An Exoloration Of English Teachers’ Beliefs On Teaching Effectiveness In Xinjiang Middle Schools

The study on teachers’ beliefs has drawn much more scholars’ attention in resent years, and more empirical evidence was offered to indicate that teachers’ classroom practice are greatly influenced by their beliefs, under the new basic curriculum reform in our country. The research on belief of English teachers,the key factors in English teaching, tend to be of great importance, since English teachers are the practitioners, decision-makers.and the main factor in English teaching. With appropriate beliefs, the teacher could improve his or her instruction in language teaching.The survey was conducted in June2012.This thesis focus on a survey of English teachers’beliefs in middle schools, and these teachers were from Kuerle, Qiemo,and Yining in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the teachers’beliefs includes three dimensions teaching, curriculum, supervision to students, and students ratings scores of two terms. The instruments of the research are the questionnaires used the study of Zhu and Ye(2000), and in the Lu(2004) doctoral dissertation, but they are also adapted according to EFL teachers’ beliefs. The data were analyzed by SPSS17.0descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Principal component analyses, however, are conducted. The analysis shows in the following:1. In general, the beliefs of junior English teachers in Xinjang Uygur Autonomous Region tend to be in progress and their beliefs are consistent with the ones proclaimed by the New Curriculum Standard. 2. There is a few significant differences the beliefs in teaching, curriculum, supervision to students among teachers who have different years of teaching experience.3. Teachers’ theoretical beliefs influence their classroom practice, in other words, teachers’ classroom practice is the manifestation of teachers’ theoretical beliefs.But it is found that there are the inconsistence between beliefs and practice during the interview, it is mainly due to the influence of social and cultural environment and the practical teaching situation.The thesis probes into the importance of teachers’beliefs in English teaching. It is hoped that the findings of this study will provide insights into the belief system of English teachers in order to gain some indication as to whether and to what extent such awareness affects teaching. Furthermore, a better understanding of in-service teachers beliefs will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of English education.