Nexus between Beliefs College English Instructors’ Held about Teaching Reading Strategies and their Classroom Practice

Abstract

Abstract This study examined connections between beliefs college English language instructors’ held about reading strategies and their classroom application in teaching reading. The sites of the target population for this study were students in the Colleges of Teacher Education in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. In this region, there are ten Administrative Zones each having one College of Teacher Education. Debre Birhan, Sekotta, Gondar and Debre Markos were selected by simple random sampling technique using lots. From the fourcolleges, twenty-sixinstructors were selected by simple random sampling technique using lot. Data were collected through close-ended questionnaire items and structured observation checklist. Data gathered through questionnaire were analysed using percentage. One sample t-test was employed to analyse data obtained from classroom observations. The findings indicated that college instructors held strong and positive beliefs about English language reading strategies. However, findings confirmed that instructors do not actually apply strategies, such asteaching key vocabulary in the pre-reading phase, skimming, predicting about the text to read, guessing the meaning of unknown words, scanning the text, how to comprehend text read, summarising the text read and so on in teaching reading. From the findings, it could be inferred that it would be useful if instructors adjust their beliefs to practices. To help instructors match their beliefs to their practice, there seems a need to train them on reading strategies. Training instructors may acquaint them with the necessary steps and techniques of teaching reading appropriately.

Keywords: Beliefs; Teaching reading strategies; Classroom practices; Teacher education