Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in Teaching Speaking Skills A Case Study

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a qualitative case study exploring seven English language teachers‘(participants) beliefs vis-à-vis their classroom practices in teaching speaking skills at ‗Hidar‘ 11 SecondarySchool in Gondar town. I collected data through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Theinterviews engrossed in participants‘ beliefs. Before the classroom observations, I conducted the backgroundand situational interviews, and after the classroom observations, I administered the recall interviews. I observedthe classrooms in a natural setting. Thematic analysis was the analytic strategy I used for this qualitativeresearch. The findings show that participants‘ beliefs and classroom practices did not mirror up-to-date pointsof view in teaching speaking skills; they lacked theoretical bases. There were consistencies and inconsistenciesbetween the two constructs. Participants‘ learning and teaching experiences, lack of pedagogical and contentknowledge, students‘ reluctance to speak, and the school context were some of the factors for the consistenciesand inconsistencies between English teachers‘ pedagogical beliefs and actual classroom practices in teachingspeaking skills. In addition, the consistencies and inconsistencies between beliefs and practices are influencedby each other; beliefs influence practices at one time, and practices influence beliefs at another time. Hence,teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge in teaching speaking skills in courses must be developed throughshort- and long-term training programs. To make teachers reflective practitioners, their awareness-raising onbeliefs, practices, and applicable skills must be an intrinsic part of all teacher training programs.