Exploring the practices and cognitions of Iranian ELT instructors and subject teachers in teaching EAP reading comprehension

• Classroom practices and cognitions of two groups of Iranian EAP teachers in teaching reading comprehension were explored.
• Three ELT instructors and three content teachers teaching discipline-based EAP courses were observed for eight sessions.
• Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to probe the teachers’ underlying cognitions.
• Results indicated a noticeable gap between the practices and cognitions of teachers teaching EAP reading comprehension.
• Findings suggest implications for EAP teacher education.

In spite of extensive research on reading comprehension in EAP, the literature on how it is conceptualized and taught by teachers is still scanty. Moreover, in some contexts, EAP reading comprehension courses are taught by two groups of teachers with different specializations, that is, ELT instructors and subject teachers, which, in turn, may render the gap in teachers’ understanding of EAP reading comprehension instruction wider. In this study, we explored the actual classroom practices and cognitions within and across these two groups of teachers teaching EAP reading comprehension in Iran. Three ELT instructors and three subject teachers teaching discipline-based EAP courses at a university of medical sciences were observed for eight sessions. In addition to carrying out observations and taking field-notes, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the teachers in order to probe their underlying cognitions. The findings indicated considerable inconsistencies among the subject teachers compared with the ELT instructors as well as noticeable discrepancies across the two groups of teachers with respect to their practices and cognitions in EAP reading comprehension instruction. The findings point to some new ideas, issues, and options for reflection in EAP reading comprehension instruction and promise implications for EAP teacher education programs.