Student Number : 0317854T - MEd research report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / School effectiveness and school improvement research is a worldwide phenomenon that has inspired a great deal of literature. This report examines teachers’ perceptions of a teacher-led curriculum development initiative currently effective in independent schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, and it describes strategies for implementation for interested schools. It is a programme that focuses school improvement back into the classroom, with teachers leading the changes at their site of practice. The Gauteng Independent Schools Curriculum Development Initiative (GISCDI) is a teacher-led initiative. Qualitative research generates an understanding of how the mechanisms of this initiative impact on the lives of teachers and students. It provides detailed explanations of teachers’ perceptions of change in actual classroom practices, pedagogy and curriculum implementation by entering into conversations with selected participants. It considers the changes in light of reflective practice, after involvement in the GISCDI. The report accesses the different methodologies the teachers implemented in their classrooms, after the teacher-led interventions were presented to them. It also considers the concepts of teacher leadership, trust, distributed leadership and collegiality as being the core elements to initiating, implementing and sustaining change in practice, to benefit student learning and improving schools.

[pt] A questão central que norteou a investigação foi: como ocorre a prática pedagógica de professores de matemática do IV ciclo em escolas que adotaram a organização escolar por meio de ciclos básicos de aprendizagens? O estudo teve como aportes teórico-metodológicos a escolaridade em ciclos e o efeito-escola, e como locus, duas escolas da rede pública municipal de Belém do Pará. A produção das informações envolveu, respectivamente de cada escola: um/uma docente de matemática do IV ciclo, uma coordenadora pedagógica e os discentes de uma turma do IV ciclo. O processo metodológico incluiu as seguintes etapas: observação densa das aulas de matemática de duas turmas realizadas em um semestre letivo; entrevistas com as duas coordenadoras pedagógicas e com os dois docentes de matemática; aplicação de um formulário socioeconômico e um simulado da Prova Brasil, certame 2007, aos discentes das duas turmas envolvidas no estudo. Com a finalização do trabalho é possível concluir que: o professor e a professora, apesar da acentuada diferença de idade, assim como distintos tempos e locais de formação, apresentavam práticas pedagógicas muito similares, com predominância da exposição oral enquanto metodologia de ensino; tanto o professor quanto a professora, apesar de há muito tempo trabalharem em escolas organizadas em ciclos, posicionavam-se de maneira contrária aos procedimentos avaliativos adotados por suas escolas em relação à promoção dos alunos, por acreditarem que a condução à promoção não estimulava maior empenho e envolvimento da maioria dos alunos no processo de ensino aprendizagem, permitindo que os alunos concluíssem o ciclo sem conhecimentos/habilidades necessários para obtenção de sucesso no prosseguimento de seus estudos. Os dois professores pesquisados eram assíduos, responsáveis pelos seus trabalhos e preocupados com a aprendizagem de seus alunos. O resultado da avaliação simulada a que foram submetidas as duas turmas das duas escolas apontou que, em termos de aprendizagem cognitiva em matemática, no ano de 2009, as turmas investigadas apresentavam resultados muito próximos, o que não nos permitiu afirmar se a prática pedagógica do/da professor/professora era fator determinante nos resultados exitosos dos alunos. Por fim, consideramos importante destacar a necessidade de um número maior de pesquisas voltadas para o efeito-escola, sobretudo trabalhos direcionados para questões inerentes ao universo da sala de aula e a temática do ofício de ser professor. / [en] The main question which directed the investigation was: how does the pedagogical practice of Mathematics teachers of IV cycle in schools that adopted the scholastic organization by basic cycles of learning occur? The study had as theoretical and methodological base the schooling in cycles and the school effect, and as its locus two schools of the municipal public system of Belém- Pará. The production of information involved, respectively of each school: one Mathematics teacher of the IV cycle, one pedagogical coordinator and the students of a class of the IV cycle. The methodological process included the following stages: solid observation of the Mathematics lessons of two classes during a school semester; interviews achieved with