Debriefing in Online Primary ESL Classrooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

Abstract

The meaningfulness of the current educational landscape, where online learning is heavily practised, is often questioned. Experiential learning focuses on the learning process that learners undergo. It is believed to help them to make sense of the learning process through active participation and meaningful reflective practice. Debriefing is an experiential learning strategy that requires learners to reflect on their learning experiences and connect them to real-life situations. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated the use of debriefing in the English language teaching and learning context. To this end, this case study aimed to explore the effects of debriefing in online ESL classrooms and the challenges of online debriefing. The case study was conducted in Bintulu, a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and involved two teachers who were actively conducting online ESL lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews and observations of recorded online ESL lessons with a focus on the debriefing sessions. The findings indicated that debriefing has positive effects on active English language learners as it helps to improve their critical thinking ability as well as their oral and written language proficiency. The challenges of debriefing in online ESL classrooms include learners being hesitant to talk during lessons, teachers facing difficulties in using appropriate debriefing questions, as well as various technical problems.

Online teaching strategies for conversational English by university lecturers

“…The finding is in line with Rif, et al (2023) who suggest that some lecturers face challenges in using online teaching strategies because they are not adequately trained. In this regard, the findings suggest that lecturers require instant support in using a videoconferencing strategy for teaching conversational English online This finding is congruent with Rajeswari and Madhavi's (2023) suggestion that if lecturers' professional knowledge is empowered, they can understand contemporary educational practices including the use of video conferencing strategy for teaching conversational English online.…”

“…On the other hand, a person-to-person interview (Rif, et al, 2023) was conducted only once at different lectures because the researcher could still compare and authenticate the results from different interview sessions held among the three lecturers using the same open-ended interview questions. A voice recorder and a notebook were used to record the entire interview process so that no single piece of information is misplaced.…”

“…In this regard, Brunsell, (2021:4) claims that teaching conversational English online creates "intense participation and increased opportunities for learning and flexibility for both the student and lecturer". However, some lecturers face challenges in using online teaching strategies (Rif, Tan, & Khairuddin, 2023) as they are not adequately trained. Online teaching and learning individualise and provide independent learning, studying anytime and anywhere and create attendance possibilities for those who are unable to attend physical classes (Kassymova, Tulepova & Bekturova, 2023).…”

Digital Storytelling: A Catalyst to Enhance English Language Learning in Malaysia

“…The challenges of digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were experienced by English language learners in Malaysia, leading to a transformation from face-to-face interaction to online learning (Rif et al, 2023). The closure of schools and universities in response to COVID-19 necessitated the adoption of remote learning in Malaysia, as in much of the rest of the world (Alakrash & Razak, 2022).…”

Exploring perspectives on the approach for teaching ablaut principles to English L2 learners: a case study in South African secondary schools

“…The information depicted in Table 1 satisfies the research population requirement that prescribes that these teachers were under study in the Dzindi Circuit, South Africa. In Table 1, the participants were observed while engaging their learners in the classroom observations and semistructured interviews (Rif et al, 2023) conducted with those participants. However, to comply with the ethical realities, we asked for permission from the Department of Education in Limpopo Province, Dzindi Circuit, principals for the selected secondary schools, and the parents or guardians of the participants who were underage during which the study was conducted.…”