Date of Award

1-1-2000

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Education

Department

-

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

Teachers' beliefs are considered to have a strong influence on various aspects of teachers' classroom practices. This study specifically examines the teachers' beliefs and their practices, in relation to the teaching and learning of vocabulary in reading comprehension lessons to English as second language (ESL) students. Hence, this study sought to investigate if the professed beliefs are displayed during classroom instruction, placing special attention to a particular component of subject area: vocabulary. Three teachers' beliefs and practices were investigated in three Form Five ESL classes with different levels of academic performance, language ability and proficiency from a school in Kuala Lumpur. Teacher informants participated in this study, had various years of teaching experiences. Participant observations, interviews and collection of authentic teaching-learning materials were the main techniques of data collection. Data from classroom observation were analyzed using the taxonomy of methods for teaching meaning vocabulary adapted from the study done by Watts (1995). The finding presented are on a case-to-case basis and concluded with the similarities and differences across cases. An analysis of the findings indicate that although teachers hold personal beliefs about their learners, about ESL, their role in teaching ESL and the role of vocabulary in ESL; a mixed degree of congruence existed between the beliefs and practices in all cases. In conclusion, this study urges teachers to reflect upon their beliefs, irrespective of teaching experience, to eliminate certain inconsistency between their beliefs and practices. To develop the teaching and learning of ESL in general and vocabulary specifically, de liberate reflection will revolutionize unsound beliefs and out dated practices, and may result in a more responsive day-to-day teaching, ultimate to the student's real-life needs.

Initial

snms

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A) – Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya, 2000.

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