How Do We Flip Our Language Classroom? Reassessing the Flipped Method

Abstract

This study has a twofold purpose. First, from an action research approach, the study re-visits how the flipped method is implemented in a Spanish Second Language program at a United States university, and contributes to the literature on the potential benefits and challenges when adopting the flipped method in Second Language programs. Through the analysis of data obtained from a questionnaire, which consists of an agreement-based survey and open-ended questions, we report on how participants and co-researchers—261 Spanish language students and 11 teachers—are affected by the outcomes of this pedagogical implementation. Participants report three benefits and three areas for improvement. Second, based on students and teachers’ experiences, we conclude with a re-assessment of the method and a set of recommendations for language educators interested in integrating the flipped method in their teaching. This study contributes to the ongoing debate about the effects of a flipped classroom in language learning, and proposes a reevaluation of the most common applications of the flipped method.