Understanding ELT Academics’ Teaching Methods in the United States: A Qualitative Study

Year 2017, Volume: 18 Issue: 3, 325 - 333, 31.12.2017

Ceyhun Yükselir

https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.344836

Abstract

While much research delineates
effective and innovative methods for teaching second language in English
Language Teaching (ELT) field, few studies occurred in the United States (US)
context. Thus, the current study examines effective and innovative methods in
ELT within the context of US higher education. In this qualitative study, semi-structured
interviews, reflections and classroom observations were used to collect
qualitative data from a sample group of 17 participants working in two US
higher education institutions. The data were analyzed separately using content
analysis. The results indicated that lecturers apply inquiry-based teaching and
communicative teaching approaches enriched with technological facilities in
their classrooms thereby enabling learners to improve productive and
creative/critical thinking skills. Thus, it is recommended that English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and lecturers should create second language
learning environment in which topics regarding culture and real-life context
are integrated into their teaching. Furthermore, this study also suggests that
researchers do more study for future research.

Keywords

English Language Teaching (ELT), United States (US) Higher Education, Qualitative Study, Teaching Methods, Qualitative Study

Understanding ELT Academics’ Teaching Methods in the United States: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

While much
research delineates teaching methods for second language in English Language
Teaching (ELT) field, few studies were conducted in the United States (US)
context. Thus, the current study examines ELT academics’ teaching methods
within the context of the US higher education. In this qualitative study, online
semi-structured interviews, reflections and classroom observations were used to
collect qualitative data from a sample group of 17 participants working in two
US higher education institutions. The data were analyzed separately using
content analysis. The results indicated that lecturers employ inquiry-based
teaching and communicative teaching approaches enriched with technological
facilities in their classrooms thereby enabling learners to improve productive
and creative/critical thinking skills. To this end, it is recommended that ELT
teachers and lecturers should create second a language learning environment in
which topics regarding culture and real-life context are integrated into their
teaching. Furthermore, this study also suggests that researchers do more study regarding
teaching methods in ELT for future research.

Keywords

English Language Teaching (ELT), United States (US) Higher Education, Qualitative Study, Teaching Methods, Qualitative Study

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