From Policy to Pedagogy: English Teachers’ Lesson Planning and Classroom Enactment of Mindful, Meaningful, and Joyful Learning

Exploring the Implementation of Project-Based Learning in Primary English Classrooms: Insights from Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives

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

THE PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF ENGLISH TEACHERS’ WEEKNESS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

This study aimed to identify the problems faced by English teachers in improving student’ achievement at MTS Raudlatul Falah. This research employed a qualitative descriptive design to explore teachers’ readiness and the challenges encountered in the teaching ang learning process. The study was conducted at MTS Raudlatul Falah involving two English teachers and several eighth-grade students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and documentation, and were analyzed using the interactive model of miles, Huberman, and Saldana, including data collection, data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings showed that English teachers had generally prepared learning materials based on the curriculum, syllabus, lesson plans, and textbooks; however, the development of contextual and authentic materials remained limited. In terms of teaching methods, teachers employed lectures, question and answer sessions, assignment, discussions, and simple conversation practices, yet teacher centered instruction was still dominant. The use of learning media was also limited, with teachers relying mostly on textbooks and basic classroom facilities. These conditions effected students’ motivation, participation, vocabulary mastery, pronunciation practice, and in summary English learning achievement.  

Fostering Higher-Order Thinking Skills through Deep Learning in EFL Classrooms: A Teacher’s Perspective

The cultivation of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) has emerged as a fundamental priority in modern education, particularly in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. Educational discourse increasingly emphasizes the need for learners to develop analytical, evaluative, and creative capacities that extend beyond the acquisition of linguistic knowledge. Within this framework, deep learning, conceptualized as a pedagogical approach that prioritizes meaningful understanding, inquiry, and active knowledge construction, is widely regarded as an effective pathway for enhancing cognitive engagement. Despite its theoretical appeal, empirical examinations of how deep learning facilitates HOTS in real classroom environments remain relatively scarce, especially when viewed through the lens of teachers’ experiences. This study adopted a qualitative descriptive methodology to investigate the enactment of deep learning practices in an EFL classroom at SMA Negeri 7 Denpasar. Data were obtained through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with an English teacher, and analysis of instructional documents. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret recurring instructional patterns and cognitive processes. The findings reveal that deep learning strategies, including student-centered activities, inquiry-based questioning, collaborative interaction, and contextualized tasks, were associated with the development of HOTS. These results underscore deep learning’s potential to foster cognitively rich and reflective language learning experiences

Exploring teacher ’s roles in communicative language teaching: A qualitative study in an informal English basic course

A thematic analysis of preservice teachers’ peer feedback in teacher education

Peer feedback plays a key role as a way of encouraging reflective practice and professional learning in teacher education, but there is less understanding about how preservice teachers assess the instructional quality influenced by evaluative orientations. In this qualitative research, the researcher seeks to know the themes of peer feedback given by preservice English teachers after instructional activities. Thematic analysis was applied to the peers’ evaluative comments to determine common criteria that were used to construct the teaching effectiveness. There were three themes: (1) the focus on the relevance of the topic to the learners, (2) the importance of interactions and discussion-based activities, and (3) the lack of interest in linguistic scaffolding and pedagogical rigor. These findings show that peer feedback primarily indicates adherence to the principles of communicative language teaching, particularly learner-centeredness and interaction but does not pay sufficient attention to linguistic rigor and learning outcomes. Through the lenses of second language acquisition and teacher education, the findings imply that even though preservice teachers show conceptual approval of communicative pedagogy, they need more assistance in the creation of evaluative literacy that relates the engagement-based practices to the process of language learning and teaching. This study adds to existing literature on peer feedback in teacher education by pointing out the necessity of systematic instructions in peer evaluation practices.

Bridging languages and cultures. Project-based learning in english teacher training