Abstract

This mixed-methods study uses concept maps to investigate the effects of an English pedagogical grammar course on the beliefs of teachers-in-training (n = 40) enrolled over a 2-year period at a private university in the U.S. Midwest. The course takes a functional approach to grammar based on systemic-functional linguistics and is typically the first exposure to functional grammar that these teachers-in-training experience with either their own language learning or prior coursework. As a result, this study was designed to explore the extent to which participants integrate this approach with their pre-course beliefs. Analysis of participants’ pre-course concept maps indicates that they mainly believe grammar to consist of structures at the word and morpheme levels. Quantitative comparisons of pre- and post-course concept maps reveal that this belief continues to hold even as participants show much growth in knowledge about grammar at the sentence and discourse levels. An in-depth qualitative analysis of maps from a subset of participants (n = 7) shows that only two substantially shifted their beliefs about teaching grammar functionally. The findings have practical implications for course design and overall programme design in language teacher education programmes.

摘要

这项混合方法研究使用概念图来研究英语教学语法课程对培训师的信念的影响（n = 40）在美国中西部的一所私立大学就读了两年。该课程采用基于系统功能语言学的功能语法方法，通常是这些培训教师通过自己的语言学习或先前的课程工作首次体验到的功能语法。结果，本研究旨在探讨参与者在多大程度上将这种方法与他们的课前信念相结合。对参与者的课前概念图的分析表明，他们主要认为语法是由单词和词素级别的结构组成的。课前和课后概念图的定量比较表明，即使参与者在句子和语篇层次上对语法的知识有了很大的增长，这种信念仍然存在。n  = 7）表明只有两个人在功能上教授语法方面的观念发生了实质性转变。研究结果对语言教师教育计划中的课程设计和总体计划设计具有实际意义。