Let them play football: An investigation of English program language teachers’ maxims

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the beliefs of English language teachers in English Programs (EP) in Chonburi Province, Thailand, and to examine what facilitated or hindered teachers from following their beliefs. Borg’s (2003) concept of teacher cognition informed the research, while Richards (1996) work on educational maxims (Empowerment, Involvement, Encouragement, Conformity, Accuracy, Order, Efficiency, and Planning) served as the framework for understanding teachers’ belief systems. The study implemented a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase consisted of a 24-item questionnaire, distributed to EP teachers from schools around Chonburi, Thailand, to obtain their maxims. The qualitative phase of the study followed three of these 15 for observations of their classes and post-observation interviews to uncover aspects that adhered to each of the 8 maxims, areas where teachers felt supported in following their beliefs, and areas they felt impeded. The findings showed EP teachers most often held maxims aligned with empowering and encouraging their students and least aligned with conformity. Follow-up observations and interviews showed an incongruence between teachers’ identified maxims and classroom practice and highlighted potential causes. Finally, the study identified a potential ninth maxim, the maxim of disengagement, as an emergent qualitative theme.