Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practice

This entry commences with a thorough examination of the evolution of the conceptualization of teacher beliefs. Although achieving a consensus on its definition remains challenging within the academic community, it is widely acknowledged that teacher beliefs significantly influence classroom practices. The focus of research in this field has evolved alongside broader shifts in the research paradigm, moving from positivism to constructivism, to transformativism, and finally pragmatism. Contemporary research is increasingly focused on the complex and dynamic relationship between language teachers' beliefs and their classroom practices, particularly within real‐world contexts. Additionally, the transformation of research paradigms has led scholars to adopt a diverse range of theoretical frameworks to study teacher beliefs and classroom practices, including social cognitive theory, sociocultural theory, social identity theory, complex dynamic theory, and interaction theory, among others. The entry concludes by highlighting the importance of teacher reflection, continuous professional development, the engagement in professional learning communities, and the regulation of emotions in the practical realm of classroom instruction.