English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers’ Voices: English as an International Language (EIL) in Cyprus Context

Abstract

This research study reports on the in-service English as a Foreign Language teachers’ perceptions of and needs and expectations regarding EIL and EIL-informed pedagogy in Northern Cyprus, which is a multilingual and multicultural teaching-learning context. A mixed method research design was utilized by collecting data through a questionnaire and interviews. A total of 152 in-service EFL teachers responded to the questionnaire, and 23 of them participated in the interviews. The findings of the study indicated that although the teachers welcomed the inclusion of EIL-aware pedagogy, they were hesitant to implement it in their classrooms due to lack of EIL-bound materials and existence of native speaker bound tests. The analysis also showed that teachers are aware of the EIL and EIL-aware pedagogy to some extent, however they lack the practical experience and expertise in order to implement such an approach to their daily practices. The findings of the study are believed to help raise EFL teachers’ awareness on how to integrate an EIL-informed approach in not only the local context but also in other multilingual and multicultural teaching-learning contexts worldwide.