The Sustainability of Form-Focused Instruction in Classrooms: Chinese Secondary School EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices

Form-focused instruction occupies an important position in China’s secondary schools. However, middle school English teaching has been criticized for the sustainability of form-focused instruction. The new Curriculum Standards suggest that grammar should be integrated into communicative activities, but no precise guidance is provided on how to integrate activities. This study investigates teachers’ beliefs and practices about instruction, as well factors influencing their practices, context Data were collected through 33 classroom observations interviews with 3 teachers different levels experience. findings reveal that, overall, preferred focus forms explicit teaching. more experience adopted approaches integrating form meaning at times inductively. teacher fewer years traditional, isolated, deductive methods differences between found influenced by various factors, including research curriculum standards, examinations, learning gaps connections theoretical domains discussed implications provided.