quantitative data from 120 secondary school teachers in Sulaymaniyah. Qualitative data were gathered through semi- structured interviews with a subset of 15 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 software for quantitative analysis and thematic analysis for qualitative insights. The results revealed a positive correlation between social support and work engagement with teachers' occupational well-being. Work engagement was found to mediate the relationship between social support and occupational well-being. Teachers expressed that a supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and recognition contribute significantly to their job satisfaction and overall well-being. To promote teachers' occupational well-being, it is recommended that schools and policymakers focus on creating a supportive work culture, providing opportunities for professional development, and recognizing teachers' efforts. Implementing mentorship programs, facilitating collaborative learning communities, and offering incentives can further enhance teachers' work engagement and occupational well-being.

Instructional Methods Used by Secondary School Teachers in Classroom to Develop Students’ English Writing Skills in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania

This study examined instructional methods employed by secondary school English language teachers in classroom to develop students’ English writing skills in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to assess English language teachers’ understanding of the purpose of English language syllabus for secondary education; to investigate the teaching and learning techniques used by teachers in classroom to develop students’ English writing skills; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques used in developing English writing skills among students. The social-cultural theory and communicative competence theory were adopted to guide the study. The study employed an interpretivism paradigm, qualitative approach and a phenomenological research design. The study involved 33 participants (12 English teachers and 21 FIII students) who were selected purposively from 3 public secondary schools in Iringa Municipality. The data were collected using documentary review, classroom observations, and interviews, and thematically analysed. The findings revealed that teachers had differing understanding of the purpose of the English syllabus. Also, the findings showed that teachers used techniques, such as explanation and demonstration, writing practice and exercise, reading-writing integration, sentence combining, genre-based instruction, and collaborative writing, in teaching English writing skills. Moreover, the study found that the techniques used were ineffective to develop students’ English writing abilities as many students struggled to write in English. The study concludes that the opposing understanding of the purpose of the subject syllabus among teachers limits teachers from effectively using instructional methods to develop writing skills in English among students. Therefore, teachers should be trained on the purpose of the subject syllabus to enable them effectively use instructional methods in a manner that focuses to develop English writing skills among students per requirements of the subject syllabus