Developing an Instrument for Determining Teacher Beliefs or Orientations of Secondary School Spanish Language Teachers

• Main Author: Cox, Lori Virginia
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2004
• Subjects: teacher; orientation; conception; foreign language; Spanish; secondary education; beliefs; Utah; instrument; questionnaire; instrumentation; Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/37; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1036&context=etd

This study was designed to further the development of an instrument for use in investigating the ideas or beliefs that Spanish language teachers possess about the teaching of a foreign language. It was also the intent of the study to survey Spanish language teachers and use their responses as an aid in the development of the instrument. A questionnaire detailing possible teacher behaviors was sent out to 220 Spanish language secondary school teachers in the state of Utah. Three teacher orientations emerged and were significantly related to gender and years of teaching experience. Seven questions from the questionnaire emerged as the most effective in identifying teacher orientations. Findings showed that teachers with more years of experience tended toward a more traditional teaching approach. Interestingly, this group included all female participants. Male, novice teachers, however, were more likely to embrace amore progressive approach to teaching. Findings from this study contribute new and helpful information in this uncharted area of language education. However, it also uncovers a need for continued research.