THEORY OF MEASURES CAUSED BY NON-VIABILITY IN QUALITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION
Abstract
This Straussian grounded theory study generated an explanatory theory of why English language educators in basic education experience difficulty translating professional knowledge into consistently effective classroom practice. In this study, non-viability refers to the condition in which ideal English language instruction cannot be fully enacted because available resources, teacher preparation, learner readiness, language exposure, socioeconomic support, and institutional conditions are insufficient or uneven. Data were gathered from sixteen purposively selected informants composed of English language teachers, school administrators, stakeholders, and community members in public elementary school settings in Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines. Semi-structured interviews served as the primary data source, while field notes and selected school-related documents were used to support contextual understanding and triangulation. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Findings showed that participants valued English instruction for literacy development, academic participation, communication competence, and future readiness, but implementation was constrained by resource limitations, uneven teacher preparation, learner diversity, limited English exposure outside school, socioeconomic conditions, multilingual classroom realities, and resistance to instructional change. Seven categories were generated: building a strong English foundation, tailoring language lessons, overcoming language teaching issues, navigating language dynamics, promoting community participation, addressing education and income-related factors, and using innovative tools. The core category, the Theory of Measures Caused by Non-Viability, explains that schools and communities adopt corrective, adaptive, and preventive measures when ideal English instruction becomes difficult to sustain. The theory contributes to English language education by explaining not only what constraints exist but how local actors respond to them in order to maintain learning continuity.