the pedagogical coordinators and with the Mathematics teachers; application of social and economic forms and a test similar to that of Prova Brasil, 2007, to the students of the two classes involved in this study. According to the finalization of this study it is possible to conclude that: the teachers, despite their difference of age, as well as their different time and space of formation, presented very similar pedagogical practices, marked by the predominance of oral exposition as their teaching methodology; both of them, despite their long work in schools organized by cycles, stood contrary to the evaluative procedures adopted by their schools concerning the promotion of students, and it is so because they believe that this way of promoting did not stimulate a better commitment and involvement of most of the students in the teaching-learning process, allowing the students to conclude the cycle without the necessary knowledge/skills to obtain the success to go on with their formation. Both investigated teachers were assiduous, responsible for their work and concerned about their students’ learning process. The result of the simulated evaluation to which the two groups of the two schools were subjected pointed that, related to cognitive learning in Mathematics, during the year of 2009, the investigated classes presented very similar results, which did not allow us to affirm whether the teachers practice was a determinant factor in the successful results presented by the students. Finally, we considered as important to stand out the necessity of a larger number of researches concerning the school effect, especially works directed to the questions inherent to the rich universe of the classroom and to the task of being a teacher.

Notre recherche étudie la pratique des professeurs des écoles débutants à partir d'une approche par la description de leur vécu, de leur point de vue, c'est-à-dire en première personne. La méthode de recueil des données choisie est l'entretien d'explicitation de Vermersch, dans le but de mieux comprendre comment se construit le « je » professionnel chez les professeurs des écoles débutants. Cet accompagnement amène la personne interviewée à recontacter, au plus près, son vécu passé. Les verbalisations ainsi recueillies concernent, selon notre choix, des descriptions de situations de classe. À partir de l'analyse de ces données, nous avons mis en évidence des gestes professionnels d'ajustement (Jorro) des professeurs des écoles débutantes qui sont le résultat de prises d'information/prises de décision très brèves en situation. Les principaux indices qui attirent l'attention des professeurs des écoles débutantes sont relatifs aux élèves : leurs mouvements, leurs paroles, leur expressivité (le regard, l'absence de réaction, les sourires, etc.). Nous avons mis en évidence des compétences émergentes chez les professeurs des écoles débutantes, qui relèvent de compétences transversales. Pour nous, une compétence émergente est un savoir-faire professionnel mû par une intention, un sous-but, qui est en cours de construction chez le professeurs des écoles, qui, souvent n'est pas encore conscientisé, mais qui est présent dans la description en première personne d'un vécu de classe. Ces savoir-faire appartiennent au préréfléchi de l'action et vont donner lieu à des prises de conscience par le processus cognitif de réfléchissement. Les compétences émergentes que nous avons pu identifier sont au nombre de quatre : faire verbaliser les élèves, favoriser les interactions entre les élèves, écouter et prendre en compte la parole des élèves, utiliser son corps et son positionnement dans la classe. Deux catégories de compétences émergentes se dégagent : l'importance du corps de l'enseignant par les professeurs des écoles débutantes, d'une part, et l'importance de la prise en compte de la parole des élèves, d'autre part. Ces deux objets de prise de conscience semblent fondamentaux dans la conduite de la classe, pour instaurer un climat de confiance et pour assurer une relation pédagogique propice à l'apprentissage des élèves. Notre recherche met en évidence des compétences conscientisées par les professeurs des écoles débutantes. Elles sont déjà présentes à la conscience des professeurs des écoles débutantes interviewées, ou ont fait l'objet d'une prise de conscience au cours de notre recherche. Elles sont constituées de ce que la professeurs des écoles sait qu'elle sait faire. Ces compétences conscientisées font partie des gestes professionnels (Jorro). Ces gestes professionnels contiennent les savoir-faire historiques du métier et intègrent des compétences que le professionnel ajuste selon ses perceptions et les relations inter-subjectives, en situation. Nous avons montré que les compétences émergentes