IMPLEMENTING STUDENT-CENTERED PEDAGOGIES TO FOSTER SPEAKING DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION EFL CLASSROOMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/w18f1z98Keywords:
student-centered pedagogies, speaking development, higher education, EFL classrooms, qualitative studyAbstract
This study investigates the implementation of student-centered pedagogies to foster speaking development in higher education English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research involved 25 undergraduate students and one English lecturer at an Indonesian higher education institution. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that student-centered pedagogies created a more interactive learning environment by encouraging active participation, collaborative learning, learner autonomy, and authentic communication. Students demonstrated increased confidence, engagement, and willingness to speak English through discussions, presentations, and group activities. The lecturer's role shifted from knowledge provider to learning facilitator, while formative assessment practices supported continuous speaking development. However, challenges such as varying levels of English proficiency, managing diverse learner needs, and the time required for authentic assessment were also identified. In addition, professional development, adequate learning resources, institutional support, and continuous monitoring emerged as important factors influencing the successful implementation of student-centered pedagogies. Overall, the study concludes that student-centered pedagogies provide an effective instructional approach for enhancing speaking development and communicative competence in higher education EFL classrooms.
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