Enhancing Young Learner Engagement in English Classes in Post-Pandemic Times: Current Practices at a Center of Foreign Languages in Vietnam

Abstract

Getting learners engaged in the classroom is the desirable goal of most teachers yet it is usually the most challenging task, especially with young learners after the pandemic period as these learners responded differently to changes in course delivery and other stresses posed by the crisis. To keep young learners engaged in their learning, teachers need to implement various engaging strategies to increase learner engagement. This study aims to explore EFL teachers’ evaluation of young learner engagement in the new normal compared with that before the Covid-19 pandemic. The descriptive method was employed with a group of 23 EFL teachers of young learners at a center for foreign languages in the South of Vietnam. The results revealed that the learning environment in post pandemic times is much safe and positive, and learning engagement of young learners is still much emphasized in the behavioral, affective and cognitive development. However, it is important to note that the Covid-19 pandemic has created a new opportunity for appropriate adaptations of engagement practices in classrooms. These adaptations can redefine engagement in the new normal in which teachers and learners can have more flexibility in learning modes, in interactions and in learning materials. The study can provide important information for both educators and teachers to identify and implement more engaging and interactive methods to enhance the level of learner engagement.