Influences of dialogic reflections on changes in the beliefs and practices of Thai university teachers of English relating to vocabulary teaching in reading

Abstract

Previous studies of dialogic reflection (DR) have focused on improving reflection and promoting teaching and learning (such as Mann and Walsh, 2013; Haneda et al., 2017; Mann and Walsh, 2017; ab Rashid, 2018). However, little research has been conducted to investigate the influence of DR on changes in teachers’ beliefs and practices. This study, therefore, aims to examine the features of DR as an approach to fostering professional development whilst exploring the extent to which influences bring about change in teachers’ beliefs and practices. The main aim of this study was to explore the various types of the influence of DRs on changes in the beliefs and practices regarding vocabulary instruction in relation to reading. A small group of Thai teachers of English from one university participated in this research. The study aimed at investigating what beliefs the teachers held and what practices they used in their teaching in order to compare their beliefs and practices pre- and post-DRs. A qualitative approach was adopted for the study. The beliefs these teachers held were investigated through pre-observation semi-structured interviews and their practice was observed throughout the second half of the semester in order to examine whether there was any influence or change in their initial and subsequent beliefs and practices. A post-observation semi-structured interview was employed to provide responses on how DR helped to transform teachers’ changes in beliefs and practices. This study indicates some forms of influence on certain changes made by some of the teachers. The results reveal that practical knowledge is gained through the internalisation of a mediational tool of DR which has influenced new beliefs and fostered new understanding in practice. The findings suggest that participating in DRs helps to promote the transformation of their beliefs and instructional behaviour from the intermental (social) to the intramental (cognitive) stages which contribute to internationalisation. Therefore, DR might be used as a scaffolding technique fostering changes in teachers’ beliefs and practice or teacher learning.