Author: Askat Tleuov, KIMEP University, Kazakhstan
Email: [email protected]
Published: June 3, 2025
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.13.1.01
Citation: Tleuov, A. (2025). Teaching Speaking in Kazakhstani EFL Classrooms: Negotiating Teacher Beliefs and Assessment Constraints. IAFOR Journal of Education, 13(1), 11–41. https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.13.1.01
Abstract
Despite communicative goals in English language instruction, speaking skills remain underemphasized in Kazakhstani secondary schools where assessment policies prioritize grammar and reading proficiency. This study examined how four experienced EFL teachers conceptualized and implemented speaking instruction within an exam-oriented educational context, focusing on their instructional approaches, responses to contextual constraints, and reconciliation of beliefs with practice. Employing a multiple-case qualitative design, data were collected through (POIs), classroom observations, and stimulated-recall interviews. Thematic analysis revealed variations in instructional approaches, with teachers navigating tensions between beliefs about oral proficiency and institutional pressures. Some participants adopted direct, structured methodologies emphasizing controlled output, while others incorporated communicative, learner-centered activities. Contextual factors, including curriculum mandates, high-stakes testing, and student proficiency levels, influenced instructional choices, though teachers demonstrated agency through localized adaptations. The study highlights the affective dimensions of speaking instruction, particularly strategies for mitigating learner anxiety and balancing error correction with motivation. Findings point to the need for assessment reforms that integrate speaking components and targeted professional development to equip teachers with effective oral skills pedagogy. This research examined the interaction between teacher cognition and contextual factors, contributing to the understanding of teacher intervention within assessment-driven educational systems in EFL contexts.
Keywords
assessment washback, contextual constraints, EFL teaching, speaking instruction, teacher agency, teacher cognition