ELT During Lockdown: A New Frontier in Online Learning in the Saudi Context

Abstract

This study explores pedagogical challenges pertaining to the new online English Language Teaching (ELT) practices that emerged due to the covid-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent worldwide lockdown. Based on an explanatory sequential, mixed methods, descriptive research design, quantitative and qualitative data from 265 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in the Saudi context were collected by utilising a custom designed, twenty-two items on a psychometric five-point Likert items, open-ended questions, and a questionnaire. The quantitative data were statistically analysed using SPSS whereas the qualitative textual data were analysed employing the grounded theory. The findings of the study indicate that EFL teachers regard full scale online teaching as a challenging endeavour; however, a valuable and indispensable tool in language teaching, especially, during the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, most of the participants prefer to receive more professional development opportunities based on real life teaching experiences in online ELT. The study presents suggestions and recommendations for further research.