An investigation into experienced English language teachers' use of grammar teaching techniques

: A belief perspective

Abstract

Although a significant number of studies have been conducted on teachers’ beliefs and their overall approach to grammar teaching, teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching techniques and their use of such techniques is an under-explored area within teacher cognition research. The present study set out to investigate the relationship between teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching techniques and their grammar teaching practices, with particular attention to the bidirectional relationship between beliefs and practice. In order to provide insights into the belief-practice relationship, a multiple case study of three experienced English language teachers who work at a private language school in Southern England was conducted. The data collection instruments were background interviews, scenario-based interviews, lesson observations and stimulatedrecall interviews. The findings revealed that a) the teachers used a large variety of grammar teaching techniques to make grammar content accessible to their learners, and often combined different techniques to teach grammar content, b) the teachers’ selection and use of grammar teaching tools was influenced by a wide range of content-specific and content-general beliefs, and other internal and external influential factors c) the teachers developed their beliefs about grammar teaching techniques through gaining teaching experience, receiving feedback from students and observing learners’ reactions, abilities, progress and achievements. These findings carry implications for teacher cognition research (especially focusing on the relationship between teachers’ beliefs, practices and influential factors in the context of grammar teaching), teacher education (how teacher trainers can develop teachers’ belief awareness during teacher development courses) and professional development (how teachers can develop belief awareness and their use of grammar teaching techniques in their own instructional contexts).

Date of Award	17 Aug 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Santiago Sanchez (Supervisor) & Katie Dunworth (Supervisor)