A Framework for Analyzing Teacher Beliefs

Towards the Contributing Factors for the Inconsistency Between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers’ Equity-Oriented Cognition and Practices

“…For a start, most respondents mentioned how student individuality such as students’ poor English language proficiency, low motivation and a weak sense of equity may impact their practices of equity. Previous research 30 , 59 , 89 has revealed similar findings. For instance, in qualitative research on Malaysian English teachers’ cognition of reading instruction, Philip et al 89 emphasized that students’ academic levels might alter teachers’ instructional practices.…”

“…For instance, the results of Sulistyowardani et al’s study 41 on two Indonesian English teachers’ cognition in integrating equity and justice in the classroom validated that teachers’ schooling experience was one of the major factors influencing their cognition about justice. Similarly, Mo 30 pointed out that the EFL teachers may prioritize teaching reading skills solely to help students achieve high scores on tests rather than promoting students’ holistic development due to their own learning experiences.…”

“…By acknowledging the role professional training plays in teachers’ cognition, more should be done to uphold equity in teacher education programs. 74 In addition to the experiential factors, researchers also identified several contextual factors such as insufficient support from the school authority 27 , 44 and exam-oriented doctrines 27 , 30 , 45 that may contribute to the discordance of their cognition and practices.…”

“… 22 , 23 As supported by empirical data from multiple studies, 24 , 25 teachers’ equity-oriented pedagogical practices do largely influence students’ learning behavior and psychological engagement, facilitating learners to be intellectually, socially, and psychologically engaged. 26 However, though EFL teachers should shoulder the responsibilities as equity agents, 10 , 27 , 28 inequities are still evident in EFL teachers’ classroom teaching, 29 which mainly reflect in teachers’ dominance in the discourse power over the classroom 30 , 31 and their weak awareness to cater to students’ learning needs. 32 , 33 …”

“… 37 , 38 Empirical findings from studies conducted by Chen, 39 Erling et al, 40 and Sulistyowardani et al 41 have indicated that, even though EFL teachers claim to be devoted to equity in their teaching, their actions are not always consistent owing to the interplay of various factors such as insufficient training programs on equity and justice, 42 , 43 lack of support from school authority 27 , 44 and exam-oriented doctrines. 30 , 45 In a word, though EFL teachers attempt to fulfill their obligation as equity agents, they are inevitably restricted by a series of influential factors within their teaching context.…”