Teachers’ Pedagogical Belief and its Reflection on the Practice in Teaching Writing in EFL Tertiary Context in Bangladesh.

Abstract

Writing is the most focused but the least developed English language skill among the learners in Bangladesh. At tertiary level the situation is not different. Surely, alternative approach(es) different from the current practices in teaching writing is/are the timely need to alter the poor standard in English writing of tertiary level students. Cognition or belief related literature suggests what teachers think and believe has a great impact on classroom practices. So, this study investigates teachers’ pedagogical belief in teaching writing assuming it as a vital first step to bring innovations in teaching practices. A mixed-method study was carried out in this regard. 15 teachers from a private university responded to the questionnaire used for this study and two teachers from the same institution were interviewed. The results show a marked discrepancy between teacher belief and practice. Teachers’ lack of orientation in different approaches to teaching writing and contextual constraints are, the study finds out, the major causes behind it. Despite the findings need further extensive research to be validated, the results in this study are definite pointers to the dire necessity of teacher education featuring pedagogical orientation on different approaches to teaching writing, techniques of more student engagement in writing process, ways to increase student motivation in writing and procedures of technology integration and using in teaching writing.

Keywords: Teacher belief, Teaching writing, Teacher education