Assessing Teacher's Beliefs and Practices in relation to the Integration of Grammar and Reading in Foreign Language Teaching in Secondary Schools in Ethiopia

Authors

  • Gemechis T. Chali
  • Kimberley Mouvet
  • Miriam Taverniers

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v33i1.16565

Abstract

Studies have suggested that teachers’ beliefs have a significant influence in language teaching (e.g., Williams and Burden, 1997), i.e. that teachers’ beliefs will significantly influence their teaching practice. This study examines teachers’ beliefs and practices in relation to the integration of grammar and reading in foreign language teaching. A qualitative research design with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and observation data gathering tools was employed. The study revealed that teachers hold positive beliefs on teaching grammar and reading in an integrated way, but their beliefs were not reflected in the classroom. The key finding of this paper was that teachers strongly believed in the usefulness of the integration of grammar and reading, but there were difficulties to reflect it in practice. This paper suggests that an alternative technique should be developed on discrete ways of teaching to allow teachers to practise their beliefs either on the existing text or through adapting the textbook. The findings of the study may have important implications for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers and practitioners. KEY WORDS: TEACHERS’ BELIEFS, TEACHING GRAMMAR AND READING, PRACTICES, INTEGRATED TEACHING

Author Biographies

Gemechis T. Chali

Department of English Language and Literature Jimma University  Ethiopia

Kimberley Mouvet

Department of Linguistics  Ghent University Belgium

Miriam Taverniers

Department of Linguistics Ghent University Belgium  

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Published

2020-06-14

How to Cite

Chali, G. T., Mouvet, K., & Taverniers, M. . (2020). Assessing Teacher’s Beliefs and Practices in relation to the Integration of Grammar and Reading in Foreign Language Teaching in Secondary Schools in Ethiopia . frika ocus, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v33i1.16565

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Section

Articles