The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania

This paper illustrates some teachers’ perspectives, beliefs and experiences as to distance learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A specifically designed online survey was administered to a hundred primary-school EFL teachers in some regions of Italy, Romania, and Spain in May/July 2020,...

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Main Author: Raffaella Leproni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Firenze University Press 2021-12-01
Series:Lea
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/12798
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author Raffaella Leproni
author_facet Raffaella Leproni
author_sort Raffaella Leproni
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description This paper illustrates some teachers’ perspectives, beliefs and experiences as to distance learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A specifically designed online survey was administered to a hundred primary-school EFL teachers in some regions of Italy, Romania, and Spain in May/July 2020, and a comparative analysis of the responses was conducted to examine how teachers bore the brunt of the pandemic in areas that were severely affected by it. Results suggest that educators were somehow prepared to face distance learning in terms of resources and materials. During the lockdown they used synchronous video-conferencing tools and online games more extensively. Although they struggled to monitor children’s progress and to maintain motivation throughout the school closures, educators seem ready to implement these tools and strategies in future blended teaching. However, educators admit to lack specific training aimed at learning how to implement EFL online teaching, and they are concerned about its efficacy with young learners.
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spelling doaj.art-2050319d02cf44878a5d5fee87e306022022-12-22T01:21:38ZengFirenze University PressLea1824-484X2021-12-011010.13128/lea-1824-484x-12798The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and RomaniaRaffaella Leproni0Università degli Studi Roma TreThis paper illustrates some teachers’ perspectives, beliefs and experiences as to distance learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A specifically designed online survey was administered to a hundred primary-school EFL teachers in some regions of Italy, Romania, and Spain in May/July 2020, and a comparative analysis of the responses was conducted to examine how teachers bore the brunt of the pandemic in areas that were severely affected by it. Results suggest that educators were somehow prepared to face distance learning in terms of resources and materials. During the lockdown they used synchronous video-conferencing tools and online games more extensively. Although they struggled to monitor children’s progress and to maintain motivation throughout the school closures, educators seem ready to implement these tools and strategies in future blended teaching. However, educators admit to lack specific training aimed at learning how to implement EFL online teaching, and they are concerned about its efficacy with young learners.https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/12798COVID PandemicDistant TeachingEFLTeachers’ Beliefs
spellingShingle Raffaella Leproni
The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
Lea
COVID Pandemic
Distant Teaching
EFL
Teachers’ Beliefs
title The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
title_full The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
title_fullStr The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
title_full_unstemmed The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
title_short The Challenge of Distant Teaching for Primary School Teachers of English during the Covid-19: the Cases of Spain, Italy and Romania
title_sort challenge of distant teaching for primary school teachers of english during the covid 19 the cases of spain italy and romania
topic COVID Pandemic
Distant Teaching
EFL
Teachers’ Beliefs
url https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/12798
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