Student´s and teacher´s perceptions towards EFL virtual instruction

Abstract

Abstract:The present study, entitled Perceptions of students and teachers towards virtual instruction of English as a foreign language, aimed to examine the challenges and perceptions of both students and teachers during virtual English as a foreign language class. The study was conducted at a private institution in Quito, Ecuador. Participants included 25 second-year Bachillerato students, 10 parents, and 1 English teacher. A mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through Likert-scale surveys administered to students, parents, and the English teacher, while qualitative instruments consisted of a face-to-face interview with the English teacher. The analysis focused on key dimensions of online instructions including learning environment, feedback, interaction, instructional materials, and assessments. This allowed to contrast participants views and to identify challenges in online EFL instruction. The findings indicate that the greatest challenge is that virtual classes provided fewer opportunities to take risks and make mistakes. Among the perceptions, the most notable is that the assigned tasks were easy to do, suggesting that the communicative and effective needs of the students were not met during virtual classes.