Thesis (DAppLing)--Macquarie University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Linguistics, 2009. / Bibliography: p. 167-188. / Introduction -- Contextual background -- Literature review -- Methodology -- Pre-service teachers' beliefs about being a teacher -- Practicum students' beliefs about the teaching experience -- Teachers' first year experience: beliefs and reflections -- Conclusions. / This research focuses on the analysis of the beliefs of pre-service Mexican student-teachers from a public university in central Mexico who have learned English as adolescents or young adults. Specifically, it examines their beliefs about teaching and about themselves as English teachers in different stages of initial professional development. The participants reflected on their experiences as English language learners, students, teaching practicum students and as first year teachers in a follow up study. -- This thesis is composed of three studies that are linked by involving the same participants. The studies follow these participants through different stages in their initial development as teachers.The research is set within the qualitative research paradigm and draws on qualitative data and interpretive analysis. The data were retrieved using the following procedures: autobiographies, a focus group interview, journals, personal interviews and short narratives. -- Responses to the following research questions emerged through the different stages of this thesis. 1. What initial beliefs do pre-service and beginning students hold about being a teacher? 2. Do these beliefs evolve or change during the initial stages of their teacher development? 3. Do their experiences during their initial stages of their development influence their beliefs? -- There is little research on English language teacher beliefs in Mexico. It is considered that research in this area can contribute to the understanding of the processes of what English language teachers' beliefs are and how they evolve or develop over time and the influences that they may have on the actual teaching process. This research may contribute to bring to the attention of English language teacher preparation programs the necessity of providing opportunities for student-teachers to unpack their beliefs and reflect and view them in the light of the courses and their practice in order to create an understanding of the Mexican educational context of which they will be a part. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / viii, 265 p