View in EDS

'Are We Really Back to Normal?': A Qualitative Study on Language Teachers' Teaching Practices during the Post-COVID-19 Era

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: 'Are We Really Back to Normal?': A Qualitative Study on Language Teachers' Teaching Practices during the Post-COVID-19 Era
Language: English
Authors: Jaerin Ahn (ORCID 0000-0002-6281-9033), Yao-Kai Chi (ORCID 0009-0000-9347-1212)
Source: Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(5):2719-2737.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Language Teachers, Teaching Methods, COVID-19, Pandemics, Educational Change, Uncommonly Taught Languages, Teacher Attitudes, Second Language Instruction, Barriers, Teaching Experience, In Person Learning, Coping, Public Colleges, College Faculty, Indo European Languages, Sino Tibetan Languages, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, School Closing, Educational Practices
DOI: 10.1177/13621688231205668
ISSN: 1362-1688
1477-0954
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted language teaching and learning environments. The current study explored how language teachers have adapted to post-COVID-19 classrooms. It also examined the ways in which their experiences during the pandemic influenced their teaching. Drawing on an ecological perspective toward language teacher agency (LTA), this study interviewed 10 less commonly taught language (LCTL) teachers to explore their expectations, preparations, and teaching strategies for post-COVID-19 classrooms. In addition, it aimed to discern the challenges encountered by teachers, their approaches to overcoming them, and the consequential influence of these experiences on their overall perspective of language teaching. The findings revealed mixed feelings among the teachers regarding returning to in-person instruction, unexpected challenges, and adjustment techniques. With pedagogical uncertainties, language teachers exercised agency by integrating technology into teaching, employing new teaching strategies, extending their roles to caregivers and community builders, and reflecting on future teaching practices. The teachers viewed these experiences as learning opportunities that would ultimately help them to grow.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508367
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1508367
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: 'Are We Really Back to Normal?': A Qualitative Study on Language Teachers' Teaching Practices during the Post-COVID-19 Era
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jaerin+Ahn%22">Jaerin Ahn</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6281-9033">0000-0002-6281-9033</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yao-Kai+Chi%22">Yao-Kai Chi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9347-1212">0009-0000-9347-1212</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Teaching+Research%22"><i>Language Teaching Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 30(5):2719-2737.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 19
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Teachers%22">Language Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Uncommonly+Taught+Languages%22">Uncommonly Taught Languages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Instruction%22">Second Language Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Experience%22">Teaching Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22In+Person+Learning%22">In Person Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coping%22">Coping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Colleges%22">Public Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indo+European+Languages%22">Indo European Languages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sino+Tibetan+Languages%22">Sino Tibetan Languages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indonesian%22">Indonesian</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Japanese%22">Japanese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Korean%22">Korean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mandarin+Chinese%22">Mandarin Chinese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thai%22">Thai</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vietnamese%22">Vietnamese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Closing%22">School Closing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/13621688231205668
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1362-1688<br />1477-0954
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted language teaching and learning environments. The current study explored how language teachers have adapted to post-COVID-19 classrooms. It also examined the ways in which their experiences during the pandemic influenced their teaching. Drawing on an ecological perspective toward language teacher agency (LTA), this study interviewed 10 less commonly taught language (LCTL) teachers to explore their expectations, preparations, and teaching strategies for post-COVID-19 classrooms. In addition, it aimed to discern the challenges encountered by teachers, their approaches to overcoming them, and the consequential influence of these experiences on their overall perspective of language teaching. The findings revealed mixed feelings among the teachers regarding returning to in-person instruction, unexpected challenges, and adjustment techniques. With pedagogical uncertainties, language teachers exercised agency by integrating technology into teaching, employing new teaching strategies, extending their roles to caregivers and community builders, and reflecting on future teaching practices. The teachers viewed these experiences as learning opportunities that would ultimately help them to grow.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1508367
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1508367
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/13621688231205668
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 2719
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Language Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Uncommonly Taught Languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: In Person Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coping
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Indo European Languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sino Tibetan Languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Indonesian
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Japanese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Korean
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mandarin Chinese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thai
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vietnamese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Closing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Practices
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: 'Are We Really Back to Normal?': A Qualitative Study on Language Teachers' Teaching Practices during the Post-COVID-19 Era
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jaerin Ahn
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yao-Kai Chi
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1362-1688
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1477-0954
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 30
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Language Teaching Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1