Understanding the Challenges and Coping Practices in Teaching English to Young Learners: A Study of Primary School English Teachers Perspectives

Young learners are energetic, curious, willing to explore the world around by their nature. For this reason, teaching English to young learners, especially in primary school context, may be difficult. Therefore, this study aims to explore the perceptions of English language teachers working in primary schools regarding the challenges they face in teaching young learners. A qualitative research design was employed. The data were obtained from 15 non-native English in-service teachers employed at primary schools across western Türkiye during the spring term of the 2019-2020 academic year, through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by using content analysis. It was found that English teachers working at primary schools had difficulties in some major areas such as insufficient time, dealing with crowded classes, and materials of the course, etc. The research suggests that teachers should be highly skilled professionals who combine theoretical knowledge and expertise with practical experience to address the specific demands and challenges of the foreign language classroom.