Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices: Lessons to Be Learnt for Facilitating Professional Development in Northern Cyprus

The impact of professional development programs on teachers' beliefs is still an exploratory field, with existing research finding both positive and weak impacts of teacher education on teachers' beliefs. Building upon these findings, it is acknowledged that many challenges remain in designing focused professional development programs. This chapter addresses the problem by drawing on a study conducted with Higher Education teachers in North Cyprus. The study aimed to unveil teachers' beliefs about in-class code-switching in teaching a foreign language. Using a qualitative methodology, data in the form of classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, course documents and field notes were collected and analyzed thematically. Findings suggest that cultures of learning, that is teachers' frameworks of expectations about successful teaching and learning, have a significant impact on teachers' beliefs. The authors suggest that an acknowledgement of cultural frames will facilitate appropriate professional development.