Abstract:
Previous research has revealed the influential role of teachers’ beliefs in determining
their professional behaviour. Teachers’ beliefs affect not only their teaching, but also
filter new input, suggesting significant implications for the implementation of
educational innovations and teacher development.
This study explores the interconnections between teachers’ beliefs, their instructional
practices and professional development, examining the extent to which the
introduction of an innovative teaching approach impacts teachers’ beliefs and
behaviour. It focuses particularly on grammar instruction in the context of English
teaching in secondary schools of the Maldives.
Combining descriptive ethnography with a quasi-experimental design, the study was
implemented in two phases. Phase One, based on questionnaire data from 197
teachers from 51 schools, explored teachers’ beliefs and their self reported practices.
Findings indicated that teachers placed great emphasis on grammar and that they were
unfamiliar with inductive approaches to grammar instruction. In Phase Two, inductive
grammar teaching methods were introduced to 14 teachers from two schools, in a 12
week professional development programme.
Drawing largely on data from observations and interviews, the results from this phase
showed that although teachers were observed to generally follow their pedagogic
beliefs, several points of difference between their beliefs and practices existed. While
the professional development may have increased their understanding of inductive
approaches to grammar instruction at the level of awareness, only limited changes to
beliefs and practices were observed. Changing instructional practice appeared to be a
difficult task with only two teachers uptaking the innovation. Some subsidiary
changes were however observed in the practices of several other teachers. Various
impediments constrained change efforts, including teachers’ lack of openness to
change, their low professional motivation and the lack of a supportive school culture.
Contextual factors such as large classes and difficult working conditions also
negatively affected the change process. Findings indicate that development activities
which provided regular one-on-one support for the teachers were more likely to lead
to uptake than those involving mainly workshops. The individual nature of the uptake
process, its lack of uniformity and the challenges faced by the teachers are discussed,
as are the implications for the provision of professional development.
