Wyatt, Mark (2008) Growth in practical knowledge and teachers' self-efficacy during an in-service BA (TESOL) programme. PhD thesis, University of Leeds.
Abstract
This thesis explores growth in practical knowledge and teachers' self-efficacy during an in-service language teacher education programme; a three-year BA (TESOL). Teachers' self-efficacy beliefs are teachers' beliefs in their capabilities of supporting learning in various task and context-specific cognitive, metacognitive, affective and social ways. The study focuses on five non-native speaker teachers of English in a hitherto little researched geographical context, using qualitative case study methodology to trace their development longitudinally. Longitudinal studies into the practical knowledge growth of language teachers are notable by their absence, as are qualitative studies into language teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. Accordingly, constructs and processes central to this thesis have been under-researched, leading to a gap in the literature that . this study addresses. In this thesis, case studies of the development of teachers' self-efficacy and practical knowledge in ELT are presented. Findings suggest that in-service language teacher education programmes that encourage reflection and deep learning can foster considerable growth in practical knowledge and teachers' self-efficacy. Various dimensions of this practical knowledge growth are explored and light is shed on teachers' cognitions in previously little researched curricular areas of language teaching. Assertions are made about the nature of growth in language teachers' selfefficacy, and a conceptual model is offered that seeks to explain this process. Insights gained from the study suggest that qualitative methods, including observations and interviews used together, can uncover links between language teachers' practical knowledge and self-efficacy beliefs, and can be used to chart growth that occurs in both longitudinally. This work thus makes a methodological contribution as well as enriching understanding of the constructs themselves. It also makes recommendations for the design of in-service language teacher education programmes with a view to helping them support growth in practical knowledge and teachers' self-efficacy
Metadata
Supervisors: | Borg, Simon and Chambers, Gary |
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Awarding institution: | University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Education (Leeds) |
Identification Number/EthosID: | uk.bl.ethos.666548 |
Depositing User: | Ethos Import |
Date Deposited: | 07 Jan 2016 11:52 |
Last Modified: | 07 Jan 2016 11:52 |
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