Changing values: what use are theories of language learning and teaching?

This paper is a response to the common perception by student teachers that the research and theory courses on their program are overtheoretical and unrelated to classroom practice, While there is some support for a categorical distinction between theory and practice in language education. it is suggested that the beliefs, assumptions and knowledge of teachers are in fact inextricably bound up with what goes on in the classroom. We investigate two groups of student teachers studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level to become teachers of English to speakers of other languages. We examine the extent to which a research and theory course which both groups took in second language acquisition influenced key beliefs which students held relating to language learning during their period of study. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.