Teacher beliefs about critical reading strategies in English as a foreign language classes in Mekong Delta institutions, Vietnam

Abstract

This paper reports a descriptive study which explored how teacher beliefs influence their decision-making in teaching critical reading strategies at three different institutions in the Mekong Delta. Using a descriptive mixed method, questionnaires and interviews were undertaken with English as foreign language (EFL) teachers. The findings of this study indicate that these participating teachers believed critical reading strategy instruction plays an important role in enhancing their students’ comprehension of reading texts. Findings also reveal that of the four factors influencing teachers’ decision-making of utilizing these skills, student-related factors were found to be highest. This propensity for involving students in critical reading strategies gives rise to some pedagogical implications for teachers while designing appropriate tasks and lesson plans.