Teaching English as a foreign language in rural multigrade classrooms: Unheard voices on diversity within diversity management

Framed within cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on second language learning, which draws together individual, social and environmental factors, this phenomenological qualitative study aims to shed some light on the largely unknown reality of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in rural multigrade classrooms as clear evidence of diversity within diversity, with a particular focus on English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ self-reported pedagogical practices and challenges. An ecological perspective on foreign language education, based on complexity theory, is adopted to understand the complex and dynamic relationships and interactions between language learners and the learning environment. While a qualitative approach was employed using open-ended questions, the content analysis technique was applied during the analysis. Based on respondents’ narratives, findings stress the need for a flexible and differentiated instruction to accommodate individuality and diversity of educational demands to ensure inclusive education, with classroom time management being the main challenge of multigrade instruction followed by unavailability of effective instructional materials and resources specifically tailored for teaching English in multigrade classes. Lastly, the need for further specific training on multigrade instruction with a view to the provision of quality L2 education in rural environments is suggested.