EFL instructors’ cognitions and actions in relation to foreign language learning and teaching processes

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2014
Öztürk, Mustafa
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The purpose of this study is to investigate EFL instructors’ language learning cognitions regarding linguistic aptitude, priorities in language learning, and good language learners; and language teaching actions with respect to pedagogical inclinations, instructional planning, error correction, learner-centeredness, and personal and professional development. The study also aims to describe the patterns of the relationships existing among those variables and examine the sources contributing to teachers’ cognitive and behavioural development. The participants consisted of 606 EFL instructors teaching in 15 different higher education institutions in Ankara, Turkey. The data were collected through a single, cross-sectional inventory titled EFL Instructors’ Cognitions and Actions Inventory). The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics by using frequency distribution tables, percentages, means, standard deviations, t-tests, ANOVAs, Pearson correlation coefficients, and canonical correlation. The descriptive results concerning language learning cognitions indicated that the participants tended to adopt: an interactionist perspective emphasizing the significance of the environment around individuals learning a language; a performance-oriented approach focusing on real-life functions of language skills and areas; and a slight orientation to legislative learners who can create their own rules and decide on their own priorities. On the other hand, they seemed to employ: both traditional/conservative and innovative/liberal pedagogies; communicative practices in error correction and instructional planning; learner-centeredness; and personal and professional development attempts in their language teaching actions. The inferential analyses revealed that the participants’ cognitions and actions on certain aspects differed in relation to age, teaching experience, and academic background. Furthermore, the participants having competence-oriented approach and executive learner preferences would exhibit adherence to traditional (conservative) pedagogy, but divergence from communicative practices in instructional planning and error correction. Similarly, the participants disfavouring legislative learners would tend to diverge from communicative practices in instructional planning and error correction; on the contrary they would reflect a tendency towards traditional (conservative) pedagogy.
English teachers, English teachers, English teachers, Educational evaluation., English language
http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12617140/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/23508
Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats
M. Öztürk, “EFL instructors’ cognitions and actions in relation to foreign language learning and teaching processes,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2014.
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