Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools

Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools

Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew^*

Published in Science Journal of Education (Volume 12, Issue 6)

Received: 30 October 2024 Accepted: 14 November 2024 Published: 29 November 2024

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Abstract

This inquiry rigorously examines the intricate interplay between Ethiopian preparatory EFL teachers’ epistemological beliefs and the pedagogical enactment of grammar instruction, emphasizing focus-on-form methodologies within contextualized teaching paradigms. This study’s paramount objective is to ascertain the degree of congruity between teachers’ theoretical orientations and their practical deployment in classroom settings, while discerning the ramifications for communicative competence within EFL contexts. To this end, two grade twelve English teachers at Mekprey Preparatory School were selected via purposive sampling, aligning participant expertise with the study’s nuanced focus. A qualitative research design, underscored by an exploratory framework, facilitated in-depth data collection through systematic classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, yielding a rich corpus of insights. Analytical procedures hinged on thematic analysis, rigorously delineating both latent and manifest patterns in the alignment—or lack thereof—between instructional beliefs and observed practices. Results illuminated a pronounced dissonance between teachers’ professed commitment to contextualized, communicative grammar pedagogy and their predominant focus on discrete grammatical features, ostensibly tailored to the exigencies of exam-centric instruction. This misalignment underscores the pervasive influence of examination imperatives, which appear to circumscribe the adoption of communicative methods. In response, the study advocates for targeted professional development initiatives that surmount the inherent challenges of embedding focus-on-form and contextualized instructional strategies in exam-driven settings. Furthermore, it calls for a recalibration of curricular frameworks to harmonize the dual imperatives of communicative competence and high-stakes testing, thereby fostering a more holistic and efficacy-driven approach to EFL grammar pedagogy.

Published in	Science Journal of Education (Volume 12, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
Page(s)	157-165
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Context, Focus on Form, Teaching Grammar, Teachers’ Beliefs

References

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APA Style

Tadegew, T. M. (2024). Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Science Journal of Education, 12(6), 157-165. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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Tadegew, T. M. Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Sci. J. Educ. 2024, 12(6), 157-165. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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AMA Style

Tadegew TM. Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Sci J Educ. 2024;12(6):157-165. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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@article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15,
  author = {Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew},
  title = {Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools
},
  journal = {Science Journal of Education},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {157-165},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  abstract = {This inquiry rigorously examines the intricate interplay between Ethiopian preparatory EFL teachers’ epistemological beliefs and the pedagogical enactment of grammar instruction, emphasizing focus-on-form methodologies within contextualized teaching paradigms. This study’s paramount objective is to ascertain the degree of congruity between teachers’ theoretical orientations and their practical deployment in classroom settings, while discerning the ramifications for communicative competence within EFL contexts. To this end, two grade twelve English teachers at Mekprey Preparatory School were selected via purposive sampling, aligning participant expertise with the study’s nuanced focus. A qualitative research design, underscored by an exploratory framework, facilitated in-depth data collection through systematic classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, yielding a rich corpus of insights. Analytical procedures hinged on thematic analysis, rigorously delineating both latent and manifest patterns in the alignment—or lack thereof—between instructional beliefs and observed practices. Results illuminated a pronounced dissonance between teachers’ professed commitment to contextualized, communicative grammar pedagogy and their predominant focus on discrete grammatical features, ostensibly tailored to the exigencies of exam-centric instruction. This misalignment underscores the pervasive influence of examination imperatives, which appear to circumscribe the adoption of communicative methods. In response, the study advocates for targeted professional development initiatives that surmount the inherent challenges of embedding focus-on-form and contextualized instructional strategies in exam-driven settings. Furthermore, it calls for a recalibration of curricular frameworks to harmonize the dual imperatives of communicative competence and high-stakes testing, thereby fostering a more holistic and efficacy-driven approach to EFL grammar pedagogy.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools

AU  - Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew
Y1  - 2024/11/29
PY  - 2024
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DO  - 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
T2  - Science Journal of Education
JF  - Science Journal of Education
JO  - Science Journal of Education
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2329-0897
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
AB  - This inquiry rigorously examines the intricate interplay between Ethiopian preparatory EFL teachers’ epistemological beliefs and the pedagogical enactment of grammar instruction, emphasizing focus-on-form methodologies within contextualized teaching paradigms. This study’s paramount objective is to ascertain the degree of congruity between teachers’ theoretical orientations and their practical deployment in classroom settings, while discerning the ramifications for communicative competence within EFL contexts. To this end, two grade twelve English teachers at Mekprey Preparatory School were selected via purposive sampling, aligning participant expertise with the study’s nuanced focus. A qualitative research design, underscored by an exploratory framework, facilitated in-depth data collection through systematic classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, yielding a rich corpus of insights. Analytical procedures hinged on thematic analysis, rigorously delineating both latent and manifest patterns in the alignment—or lack thereof—between instructional beliefs and observed practices. Results illuminated a pronounced dissonance between teachers’ professed commitment to contextualized, communicative grammar pedagogy and their predominant focus on discrete grammatical features, ostensibly tailored to the exigencies of exam-centric instruction. This misalignment underscores the pervasive influence of examination imperatives, which appear to circumscribe the adoption of communicative methods. In response, the study advocates for targeted professional development initiatives that surmount the inherent challenges of embedding focus-on-form and contextualized instructional strategies in exam-driven settings. Furthermore, it calls for a recalibration of curricular frameworks to harmonize the dual imperatives of communicative competence and high-stakes testing, thereby fostering a more holistic and efficacy-driven approach to EFL grammar pedagogy.