et les compétences conscientisées, constituant des gestes professionnels, étaient sous-tendues par des valeurs pour les professeurs des écoles débutantes de notre corpus. Ces valeurs sont : créer un climat de confiance dans la classe, de donner confiance en eux aux élèves, d'aider les élèves en difficulté et de rendre les élèves autonomes. Ces valeurs sous-jacentes sont incarnées par les professeurs des écoles débutantes à travers une posture d'écoute et de respect des élèves, sachant manier aussi l'humour, une posture d'accompagnement des élèves (dans le sens d'être « à côté », de « rassurer » et d'« encourager »). Ces valeurs représentent les deux piliers du « je » professionnel en construction chez les professeurs des écoles débutantes : l'importance de la relation aux élèves et l'importance du lâcher-prise. Nous formulons l'hypothèse que ce « je » professionnel évolue tout au long de la carrière des professeurs des écoles. / Our research studies the practice of the primary school teachers beginners starting from an approach by description from their real-life experience, their point of view, i.e. in first person. The selected method of collection of the data is the elicitation interview method of Vermersch, with an aim of better understanding how the professional “I” of the primary school teachers beginners in construction. This accompaniment brings the person interviewed to recontact, with close, its past real life experience. The entries of charge thus collected concern, according to our choice, descriptions of situations of class. Starting from the analysis of these data, we highlighted professional gestures of adjustment (Jorro) of the primary school teachers beginners which are the result of acquisitions of information and very short decision makings in situation. The principal indices which draw the attention of the primary school teachers beginners are relating to the pupils: their movements, their words, their expressivity (the glance, the absence of reaction, smiles, etc.). We highlighted emergent competences of the primary school teachers beginners, which concern transverse competences. For us, an emergent competence is a professional know-how drived by an intention, a under-goal, which is in construction at the primary school teachers beginners, which, often is not conscientized yet, but which is present in description in first person of the real life experience on class. This know-how belongs to the given cognitive process of the action and will cause awakenings by the cognitive process of reflecting. Emergent competences that we could identify are four : to make the pupils to verbalize, support the interactions between the pupils, to listen to and to take into account the word of the pupils, to use teacher's body and its positioning in the classroom. Two categories of emergent competences appear: importance of the body of the teacher by the primary school teachers beginners, on the one hand, and the importance of the taking into account of the word of the pupils, on the other hand. These two objects of awakening seem fundamental in the control of the class, to found a climate of trust and to ensure a teaching relation favourable with the training of the pupils. Our research highlights the competences conscientized by the beginners primary school teachers. They are already present at the conscience of the primary school interviewed teachers, or were the object of an awakening during our research. They consist of what the primary school teachers beginners know that they can do. These conscientized competences are part of the professional gestures (Jorro). These occupational gestures contain historical know-how of the trade and integrate competences which the professional adjusts according to his perceptions and the intersubjective relations, in situation. We showed that emergent competences and conscientized competences, constituting professional gestures, were underlain by values for the primary school teachers beginners of our corpus. These values are : to create a climate of trust in the class, to give confidence in them to the pupils, to help the pupils in difficulty and to make the pupils autonomous. These subjacent values are incarnated by the primary school teachers beginners through a posture of listening and respect of the pupils, knowing to also handle humour, a posture of accompaniment of the pupils (in the direction to be “at side”, “to reassure” and “to encourage”). These values represent the two pillars of the professional “I” in construction of the primary school teachers beginners: importance of the relation to the pupils and importance of the release-catch. We formulate the assumption that this “I” professional evolves throughout the career of the primary school teachers.

