Teacher Reflectivity Revisited: Is Teaching Reflectivity Gaining a Foothold in Iran?

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 993
Author(s):  
Ali Kazemi ◽  
Zahra Bazregarzadeh ◽  
Mohammadreza Firoozi
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers

Given that reflectivity could help keep the teaching profession vibrant and responsive, reflective teaching practice has become an essential component of teacher education. In recent years, some efforts have been underway to implement it in our educational system, in general and in language teaching, in particular. The present study aimed to investigate the extent to which Iranian English language teachers are reflective, if at all. To this end, a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire including 26 items, originally developed by Akbari et al. (2010) and validated for the purposes of the current study, was used. The participants of the study comprised 217 practicing EFL teachers selected through random sampling. Data analysis, conducted through descriptive statistics, revealed that Iranian English language teachers are reflective in all dimensions of reflection, though degree of reflectivity varies across these dimensions. This finding is promising and suggests that reflectivity is gaining a foothold in our language education.

scholarly journals Kuwaiti Instructors' Beliefs about English Language Teaching and Their Awareness of Global English

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Ahmad F. Alnwaiem ◽  
Abdullah M. Alazemi ◽  
Abdullah A. Alenezi
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Global English ◽  
English Language Teachers

The beliefs of EFL teachers are an essential term perceived in a number of educational fields. Especially in teacher education and behavioural research, this term is usually related to teachers' habits and practices in classes, considering their impact on each other. The aim of this study is to add to prior studies on the subject of teachers' beliefs and to concentrate on English language teachers (ELT). The objective is to merge the theory of instructors' beliefs with Global English (GE). The research question 'what are the Kuwaiti instructors' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English?' formalizes these aims. To accomplish the research: To discover teachers' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English. This research concentrates on English language teachers at the university level. The collection of data has been conducted over two months. For data collection and interpretation, this study adopted a qualitative research methodology. Surveys were chosen as the instrument for data collection. The study used qualitative content analysis in relation to the data analysis method. Moreover, the findings were evaluated based on a deductive and inductive approach to qualitative data analysis. Results indicated various kinds of teachers' beliefs about ELT. Including views about the English language, ELT in relation to the standards, ELT with regard to the GE context. English-language beliefs played a central role in shaping two other views, which were considered secondary beliefs. Except for the content of teachers' beliefs, the study's findings have shown two significant categories of influences: internal and external, that affect the development and application of teachers' beliefs in classrooms. In this study, the internal factor referred mainly to English-language teaching beliefs based on its ability to influence other cognitive constructs (i.e., different convictions, behaviours, sensitivity) and teaching practices. As far as external factors are concerned, the teachers' diverse experiences with individuals (e.g., parents and retired teachers) and administrative legislation (e.g., policy and curriculum) are the main factors. Finally, it was possible to conclude the findings of this analysis in the same manner as previous studies, which combined teacher cognition theory with the field of GE. In other words, teacher beliefs play a crucial part in the teacher's cognitive system as a decisive role in their teaching practice. This study proposes further research to reinforce the results of contemporary research in this area.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Types of Classroom Questions Which Jordanian English Language Teachers Ask

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Hamzah A. Omari
Keyword(s):  
Grade Level ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Basic Stage ◽  
Secondary Stage ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Different Types ◽  
English Language Teachers

The present study aimed to explore the types of classroom questions which Jordanian English language teachers ask. The sample of the study consisted of 77 teachers who were randomly selected from different public and private schools in Amman- Jordan. A total of 1574 classroom questions were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test and analysis of variance. The results showed that 80% of teachers’ questions were on low thinking levels; 77% were closed-ended questions; and 86% were display questions. The results also indicated that teachers used higher thinking questions, more referential questions, and more open- ended questions at upper basic stage and secondary stage. It was recommended that EFL teachers in Jordan ask different types of questions at each grade level. 

scholarly journals English Language Education as Practice of Freedom in Ghana: An Analysis of Teachers’ Views and Opinions

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 18-31
Author(s):  
Charlotte Fofo Lomotey
Keyword(s):  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
English Language Education ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
English Language Teachers

