Instructional practices of Hungarian as a second language teachers

The results of a questionnaire study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the behaviour of teachers of Hungarian as a Second Language (HSL), who teach adults as regards the giving of instructions. The questionnaire survey was conducted with the involvement of 49 HSL teachers who had more than five years’ experience of teaching adults in Hungary, who answered questions related to their provision of instructions using a five-point Likert scale representing frequency. The results show that there is a correlation between the language proficiency level of the group and the use of an intermediary language. However, at beginner level, the respondents’ opinions regarding the use of the intermediary language are not uniform. In most cases, the respondents formulate their instructions at or below the students’ level of proficiency and try to present the currently learned grammatical form in their instructions. The examination of the verbs used in instruction revealed that all three grammatical moods appeared, with most teachers preferring the declarative and the imperative mood, while 38% of respondents never use the conditional. Little emphasis is placed on writing down instructions in advance during lesson planning. One surprising result is that teachers with less teaching experience participating in the study feel more mindful than more experienced teachers.