An Exploration Of Grammar Teaching Beliefs Held By English Teachers In A Rural Middle School: A Case Study

Grammar teaching is an important content in Englishpedagogical practices. Lots of researches have shown thatteachers’grammar teaching beliefs influence grammar teachingapproaches which the teachers adopt. Considerable time and efforthas gone into the quantitative research on grammar teachingbeliefs, yet many of these studies have ignored the significance ofclassroom observation that is the best way to know teachers’grammar teaching beliefs. The purpose of this study is toinvestigate the status of grammar teaching beliefs that the caseteacher hold through the classroom observation in the backgroundof new curriculum reform, which contributes to provide theconstructive suggestions on teachers’professional developmentand teacher education.This dissertation mainly focuses on the following questions: (1)What grammar teaching beliefs does the case teacher hold? (2) How does the case teacher form these grammar teaching beliefs? (3)How do these grammar teaching beliefs influence the teachingpractices? Whether is there consistency between grammarteaching beliefs and teaching practices by classroom observation.(4) If there exists discrepancy, what factors cause this? (5) Whetherdo these grammar teaching beliefs the case teacher hold conformto the ideal of English curriculum standard?This dissertation adopts tracking survey by choosing one ofbackbone teachers in a rural middle school, using qualitativeresearch paradigm with classroom observation and interview. Theinstruments adopted are two interview outlines: teachers’grammarteaching beliefs and grammar teaching practices. The teacher wasobserved and interviewed over four months. The analysis indicated:(1) The traditional grammar teaching beliefs were highly valued bythe teacher. (2) The grammar teaching beliefs are formed by thefeedback of practice effect. (3) The classroom practices werehighly consistent with her beliefs about grammar teaching. (4)However, the inconsistency was still existed between thembecause of the contextual factors and internal causes. (5) Thesetoo conservative grammar teaching beliefs and practices were atodds with China’s National Curriculum Standard, which can notsatisfy the needs of improving the students’comprehensive abilities.The conclusions and implications were discussed withreference to the findings. There is the significant enlightenment forteachers’professional development, teachers’self-developmentconsciousness and teacher education programs.