Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Learning English Through Teachcast at Junior High School

Abstract

This study aims to explore students’ experiences and perceptions of learning English through the TeachCast program, a synchronous digital English language learning program that involves direct interaction between students and international TESOL instructors. The study is motivated by the limited research on junior high school students’ experiences of synchronous digital English language learning supported by instructional scaffolding. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, particularly the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and instructional scaffolding were employed as the theoretical foundations for understanding how social interaction and instructional support influence students’ language development. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The participants consisted of 12 junior high school students who participated in the TeachCast program. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and students’ reflective journals. All data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify the major themes emerging from the students’ learning experiences. The findings indicate that the TeachCast program provided an interactive learning experience and supported students’ development of English language proficiency, particularly in speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, and self-confidence. Direct interaction with international instructors helped students reduce anxiety and increase their active participation in learning. Furthermore, instructional scaffolding provided through feedback, language modeling, guided questioning, and gradual communication support helped students understand the learning materials and develop greater confidence in using English. Nevertheless, several technical challenges, including unstable internet connections and students’ limited prior understanding, were encountered during the implementation of the program. The study concludes that TeachCast functions as a synchronous digital learning environment that supports students’ English language development through social interaction and instructional scaffolding. The findings further reinforce Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which emphasizes the importance of social mediation in the process of language learning.