Integrating Technology in EFL Classroom: Teachers' Reflections During Remote Teaching amid Covid-19 Pandemic

Ryan’s story

Ryan, an English teacher in vocational high school, also experienced a unique story. Learning English in vocational schools is expected to be able to equip students with good English skills so they can compete in the era of globalization. Therefore, to get optimal learning outcomes related to the English acquisition, Ryan develops several ways in class. Starting from using pictures, telling stories with gestures and dynamic intonations, conducting fun games, group work to strengthen students' enthusiasm and confidence. Ryan does all of them so that students get comprehensive input on language acquisition and encourage their enthusiasm in learning. However, several obstacles arose during this pandemic where teaching and learning from a conventional setting shifted into virtual learning.

In addition to technical constraints such as the availability of facilities and networks, remote teaching has several issues regarding the optimization of the tool and applications used. Not only the students, but Ryan is also still unfamiliar with the technology applied in virtual learning. This makes learning not optimal due to the lack of digital literacy. Although the use of technology provides opportunities and alternatives for teachers and students in the teaching and learning process, the lack of digital literacy makes students tend to act passively in the class. It can be either due to student’s low motivation or students' anxiety about using applications for learning English. The condition will finally affect the language practice time in the classroom. With all the challenges students face in virtual learning, they become less confident and worried if they make mistakes that leads to the increasing of students' affective filter in language learning.

Another challenge is the variety of activities that can be used in the classroom which is also limited. Some activities can be done optimally when the teaching and learning process takes place in a face-to-face setting. For example, in teaching certain skills such as speaking or having a discussion, the engagement will be more visible when facial expressions, body language, and intonation are directly delivered in the class. It is a way for students to get comprehensible input in English language acquisition. Meanwhile, when using online learning applications, there are often problems with unstable or missing signals. This is very annoying and causes limited input for the acquisition. In group work also becomes less than optimal because the interaction between students is also limited. Despite all of the obstacles, Ryan keeps trying to optimize the use of technology and apps to help students understand and acquire the language.

Some cases experienced by Ryan show that the unexpected shift of English language teaching due to the pandemic Covid-19, from traditional face-to-face to online classroom activities using digital platforms, has created new challenges for both teachers and students. Teachers’ main concerns were the unavailability of an e-learning platform, students’ lack of motivation and engagement, and the time it took to prepare online learning materials (Nugroho et al., 2020). Those challenges and limitations faced by both teachers and students force the teacher to be more creative in conducting the teaching and learning process in class. Therefore, teachers need to pay more attention to their students’ comprehensible input to reach the objective of language learning. However, Krashen (2011), a well-known scholar in the field of SLA, further asserts that input should not only be comprehensible but also it should be both compelling and interesting for the learners. Accordingly, it becomes homework for the teachers to make the students engage with the teaching learning process at school so that the students can gain more input and intake during the process of learning. Furthermore, to make the students engage with the teaching and learning process, it is necessary for the teacher to reduce the students’ affective filter. Based on Krashen’s affective filter hypothesis, he argues that no matter how interesting the input is delivered, no matter how meaningful and communicative the exercise is designed, little or no acquisition will occur if the students’ affective filter is high (Krashen, 1981). Related to the problem encountered by Ryan, the high level of students’ anxiety in the classroom becomes the biggest factor of their affective filter at class. Therefore, it is necessary for the teacher to maintain the effective filter low by reducing students’ anxiety in order to increase their comprehensible input at class. It is supported by Krashen (1982) through his book entitled Principles and practice in second language acquisition. He claims that the effective language teachers are those who can provide input that is comprehensible in a low anxiety situation. Subsequently, since the teachers are facilitated with a variety of technologies that can be used, they can utilize them well to create classroom activities that can lower the students’ affective filters. Furthermore, the selection of the right technology relevant to the students can increase their motivation in learning as it provides them with an engaging experience that taps into their passion. When the teachers keep instruction relevant to their students’ lives, what they are learning becomes compelling to them.

Discussion

Technology has become an integral part of today's world, and foreign language classrooms are no exception. Technology's role in EFL learning and teaching has evolved significantly. Moreover, it has become an inseparable element of the present educational system. Furthermore, teachers must reevaluate the connection between pedagogy, content, and the affordances of new technology as a result of the emergence of a new technology tool by asking questions about the effectiveness of the new technology and how it can facilitate learners to engage actively in language learning (Li, G., Sun, Z., & Jee, Y., 2019). The study shows that technology influences both teachers' and students’ learning behavior, such as model reading and error correction. In an EFL setting, where learners have limited opportunities to produce English, technology enables language learners to engage more actively in a discussion. In addition, Tai and Chen (2020) found that Google assistance (technology) aids the creation of an environment that encourages meaningful, engaging, and less intimidating speaking practice. Thus, language learners might work at their own pace, participate in interactive practice, and correct themselves when Google Assistant provides rapid feedback, which might help learners improve their WTC in English.

In Indonesia, the use of technology in education has been enacted even though it is less than optimal. The disparity in infrastructure development hinders the teaching-learning process. Some main issues need to be addressed by the government and the policymakers in Indonesia including the service providers, internet connection, students and teachers’ digital literacy. During remote teaching in an EFL classroom, the use of technology in learning English helps teachers in navigating resources for teaching. On the contrary, the teacher's and students' lack of knowledge on using online learning tools has become an issue that prevents the success of virtual learning in the EFL classroom. Hence, the government through educational institutions must facilitate the teachers for professional development in integrating technology language teaching. 

Conclusion

Since the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia, there has been a significant impact on the educational system. Teaching and learning system that was originally face-to-face had to be shifted into a virtual model using digital technologies and supported tools or applications. It is a challenge for teachers in delivering materials. It also has a big impact on the process of acquiring a foreign language in an EFL classroom. The teachers face a lot of problems and struggle to solve them during virtual learning. Furthermore, several efforts have been done by the teachers to encourage students to be active in virtual learning. One of the ways that can be done by teachers is utilizing appropriate technology in the hope of increasing students’ willingness to communicate, lowering affective filters. Consequently, it helps the teacher to increase the amount of comprehensible input for the students as well as to make communicative and interactive learning in the EFL classroom.  

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