Navigating Turkish EFL Teachers’ Perceived Challenges with Very Young Learners

Abstract

This study sought to investigate teachers’ perceived challenges in teaching English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) to very young learners (VYLs) (2 to 6 years-old pre-schoolers) in Türkiye, with a two-fold aim: 1) to explore the challenges that EFL teachers experience in teaching VYLs, and 2) to investigate whether there is a significant difference in the challenges they encounter regarding their gender and years of teaching experience. The participants were Turkish EFL teachers (N= 35) teaching English to VYLs in preschools. A mixed method convergent research design was adopted within the scope of the study: Quantitative data were collected by a Likert Scale Questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured interviews. The data elicited via the questionnaire were analyzed through descriptive statistics and a Mann-Whitney U Test using SPSS, and the data gathered from the interview were analyzed by inductive content analysis. Several challenges emerged, and findings revealed that teachers mostly encounter challenges in managing the classroom and involving students in teaching English to VYLs. However, findings did not illustrate a statistically significant difference in the challenges teachers face regarding their gender or years of teaching experience. Exploring these challenges can help teachers and other stakeholders understand the potential problems in teaching English to VYLs and help improve their instructional practices accordingly. The article concludes with suggestions for further research.