A Case Study On Overseas Trained Middle School English Teachers’ Beliefs And Teaching Practices

With the development of cognitive psychology,teachers? beliefs draw more and more attention among researchers.It is generally agreed that teachers? beliefs have great influence on teaching behaviors.Pajares(1992)concluded that teachers? beliefs had a greater influence than teachers? knowledge on their lesson plans,decision makings and on their classroom practices.Much research aims to examine the relationship between teachers? beliefs and teaching practices.Yet very limited research has been done on a special group of middle school English teachers who,undertook their overseas training and returned to teach in their homeland.This case study explores teaching beliefs of ten overseas trained middle school English teachers,investigates the relationship between their beliefs and practices and finds out students? perceptions on their classroom practice.Three research methods are employed: interviews,classroom observations and questionnaires.Firstly,the ten teachers were interviewed to explore their beliefs about language,language learning,language teaching,learners and teacher?s role,professional development upon returning.Secondly,classroom observations were conducted with four teachers to examine the relationship between their stated beliefs and their actual teaching practices from aspects of teaching goal,teaching material,classroom center,teaching method,classroom activity,teacher?s role and learners.Thirdly,questionnaires were used to explore students? perception on their teachers? classroom teaching.The study has three main findings: first,the overseas training exerts great influence on these returned English teachers? beliefs,strengthening,changing and reshaping their beliefs in terms of language learning and teaching.Second,it can be seen that the relationship between their stated beliefs and teaching practices is partly consistent despite some discrepancies.Influential factors of discrepancies are also found.Third,in students? perception,the overseas teachers,acting as “guide” in their classroom teaching,stress speaking and ability of using English and organize different tasks such as discussion by using various teaching materials.Yet these overseas trained teachers lecture more than interact with them.Some suggestions are proposed to help teachers to reflect on their learning and teaching to improve their professional development and some measures are provided to enhance the adaptation and effectiveness of the overseas training program.