The relationship between teachers’ beliefs, teachers’ behaviors, and teachers’ professional development: A literature review

Abstract

Foreign language teaching and learning is one of the topics in the field of K-12 education and adult learning. Most of the current research studies tend to focus on the development and training of foreign language learners. However, issues such as teaching strategies, methodologies, classroom management, and personal beliefs of teaching and learning are neglected. As teachers are primary tools to deliver lessons at all different levels, educators and researchers are increasingly concerned about how teachers’ beliefs and personal background may influence classroom management, curriculum and instruction planning and expectations of students. The current study is a literature review of the concept of teachers’ beliefs, followed by a review of studies exploring teachers’ beliefs using different methodologies. The relationship between teachers’ beliefs and teachers’ classroom practices is also discussed, along with factors influencing teachers’ beliefs in teaching professional development courses.