A Case Study Of EFL Teachers' Beliefs And Teaching Behaviors

EFL teachers'beliefs are views and opinions of teaching, which teachers can be sure of. They mainly include teachers'views on teaching, language, learning, learners, contents, teachers themselves, and their roles and so on. EFL teachers'beliefs will influence his teaching behaviors a lot during English teaching. At present, there are increasing researches on English teachers' beliefs of middle schools and colleges, however, EEL teachers'beliefs of vocational schools have not been paid much attention to.The subjects of this study are seven English teachers from Yantai No.1 Vocational School. Interview and classroom observation are applied in this research, the author using qualitative analysis aims to find out EFL teachers'beliefs of vocational schools, influential factors of EFL teachers'beliefs as well as relationship between EFL teachers'beliefs and teaching behaviors. There are seven departments in this school, from each of which the author picks one teacher. The proportion of male to female is three to four. These seven teachers are of different ages; as a result, these teachers are representatives of vocational school teachers.First, semi-structured interviews are processed separately and at the same time recorded. The author aims to get the background information of subjects, English teachers'beliefs and influential factors of English teacher'beliefs, and then classroom observations and after-class interviews are followed. The aim is to make clear relationship between teachers'beliefs and teaching behaviors.After transcribing and analyzing the data, the following results are obtained. (1) There are similarities and differences between English teachers'beliefs. Beliefs of English teachers, beliefs of learning and beliefs of teaching are different; beliefs of learners and beliefs of teacher as a profession are similar. (2) Influential factors mainly include:language learning experience, teaching experience, personality, pre-service education and in-service training, learning abilities of students and pressure from school. (3) English teachers'beliefs are consistent with their teaching behaviors most of the time, but sometimes they are not related because of students' abilities, pressure and so on. The author makes a conclusion at Chapter Five, and indicates implications on teachers themselves, teacher education as well as vocational schools. Firstly, this research can help EFL teachers be aware of their own beliefs and the significance of their beliefs. They should often do reflective thinking and put their beliefs into practice. Secondly, this study shows that pre-service education and in-service training are of great help to teachers'beliefs. EFL teachers should learn more theories about teaching through pre-service education and in-service training. Thirdly, schools where teachers work have a great impact on teachers'beliefs. A harmonious and democratic context should be founded, and some new policies should be made to release pressure of teachers and promote salary. The author points out the deficiencies of this study, suggestions are also made for further research at the end of this study.