Teachers' Theoretical Beliefs and Practices: A Case Study of Literacy and Biliteracy in a Bilingual Classroom.

A study examined how one sixth-grade teacher's, theoretical beliefs about literacy and biliteracy were reflected in her instructional practices. The subject taught in an English-Spanish bilingual classroom in a public school located in a neighborhood of lowto middle-class families in a large, southwestern city. Data included field notes comprising two and a half months of participant observation of reading and writing activities, interviews, and examination of instructional materials and students' written work. Results indicated that: (1) the teacher described herself as a whole language teacher; (2) the teacher made references to the importance of joint decision-making in a whole language classroom and viewed herself as offering choices; (3) however, the choices were limited by her clearly specified guidelines; (4) the teacher believed in the importance of helping her students to become more responsible, but for her, responsibility had more to do with procedure than with content; (5) the teacher's belief that the four stages of second language development (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are sequential contradicts descriptions of the intertwined processes of second language development among her students; and (6) the teacher does not plan to continue taking courses that would provide opportunities for her to reexamine her beliefs and practices. Findings suggest that, while the teacher has a clear understanding and well-grounded practice of whole language, her underlying beliefs and practices actually do not reflect a holistic view of children. language, and learning. (Contains 25 references.) (RS) *********************************************************************** * >': Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************** *