Descriptive study of language teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48035/Keywords:
belief, grammar, language teaching, statistical analysis, metalinguistic reflectionAbstract
In this article, we present an exploratory quantitative study that examines the beliefs of practising teachers of first, second, and foreign languages regarding the teaching and learning of grammar. The main objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the conceptions and beliefs of elementary and secondary school teachers regarding theoretical knowledge of grammar, preferred methodological approaches in language classrooms, and teaching practices most commonly employed. This will allow for a better understanding of their pedagogical practice, enable the proposal of improvements, and train future teachers accordingly. The study consists of a descriptive statistical analysis of the responses of 70 participants to an online questionnaire comprising more than thirty questions. In general, the results point to a commitment to the explicit teaching of grammar, in which reflection and comparison with other languages in the curriculum are promoted. Teachers agree that language instruction goes beyond the mere explanation of sentence grammar, and that this knowledge must be consolidated through the analysis and production of written and oral texts. Likewise, they advocate moving away from outof-context manipulation exercises and instead focus on working with the students’ own examples. Nor are they advocates of rote memorization; instead, they propose activities that apply what was covered in class and encourage reflection on issues observed in the students’ own work.
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