English language teachers’ teaching beliefs and classroom practice in teaching grammar in EF English First Klampis

In the teaching and learning of English, the teaching and learning of grammar becomes unavoidable. Language is constructed of grammar therefore it is undebatable as to the significance of grammar in a language. This study aimed at analyzing how teachers view and teach grammar in the classroom, also to see how the beliefs that they hold are practiced in the classroom. This research tried to find out the teachers' beliefs in teaching grammar, reasons for the formation of those beliefs and how those beliefs were applied in the classroom. In order to do so, the researcher used a short term observation qualitative study where the participants teaching process in the classroom were observed and video taped. The observation used is a non-participant observation. This research drew on the inductive and deductive approach to teaching grammar. Then different methods of teaching were included to suit each approach. The deductive approach focuses on the explicit explanation of grammar rules. Whereas the inductive approach focuses on the implicit explanation of grammar rules, where students discover grammar rules through guidance from the teacher. Based on the research done, it showed that teachers believed in the importance of teaching grammar. However there were some divergence between the teachers' beliefs and their actual classroom practice. Divergence were in the use of communicative activities, integration of skills, error correction, use of inductive and deductive approach and also contextualization. It can be concluded that, the divergence happened for reasons of some unawareness of beliefs and practice. Another reason was also lack of knowledge in methodology application suitable to the teachers' context and lastly also the participants' stress level. The contribution of this research towards teaching is that it showed the importance of teachers' professional development, especially during the first few years of the teachers' teaching endeavour. Further professional development would be to make teachers become more aware of their teaching beliefs so that they are able to find ways to apply their beliefs in their teaching context. It is important to let them realize the importance of syncronizing beliefs and actions. Suggestions for further research of teachers' beliefs in teaching grammar, would be research about teachers beliefs in various other context such as in the public schools, secondary or tertiary level. Recording of classroom activities should be done with caution as it might effect the classroom's teaching and learning process