[pt] Segundo a literatura na área de ensino e aprendizagem, o sistema de crenças (SC) dos professores constitui importante mecanismo para o entendimento da prática pedagógica. Pesquisá-lo e descobrir as raízes que o originaram significa entender o porquê das ações dos professores em sala de aula. Nesta dissertação, podemos investigar: (a) o SC de uma professora de inglês como língua estrangeira; (b) a relação entre este sistema, a prática pedagógica e a identidade da professora-sujeito; (c) a estabilidade deste sistema ao longo do tempo. Para fazê-lo, observamos 10 aulas da professora-sujeito e realizamos entrevistas informais utilizando uma abordagem predominantemente interpretativista para a análise de dados. Confirmando estudos anteriores, os resultados mostram que o SC da professora-sujeito começou a ser formado quando esta aprendia a língua inglesa, e foi sendo refinado pela experiência docente, pelos cursos de aperfeiçoamento e de especialização, permanecendo, no entanto, relativamente estável. Enfim, nossa análise indicou que a prática da professora-sujeito tem estreita relação com o SC, que a delineia e é por ele delineada de forma singular. / [en] Existing studies indicate that teachers beliefs are a window toward understanding pedagogical practices. If we investigate these beliefs and uncover their roots, perhaps we may be better equipped to understand teachers decisionmaking processes. This dissertation sets out to investigate the beliefs of a teacher of English as a foreign language in a public school in Rio de Janeiro, their relation to pedagogical practices and identity processes, and their stability. Following a case study methodology, we gathered data by observing 10 classes and interviewing the teacher. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results revealed that the teacher s belief system about language learning and teaching began to be formed when she was only an EFLer and that it has been polished by teaching experience, continuing education and postgraduate courses. However, the system has remained relatively stable. In a nutshell, results show that the teacher s practice bears a symbiotic relationship with her belief system, which gives practice its shape and at the same time is shaped by practice.

This study addresses questions of gender and genre in early writing by drawing on systemic linguistic theory, It is a longitudinal case study that compares the writing development of two children, a boy and a girl/ who learned to write in classrooms that adopted an approach to writing known in Australia as 'process writing1, The children's written texts were analysed using the systemic functional grammar as developed by MAK, Hallidey and the models of genre and register as proposed by J,R, Martin. The children were followed for the first two and a half years of their schooling, from the first day of kindergarten to the middle of grade two. They were observed weekly during the daily ‘writing time’ and all texts were collected. Although the children were ostensibly 'free’ to determine both the writing topics and text types they produced, systemic analysis revealed that: 1) the majority of texts written were of one genre, the Observation genre, in which the children reconstructed their personal experience with family and friends and offered an evaluation of it. 2) a significant pattern of gender differences occurred within this genre, such that the boy reconstructed experience in terms of the male cultural stereotype of being an active participant in the world, while the girl reconstructed experience in terms of the female stereotype of being a more passive observer of experience. It is the strength of systemic linguistic analysis that it revealed how the choices the children made in language were constrained by a number of social and cultural contexts, including: a) the teacher's theoretical orientation to literacy; b) the models of spoken and written language available to the children; and c) the ideology of gender in the culture. In particular, the analysis made visible how children appropriate the meanings of their culture and socialise themselves into gender roles by constructing the ideology of gender in their writing. The study contributes to an understanding of genres by offering a revised description of the Observation genre, which derives from the Observation Comment genre originally identified by Martin and Rothery (1981). It also raises a number of implications for teacher training and classroom practice, including the need for: 1) increased teacher consciousness about gender and genre, especially an understanding that choices in language are socially constructed 2) a critical reassessment of the notion of 'free topic choice’ promoted by 'process writing' pedagogy, a practice which may limit choice and tacitly support the gender status quo.

