BRU ELT JOURNAL

Exploring Chinese Teachers' Experiences in Teaching English as a Foreign Language Focusing on Large Class Management: A Case of One Beijing Elementary School

Haonan Ju; Anchalee Chayanuvat — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explored Chinese primary school EFL teachers’ experiences, large-class size management practices, and guidelines needs within the context of recent educational reforms. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the research collected questionnaire responses from 43 teachers, the whole population, and conducted semi-structured interviews with 8 teachers from a school in Beijing. The quantitative findings from the questionnaire revealed that teachers reported relatively strong colleague support (M=4.11) and the lowest mean score for workload manageable (M=2.91), indicating significant stress in large-class teaching environments. Regarding management strategies for large class sizes, preventive and organizational measures (e.g., establishing classroom routines, addressing disruptions) were employed more frequently. Assessment-related findings further indicate that while the use of quick formative assessments was moderately frequent (M=3.79), providing timely personalized feedback in large classes was perceived as particularly challenging, scoring lowest in this domain (M=3.08). The qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews provided deeper insights. Teachers consistently described heavy administrative burdens and non-teaching workloads as the most prominent challenges (N=41). Interview data also highlighted difficulties in addressing student ability differences when class sizes frequently exceeded 40 students (N=37). Furthermore, teachers expressed ambivalent attitudes towards educational technology: while acknowledging its potential value, they reported inadequate instructional training and increased operational burdens that hindered effective classroom implementation. The qualitative findings contextualize statistical trends by explaining how systemic pressures, class size, and limited institutional support collectively shape teachers' instructional choices and professional confidence within the context of teaching foreign languages in large classes.

Effects of Using Microsoft Flip on Undergraduate Students’ Speaking Skills

Santhoshkanth Kamaraj, Angcharin Thongpan, Sunchai Hamcumpai — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

A persistent disparity exists between EFL learners' theoretical linguistic knowledge and their practical oral proficiency-a phenomenon often described as 'mute English.' This study addresses this critical gap by examining the efficacy of integrating Microsoft Flip, an asynchronous video discussion platform, into a structured teaching-speaking cycle model based on Goh and Burns’ (2012). The research aimed to (1) compare undergraduate students’ speaking skill scores before and after the intervention and (2) investigate students’ perceptions of the platform’s utility. Using a pre-experimental, one-group pre-test/post-test design, the study employed cluster random sampling to recruit 53 first-year nursing undergraduate students at a public university in Thailand. Over an eight-week intervention, participants engaged in asynchronous speaking tasks designed to foster planning, rehearsal, and reflection across eight thematic modules. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in speaking proficiency, with mean scores rising from 10.23 to 16.56 (t (52) = 30.28, p < .001), representing a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 4.16). All sub-skills showed growth, with vocabulary exhibiting substantial gains. Furthermore, quantitative data from questionnaires indicated positive student perceptions (M = 3.96), particularly regarding the platform's ability to expand vocabulary (M = 4.17) and encourage regular practice. These findings suggest that combining asynchronous technology with teaching-speaking cycle instruction effectively ameliorates speaking deficits, offering a scalable pedagogical model for EFL educators seeking to enhance learner autonomy and oral competence in non-native contexts.

Implementing English as an International Language in EFL Contexts: A Qualitative Case Study of Teachers’ Challenges in Thai Secondary Education

Rat Lamphuttha; Eric A. Ambele — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

English as an International Language (EIL) emphasizes intelligibility, linguistic diversity, and intercultural communication. Yet in high-stakes secondary contexts, its integration often conflicts with examination-driven curricular structures. This qualitative case study investigates the challenges of implementing EIL in Thai secondary English classrooms, focusing on how curriculum and assessment requirements shape pedagogical practice. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify recurring themes and structural tensions. The findings reveal that although national curricula promote communicative competence, classroom practice is strongly regulated by high-stakes examinations, prescribed textbooks, and limited instructional time. These institutional pressures restrict opportunities to integrate EIL-informed practices, such as engagement with diverse English varieties and intercultural communicative tasks. Teachers demonstrate increasing awareness of EIL principles but must negotiate these ideals within an assessment-oriented system prioritizing standardized norms. The study extends Global Englishes scholarship by showing that EIL implementation in Expanding Circle settings is mediated by systemic assessment constraints rather than teacher disposition alone. By conceptualizing teachers as pedagogical mediators, the study underscores the need for closer alignment among curriculum policy, assessment design, and teacher education to enable sustainable EIL integration.