Darika Bhakdikul. A relationship between beliefs of EFL university teachers in a Thai university context and their instructional behaviors : a crucial issue. Master's Degree(Applied Linguistics). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2007.
A relationship between beliefs of EFL university teachers in a Thai university context and their instructional behaviors : a crucial issue
Abstract:
This study aims to explore beliefs of English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
university teachers and their actual instructional behaviors, and to examine whether
there is a relationship (if any) between these teachers beliefs and their instructional
behaviors. Such a study is timely because knowledge of teachers beliefs and
behaviors, and the understanding of the relationship between teachers beliefs and
classroom behaviors could generate better insights into what teachers decide to do or
not to do in their classrooms and why. Nineteen native and non-native English
speaking EFL university teachers from Copeland University (pseudonym) were asked
to participate in the study. These teachers were interviewed, took part in focus group
interviews, and were observed during their teaching. Moreover, written documents
concerning the development of EFL courses at Copeland University were collected.
The study found that in terms of classroom management, almost all
participating EFL teachers tended to deal with their students behaviors, students
errors, and students responses based on their beliefs. In terms of pedagogy, the
participants taught their students in the way they had learned, and believed it to be
suitable as well as effective. An analysis of these qualitative data helped the researcher
conclude that there was a relationship between teachers beliefs and their instructional
behaviors. Moreover, it is interesting to note that the degree of closeness of the
relationship between their beliefs and their actions somehow fluctuated. The gap
between these participating teachers beliefs and classroom behaviors, as it appeared
in the data, derived from factors such as course syllabi, course objectives, teaching
materials, number of students, time constraints, and classroom facilities.