EXPLORING TEACHERS' BELIEFS

1. What beliefs or assumptions about language learning and 

language teaching have you held throughout your English language development and your teaching career?

LEARNING

English Learning has to be a learner-centered process.

I always act as If I was a learner too. For me it is more than necessary to put ourselves in our students' shoes to know their needs and desires. Undoubtedly it will contribute to engage learners to learn in a more enjoyable an easy way. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

When I was just a teacher student I use to teach separated lessons which were not learner centered. They were only focused on grammar aspects or vocabulary instead of integrating the four language skills. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

Creating a good learning atmosphere motivate students 

to learn and to grow in all the aspects

“Each student is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially.” Teaching metaphor

Interaction is a key process to construct knowledge.

TEACHING

Teaching activity is a never ending learning process 

Teaching is a never ending learning process of gaining knowledge from new philosophies and new strategies, learning from the parents and community, learning from colleagues, and especially learning from learners” Teaching metaphor

“Learners have taught me to open my mind and my heart to the joys, the innocence, and the diversity of ideas in the world.” Teaching metaphor

And the personal and experiential knowledge of teaching are derived from the experiences I have lived which have shaped my role. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

Reflective role should be adopted for all the teachers to make teaching more effective and to identify our potential. 

“To me, that cap is the reflective one, the one that all of us as teachers should have in our daily teaching practice. It helps us to think deeply about our role as teacher and the way in which we apply all the theory we know in order to make students learn easily and in an enjoyable way.” Teaching metaphor

 Then, after experiencing different problems and lack motivation from my students I starting to reflect upon the appropriateness of those not sequenced lessons and the implications for learners’ learning process. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

“I rely on the reflection process as a way to identify my weaknesses and strengths in my teaching rol, methods and strategies.” Teaching metaphor

“Teaching practice requires  unexpectedly decision 

making” 

Hence, teaching is a dynamic and complex process that requires a multitude of decisions to be made. Teaching metaphor

Teachers should be transformative intellectuals

I see myself very commited to my students’ significant learning in the sense of looking always for new materials and strategies taht can motivate them to learn in a more meaningful way. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

Our main role as teachers is to support and guide our 

students’ learning process

It is my prime role as a mentor to help and guide students to develop skills in the language learning area  by providing them a safe environment that supports  collaborative work as well as the development of child's natural curiosity. Learning methaphor

Teachers have to put themselves into their learners’ shoes

For me it is more than necessary to put ourselves in our 

students' shoes to know them. It means to know their needs 

and desires. Conceptualizing teaching Acts

Planning is a key duty teachers should do in advance. 

For teachers, a complex but essential duty to assume when teaching is planning.

Conceptualizing teaching Acts

From my teaching experience, I assert on the importance of establishing first the aims or goals of the lesson which are going to focus the purpose of teaching and learning English.

Conceptualizing teaching Acts

2. What sources have you derived those beliefs or assumptions from?

Most of those beliefs and assumptions are derived primarily from my experience  and all the reflections I have made deeply about them. Constantly, I wonder about the impact of my teaching role in order to identify the strenghts I have as a teacher and the weaknesses I need to concentrate on, too. As Richards and Farrell, 2005, claim "teachers learn a great deal about the reasons behind their teaching philosophies and practices by examining their experinces and asking and answering questions about them". In agreement with this I would say that reflecting on what I teach and How I do are the starting points to contrast the theory and practice, as well as my teaching experinces.

3. How would you challenge some of those beliefs?

From my personal experience I would challenge those assumptions or beliefs through a deep and ongoing reflective process about my  teaching practice and all what it involves: its current characteristics (strategies, materials, activities).I see myself as a transformative intellectual who goes beyond reflection process, to transform the educational panorama I am facing to, and to build a new understanding of my teaching.By doing this,"we can profoundly change the teaching and learning process in our schools."Sagor (1992,p.5)

Drawing on this idea, I strongly believe on the great impact Research has for my teacher development. It seems to me a creative way to start not only reflection on our educational issues but also to implement actions and solutions that can improve or mitigate those problems. Thus, I feel eager to implement a research process as it will contribute me to shape a clear awareness and qualification of my teachers’ role as to provide me actions and new strategies to have better results in my teaching practice.