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Some Pages of This Thesis May Have Been Removed for Copyright Restrictions Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions. If you have discovered material in Aston Research Explorer which is unlawful e.g. breaches copyright, (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please read our Takedown policy and contact the service immediately ([email protected]) AN INVESTIGATION OF ALBANIAN EFL TEACHERS’ DECISION-MAKING IN THEIR USE OF CLT- ORIENTED TEXTBOOKS KRISTJAN SEFERAJ Thesis presented for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (by research) ASTON UNIVERSITY March 2015 © Kristjan Seferaj, 2015 Kristjan Seferaj asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this thesis This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without appropriate permission or acknowledgement. 1 Aston University Thesis title: A study on the relationship between styles of classroom delivery and Western teaching resources Researcher: Kristjan Seferaj Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year of submission: 2015 Thesis Summary Against a backdrop of ongoing educational reforms that seek to introduce Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Albanian primary and secondary state schools, Albanian teachers, among others, are officially required to use communication-based textbooks in their classes. Authorities in a growing number of countries that are seeking to improve and westernise their educational systems are also using communication-based textbooks as agents of change. Behind these actions, there is the commonly held belief that textbooks can be used to support teacher learning as they provide a visible framework teachers can follow. Communication-based textbooks are used in thousands of EFL classrooms around the world to help teachers to “fully understand and routinize change” (Hutchinson and Torres, 1994:323). However, empirical research on the role materials play in the classroom, and in particular the role of textbook as an agent of change, is still very little, and what does exist is rather inconclusive. This study aims to fulfill this gap. It is predominately a qualitative investigation into how and why four Albanian EFL teachers use Western teaching resources in their classes. Aiming at investigating the decision-making processes that teachers go through in their teaching, and specifically at investigating the relationship between Western-published textbooks, teachers’ decision making, and teachers’ classroom delivery, the current study contributes to an extensive discussion on the development of communicative L2 teaching concepts and methods, teacher decision making, as well as a growing discussion on how best to make institutional reforms effective, particularly in East-European ex-communist countries and in other developing countries. Findings from this research indicate that, prompted by the content of Western-published textbooks, the four research participants, who had received little formal training in CLT teaching, accommodated some communicative teaching behaviours into their teaching. The use of communicative textbooks, however, does not seem to account for radical, methodological changes in teachers’ practices. Teacher cognitions based on teachers’ previous learning experience are likely to act as a lens through which teachers judge classroom realities. As such, they shape, to a great degree, the decisions teachers make regarding the use of Western-published textbooks in their classes. Key words: CLT, textbooks, teacher decision making, teacher thinking, institutional reforms. 2 Dedication To Lord, thank you! 3 Acknowledgements I wish to express my greatest appreciation and sincere thanks to: 1 - My supervisors, Professor Anne Burns, Doctor Sue Garton, and Doctor Anne Wheeler. Thank you for believing in me, for guiding me along my learning path, and for being there for me any time I needed your help. 2 – My family: Entela, Loar Lucas and Sebi Sophia. Without my wife’s support, my young son’s encouragement, and my little daughter’s game (i.e. Doggy, doggy who’s got your bone?), this PhD project would have been impossible. Thank you, guys! 3 – To the teachers who participated in this project. Thank you for your time, and for sharing your very personal experiences with me. I have learned a lot from you and, hopefully, other people will listen and learn from your hard work too. 4 List of contents CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Page 14 1.1 Introduction Page 14 1.2 Rationale Page 14 1.3 Teacher decision making and the place of the present study Page 15 1.4 Main research questions Page 16 1.5 Organisation of the present research Page 16 CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW Page 18 2.1 Introduction Page 18 Part 1 – Individual and teacher decision-making processes Page 19 2.2 Individual decision making Page 19 2.2.1 A rational multi-step model Page 20 2.2.2 Other individual decision-making models and theories Page 21 2.2.3 Application of decision-making theories to the present study Page 26 2.3 Teacher decision making Page 27 2.3.1 The mental dimensions of teacher decision making Page 28 2.3.1.1 Nature of beliefs and knowledge and definition of terms Page 28 2.3.1.2 Main factors affecting teachers’ belief and knowledge systems Page 32 2.4 Part 1 summary Page 35 Part 2 – Contextualising and relating the present research to other similar studies Page 37 2.5 The use of teaching materials in EFL classes Page 37 2.6 CLT-based policy initiative implementation in other similar EFL contexts Page 42 2.7 Part 2 summary Page 46 Part 3 – Communicativeness in English language teaching and published textbooks Page 48 2.8 Communicativeness in ELT Page 48 2.8.1 Communicative Language Teaching theoretical basis Page 48 2.8.2 Communicative Language Teaching drawbacks Page 51 2.9 Communicativeness in published textbooks Page 53 2.10 Part 3 summary Page 56 5 CHAPTER THREE - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINS AND OPPORTUNITIES Page 57 3.1 Introduction Page 57 3.2 Part of the communist camp Page 57 3.3 Specifics of L2 teaching and learning in Albania Page 59 3.3.1 L2 learning and teaching in the country Page 59 3.3.2 L2 speaking in the country Page 60 3.3.3 L2 teacher education and development in the country Page 61 3.3.4 L2 Learning policy in the country Page 62 3.3.5 EFL textbooks used in the country Page 64 3.3.6 Analysis of the course-book “Access 3” Page 65 3.4 Other factors affecting EFL in Albania Page 69 3.5 Conclusion Page 70 CHAPTER FOUR - RESEARCH DESIGN METHODOLOGY Page 72 4.1 Introduction Page 72 4.2 Definition of terms Page 72 4.2.1 Three main research traditions Page 73 4.2.2 Theoretical orientation of the present study Page 75 4.2.3 Research design employed in the present study Page 76 4.2.4 Role of the researcher in the present study Page 77 4.3 Data collection methods used in the present study Page 78 4.3.1 Quantitative research tools Page 78 4.3.1.1 The observation grid Page 79 4.3.2 Qualitative research tools Page 83 4.3.2.1 Observation sessions Page 83 4.3.2.2 Questionnaires and interviews in qualitative research Page 84 4.3.2.3 Questionnaires and interviews in the present study Page 86 4.3.2.4 Language used in the present bilingual research project Page 89 4.3.2.5 Summary of qualitative research methods used in the present study Page 91 4.4 Understanding the notions of value and integrity Page 95 4.5 Trustworthiness of the present study Page 99 4.5.1 Selection of participants Page 99 4.5.2 Research ethics Page 100 4.5.3 Engagement in the field Page 101 4.5.4 Researcher-participant relationship building strategies Page 101 4.5.5 Triangulation Page 104 4.5.6 Changes in research design and methodology Page 104 6 4.5.7 Research field work phases Page 106 4.5.8 Reviewing and assessing the findings of the study Page 110 4.5.9 Transferability of the present study Page 111 4.5.10 Summary Page 111 4.6 Understanding the process of analysing and interpreting qualitative data Page 111 4.6.1 Content analysis Page 111 4.6.2 Preparation and organisation of the data Page 112 4.6.3 Writing initial thoughts Page 113 4.6.4 The designation of the unit of analysis Page 113 4.6.5 Coding perspective Page 114 4.6.6 Generating categories Page 116 4.6.7 Second cycle coding Page 116 4.6.8 Drawing conclusions Page 117 4.6.9 Reporting the findings Page 117 4.6.10 Summary Page 118 4.7 Data analysing and interpreting approach adopted in the present study Page 119 4.7.1 Quantitative analysis Page 119 4.7.2 Qualitative analysis Page 120 4.8 Summary Page 127 CHAPTER FIVE – FINDINGS OF THE STUDY Page 128 5.1 Introduction Page 128 5.2 Case study 1: Miss Elona Page 129 5.2.1 Miss Elona’s profile Page 129 5.2.2 How communicatively Miss Elona used the textbook Page 131 5.2.3 Factors affecting Miss Elona’s instructional decisions on how to use the textbook Page 137 5.2.3.1 Lack of awareness of communicative teaching approaches Page 137 5.2.3.2 Knowledge of students and the use of heuristics Page 140 5.2.3.3 Belief and knowledge systems Page 143 5.3 Case study 2: Miss Ada Page 145 5.3.1 Miss Ada’s profile Page 145 5.3.2 How communicatively Miss Ada used the textbook Page 148 5.3.3 Factors affecting Miss Ada’s instructional decisions on how to use the textbook Page 153 5.3.3.1 Conceptual understanding of successful L2 teaching Page 153 5.3.3.2 Previous learning and teaching experiences and the
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