ALIGNMENT OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL WITH ESL LEARNER’S COGNITIVE LEVELS: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Abstract

This study aims to uncover instructional tactics in the flipped classroom that correspond with Bloom’s taxonomy cognitive levels and to determine how the flipped classroom increases higher-order thinking skills among ESL learners in Pakistan. This study has used a qualitative design, and for data analysis thematic and descriptive approaches were employed. Among fifteen college English language teachers, both male and female, only three volunteered to participate in this study. Semi-structured interviews employing open-ended questions were utilised to gather data, with teachers' responses serving as the methodological instrument. The conventional English language education system in Pakistan is teacher-centered, while the flipped classroom is a novel methodology, and there is a lack of empirical data supporting this approach in English language instruction. The analysis reveals a mean engagement score of
8.0 and a total teacher frequency of 24, signifying substantial student involvement and interest. The mean score of 7.0 for critical thinking, with a combined frequency of 21, signifies enhanced higher-order cognitive abilities. The combined frequency of challenges faced by teachers is (8), while it was not directly assessed due to complications with pre-class preparation. The combined frequency of strategies employed is (14), yet it was not directly measured owing to the variety of teaching methods utilised. The findings indicate that the average engagement score of 8.0 demonstrates that students are significantly engaged in the flipped classroom approach with the participation of all three teachers. The average critical thinking score is 7.0, indicating that the flipped classroom model efficiently enhances higher-order cognitive skills in pupils. T-values of 1.23 for engagement and 0.98 for critical thinking, along with p-values of 0.24 and 0.34, indicate no significant variations among teachers, implying the model's persistent efficacy. The primary hurdles included pre-class preparation, technological access,  educator training, and student adaption. This study is constrained by sample size, short duration, subject-specific variability, and reliance on self-reported data.