A Case Study on a Flipped Classroom in an EFL Content Course

This study looks into a flipped English content-based class where 12 participating college students were enrolled and completed all the course requirements in an elective course, English Curriculum and Evaluation, in Spring, 2014. Before each class, the students were guided to preview lesson materials such as readings and videos and to engage in diverse online activities on an LMS flatform. Then, they did collaborative class activities such as sharing their Thought Papers, discussing the questions on weekly readings developed online, and doing a final project of designing an evaluation plan. The results of the analysis of both informal and formal course evaluations and student work showed that they viewed flipped learning positively despite initial difficulties of adjusting themselves to it. They also viewed that flipped teaching can be a good momentum for change in current ELT despite limitations such as test-oriented teaching practices, learner difference in prior learning experiences and in their English proficiency levels, the preparation time and efforts needed for teachers, and the lack of institutional support. Also presented in this study are some challenges and possibilities of utilizing the idea of flipping one``s teaching in the EFL context along with pedagogical suggestions and implications for further research.