Exploring the evolution of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about English for specific purposes (ESP) through case studies from a teacher education program

Regardless of the increasing recognition of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in the learning of languages, the conceptions of pre-service teachers with respect to ESP instruction remain unexplored, especially when compared to their perspectives about general English language teaching. This study examines the evolution of nine Chinese pre-service teachers’ beliefs about ESP over six months, focusing on two critical phases of their teacher education program: the methods courses and the internship. Data were collected through informal conversations, stimulated recall discussions, classroom observations, and reflective diaries. The findings shed light on how future educators develop and transform their beliefs about ESP, illustrating the dynamic nature of teacher cognition during professional training. Through an in-depth analysis of nine cases, the study identifies six distinct belief dynamics, ranging from stability to substantial modification, and explores the contributing factors driving these transformations. The results contribute to the understanding of how pre-service teachers conceptualize ESP instruction and the extent to which teacher education programs influence their evolving perspectives. The study offers implications for both researchers investigating teacher cognition and teacher educators designing ESP-focused training programs.