Teacher beliefs and pedagogical practices in two Malaysian young learner ESL classrooms

Abstract

Farrell (2007) says that investigating teachers‘ beliefs and the corresponding classroom practices can proffer insights on what teachers need to change, improvise and improve in their approaches towards language teaching and learning. The focus of teaching and learning in this time of age is on processes and practices that are situated in meaningful activity and not cognitive capacities alone. In view of that, this mini case study seeks to explore teacher beliefs and their pedagogical practices in young learner ESL classrooms through a sociocultural perspective within the Malaysian context. Another central focus of this study is in discerning the interrelatedness of stated beliefs and enacted practices of teachers teaching young learners. Two participants from a rural primary school in Johor were selected. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to identify the beliefs of the teachers in teaching and learning in young learner ESL classrooms. Classroom lessons were recorded and then transcribed to discern the pedagogical practices of the teachers. Furthermore, stimulated recall interviews were carried out to gain more insightful data on teacher beliefs, pedagogical practices and the interrelationship of the former and latter. Four main themes were generated on teacher beliefs, namely teaching practices, classroom communication, roles in the classroom and teaching of grammar. Three main themes were generated to identify the pedagogical practices of teachers teaching young learners. These themes are classroom interaction, learning styles and motivation. Results show that teacher beliefs and practices may not occur in a linear fashion. Convergence and divergence of stated beliefs and enacted practices reveal the complex, intricate and =symbiotic‘ relationship of teacher beliefs and practices. Findings from this study may bring to attention the importance of exploring teacher cognition in contributing towards policy making, syllabus and material design, lesson planning and teaching methodologies and approaches for the Malaysian English classroom.