Indonesian secondary-trained EFL teachers teaching English to primary-age children: A study of motivational factors and EFL teaching knowledge

Abstract

Indonesia has employed secondary-trained EFL teachers to teach English to children since the EFL program was introduced in primary schools in 1994 (Suyanto, 2004). Many EFL teacher educators in Indonesia have debated the employment of these teachers in primary schools because they were prepared to teach English to secondary school students; it has been assumed that their educational background is not relevant to undertake the teaching task at the primary level. The research investigated motivational factors that have brought secondary-trained EFL teachers in Indonesia to choose the EFL teaching profession and to teach English to children in primary schools, and analysed the EFL teaching knowledge these teachers used to work with children in primary classrooms. The overarching questions of the study are: “What motivational factors have led secondary-trained EFL teachers to teach English in primary classrooms?” and “How do these teachers approach the work of EFL teaching in primary classrooms in Indonesia?” The study used a qualitative research approach underpinned by interpretive phenomenology (Heidegger, 1962; van Manen, 1997) to understand the motivational factors and the EFL teaching knowledge of the participants. Interpretive phenomenology supported the researcher’s interest in the experience of secondary-trained EFL teachers working in primary contexts in Indonesia. Thirteen participants from nine primary schools in Jambi City, Indonesia were chosen to participate in the study. The participants were interviewed and their practice was observed...