Teacher beliefs on oral proficiency: Implications for classroom practice

Little is known about language teachers’ beliefs around target language (TL) oral proficiency and its impact on teaching practices and professional teacher identity. This qualitative case-study aimed to uncover these beliefs, as well as to explore teacher perspectives on proficiency requirements as a standard for licensure. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 34 in-service language teachers, and interview transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The findings reveal that the majority of participants believe TL proficiency affects their teaching practices and professional identities in a variety of ways. However, a range of perspectives are shared on proficiency requirements for licensure. The implications of this research may inform the work of educator preparation programs, professional development programming, and legislation at the state and national level.