“The point is that you should be able to know your speech”. A study of the teaching practice of prepared speech, in upper-secondary school Swedish. Cristina Jarl This licentiate study explores the discursive construction of the classroom practice of teachers and students preparing a formal speech, within the Swedish language teaching. The explicit focus is on the teaching situation prior to the students’ prepared speech, and the actions per-formed by the actors within the language teaching context. The overall aim of the thesis is to increase the knowledge of teaching prepared speech as a social practice, by specifically describ-ing, analyzing, and problematizing the students’ opportunities to develop knowledge, connected to prepared speech in the language teaching classroom. By focusing on the instructional pro-cesses that lead to the delivery of the prepared speech this thesis contributes to new insights about the desired knowledge in the students’ prepared speech in school. The research questions guiding the investigation deal with aspects such as social actions, circulating discourses and the students’ subject positions as speakers in the teaching of prepared speech. A focused ethnography method was used, defined by short and intense periods of fieldwork engaging in a specific group activity in a social environment. The data production took place in two teaching groups, in two different upper secondary schools in Sweden. The empirical data consist of observations, sound and video recordings, field notes and texts produced by both teachers and students. During data production, the teaching alternated between on-site and online teaching due to the Corona pandemic. The classroom practice is explored as a social practice and as a discursive arena, where different perceptions exist. Social actors use discourse to mediate action, in which discourse impacts their ways of doing and being. By applying me-diated discourse analysis it is possible to study the complex relations between social action and discourse. The main findings suggest that teachers and students tend to focus more on the form and the production of the speech, and less on the specific subject content of the speech. The results display prominent and sometimes contradictory dichotomies in the teaching of speech: aspects of the prepared speech involve on one hand the practical, the spoken and the corporeal, and on the other hand the theoretical, the written and the visual. Additionally, the study illustrates the fixed and mobile dimensions of Swedish as a school subject. The importance of a speaker’s credibility shows a dynamic tension between students’ strategic, institutional and social posi-tions as a speaker. A concluding remark in the present study is that it seems important for the students to speak and having something to say, in a certain form and packaging, rather than what they have to say and why. Therefore the key instructional questions of what, why and who in terms of teaching prepared speech open up for further discussion.

[pt] A presente tese tem como objetivo identificar e analisar práticas pedagógicas voltadas para o desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica e consciência morfológica na alfabetização. O procedimento de produção dos dados ocorreu por meio de questionário on-line, com relato das professoras de suas práticas pedagógicas na alfabetização e respondentes que se prontificaram a participar da entrevista semiestruturada. Para análise qualitativa dos dados foi utilizado o software ATLAS.ti, organizando as produções em categorias, subcategorias e eixos de análise. Com isso, foi possível estabelecer dois estudos: no primeiro investigou-se a percepção das professoras sobre as dificuldades dos estudantes quando começam a aprender a escrever e as habilidades a serem desenvolvidas durante este processo. Os resultados indicam uma centralidade dirigida ao meio sociocultural, com apontamento para práticas de letramento no ambiente doméstico e escolar; os conhecimentos específicos, próprios do processo de ensino-aprendizagem, com destaque para a consciência fonológica e aspectos relacionados às emoções, no que tange ao medo e insegurança quando ocorre o erro do estudante no momento da escrita. O segundo estudo evidenciou a organização das práticas pedagógicas relatadas em um inventário que as caracteriza em cinco tipologias: práticas em consciência fonológica; práticas de ampliação de repertório cultural; práticas em leitura e escrita; práticas envolvendo diferentes áreas; e práticas em outros contextos. Não foram identificadas práticas para o desenvolvimento da consciência morfológica, o que pode ser um indicativo de lacuna na formação docente e, desse modo, o desconhecimento que essa habilidade contribui para a