<![CDATA[This study examined the beliefs of novice English teachers regarding English language teaching in primary schools in North Sumatra, Indonesia, with a focus on how those beliefs shape instructional practice and professional development. A qualitative research design was employed. Three novice primary school English teachers were selected through purposive sampling and data were gathered via semi-structured interviews over a two-week period. Data were analysed using a six-step thematic analysis procedure. Four themes emerged: (1) teachers hold strong beliefs that early English instruction is foundational for future language development. (2) intrinsic motivation rooted in personal language-learning histories shapes their commitment to teaching. (3) despite curriculum constraints, teachers adapt materials and employ interactive strategies such as games, songs, and real-life contextualisation, to address students’ vocabulary gaps. (4) teachers differentiate their approaches by grade level, drawing on scaffolding and repetition to support retention. The findings suggest that novice teachers’ beliefs directly inform their pedagogical decisions. Supporting these teachers through flexible curriculum policy and structured professional development programmes may enhance instructional quality in primary English education.]]>
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