Challenges and Strategies in Early Teaching Experience: Voice of Novice EFL Indonesian Lecturers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v6i2.6135Keywords:
Novice EFL lecturers, Early Teaching Experience, Challenges, StrategiesAbstract
For novice EFL lecturers, the early years of teaching are quite challenging, as what they find ‘ideal’ in pre-service education is different from the realities of the classroom. The unfamiliar curriculum, limited supports from institutions, and socialization issues are general challenges for new lecturers. This study aimed to explore the voices of novice EFL Indonesian lecturers about the challenges faced and the strategies used in their early teaching experience. In this qualitative case study, the data were collected through interviews with four participants (novice EFL Indonesian lecturers). This study found that there were two major challenges that novice EFL lecturers faced in their early teaching experience, namely student-related challenges (students’ low proficiency in English, students’ negative learning attitude, students’ low critical thinking) and institution-related challenges (unavailability of suitable syllabus and high demand of the university to the teachers). In responding to student-related challenges, novice EFL lecturers employed some strategies such as grouping students into mixed-ability groups, adjusting the materials to the student’s level of proficiency, setting rules and consequences with students, and designing activities that promote critical thinking. In coping with institution-related challenges, these teachers collaborate with other English lecturers to develop a module and they consult with their coordinators to navigate the situation.
References
Al-subaiei, S. M. (2017). Challenges in mixed ability classes and strategies utilized by ELI teachers to cope with them. Canadian Center of Science and Education, 10(6), 182-189. http://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n6p182
Ansari, M. S. (2013). Coping with the Problems of Mixed Ability Classes: A Study in the Context of Teaching English as SL/FL. International Journal of English: Literature, Language & Skills.
Arpilleda, J. M. (2021). Challenges faced by novice English language instructors in the application of their teaching strategies: A case study of university A. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 6(5), 152-160. https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels
Blandford, A. E. (2013). Semi-structured qualitative studies. Denmark: Interaction Design Foundation
Boakye, C., & Ampiah, J. G. (2017). Challenges and solutions: The experiences of newly qualified science teachers. SAGE Open, 1-10.
Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33(8), 3-15. doi:10.3102/0013189X033008003
Braun V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol, 3(2), 77–101.
Brent, R., & Felder, R. M. (2008). A professional development program for graduate students at North Carolina State University. Proceedings of the 2008 ASEE Annual Conference (pp. 1-10). Pittsburgh, PA.
Chapman, C., & King, R. (2003). Differentiated instructional strategies for reading in the content areas. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). London: Pearson Education, Inc.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (3 rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Faisal, E., Mirizon, S., & Vianty, M. V. (2020). Novice EFL lecturers’ motivation, commitment, and anxiety in teaching profession. English Empower, 5(2), 49-61.
Farrell, T. S. C. (2003). Learning to teach English language during the first year: Personal influences and challenges. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 95-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00088-4
Goodwill, B. (2012). Research says / new teachers face three common challenges: Supporting beginning teachers. ASCD, 69, 84-85.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the language classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ibrahim, A. B., Mohamadb, F., Romc, K., & Shahromd, S. (2013). Identifying strategies adopted by novice lecturers in the initial years of teaching. Procedia Social and Behavioral Science, 90, 3-12. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.059
Indonesian Law concerning Teachers and Lecturers, Article 45.
Indonesian Law concerning Teachers and Lecturers, Article 46, Paragraph 2.
Jamilah. 2016. English learning needs of non-English major students of Higher education. Prosiding ICTTE FKIP UNS, 1(1), 683-688.
Karpovich, A., Krepkaia, T. N., Voronova, L. S., & Combarros. (2020). Novice university educators: Professional, psychological and motivational spheres of adaptation. IOP Science, 2(1), 1-12. doi:10.1088/1757-899X/940/1/012136
Kim, K. & Roth, G. (2011). Novice teachers and their acquisition of work-related information. Current Issues in Education, 14(1), 1-10.
Lacy, S. L. D & Guirguis, R. V. (2017). Challenges for new teachers and ways of coping with them. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(3), 265-272.
Lorenz, H. M., Slof, B., Vermue, C. E., & Canrinus, E. T. (2011). Beginning teachers’ self-efficacy and stress and the supposed effects of induction arrangements. Educational Studies, 38(2), 189-207.
Martínez, M., Cabezas, I., & Ruiz, M. (2014). Listening to the voices of novice lecturers in higher education: A qualitative study. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26(2), 170-181.
Masduki. (2011). Studi kemampuan berbahasa Inggris mahasiswa non-English department melalui kegiatan intensive course model B. Pamator, 4(1), 39-45.
Nababan, B. P. (2015). Media used by novice lecturers of language centre at first semester speaking classes in English department of University of Muhammadiyah Malang [Undergraduate thesis, University of Muhammadiyah Malang]. UMM Institutional Repository. http://eprints.umm.ac.id/id/eprint/25006
National Careers Service. (n.d). Higher education lecturer. Retrieved from https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/higher-education-lecturer
Noni, N., Dollah, S., Jefri, R., & Patak, A. A. (2019). Profil kemahiran berbahasa Inggris mahasiswa sebagai prasyarat kelulusan di universitas. Prosiding Seminar Nasional LP2M UNM, 2(1), 134-141.
Pedersen, F., & Kronborg, L. (2014). Challenging secondary teachers to examine beliefs and pedagogy when teaching highly able students in mixed-ability health education classes. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 23.
Rokhyati, U. (2013). Teaching English at higher education in Indonesia: Searching for usefulness. In Saiful & Mahmud (Eds.). National seminar on English language teaching (pp. 235-240). Universitas Negeri Padang.
Sumarsono, P. (2016). Professional development for novice EFL lecturers: Policy and practices at University of Muhammadiyah Malang. Prosiding ICTTE FKIP UNS 2015, 1(1), 780-787.
Warford, M. K., 8c Reeves, J. (2003). Falling into it: Novice TESOL teacher think- ing. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 9, 47-65. doi: 10. 1080/ 1354060032000049904
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Zirmansyah. (2013). Persepsi dan motivasi mahasiswa universitas Al Azhar Indonesia terhadap pembelajaran mata kuliah universitas. Jurnal Al-Azhar Indonesia Seri Humaniora, 2(2), 126-141.
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with the VELES Journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
VELES Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
