Scaffolding Strategies for Enhancing Online English Language Learning

Through a learner support services program, online learners can benefit from an effective learning (Jung &Suzuki, 2015), and online scaffolding strategies could help successful, collaborative online language learning. This exploratory study thus aimed at determining pre-service teachers’ perceptions of online scaffolding strategy use for enhancing EFL students’ language learning, interest, motivation, and engagement in online courses. To this end, four open-ended questions were developed and administered to 28 MA students of TEFL at Iran University of Science and Technology. With regard to strategies for enhancing online students’ language learning, pre-service teachers held the view that teachers should activate students’ background knowledge and provide free discussion, group work activities, and visual aids. The results also revealed that teachers should create happy and creative atmosphere and build rapport with students to promote online students’ interest. To foster students’ motivation to do their assignments, considering a point in the final score, complimenting students’ endeavor, and giving prompt feedback were also suggested. In order to enhance students’ engagement in online classes, pre-service teachers argued that teachers could ask challenging questions, give students time to talk, encourage students’ participation, and follow a learner-centered approach. The findings could shed light on designing and developing professional development courses for preparing pre-service teachers to teach online English language courses.

کلیدواژه ها:

online scaffolding strategies ، online interest ، online motivation ، online engagement ، pre-service EFL teachers