leitura e para a escrita de palavras mais complexas ortograficamente. A prática em consciência fonológica foi relatada por onze professoras, sendo a maior concentração em atividades voltadas para a subárea da consciência fonêmica e nenhuma dirigida para rima e aliteração. Os resultados deste estudo indicam que as professoras têm um conhecimento sobre a consciência fonológica e utilizam como estratégia no ensino de atividades lúdicas, principalmente, o jogo criado ou adaptado para o contexto específico da turma. Mas, apesar disso, foram poucos os relatos que indicaram o ensino estruturado, no sentido de uma sequência pela qual seja possível identificar as intencionalidades de onde partem e onde querem chegar com as atividades propostas. Tal constatação levanta a necessidade de mais investimento para a formação docente nesta área. A pesquisa também identificou que poucas professoras recorrem às tecnologias digitais para o ensino, algo diretamente ligado à baixa infraestrutura nas escolas. / [en] This thesis aims to identify and analyze pedagogical practices aimed at the development of phonological awareness and morphological awareness in literacy. The procedure of data production took place through an online questionnaire, with teachers reporting their teaching practices in literacy and respondents who volunteered to participate in the semi-structured interview. For qualitative data analysis, the ATLAS.ti software was used, organizing the productions into categories, subcategories and analysis axes. Thus, it was possible to establish two studies: in the first, the perception of teachers about the difficulties of students when they begin to learn to write and the skills to be developed during this process was investigated. The results indicate a centrality directed to the sociocultural environment, pointing to literacy practices in the home and school environment; specific knowledge, typical of the teachinglearning process, with emphasis on phonological awareness and aspects related to emotions, regarding fear and insecurity when the student makes a mistake at the time of writing. The second study evidenced the organization of pedagogical practices reported in an inventory that characterizes them in five typologies: practices in phonological awareness; cultural repertoire expansion practices; reading and writing practices; practices involving different areas; and practices in other contexts. Practices for the development of morphological awareness were not identified, which may indicate a gap in teacher education and, thus, the lack of knowledge that this skill contributes to reading and writing more complex words in terms of spelling. The practice in phonological awareness was reported by eleven teachers, with the greatest concentration in activities aimed at the phonemic awareness sub-area and none directed at rhyme and alliteration. The results of this study indicate that the teachers have knowledge about phonological awareness, using as a strategy in the teaching of recreational activities, mainly, the game created or adapted to the specific context of the class. But, despite this, there were few reports that indicated structured teaching, in the sense of a sequence through which it is possible to identify the intentions from where they start and where they want to go with the proposed activities. This finding raises the need for more investment in teacher training in this area. The survey also identified that few teachers resort to digital technologies for teaching, something directly linked to the low infrastructure in schools.

The purpose of this study is to determine if teachers perceive evaluation as providing the motivation and feedback to change classroom practices in a context where teacher evaluation carries varied stakes for tenured versus untenured teachers. This mixed methods case study of four high schools in a single district in North Carolina uses survey and interview data collected from teachers in the 2016–2017 school year to explore teacher perceptions and examine differences between career (tenured) and probationary (untenured) teachers. A conceptual framework is developed utilizing research on how teachers changed practice based on other accountability initiatives. The overall sample of teachers did not perceive the evaluation policy to be high stakes or impacting their practice; however, there were statistically significant differences between the perceptions of tenured teachers and untenured teachers on the survey. Interview statements supported the quantitative findings. The results highlight a need for a better understanding of how evaluation policies may influence teacher practice, particularly among those who have limited career protections, including beginning teachers who lack tenure.

