A Gradual Change of Teacher’s Belief and English Pronunciation Instruction in Elementary Schools: A Case of a Teacher Who is Proficient in English

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of English pronunciation instruction in elementary schools and teachers’ beliefs that affect teachers’ decisions about what English phonetic and phonological features to select for lessons and how to teach those features. In this study, the author observed 88 lessons of 5th and 6th grades taught by a teacher with a high level of proficiency in English and English teaching licenses for junior and senior high school, and had reflection sessions with the teacher. The analysis showed that (1) the teacher started to talk more about the relationship between sounds and letters than the previous year because of some external factors such as the new course of study and the influence of COVID-19, (2) the teacher recognized Japanese English teacher as a facilitator who promotes students’ awareness toward English sound features, and (3) the teacher’s perception of accepting varieties of English pronunciation as Lingua Franca became much clear through team teaching with the ALT who was a non-native English speaker.