Classroom Interaction: Tension between Belief and Practice, a Case Study of a University Teacher
Teaching is mainly an outcome of a teacher’s perception. Whatever teachers do in their classrooms is an outcome of their educational beliefs, whether they are aware of their teaching philosophy or not. Teacher’s belief about how better a foreign language can be learned plays a significant role in deciding how they will conduct their classes. English teachers have their beliefs and perceptions about various classroom activities and accordingly they execute these beliefs and knowledge in their classroom practices. But, does it always happen? Very often it is found that their classroom practices bear the poorest samples of their beliefs. This case study investigates a university teacher’s beliefs about classroom interaction and her real classroom practices. A questionnaire will be used to elicit the teacher’s belief about interaction. Observation of her classes in the light of interactive activities will be done. An attempt will be made to see if there is any mismatch between belief and practice. Does belief change over time through training? Is there anything that resists change?
