Effective Instructional Strategies to Enhance Chinese EFL Learners’ Engagement in a Blended Learning Environment

This study aimed to investigate the effective instructional strategies perceived by EFL students to enhance their engagement in a blended learning environment. Data from an English Reading and Writing blended course at a Chinese university were collected and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 162 non-English majors responded to a survey and 10 were interviewed to express their views. The results identified 16 instructional strategies either online or face-to-face, which could enhance students’ behavioral, emotional, cognitive or social engagement. These strategies were further categorized into four groups, namely instructor presence, process monitoring and feedback, learning assessment and group cooperation. Student interviews were analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the strategies. Pedagogical implications have been provided, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of developing effective instructional strategies for teachers in blended learning environments.