Integrating soft skills in high school EFL through constructivist pedagogy

Background: Soft skills are increasingly expected outcomes of secondary education, yet their integration into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching remains difficult in examination-oriented settings. Methods: This qualitative exploratory study examined face-to-face interview notes from eight high school EFL teachers working across the six districts of Fes, Morocco. Teachers reflected on a constructivist communicative group task involving preference sharing, group negotiation, a budget constraint, and presentation. The data were analysed thematically. Results: Teachers reported student-centred interaction, high engagement, and observable practice of communication, collaboration, active listening, negotiation, compromise, decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability. Sentence frames, task progression, authentic purpose, and the budget constraint were perceived as central supports. Large classes, uneven participation, time pressure, limited resources, low confidence, and assessment difficulties were persistent barriers. Conclusions: Constructivist EFL tasks can integrate language learning with soft-skills practice when teachers provide explicit language scaffolds, equitable group structures, reflection, and process-oriented assessment. The study offers practical guidance for high school EFL teachers in Fes and comparable contexts.