The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning ™ 2026

The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning ™

turnitin unesa1

EFL Teachers’ Perception of Communicative Language Teaching Practices in Improving Students’ Intercultural Competences

English language teaching in Ethiopia increasingly emphasizes communicative competence, yet classroom implementation often remains teacher-centred and provides limited opportunities for intercultural learning. This study examines how Ethiopian EFL teachers perceive Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), how their perceptions appear in classroom practice, and how CLT supports students’ intercultural competence. A qualitative multiple-case study involves 12 secondary-school English teachers selected purposively from Ethiopian schools. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, field notes, and demographic forms. The data are analysed thematically through familiarization, coding, categorization, within-case analysis, cross-case comparison, and theme development. The findings show that most teachers view CLT positively and associate it with participation, speaking practice, pair work, group discussion, role-play, and confidence building. However, their classroom practices only partly reflect these beliefs because many activities remain teacher-controlled, textbook-dependent, and focused on accuracy. Teachers also recognize the relationship between language and culture, although several interpret intercultural learning mainly as knowledge of customs and cultural facts. CLT contributes moderately to students’ intercultural competence when tasks include authentic interaction, cultural comparison, perspective-taking, negotiation of meaning, and reflective discussion. Its effectiveness depends on teacher mediation, task design, scaffolding, authentic materials, feedback, assessment alignment, professional development, class size, instructional time, learner proficiency, and institutional support. The study concludes that positive perceptions alone do not ensure effective intercultural CLT. Context-sensitive training, reflective communicative tasks, suitable materials, and assessment of intercultural outcomes are necessary to strengthen classroom implementation. These findings connect teacher cognition, classroom interaction, and intercultural learning within the realities of Ethiopian secondary education.

Pedagogic Code-Switching of Teachers in Online Mathematics Instruction

This qualitative multiple-case study explored the pedagogic code-switching practices of tertiary mathematics teachers in online instruction within a multilingual higher education context in the Philippines. Specifically, the study examined the challenges teachers encountered, the coping mechanisms they employed, and the pedagogical insights they gained while using English, Tagalog, and Bisaya during online mathematics instruction. Guided by a qualitative multiple-case study design, five purposively selected mathematics teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis complemented by cross-case analysis to identify recurring patterns and contextual variations across participants. The findings revealed six major instructional challenges: misinterpretation of meaning, hindered lesson progression, lack of vocabulary, difficulty in delivering mathematical lessons, struggles with advanced mathematical concepts, and the need for careful language switching to preserve conceptual accuracy. Teachers addressed these challenges through multiple adaptive strategies, including checking learners' understanding, utilizing video-recorded lessons, simplifying difficult definitions, using accurate terminology, bridging language gaps, promoting independent learning, ensuring inclusivity, considering learners' proficiency levels, maximizing educational technologies, and providing constructive feedback. The participants likewise recognized that pedagogic code-switching functions as an instructional scaffold that breaks down complex mathematical concepts, enhances learner engagement, promotes inclusivity, and supports conceptual understanding without compromising the formal language of mathematics. The study concludes that pedagogic code-switching is an effective language-responsive instructional strategy when implemented intentionally and contextually. It enables mathematics teachers to balance linguistic accessibility with disciplinary precision, thereby improving communication and student participation in multilingual online classrooms. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting the integration of adaptive multilingual pedagogies into teacher professional development, institutional language policies, and mathematics instruction in higher education.

Investigating the Perceptions and Implementation Challenges of Scaffolding Among Libyan English Teachers

This paper is descriptive paper reveals the English teachers perceptions of scaffolding strategies in classroom and how effective they are according to the participants experience in teaching. The research utilizes a quantitative approach through a survey in the form of a questionnaire which is distributed to the participants after attending an online workshop about scaffolding. The responses collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using quantitative method. According to the teachers’ continuous needs for effective teaching strategies this study presented  the application of scaffolding as an effective instructional strategy in English language teaching. It highlighted a variety of forms of scaffolding including   one-on-one tutoring, peer support, and computer-assisted techniques. Also, it distinguished their roles in facilitating learner independence and mastery of new concepts. Through rich feedback of previous studies and findings illustrated and examined different scaffolding techniques—such as questioning, modeling, and visual aids—significantly enhance student comprehension and engagement. The findings showed that effective scaffolding accelerates cognitive development and fosters learners’ confidence and autonomous learning skills, aligning with Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development theory.

TEACHER CODE-MIXING AS AN EFL PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Code mixing is commonly used in multilingual English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms to facilitate communication and support students’ understanding of learning materials. However, students’ perceptions toward the use of code mixing in English teaching remain underexplored, particularly in Islamic senior high school contexts. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate students’ perceptions of the use of code mixing in English teaching and explore its impacts on students’ learning experiences at Islamic Senior High School Al Mubarok. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design. The participants consisted of 32 tenth-grade students, with six students selected for semi-structured interviews. Data were collected through a printed questionnaire and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the interactive model of data analysis, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that students perceived code mixing positively because it helped them understand learning materials, classroom instructions, listening activities, and unfamiliar vocabulary more easily. In the affective aspect, students reported feeling more comfortable, relaxed, and less anxious during English learning activities. In the conative aspect, code mixing increased students’ confidence, motivation, and willingness to participate in classroom interactions. Furthermore, the findings indicated that code mixing facilitated comprehension, enriched vocabulary knowledge, reduced learning anxiety, and encouraged active participation in learning activities. These findings imply that English teachers in multilingual EFL classrooms may strategically use code mixing to support students’ comprehension, foster classroom engagement, and create a more supportive learning environment, particularly for learners with limited English proficiency.