Investigating Instructors’ Perspectives towards Student-Centered Learning in Teaching English Language

Abstract

The objective of this research is to investigate the instructors’ perspective towards student-centered learning in teaching English language as a second language in Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to explore the difference made when applying student-centered learning. The study covered the teachers who teach Saudi Aramco apprentices. The study examines whether using Student-Centered Learning (SCL) is more effective in teaching English language than the traditional teaching approaches. To achieve the difference in teaching English language using SCL, educators or teachers have to re-evaluate the way they teach their classes and to review various course requirements that they impose. By designing instructional activities and materials, as teachers or education facilitators, we must think about how to facilitate the learning process for our students, prepare our students to think more than to use them as tools in our hands and shape them the way we like, make their learning easier, monitor them and give help when needed. The data was collected through a questionnaire given to thirty-five English language teachers from multinational backgrounds. The results showed significant change in teachers’ perspectives regarding Student-Centered Learning SCL. More than 94.3% of teachers encompassed SCL in their teaching, though some of them were hesitating whether to use SCL in their teaching or Teacher-Centered Learning approach. The results showed also the positive impact of SCL and the shift from TCL to SCL is not major factor that hinders adoption of SCL in teaching.