Investigating the Iranian Practices in Teaching English in Secondary Schools

The major objectives of this research were to develop an understanding of what policy/syllabus documents inform teaching English to student practices, indicate the main pedagogies that English teachers use, and enhance our understanding of these teachers’ responsibilities and roles. The research was carried out on a sample of 728 English teachers from junior and senior high school in 32 provinces of Iran. Self-reporting questionnaires were conducted as a survey method. The results of this study indicate those teachers’ beliefs about learning and teaching might extremely conflict with those of policymakers’ attitudes and perceptions in these areas. It is apparent that the general language level of Just over half the sample (53%) of teachers is lower than intermediate. The in-service and pre-service training offered to English teachers requires to be considerably strengthened. A wide range of materials for teaching students at schools is required. As a consequence of, a gap between classroom practice and pedagogic policy the curricula and pedagogies underpinning the teaching of EFL students also need some changes. Overall, the evidences from this study recommend that current Iranian practice in teaching English to students in schools should be modified. Present study has important implications for future practice.