Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Perceptions Toward the Integration of Mall: Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

The study aims to analyze pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions toward the integration of MALL in EFL classrooms. Previous studies by Dashtestani (2013) and Kukulska-Hulme (2015) have shown that the integration of MALL in EFL classrooms has many benefits and challenges and how teachers perceive them. However, not many studies concerned the perceptions of pre-service teachers. The present study focuses on pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions toward the integration of mall in EFL classrooms in terms of the benefits and challenges. This study uses a qualitative method which requires and delivers data in specific and elaborate description. The participants were six pre-service EFL teachers who were having their teaching practicum in senior high schools in Salatiga. The data of this study was collected through interview the participants. The results of the study show that the benefits include creating a collaborative learning environment, equipping teachers with more effective teaching strategy, increasing the quality of lessons and learners’ motivation, promoting accessibility of learning and facilitating communication. Meanwhile, it reveals that the challenges encountered by the participants are disruptions of convenience, possibility of distraction and digital literacy of teachers and learners. The study presents how the participants perceive the benefits and the challenges during the integration of MALL in their classroom. The participants also showed extreme encouragement to develop digital literacy for teachers and learners to be successful in integrating MALL. Hopefully this study will contribute as a consideration for EFL teachers and pre-service EFL teachers to integrate MALL.