Investigating EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on Students’ Motivation and Task Engagement in the Offline Pandemic Classroom

Investigating EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on Students’ Motivation and Task Engagement in the Offline Pandemic Classroom

This study presents a qualitative investigation of how EFL teachers in a South Korean University perceive their learners' motivation and task engagement upon their return to the offline pandemic classroom and thus aim to understand the possible causes and remedies indicated through such perceptions. Findings show that perceptions on motivation and task engagement levels are predominantly influenced and dependent on whether the teacher is Learner—or Teacher— Centrically orientated in their teaching. Data revealed that teachers perceive their learners to have differing levels of motivation that influence their engagement during tasks due to socio-cultural factors, learning environmental factors, and factors related to social connection and relationship formation. Learner- Centric teachers perceived remedies to be found in addressing learner needs by adapting their instructional methodology, facilitating social and relationship structure formation, and improvising their personal adaptation strategies. Conversely, Teacher-Centric teachers neither perceived any particular variances nor foresaw any remedial steps to be taken. It can thus be said that teachers only perceive differences to their EFL learners' motivation and task engagement levels, identify possible causes and remedies in the offline pandemic classroom if their teaching orientation is Learner-Centrically inclined.