VL  - 12
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Author Information

Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew

Department of English Language and Literature, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-5106-4546

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Tadegew, T. M. (2024). Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Science Journal of Education, 12(6), 157-165. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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ACS Style

Tadegew, T. M. Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Sci. J. Educ. 2024, 12(6), 157-165. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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AMA Style

Tadegew TM. Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools. Sci J Educ. 2024;12(6):157-165. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15

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@article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15,
  author = {Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew},
  title = {Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools
},
  journal = {Science Journal of Education},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {157-165},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20241206.15},
  abstract = {This inquiry rigorously examines the intricate interplay between Ethiopian preparatory EFL teachers’ epistemological beliefs and the pedagogical enactment of grammar instruction, emphasizing focus-on-form methodologies within contextualized teaching paradigms. This study’s paramount objective is to ascertain the degree of congruity between teachers’ theoretical orientations and their practical deployment in classroom settings, while discerning the ramifications for communicative competence within EFL contexts. To this end, two grade twelve English teachers at Mekprey Preparatory School were selected via purposive sampling, aligning participant expertise with the study’s nuanced focus. A qualitative research design, underscored by an exploratory framework, facilitated in-depth data collection through systematic classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, yielding a rich corpus of insights. Analytical procedures hinged on thematic analysis, rigorously delineating both latent and manifest patterns in the alignment—or lack thereof—between instructional beliefs and observed practices. Results illuminated a pronounced dissonance between teachers’ professed commitment to contextualized, communicative grammar pedagogy and their predominant focus on discrete grammatical features, ostensibly tailored to the exigencies of exam-centric instruction. This misalignment underscores the pervasive influence of examination imperatives, which appear to circumscribe the adoption of communicative methods. In response, the study advocates for targeted professional development initiatives that surmount the inherent challenges of embedding focus-on-form and contextualized instructional strategies in exam-driven settings. Furthermore, it calls for a recalibration of curricular frameworks to harmonize the dual imperatives of communicative competence and high-stakes testing, thereby fostering a more holistic and efficacy-driven approach to EFL grammar pedagogy.
},
 year = {2024}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Teaching Grammar Through Focus-on-Form and Context: The Case of EFL Teachers in Ethiopia Preparatory Schools

AU  - Tsegaye Mekasha Tadegew
Y1  - 2024/11/29
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
T2  - Science Journal of Education
JF  - Science Journal of Education
JO  - Science Journal of Education
SP  - 157
EP  - 165
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2329-0897
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20241206.15
AB  - This inquiry rigorously examines the intricate interplay between Ethiopian preparatory EFL teachers’ epistemological beliefs and the pedagogical enactment of grammar instruction, emphasizing focus-on-form methodologies within contextualized teaching paradigms. This study’s paramount objective is to ascertain the degree of congruity between teachers’ theoretical orientations and their practical deployment in classroom settings, while discerning the ramifications for communicative competence within EFL contexts. To this end, two grade twelve English teachers at Mekprey Preparatory School were selected via purposive sampling, aligning participant expertise with the study’s nuanced focus. A qualitative research design, underscored by an exploratory framework, facilitated in-depth data collection through systematic classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, yielding a rich corpus of insights. Analytical procedures hinged on thematic analysis, rigorously delineating both latent and manifest patterns in the alignment—or lack thereof—between instructional beliefs and observed practices. Results illuminated a pronounced dissonance between teachers’ professed commitment to contextualized, communicative grammar pedagogy and their predominant focus on discrete grammatical features, ostensibly tailored to the exigencies of exam-centric instruction. This misalignment underscores the pervasive influence of examination imperatives, which appear to circumscribe the adoption of communicative methods. In response, the study advocates for targeted professional development initiatives that surmount the inherent challenges of embedding focus-on-form and contextualized instructional strategies in exam-driven settings. Furthermore, it calls for a recalibration of curricular frameworks to harmonize the dual imperatives of communicative competence and high-stakes testing, thereby fostering a more holistic and efficacy-driven approach to EFL grammar pedagogy.

VL  - 12
IS  - 6
ER  -

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