Iranian EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding writing activities and class organization

Abstract

This study aimed to find out the relationship among EFL university teachers’ code-based and meaning-based beliefs in writing instruction, classroom writing activities and classroom organization. To this end, 120 university teachers, who were teaching writing to EFL learners at different universities in Iran, participated in the study. For the data collection, a valid and reliable questionnaire on writing was used. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment correlation were carried out for analyzing the data. The results showed that the correlations between both teachers’ meaning-based and code-based beliefs in writing and writing activities exist. It was also found that the correlations between meaning-based beliefs in writing and whole class activity and group work as ways of doing writing activities were significantly positive. However, meaning-based beliefs in writing and individual writing were not correlated significantly. Moreover, correlations between code-based beliefs in writing and individual writing and whole class were positively significant and there was a positive but not significant correlation between code-based beliefs in writing and group work. The results can be useful for teachers to consider their beliefs and match them with their practices, use the activities that are more beneficial in their classes, and organize their classes in a way that stimulate the learners’ interest in writing.