A comparative study of teachers' and students' beliefs towards teacher-centered and learner-centered approaches in Grade 12 English as a foreign language class at one governmental senior secondary school in Shaan'xi Province, China

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine what were Grade 12 EFL teachers’, and Grade 12 intermediate- and advanced-level students’ beliefs towards teacher-centered approach and learnercentered approach, in order to determine whether there was a significant difference between them. This study was conducted at one governmental senior secondary school in Shaan’xi Province, China. The study focused on 23 Grade 12 EFL teachers, 48 Grade 12 EFL intermediate-level students and 87 Grade 12 EFL advanced-level students of the second semester of academic year 2016-2017 from the target school. The researchers used descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data. Among other things, the research findings presented here showed that teachers hold positive beliefs towards both teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach; both intermediate-level students and advanced-level students hold neutral beliefs towards teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach, and positive beliefs towards teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach. The results of the study also showed that there was a significant difference between Grade 12 teachers’ beliefs and Grade 12 intermediate- and advanced-level students’ beliefs towards teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach in EFL class at the target school, whereas there was no significant difference between Grade 12 EFL intermediate-level and advanced-level students’ beliefs towards both teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach in EFL. Based on these findings, the researchers gave some suggestions to students, teachers, administrators and future researchers.