The increasing reliance on non-specialist English teachers in various educational settings has raised concerns regarding instructional quality and classroom effectiveness. Professional development (PD) has been widely recognized as a key mechanism for supporting teachers who teach outside their field of expertise. This study investigates how professional development shapes the teaching strategies of non-specialist English teachers at Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu (SIKK), an Indonesian overseas school in Malaysia. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach with a narrative inquiry design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis involving non-specialist English teachers. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in teachers’ instructional practices and the influence of professional learning experiences on classroom implementation. The findings reveal that professional development, primarily through self-directed learning, peer collaboration, and participation in external workshops, contributed to the diversification and adaptation of teaching strategies. Teachers demonstrated the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL), differentiated instruction, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), role-play activities, gamification techniques, and Simple Jigsaw strategies to address students’ vocational learning needs. Professional development also encouraged teachers to integrate more student-centered approaches, contextualized learning activities, and interactive classroom practices. These instructional transformations enabled teachers to move beyond traditional textbook-oriented instruction and create more engaging learning environments. The study concludes that sustained and collaborative professional development plays a significant role in enhancing the pedagogical capacity of non-specialist English teachers and supports the effective adaptation of teaching strategies in vocational English classrooms. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on out-of-field teaching and highlight the importance of providing continuous professional learning opportunities for non-specialist educators.
The findings showed that the teachers used Canva, YouTube, Quizizz, Google Forms, and Microsoft PowerPoint to support communication, collaboration, creativity, engagement, and differentiated instruction, however, ICT implementation remained limited.
This study contributes to the professional development of English language teacher candidates by enabling them to experience micro-teaching lesson study cycles implemented within a metaverse environment. The collaborative teacher development model, which has been practiced in schools for some time, was integrated with micro-teaching practices and structurally adapted to suit the dynamics of a virtual metaverse setting. Employing a case study design as part of qualitative research methodology, the study involved five English language teacher education students enrolled at a public university in Türkiye. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observation notes, and group discussions, and were analysed qualitatively; the emerging themes and codes were interpreted by the researcher. The findings indicate that the pre-service teachers gained teaching experience within the metaverse environment and enhanced their awareness of online instruction by discovering creative ways of delivering lessons unique to the virtual space. In addition, participants articulated the strengths and weaknesses of transferring distance education into the metaverse and demonstrated a critical perspective toward its improvement. Furthermore, the results of the study offer a more comprehensive model for distance education as an alternative to current AI-driven approaches, pointing to a more feasible option in response to existing critiques of online education in the literature.
The implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in primary English classrooms is important to investigate because it enhances students’ motivation and engagement despite challenges in instructional practices and assessment. This study aims to explore the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in primary English classrooms, focusing on planning, implementation, assessment, and the perceptions of teachers and students. This research employed a qualitative approach with a case study design conducted at Bali Kiddy Primary School. The participants consisted of English teachers and fifth-grade students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, documentation, and self-reflection journals, and analyzed using the interactive model of data analysis, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that PjBL has been implemented with several strengths, particularly in enhancing student motivation, engagement, collaboration, and confidence in using English. Students actively participated in group work and showed positive attitudes toward learning through projects. However, several challenges were identified, including limited alignment in lesson planning, unclear instructional guidance, time constraints, and assessment practices that focus more on final products rather than learning processes. Project-Based Learning has strong potential to improve English learning at the primary level by creating meaningful and student-centered learning experiences. Nevertheless, improvements in planning, instructional clarity, and comprehensive assessment strategies are necessary to optimize its implementation
This study explores the experiences of Social Studies teachers in using Project Based Learning (PBL) in higher education institutions during Academic Year 2023–2024 as a basis for developing an instructional guide. Guided by an interpretative qualitative research approach, the study sought to answer two central concerns: (1) the stories teachers tell about how they use PBL in teaching Social Studies, and (2) the similarities and differences observed in PBL teaching among Social Studies teachers. Data were gathered through semi structured interviews with six Social Studies teachers from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Visayas and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that teachers commonly use PBL to bridge theory and society, promote active participation and collaboration, and implement instruction through intentional planning and reflective practice. While teachers shared a common pedagogical foundation grounded in student centered and real world learning, differences in implementation emerged due to personal teaching pathways and contextual factors such as class size, subject matter, student readiness, institutional support, and available resources. Despite these variations, strong departmental alignment and shared curricular expectations contributed to consistency in PBL practices across the institution. The study concludes that Project Based Learning in Social Studies is both a shared and adaptive instructional practice anchored in common principles yet responsive to diverse teaching contexts. Based on these findings, the study recommends sustained professional development, strengthened institutional support, and the development of a flexible instructional guide that builds on teachers’ lived experiences. Future research may extend this inquiry by examining students’ perspectives and the long term impacts of PBL on learning outcomes in higher education.
This qualitative study employed a phenomenological research design to explore the lived experiences of English teachers regarding the challenges, coping mechanisms, and educational management insights in implementing collaborative learning with Peer-Assisted Instruction (PAI). Using purposive sampling, ten (10) junior high school English teachers were selected to participate in in-depth interviews (IDI). Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data and identify recurring patterns across participants' responses. Findings revealed three primary challenges encountered by teachers in facilitating collaborative learning with PAI: lack of student readiness and motivation, student behavioral issues, and assessment challenges. In response to these challenges, participants employed coping mechanisms such as using structured lesson planning, strengthening professional collaboration with colleagues, and fostering student-led goal setting. The study uncovered significant lessons, highlighting the importance of institutionalizing collaborative learning frameworks, addressing the need for continuous teacher training and coaching, and providing administrative support to address student behavioral concerns. The results underscored the complexities of implementing collaborative learning with PAI and offer practical implications for school leaders, policymakers, and educators in enhancing instructional practices and support systems within English language classrooms.