An Investigation of Teachers' Beliefs and their Classroom Practices about Reading Strategies: Two Preparatory Schools in Focus
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
'i11e pU/pose of this study was to investigate teachers' beliefs about the reading srrategies and to
examine whether these beliefs are reflected in the actual classroom. The study is a descriptive
survey type of research which involves questionnaire survey so as to search for teachers ' beliefs,
classroom observation in order to see whether or not reachers are rejlecting their stared beliej~'
in the classroom, and semi-structured interview so as to c(,i1ect factors that have impeded or
promoted teachers in not implementing or implementing the reading strategies.
The result indicated that teachers have positive beliefs for the cognitive, metacognitive, and
social/affective reading strategies except they disliked implementing a reading strategy mlled
translation. On the contrary, teachers ' observed practices oj the strategies showed that eleven
out oj the twenty-jive reading strategies ;;-0111 each of the three classifications oj the stralegy
types have been reflected in the actual teaching and learning process of readillg For Ihis
incongruence between teachers ' stated belieJs and their observed classroom practices, limited
amount oj time, mixed ability classes, low level of students' motivation to read a passage and 10
learn reading, di/ficulty oj some contents oj the textbook Jor students ' grade level, scarcity oj
necesswy strategies to apply Jor specific activities except skimming, scanning, guessing the
meanings of words, and so Jorth, lack oj sufficient textbooks in the classro ("~' while stu:' -nts are
reading a passage, and no English lab classes in the schools have been expressed as Jactors
Hlhir:h promote teachers in not using the reading strategies in the classroom.
Upgrading teachers' knowledge oj the reading strategies through an'. 'lging training workshojJs,
a!lolling WI extended time so as to teach reading in a relaxed way al,)"ying the different
pedagogical and psychological methods such as humors and jokes to 'notivate studenls while
they are learning reading .skills, including several appropriate reading straregies inlo the
:;tlldenls' textbooks, and opening sufficient English laborator)! classes in the schools, and so on
have been recommended by the researcher in order to mako teachers' beliefs aholll the reading
strategies and their classroom practices consistent.
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Keywords
Their Classroom Practices about Reading Strategies: two Preparatory Schools in Focus