This study examined the views and opinions of Senior High School (SHS) English language teachers on critical pedagogy as well as its applicability in their classrooms. To achieve these objectives, 220 teachers of English were sampled to respond to a questionnaire, with 50 out of this number selected to take part in an interview. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS and thematic analysis by a simple system of coding. Results suggest that teachers consider critical pedagogy as a viable alternative to the traditional teaching practice. Based on the results, it is suggested that it is important for teachers to practice democracy in the English language classroom in order for students to see themselves as valued members of the society who can practice education as freedom.

scholarly journals Investigating Self-Assessment of Teaching Profession of Iraqi EFL Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 214 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-128
Author(s):  
Dhea Mizhir Krebt. Ph.D.
Keyword(s):  
Formative Assessment ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers

     Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which teachers reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work, decide the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly. The present study is an attempt to find out the SA of Iraqi English language teachers. The sample consists of 100 teachers in Baghdad. An inventory of many domains distributed to the teachers, they are, routines, expectations, language, time, opportunities, physical environment, and interactions. The results show that the EFL teachers practice four domains of SA they are: routines, physical environment, time, and language.                            

scholarly journals Professional development of English language teachers in Malang, Indonesia: Institutional and individual perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anik Nunuk Wulyani
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The Individual

<p>Two important areas of professional development for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Indonesia identified in the 2003 Law on National Education System and 2005 Law on Teachers and Lecturers are disciplinary knowledge and ICT skills. The present thesis investigates institutional and individual aspects of EFL teacher professional development (TPD) in Indonesia in relation to the development of these two areas of expertise.  Three studies were carried out. The first study measured Indonesian EFL teachers’ target language (English) proficiency as a core component of their professional knowledge and how it is maintained and developed by the teachers. EFL teachers’ language proficiency in this study was operationalised as their lexical, reading and writing proficiency and measured using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), IELTS-like reading comprehension test and IELTS-like academic writing test, respectively. The results showed that the teachers’ length of service correlated negatively with their knowledge of academic vocabulary, as well as reading and writing proficiency, indicating issues with the outcomes of the TPD in this area. To triangulate the test results, teacher perceptions data were also gathered using questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the EFL teachers tended to overestimate their own overall English language proficiency.  The second study used a longitudinal blogging activity with the EFL teachers as a form of personal professional development that targeted their English language and ICT skills while reflecting on topics related to their professional (teaching) activities. Qualitative analysis of the blog entries of three EFL teachers suggested that the individual teachers’ blogging, critical reading and reflective writing skills were very uneven. Interviews with nine teachers and 11 educational stakeholders were then conducted to understand their views on blogging as a form of professional development. The results revealed that the perceived obstacles and drawbacks outweighed the perceived benefits of blogging as a form of personal professional development.  The third study examined Indonesian national TPD policy documents, how these policies were translated into local professional development programmes in Malang district. It was found that the needs for EFL teachers to maintain their English proficiency and ICT skills were only partially addressed in TPD policy and implementation. In addition, the interviewed teachers and stakeholders perceived the definitions, goals, administration, evaluation, benefits, and challenges of TPD differently.  Taken as a whole, the present findings show that institutional implementation of TPD policies in Indonesia needs to better target individual EFL teachers’ English proficiency and ICT skills, and that opportunities for better professional development need to be sought at both personal and institutional levels. At the individual level, self-motivation to continue learning is crucial for English language teachers who want to keep up with change and innovation in English language teaching. At the institutional level, needs analyses and environmental analyses are essential in designing programs for maintaining and developing teacher professional competency.</p>

scholarly journals Teaching Practice is not Enough for EFL Teachers: Voices from IAIN Surakarta

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 247
Author(s):  
Imroatus Solikhah ◽  
Teguh Budiharso
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Practices ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
English Language Education ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Competence ◽  
Mentoring System

