scholarly journals Task-based language teaching in a local EFL context: Chinese university teachers’ beliefs and practices

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110442
Author(s):  
Yuying Liu ◽  
Wei Ren
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Weak Version ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Gap Data

This study examines university teachers’ beliefs and practices related to task-based language teaching while teaching English as a foreign language. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has become a prominent topic for researchers and practitioners in recent decades. It is also advocated by the Chinese Ministry of Education for college English teaching. However, few studies have investigated local EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers’ perceptions of and difficulties in implementing TBLT. This study aims to fill this gap. Data were collected via 12 semi-structured interviews, and the results revealed that the Chinese EFL teachers employed a weak version of the approach, i.e. the task-supported language teaching approach. They tended towards a student-centred teacher–student relationship. These findings suggest that the role of traditional Chinese values in influencing the implementation of TBLT has been overemphasized. Implications for the sustainable development of teaching pedagogy and professional learning are discussed.

Exploring teacher written feedback in EFL writing classrooms: Beliefs and practices in interaction

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110576
Author(s):  
Xiaolong Cheng ◽  
Lawrence Jun Zhang ◽  
Qiaozhen Yan
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Comprehensive Approach ◽  
Written Feedback ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Teachers ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Feedback Strategies

As an important instructional affordance, teacher written feedback is widely used in second language (L2) writing contexts. While copious evidence has shown that such a pedagogical practice can facilitate L2 learners’ writing performance, especially their writing accuracy, little is known about how novice writing teachers conceptualize and enact written feedback in contexts of English as a foreign language (EFL). To fill this gap, we examined four novice writing teachers’ espoused written feedback beliefs and their actual practices in Chinese tertiary EFL writing classrooms. Based on data from semi-structured interviews and students’ writing samples, we found that they adopted a comprehensive approach to feedback provision, and were most concerned with errors in language, particularly grammar when providing feedback. These teachers almost reached a consensus in their beliefs about feedback scope and feedback focus, but they held varying beliefs about feedback strategies. Additionally, this study revealed the complexity of belief-practice relationships, in terms of the coexistence of consistencies and inconsistencies. Specifically, these teachers’ beliefs paralleled their practices in feedback scope, but their beliefs and practices mismatched with regard to feedback focus and feedback strategies. This article concludes with a discussion of the important pedagogical implications.

scholarly journals Assessing Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in Relation to the Integration of Grammar and Reading in Foreign Language Teaching in Secondary Schools in Ethiopia

Afrika Focus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Gemechis T. Chali ◽  
Kimberley Mouvet ◽  
Miriam Taverniers
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Teachers Beliefs

Studies have suggested that teachers’ beliefs have a significant influence in language teaching (e.g., Williams and Burden, 1997), i.e. that teachers’ beliefs will significantly influence their teaching practice. This study examines teachers’ beliefs and practices in relation to the integration of grammar and reading in foreign language teaching. A qualitative research design with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and observation data gathering tools was employed. The study revealed that teachers hold positive beliefs on teaching grammar and reading in an integrated way, but their beliefs were not reflected in the classroom. The key finding of this paper was that teachers strongly believed in the usefulness of the integration of grammar and reading, but there were difficulties to reflect it in practice. This paper suggests that an alternative technique should be developed on discrete ways of teaching to allow teachers to practise their beliefs either on the existing text or through adapting the textbook. The findings of the study may have important implications for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers and practitioners.

scholarly journals TEACHERS’ BELIEFS ABOUT EFFECTIVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING OF STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN A GREEK EFL CONTEXT

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danai Rapti ◽  
Mina Koukou ◽  
Spyridon-Georgios Soulis
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Efl Teachers

Teachers’ beliefs are a central construct in education as they influence their teaching attitude, methods and practices, thus, their exploration becomes particularly important. The aim of the present study is to examine teachers’ beliefs regarding foreign language teaching of students with intellectual disability. The sample consisted of ten English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who teach at Greek special/vocational schools in secondary education. Semi-structured interviews were used as a tool for data collection. The research findings suggest a lack of training of EFL teachers regarding specialized foreign language teaching methods for students with intellectual disability. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of training in using digital technology. As a result, further training of EFL teachers in teaching methods and use of digital technology is deemed necessary. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0770/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

scholarly journals Assessing Teacher's Beliefs and Practices in relation to the Integration of Grammar and Reading in Foreign Language Teaching in Secondary Schools in Ethiopia

Afrika Focus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemechis T. Chali ◽  
Kimberley Mouvet ◽  
Miriam Taverniers
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Teaching Grammar

