Classroom Observation of a Korean EFL Teacher's Strategies in Public Elementary School Context: A Case Study

Abstract

This study describes the instructional strategies of a Korean public elementary school teacher in carrying out a communication-oriented EFL curriculum. It also examines the extent to which the nature of his teaching practices corresponds to the curricular goals of a proficiency-oriented. functional, and learner-centered language teaching approach. The findings from non-participant observation and interview data show that the participating teacher was exploiting distinctive strategies to enact the given curriculum in spite of his limited experience in and resources for EFL instruction. However, due to his inadequate perception of a communicative language teaching as well as to the managerial issues inherent in authentic classroom context, some aspects of his teaching pattern did not always endorse the curricular objectives as stated. In order to facilitate the implementation process of the curriculum, this study suggests classroom teachers be provided readily with a variety of teaching resources that are eclectically applicable to individual teaching environment. At the same time, teacher education programs should put more emphasis on enabling them to reflect on as well as to continue to revise the design of their lesson and the practicality of their teaching behaviors.