- Rana Falah Hassan* & Ola Mahdi Rahman
- *University of Al-Hilla, College of Health and Medical Technologies, Department of Health, Babil , Iraq
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20075053
This research explores teacher cognition and its
impact on grammar instruction practices and learner development in EFL classes
in Iraq. Teacher cognition refers to teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and
experience and plays an important role in the processes of decision making and
implementation of teaching strategies. Even though a great deal of emphasis has
been laid upon the adoption of communicative approaches in language teaching
practices, teaching of grammar still persists as being mostly based on
traditional approaches.
To examine the interrelation between teacher
cognition, teaching practices, and learner development, a conceptual analysis
approach was used in this research study. The focus was placed on the role of
teacher cognition in the choice of teaching strategies and their implications
for learners’ development. The results of the study prove that teacher
cognition and teaching practices have close ties. However, this relationship is
often influenced by context and shaped by the need to satisfy the demands of
examination systems.
It becomes apparent that grammar teaching involves the
combination of form-focused instruction and communicative language use. Only
when teaching strategies correspond to the principles of communicative teaching
and take into account learners’ needs, learners’ grammatical proficiency
improves. Thus, a better understanding of teacher cognition and reflective
practice can contribute to the improvement of grammar teaching practices and,
thus, lead to learners’ success.