Studies have suggested that teachers’ beliefs have a significant influence in language teaching (e.g., Williams and Burden, 1997), i.e. that teachers’ beliefs will significantly influence their teaching practice. This study examines teachers’ beliefs and practices in relation to the integration of grammar and reading in foreign language teaching. A qualitative research design with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and observation data gathering tools was employed. The study revealed that teachers hold positive beliefs on teaching grammar and reading in an integrated way, but their beliefs were not reflected in the classroom. The key finding of this paper was that teachers strongly believed in the usefulness of the integration of grammar and reading, but there were difficulties to reflect it in practice. This paper suggests that an alternative technique should be developed on discrete ways of teaching to allow teachers to practise their beliefs either on the existing text or through adapting the textbook. The findings of the study may have important implications for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers and practitioners. KEY WORDS: TEACHERS’ BELIEFS, TEACHING GRAMMAR AND READING, PRACTICES, INTEGRATED TEACHING

scholarly journals University Lecturers’ Task-Based Language Teaching Beliefs and Practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Huong Thi Lan Lam ◽  
Son Van Nguyen ◽  
Hong Anh Thi Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Beliefs ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
University Lecturers

The present study aimed to investigate the beliefs and practices of task-based language teaching (TBLT) among lecturers in English as a foreign language (EFL) at technical universities in Vietnam. A total of 136 lecturers completed the questionnaire and seven of whom participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that the lecturers had positive views toward the TBLT approach and showed a willingness to use it in their classrooms, although they also shared notable challenges related to the technique. The results also showed significant differences in understanding of TBLT among lecturers with different years of experience; however, years of experience and qualifications did not affect the lecturers’ views on or implementation of TBLT. The study offers several implications for better understanding and more effectively implementing TBLT approaches in the classroom.

scholarly journals Digital educational environment as a factor of foreign language competences development

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 232-248
Author(s):  
Marina V. Rybakova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Teaching Experiment ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Foreign Languages

The modern era of digital economy lays new claims to the system of education and professional learning. Digitation of higher education reveals new prospects for using digital resources to ensure accessibility, continuity and quality of education. The purpose of our investigation is to assess the effectiveness of the use of digital educational resources by students studying foreign languages. Principal methods of our research are as follows: bibliographic method of studying regulatory documents and scientific and methodological literature; the analysis of foreign language competences, mastering of which is the aim of foreign language teaching in a University; the study and generalization of working experience using digital technologies in foreign language teaching; experiment involving 24 students from MIREA – Russian Technological University. As a result of the study frequency of thematic terms and notions use in scientific-teaching literature and Internet search requests was defined; the analysis of modern digital educational technologies forming students’ foreign language competences was made; foreign language competences analyzed in the experiment were described; an experiment involving the comparison of application efficiency in using traditional and digital techniques for forming foreign language competences was carried out. The experiment showed the following: absence of statistically important differences in the level of formed foreign language competences in control and experimental groups at the beginning of the experiment as t = -0.99, p = 0.43. At the end of the experiment p < 0,05: t = -5.19, p = 0,000014. It testifies that the compared groups significantly differ that proves the effect of web-quest technique in teaching foreign languages. Digital educational resources contribute to mastering a foreign language as a means of professional communication and increase the motivation of students to study this subject. Prospects for further research can be related to the development of new forms and methods of applying innovative digital technologies with the aim to put them into foreign language teaching practice at the higher education level.

scholarly journals Teaching English Through Modern Technology: A Study of Private Language Centers, Sindh Pakistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Shamim Kousar ◽  
Shabana Sartaj ◽  
Syed Waqar Shah ◽  
Shoukat Ali Lohar
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teacher Student

In this modern world where everything is connected with new technologies and internet. Under control of the internet and new technological inventions, it is hard to undermine their contribution to foreign language teaching. This study pertains to the beginner level students doing English language diploma courses in their initial stage at a private English learning institute located in Sindh province of Pakistan. The study aims at investigating English teaching practices through SS method (Student to student) such as pair work and group study and reduce TS method (Teacher student) of teaching. In such methods modern technology such as visualizer and multimedia (modern technology) are great help for practicing a language teaching. The use of aids and tools is one of the useful resources for language learning and teaching in an easy manner. Most of the researchers’ interest lies in action research and carried out different cycles of action research such as planning, acting, observation and reflection. The study used convenient sampling to recruit participants (n=20). Data for the study included open-ended questionnaires, classroom observations and semi –structured interviews from students as well as researchers’ reflections as a supplementary source of data. The study finds multimedia usage crucial, especially by the young generation of language teachers who understand and support the idea of technology in the classroom, on the contrary to the older generation which criticizes and underestimates its importance.

scholarly journals Oral Corrective Feedback: Investigating Kurdish High School Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Yaseen Alzeebaree ◽  
Hussein Ali Ahmed ◽  
Idrees Ali Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
High School Teachers ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Oral Corrective Feedback ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Academic Qualifications ◽  
The Relationship

The current research explores the relationship between the beliefs and the actual classroom practices of the Kurdish teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding oral corrective feedback (OCF). To collect the data required, a questionnaire was administered to 8 Kurdish teachers of EFL of different academic qualifications from three different schools, and likewise a 5-hour audio-recorded classroom observation was carried out with the same sample. The findings revealed that almost all teachers’ beliefs were identical with their actual practices with regard to who should provide OCF. In contrast, there was a discrepancy between their stated beliefs and practices in classroom regarding the timing of OCF, how to provide OCF and which types of errors to correct. The teachers highlighted the importance and the effectiveness of providing corrective feedback in EFL settings.

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