EXPERIENCE OVER THEORY: WHAT SHAPES ELEMENTARY EFL TEACHERS’ INSTRUCTIONAL CHOICES

Abstract

This study investigates the instructional practices elementary school English teachers consider appropriate for young learners, the factors shaping their pedagogical beliefs, and their perceptions of students’ responses. Addressing a gap in Indonesian elementary EFL research, it explores the practical and professional foundations underlying teachers’ instructional decisions. Using a qualitative design, data were collected from 40 English teachers across elementary schools in Jabodetabek, Indonesia, through three open-ended interview questions administered over six months. Data were analyzed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework. Six recurring instructional categories emerged: enjoyable learning activities; contextualized and habitual language exposure; drilling and repetition; gestures, physical demonstrations, and visual scaffolding; adaptive and learner-centered instruction; and affective and relational support. Teaching experience emerged as the most prominently articulated influence on teachers’ instructional beliefs. Teachers generally perceived students’ responses positively, although confusion, individual variation, and instructional challenges were also reported. The findings indicate that practical experience was more explicitly articulated than theoretical knowledge in teachers’ accounts, without implying that theory was absent or less valuable. The study highlights the importance of integrating experiential knowledge with formal pedagogical understanding and using classroom experience as a basis for reflective professional development and pedagogical adaptation.