[pt] As tecnologias digitais estão promovendo várias transformações na sociedade, mas na educação essas ferramentas não ressignificaram as práticas pedagógicas. Este estudo entende as tecnologias digitais como artefatos culturais imersos nos nossos hábitos, costumes e crenças. A pesquisa visa compreender a perspectiva dos docentes sobre as tecnologias digitais a partir de um mergulho nas suas crenças pedagógicas, em particular a crença de autoeficácia computacional docente. O estudo quantitativo e qualitativo se desenvolveu em duas partes: entrevistas de 64 professores em 8 escolas públicas de ensino fundamental do Município do Rio de Janeiro, entre 2014-2016. E em 2018 ocorreram dois grupos focais em duas escolas selecionadas para prosseguir o estudo porque os docentes apresentaram percepções da tecnologia próximo de artefato cultural. Os resultados das entrevistas demonstraram que a maioria dos docentes (63) utilizam as tecnologias no âmbito pessoal, mas quando verificamos o ambiente escolar esse grupo diminuiu para 47. E apenas 17 destes conseguiram modificar suas práticas pedagógicas usando as TIC. A experiência direta foi a fonte de informação da autoeficácia mais relevante. Na análise dos grupos focais, novamente a experiência direta se destaca, junto com a persuasão social e a preocupação com o aluno (variável contextual). Ao final do estudo nota-se que a autoeficácia computacional docente não representa uma confiança contínua, muito pelo contrário é influenciada por outros fatores e por isso está em constante transformação. Para pesquisas futuras o aprofundamento do conhecimento sobre as crenças de autoeficácia com foco nas TIC é imprescindível, principalmente, a sua relação com outras incógnitas. / [en] Digital technologies are promoting various transformations in society, but in education these tools did not re-signify pedagogical practices. This study understands digital technologies as cultural artifacts immersed in our habits, customs and beliefs. The research aims to understand the perspective of teachers on digital technologies from a dip in their pedagogical beliefs, in particular the belief of teacher computational self-efficacy. The quantitative and qualitative study was developed in two parts: interviews of 64 teachers in 8 public elementary schools of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, between 2014-2016. And in 2018 two focus groups took place in two schools selected to continue the study because teachers presented perceptions of the near-technology of cultural artifact. The results of the interviews showed that most of the teachers (63) use the technologies in the personal scope, but when we verified the school environment this group decreased to 47. And only 17 of these managed to modify their pedagogical practices using the TIC. Direct experience was the most relevant source of self-efficacy information. In the analysis of focus groups, again direct experience stands out, along with social persuasion and concern with the student (contextual variable). At the end of the study it is noticed that the teacher s computational self-efficacy does not represent a continuous trust, on the contrary it is influenced by other factors and therefore is in constant transformation. For future research, the deepening of the knowledge about the beliefs of self-efficacy with a focus on the TIC is essential, mainly, its relation with other unknowns.

This study was an investigation of Japanese high school teachers' (N=139) beliefs and practices regarding communicative language teaching (CLT). Four research questions were posited concerning the beliefs that Japanese high school teachers hold regarding CLT, how Japanese high school teachers use CLT in the classroom, how Japanese teachers' beliefs and practices differ between academic and vocational high schools, and how the beliefs of Japanese high school teachers, their classroom practices, their learning experience, pre- and in-service training, perceived teaching efficacy, and contextual factors relate to and influence each other regarding the use of CLT. In order to provide answers to these questions, a survey, classroom observations, and interviews were conducted. Before conducting the quantitative analyses, the questionnaire data were analyzed using the Rasch rating-scale model to confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire and to transform the raw scores into equal interval measures. Regarding the first and second research questions, the descriptive statistics showed that despite holding positive beliefs about CLT, the respondents to the survey did not frequently use communicative activities. With respect to the third research question, a MANOVA indicated that the types of schools (academic and vocational) did not significantly influence the survey respondents' beliefs and practices regarding CLT. Concerning the fourth research question, the Pearson correlation coefficients showed relatively strong correlations between (a) Classroom Practices and Student-related Communicative Conditions (r = .56) and (b) L2 Self-confidence and CLT Self-efficacy (r = .55). Also, the best fitting path model indicated that (a) Student-related Communicative Conditions impacted Classroom Practices, (b) Positive CLT Beliefs indirectly influenced Classroom Practices via CLT Self-efficacy, and (c) Exam-related Expectations affected most of the indicator variables and Classroom Practices. Related to this, qualitative results indicated that the respondents' learning experience, in-service training, and contextual factors influenced their beliefs and practices. / CITE/Language Arts