Document Type : Research Article
Authors
Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Languages, Arak University, Arak
Abstract
This mixed-methods study investigates disparities in language learning beliefs between English teachers and non-English major university students in Iran, examining their effects on classroom dynamics and learning outcomes. While teachers emphasize structured grammar instruction, communicative competence, and long-term proficiency, students prioritize fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary accumulation, and immediate practical application—reflecting tensions in Iran’s exam-oriented yet increasingly communicative EFL context. Despite extensive SLA research, few studies systematically explore teacher–student belief mismatches in non-Western settings. Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System, this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study employed a 32-item Likert-scale questionnaire (N = 210; 120 teachers, 90 students) followed by six separate focus groups (three teacher-only, three student-only; 10 participants each) to contextualize quantitative findings. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significant divergences, with the three most pedagogically disruptive showing large effect sizes: students strongly endorsed vocabulary-focused learning (Item 14, U = 1840.00, p < .001, r = .63), feared early errors becoming permanent (Item 17, U = 2381.50, p < .001, r = .52), and relied heavily on L1 translation (Item 24, U = 3384.50, p < .001, r = .45). Qualitative data confirmed that lessons perceived as overly grammar- or fluency-driven without sufficient lexical support or strategic L1 use often provoked resistance, anxiety, and disengagement, highlighting epistemological divides and cognitive-contextual mismatches in beliefs, leading to tensions in fluency, error handling, digital integration, and cultural views, while advocating belief-negotiated pedagogies for reconciliation. Bridging these gaps via blended approaches like explicit vocabulary tasks, clear correction protocols, and calibrated technology use can boost motivation and efficacy in EFL settings, with future longitudinal and observational studies recommended to track dynamics.
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