Insiders’ perceptions of the flipped classroom approach in Chinese EFL junior secondary schools

Abstract

ABSTRACT A large body of research has reported the various benefits that the flipped classroom can nurture, such as improving students’ academic performance and enhancing their engagement. Simultaneously, researchers also document the potential pitfalls of this newly invented approach. Although mounting academic attention has been given to the study of the flipped classroom in assorted subjects, there is inadequate evidence vis-à-vis the approach in K-12 English as a foreign language (EFL) education, especially in the Chinese context. Therefore, this study sets out to examine multi-stakeholders’ perceptions of this approach in Chinese junior secondary schools, typically serving students aged thirteen to fifteen. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers, parents, and a teacher educator from a capital city, and students were invited to complete open-ended questionnaires. The results of the current research can shed light on both advantages and challenges regarding the implementation of the flipped classroom in Chinese EFL junior secondary schools. Practical solutions to the problems were suggested, which may serve as references for policymakers, school leaders, teacher educators, and teachers when introducing this approach in junior secondary school English classrooms.