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Beliefs and practices of Chinese university teachers in EFL writing instruction

This study examined four experienced teachers' beliefs and practices in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) writing at a university in China. Multiple sources of data were collected over two semesters, including class observations, interviews, and course materials. All the teachers perceived that they integrated product and process elements of writing in their teaching. However, they varied in their views about the focus and function of prewriting, multiple drafts, teacher written feedback, peer review, and the teacher's role in students' learning to write. Three of the four teachers showed consistency between their beliefs and practices in teaching writing, while the remaining one's practices were in some cases consistent with his beliefs and in other cases contradictory. Variability in beliefs and practices about teaching writing was related to individuals' prior experiences as EFL learners and teachers, their understanding of students' capabilities, self-reflection, and collegial influences. The development of their beliefs and practices in teaching writing paralleled the development of L2 writing theories in the West, mirroring the worldwide spread of English and of professional networks over recent decades. This study indicates that teachers' beliefs and practices need to be explicitly taken into account in designing and implementing development programmes for L2 writing teachers.