Implementing the flipped

classroom approach
in primary English
classrooms in China
Summary of research procedure
 Using flipped classroom approach in a EFL classroom in China
 Participants: 4 classes of Primary 4 EFL learners
 Randomly assigned to 4 groups, participants in each group have similar Eng proficiency:
 Groups 1-2 (flipped classroom group); Groups 3-4 (teacher-instructed group)

 Experiment procedures (a 5-month experiment):

 Pre-test (20 MCQs about 5 basic vowels): To find out participants' background knowledge and English proficiency level
 Learning process:
Learning target: 5 vowels (aeiou)

Flipped classroom group:

-vowels ‘eou’ learned in the flipped classroom prior to face-to-face lessons (watch 3-4 YouTube videos, each not longer than 4 mins)
-vowels ‘ai’ taught by teacher in face-to-face lessons

Non-flipped classroom group:

-all 5 vowels taught by teachers in face-to-face lessons

 Post-test (same question items as pre-test): to see if there was any gain in the scores obtained by the students
 Students' feedback on the implementation
 Students' perceptions towards the flipped classroom approach were generally positive
 Many students nowadays are visual learners --> watching videos makes them enjoy learning
 Students' perceived benefits of flipped classroom approach:
o able to fully understand the contents of the lesson topic via flipped classroom activities
o develop self-management and self-study skills
o can repeat the videos again and again until they have mastered the pronunciation completely
o able to learn some new words
 Students' experienced challenges:
o Difficult to watch 'English only' videos --> given they are in the 1st year of EFL
 But offset by the videos' short duration, rich visual elements, slow and clear narration
 Teachers' feedback on the implementation
 Teachers' perceptions towards the flipped classroom approach were also generally positive
 Teachers' perceived benefits of flipped classroom approach:
o save a lot of lesson time for teaching
o more class time can be spent on student practice and
o correcting students’ pronunciation mistakes
o Foster greater student responsibility to learning
 ---> ***key to successful implementation of flipped classroom approach
1.Can it be implemented in your school? Yes
Case study – school's background:

caters to adult learners pursuing Foundation and Higher Diploma programs.

students from diverse backgrounds and with different areas of study

Reasons for Implementation:

 Familiarity of students with online learning platforms

 Relevance of online learning for subjects like design, illustration, animation, IT, engineering, and architecture
 Leveraging students' comfort with online platforms for independent learning

 Addressing Motivation Challenges:

 Busy schedules of students due to internships, part-time jobs, apprenticeships, final year projects, and international
competitions
 Making tasks in the flipped classroom count towards attendance or grades

 Enhancing motivation through tangible incentive

Challenge – Low motivation among
students
 The success of the flipped classroom model
o heavily relies on students taking responsibility for their own
learning
o engaging actively with the pre-recorded instructional materials
outside of class

 Students may struggle with self-directed learning and may lack the
motivation to watch the instructional videos or complete the assigned
tasks independently
o Lack of Understanding, Perceived Difficulty or Lack of Support, Technological Barriers, Learning
Preferences and Styles, Lack of Accountability
Affecting the implementation...

 Lack of Engagement: lack of engagement can hinder their learning progress

 Incomplete Preparation: disrupt the flow of the lesson and impede the
collaborative learning experiences that the flipped classroom aims to facilitate.
 Knowledge Gap: Low motivation students who do not engage with the pre-class
materials may have significant gaps in their understanding or knowledge
 Limited Learning Autonomy: They may rely heavily on in-person teacher
guidance and struggle to develop the self-regulation skills necessary for
successful learning in a flipped environment.
 Negative Influence on Peers: Their lack of participation and disinterest in the
flipped classroom activities may discourage others from actively
participating or undermine the collaborative learning dynamics within the
class.
Challenges for both students and
teachers
1. Technological Requirements:
 Technology: video lectures and online resources. (Internet connections,
computers, or other devices)

 Technological Competence: lack of digital literacy skills / limited experience

with educational technology
Challenges for both students
and teachers
2. Student Engagement:
 Students: Highly-motivated learners?
 Heavy workloads to students (self-directed learning)
 e.g. pre-class activities, pre-recorded materials, assigned tasks...

3. Teacher Preparation:
 Heavy workloads to teachers:
 e.g. design and create high-quality video lectures, develop
interactive activities for in-class sessions, and effectively facilitate student
learning....