Investigating University Teachers’ Perceptions of the Use of Scaffolding in EFL Classes at University Level
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Abstract
This study investigates how university EFL teachers perceive scaffolding strategies for developing communicative skills, with focus on speaking and listening in higher education where English is taught as a foreign language (EFL). Based on the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, the study adopts a quantitative methodology to provide an extensive understanding of teachers’ perceptions through the administration of a questionnaire to a sample of 114 EFL teachers who provided quantitative data pertinent to their knowledge, beliefs, classroom practices, and perceived scaffolding challenges. Results show that teachers have mostly positive perceptions of scaffolding. Teachers highlight how peer collaboration, teacher modeling, gradual instruction, and prompt feedback enabled students to become more confident and perform better in oral activities. Despite their theoretical knowledge and favorable opinions of scaffolding, teachers report challenges such as time restraints, curriculum restrictions, and classroom diversity in putting the scaffolding into practice. This study recommends additional practical instruction and institutional support on the part of teachers due to the clear disconnect between scaffolding knowledge and practice. This study is expected to improve the overall understanding of scaffolding in EFL oral instruction in Iraqi universities. It further puts forward some constructive pedagogical implications for better scaffolding application to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the university EFL settings.
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