This study explores teaching practices for English Language Education program of IAIN Surakarta were implemented to link the gaps between theory and actual needs at schools. Relying on the qualitative approach, this study used content analysis as the main data sources, observation and interview to collect data.  The results of the study show that teaching practice for the ELT in IAIN Surakarta indicate restrictions.  With overall duration of 16 weeks, teaching practices at IAIN Surakarta is set in 6 credits, each of which consists of (1) micro teaching (2 credits), (2) administrative observation, (3) classroom observation, (4) classroom teaching practices.  During the field practices, complaints from mentor teachers appear that practican students are not well prepared in teaching skills and limited knowledge is performed to English competence performance in the classroom. Students claim that preparation in the itinerary of teaching practice they received from campus are not definitely sufficient as too many administrative processes are emphazised and mentoring system does not suffice to equip teaching skills

scholarly journals A study of EFL teachers’ classroom grading practices in secondary schools and private institutes: a mixed methods approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Nowruzi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Motivation Enhancement ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Internal And External Factors

AbstractThis explanatory sequential mixed methods study aimed at exploring the grading decision-making of Iranian English language teachers in terms of the factors used when assigning grades and the rationales behind using those factors. In the preliminary quantitative phase, a questionnaire was issued to 300 secondary school and private institute EFL teachers. Quantitative data analyses showed that teachers attached the most weight to nonachievement factors such as effort, improvement, ability, and participation when determining grades. Next, follow-up interviews were conducted with 30 teachers from the initial sample. The analyses of interview data revealed that teachers assigned hodgepodge grades on five major grounds of learning encouragement, motivation enhancement, lack of specific grading criteria, pressure from stakeholders, and flexibility in grading. Data integration indicated that teacher grading decision-making was influenced by both internal and external factors, with adverse consequences for grading validity. Eliciting explanations for the use of specific grading criteria from the same teachers who utilized those criteria in their grading in a single study added to the novelty of this research. Implications for grade interpretation and use, accountability in classroom assessment, and teachers’ professional development are discussed.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Attitudes towards Critical Pedagogy and its Practice in ELT Classrooms

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 132-146
Author(s):  
Jagqadish Paudel
Keyword(s):  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Observation Results

Critical Pedagogy (CP), a mode of pedagogy, aims to empower learners and provide justice by offering preferential options and deconstructing authoritative and logo centric tendency in education. The current study, by using a mixed methodological design (qualitative and quantitative), illustrates a group of Nepali English language teachers’ attitudes regarding CP in ELT, focusing on how they employ CP in their classrooms. For this research, a sample of 10 teachers was purposively selected from Baitadi and Dadeldhura districts. Five teachers’ classes were observed. Analyzing the data collected through a survey questionnaire, it was found that all the teachers are in favour of CP in most cases in ELT. Even if all the teachers were notionally appeared in favor of practicing CP in most of the aspects that were asked to them, quite contrary to it, observation results of the teachers’ classes revealed that they did not, in any real sense, embrace CP in their teaching practice. Hence, this study invoked the ELT teachers to embrace CP practically in the classrooms. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v19i1-2.12086 Journal of NELTA, Vol 19 No. 1-2, December 2014: 132-146

Teacher Development: Strategies and Perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 69-78
Author(s):  
Padam Lal Bharati ◽  
Subas Chalise
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Development Strategies ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Clear Idea

Aspects of teachers’ professional development in general and EFL teachers in non-English speaking countries in particular are issues that warrant constant research. Although these are widely researched areas internationally, within Nepal grounded professional development studies have been sparsely carried out. A considerable section of practicing English language teachers has no clear idea of the issue although it directly concerns themselves. Against this backdrop, this article explores some EFL teachers’ perception on the concept of teacher development in a relatively sophisticated centrally located town of Nepal.The Saptagandaki Journal Vol.8 2017: 69-78

Podcasting as a Next Generation Teaching Resource

2009 ◽  
pp. 350-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Ang Lu
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Almost All

This chapter aims to investigate how podcasts can be made to fit into the repertoire of resources utilized by teachers, especially in language education. It focuses on arming the language teacher with a fundamental knowledge of podcasting, centering on its potential applications in the classroom. Podcasts are ideal resources for language teachers, especially English language teachers, because almost all topics imaginable are now being treated in podcasts and the bulk of podcasts are recorded in English. Aside from making use of language-teaching podcasts, language teachers can also incorporate English language podcasts dealing with a wide range of issues to cater to the varying preferences of students. In addition to discussing these points, this chapter also provides suggestions for the practical incorporation of podcasts in language learning and teaching, both inside and outside the classroom. Two case studies demonstrating possible ways to use podcasts in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context are presented.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document