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

Abstract

Abstract: This research explores how students, parents, and a teacher experienced EFL virtual instruction in a rural high school in Saracay, Ecuador. The participants were twenty-five BGU students, ten parents, and one English teacher. A descriptive quantitative approach was used and complemented with qualitative information from surveys and a semi-structured interview. The study focused on what happened inside virtual classes, paying attention to the environment, feedback, interaction, materials, and tasks. Data were reviewed to understand participants experiences. Learning English online was not easy in this context. Classes were often interrupted by connection problems, and for some students, using digital tools felt unfamiliar. Interaction was limited, so lessons often felt distant. Some students shared that teacher comments were not always easy to understand and that finishing their work required more time. From the teacher s point of view, keeping track of students and encouraging participation in this virtual setting was a constant challenge. Virtual instruction allowed learning to continue during the pandemic, but it did not fully meet the needs of rural learners due to infrastructural and pedagogical constraints.