Changes in Learners Beliefs about classroom verbal participation

Changes in Learners’ Beliefs about classroom verbal participation: a Cross- cultural Comparison Huang Jing - English language teacher, Science and Technology College of Nanchang University, China and York St John University MA English Language Teaching participant 2007/8

Introduction: Beliefs l. I Ø Ø Ø believe… It is difficult to learn swimming. Teacher is an ideal job for me. English is a different but not difficult language.

Introduction: Beliefs l. I Ø Ø Ø believe… It is necessary to learn swimming. Teacher is an ideal job for me. It is necessary to learn more foreign languages.

Introduction: Learners’ Beliefs l Recent research shows that learners’ beliefs about language learning strongly influence their attitudes, motivation, and shape their learning experience (Bernat & Gvozdenko, 2005). l You do better at what you like.

Introduction: Beliefs l Richardson (1996, p. 102, cited by Bernat 2006), beliefs are “psychologically held understandings, premises or propositions about the world that are felt to be true. ” l As the consequence of the paradoxical nature of beliefs and different agendas of scholars, beliefs have been regarded as a “messy” construct. (Pajares, 1992, p. 307， cited in Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003).

Introduction: Learners’ Beliefs l l “… understanding students’ beliefs means understanding their world and their identity. ” (Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003, p. 8) Kalaja and Barcelos (2003) concluded that learners’ beliefs are context dependent. They exist in the real environment and also they are not stable, they change in different sociocultural contexts.

Research Approaches and Criticisms l Ø The Normative Approach: Likert-type questionnaires to get descriptive statistics. “…easier to tabulate and particularly appropriate for large numbers of respondents” (Gimenez, 1994, p. 76 cited in Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003). Ø Elaine Horwitz’s BALLI (Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory )

Research Approaches and Criticisms l The Normative Approach (example) It is easier for children than adults to learn a foreign language. 1 2 3 4 5 1 = strongly agree 3 = neither agree nor disagree 5 = strongly disagree 2 = agree 4 = disagree

Research Approaches and Criticisms l Ø Ø The Normative Approach Criticisms: First, different interpretation to the same questionnaire. Second, the pre-established set of statements restricted participants’ choices. (Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003)

Research Approaches and Criticisms l The Metacognitive Approach: the learners’ beliefs were defined as metacognitive knowledge. “…stable, although sometimes incorrect knowledge that learners have acquired about language, learning and the language learning process” (Wenden, 1987, p. 163, cited in Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003)

Research Approaches and Criticisms l Ø Ø The Metacognitive Approach: Semi-structured interviews and self-reports Content analysis More opportunities to express ideas through interviews. The importance of the real context was ignored.

Research Approaches and Criticisms l The Contextual Approach: varieties of methods Ethnographic classroom observation (Allen, 1996; Barcelos, 1995, 2000), diaries and narratives (Miller& Ginsberg, 1995), metaphor analysis (Ellis, 1999, 2001) and discourse analysis (Riley, 1994; Grigoletoo, 2000; Kalaja, 1995). l l Context specific Dynamic

My Research l Participants Ø 9 students from Science and Technology college of Nanchang University 2 British English teachers Ø

The Research l Research Questions: Ø 1. Is there any change of their beliefs after they have studied in UK? To what extent have their beliefs changed or not changed? 2. What are the reasons for these changes or lack of changes? Ø

The Research l Ø Ø Ø Three types of instruments: questionnaire: modified BALLI model and translated into Chinese classroom observation form: translated from Zhang and Zhou’s (2004) classroom participation pattern semi-structured interview

The Research l l Ø Ø • • Ø Data Collection: a Cross- cultural Comparison Time: July 8 th 2008 – August 1 st 2008 Step 1: pre-arrival questionnaire (China) Step 2: classroom observation interviewed both teachers and students Step 3: post-arrival questionnaire (UK)

The Research l l Ø Ø Data Analysis: quantitative & qualitative Quantitative: Q 4 -Q 10(pre-arrival/China) V. S. Q 2 -Q 8(postarrival/UK) the frequency of learners’ verbal and nonverbal participation. l Qualitative: factor analysis Ø Open-ended questions Interview transcriptions Ø

Findings l 1. Is there any change of their beliefs after they have studied in UK? To what extent have their beliefs changed or not changed?

Findings l 2. What are the reasons for these changes or lack of changes? Ø “…we prefer to ask teachers here (UK) because I also have to speak English with my classmates here… ” “… teachers can give you easier explanations than classmates can do …we may meet more language difficulties when asking classmates…” Ø

Discussions l Ø Ø Possible Reasons Different social status of English Different class size Different teachers’ behaviors Different relationship with classmates

Possible Future Research l l The gap between learners' beliefs and their classroom behavior. “Do you think your classroom verbal participation has changed after these four weeks’ study? If yes, in what way and why? If no, why? ” Eight participants answered yes and they said they will be more active in the future.

Possible Future Research Ø Ø Ø What is the relationship between learners' beliefs and their classroom behavior? It is still difficult to test the precious nature of this relationship. (Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003) Beliefs and behavior do not necessarily correlate, (Woods, 1996) students beliefs are “formed by their approaches, and also form their approaches”. (Crawford et al, 1994, p. 343 cited in Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003)

The more you know……

Any questions? Why ? Who? What? How ? re? Whe Wh en?