英文摘要 |
This study investigates the beliefs of four Japanese public high school English teachers about teaching reading. The sources of their beliefs, and the changes in these beliefs over the course of their respective careers were also examined. The data were gathered from narrative essays and personal interviews. Referring to Calderhead (1996), teachers' beliefs were categorized into four areas: teaching, subject matter, learners and learning, and teaching roles. First, beliefs expressed by two of the teachers were analyzed. In this analysis, the author focused the discussion on the beliefs that appeared the strongest. For example, regarding beliefs about subject matter, the first teacher emphasized the importance of topics, while the second teacher pointed out that teaching how to read phonetic signs, and having the students consult a dictionary was important. After the analysis of the two teachers' individual belief, a cross-analysis of all four teachers was conducted with respect to the influences on and the changes in their beliefs. Each teacher held a unique set of beliefs, and in all cases, learning and teaching experiences most strongly influenced their beliefs. University entrance examination requirements greatly affected the teaching practices of all four participants, regardless of their beliefs. All of the teachers reported changing their beliefs during their careers, although the degree of change varied. |