Exploring Efl Teachers’ Perspective On The Challenges Of Distance Language Education

Abstract

Although the challenges related to distance language education were significant during the pandemic, fostering it is the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education's priority. This article investigates the issues that university teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) face in remote education. The paper seeks to reflect on Algerian EFL teachers’ experiences with distance education. It aims to find answers to the following questions: Do EFL teachers have a positive take on distance education? What challenges do EFL teachers encounter in virtual instruction? What is the effect of remote education on EFL learning? Therefore, employing a qualitative research method, a semi-structured interview was conducted with nine teachers at the department of the English language and letters at Badji Mokhtar University- Annaba. Results reveal that EFL teachers report poor internet quality, lack of motivation on the part of students, and lack of knowledge about remote teaching and assessment, among the issues that hinder effective distance education. In this respect, in its concluding part, this paper provides some recommendations for overcoming the challenges related to distance education of EFL.