Transcending Lockdown: Teaching and Learning EFL during Covid-19 Crisis

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the adopted and adapted teaching methods, procedures and techniques in the virtual EFL classes during Covid-19 from the viewpoint of both learners and tutors. Data in the study were collected through two instruments: a tutor survey that elicited information from 42 randomly selected English language skills tutors, teaching at the English language foundation program at the nine branches of the Arab Open University (AOU); and a student survey that elicited information from 911 responding EFL learners enrolled in the foundation program. The tutor survey drew data pertaining to the teaching practices utilized by the tutors in their virtual teaching, their effectiveness, the extent to which learners were receptive to such practices, etc. The data collected through the learners' survey pertained to such matters as quality of internet connectivity, the effectiveness of the teaching procedures, interaction with tutors, assessments, etc. The study demonstrates that the tutors utilized a variety of teaching methods, techniques and procedures that were, as reported by participating tutors and learners, conducive to effective teaching and learning English despite some obstacles and that the tutors were quite pleased with the overall practice and outcome of the virtual teaching-learning process. The students' responses showed that, despite some technical hurdles, they were generally comfortable with the online mode of teaching and learning. This virtual style of teaching and learning is perceived to have more advantages than originally thought. The paper delineates the major findings of the study and concludes with implications and recommendations.