THE TRIPARTITE RELATIONSHIP AMONG EFL TEACHERS’ COGNITION, PERCEIVED AND ACTUAL CLASSROOM PRACTICES OF READING INSTRUCTION

Abstract

Understanding the beliefs that guide teachers’ decision making and actions in their classrooms could help educators adjust how they work with teachers to provide more targeted feedback, to support teachers‘ professional growth and development throughout their career. The ultimate aim of this study was to show the tripartite relationship among EFL teachers’ cognition, perceived and actual classroom practices of reading instruction at secondary schools in Addis Ababa. A descriptive survey research design was employed. Questionnaire, interview and classroom observation were used as major data collection instruments. Particularly, questionnaire and interview were used to explore teachers’ cognition, and perceived practices of reading instruction whereas classroom observation was done to assess their actual classroom practices. The study was held at six secondary schools found in Gulela sub city in Addis Ababa. 80 English language teachers who were active in the academic year of 2022 had taken part in filling the questionnaire. And classroom observation and interview were done with six EFL teachers. The study participants were selected purposively. Finally, the data attained via questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively by using SPSS, whereas data from interview and classroom observation were qualitatively narrated. The finding revealed that EFL teachers’ cognition of reading instruction and their actual classroom practices lied on the bottom up approach of reading instruction whereas the report of teachers’ perceived classroom practices indicated that they implement top-down approach. EFL teachers’ cognition of reading instruction was found to be contradicting with their perceived classroom practices but congruent with their actual classroom practices.