[學術發表] 碩士論文Master Thesis

(2011) Elementary School English Teachers’ Teacher Beliefs on EFL Teaching and their Teaching Practices in the Classroom – Cases of Taiwan and Japan.

Abstract:

Teachers’ beliefs are said to play a crucial role on teaching and learning and to have a strong relationship with teaching practice. There is a great deal of literature on teachers’ beliefs and practice; however, little is specific on elementary school English teachers. Furthermore, not much literature compares beliefs hold between two countries. In the present study, a questionnaire on teachers’ beliefs and practices is designed, including three parts: back ground information, beliefs and practices, and free comments on EFL education. For the second parts, items are designed into twelve categories according to the issues related to EFL teaching. Likert five scale formats are used to elicit the strength of beliefs and the frequency of practices. Surveying elementary school in-service teachers of English in Taiwan and Japan by questionnaire, this paper explores the beliefs teachers of the two countries have about EFL teaching, revealing the congruity and discrepancy between them as well as investigating the relationship between their beliefs and practices. In addition, factors are examined to see which have influence on teachers’ beliefs. It is hoped this study will have some suggestions to elementary school teachers of English and language teacher educators in Taiwan and Japan.