The Impact of Professional Learning Communities on English Teacher Belief Change

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of professional learning communities on English teacher belief change with English teachers in Hospitality Institute of Sanya as a case study. The study proffered answers to magnitudes at which professional learning communities motivate English teacher belief change in Hospitality Institute of Sanya, the characteristics of professional learning communities that affect English teacher belief change in Hospitality Institute of Sanya, and the belief changes that were experienced by English teachers in Hospitality Institute of Sanya. The study adopted a qualitative research design that used structured interviews with (fifteen) 15 English teachers as participants for the study. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings showed that most participants had the right perspectives of their communities through the professional learning communities, which exert positive effects on English teacher belief change. Reflective dialog, feedback among teachers, collaborative activity, a shared sense of purpose, and collective focus on students' learning were found out to be the major characteristics of professional learning communities that affected English teacher belief change in Hospitality Institute of Sanya. The study recommended that teacher belief change needs to be monitored by the institution's authority, going by the nature of the activities that go on in the institution.