Pedagogical treatment and change in preservice teacher beliefs: An experimental study

This study addresses if preservice English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ beliefs about the effectiveness of authentic, commercial, and teacher-made instructional materials can be changed after a semester-long pedagogical treatment. Data were collected from 90 preservice EFL teachers (Experimental: 45, Control: 45) at a public university in Turkey using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and retrospective reflection essays. Data analyses involved t-tests, multivariate analysis of gain scores, and interview transcriptions. Findings suggested that although change in preservice teachers’ beliefs after a well-structured treatment was not very common, they were far from rare. Qualitative results also revealed that some beliefs of participants became more favorable about the effectiveness of some aspects of these materials while others remained unchanged or became less favorable.

► This study examines preservice EFL teachers’ beliefs about the effectiveness of instructional materials.
► It also examines the effect of a pedagogical treatment on change in their beliefs.
► Some significant changes in beliefs occurred as a result of the treatment.
► While some changes in beliefs were positive others were negative.