BLENDED LEARNING AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN R.N. MACEDONIA

Simona Serafimovska, Ivana Trajanoska

Blended learning is a combination of online integration and face-to-face learning that complement one another to enhance and support learning. It is widely used across disciplines and in the EFL classroom as well. This paper aims to outline the significance of using a blended learning approach as a supplement to the face to face learning in English language teaching and to understand the perception, the attitudes, and the challenges of the EFL teachers from tertiary education in Republic of Macedonia regarding blended learning in English language teaching. The paper looks at the reasons for applying multimedia technology to English language teaching, the possibility of enhancement of ELT through technology, the benefits of incorporating technology in the language learning and teaching process, and presents the findings of an empirical research conducted in nine universities from R.N. Macedonia conducted in 2019. The empirical research relies on the descriptive method and it was conducted through an online survey consisting of a 22-question questionnaire answered by twenty EFL teachers from tertiary education. The questionnaire was designed in such a manner to be able to collect data to answer the research questions regarding the use of the blended learning approach in the EFL classroom. The findings suggest that the blended learning model is used in the EFL classroom in tertiary education in R.N. Macedonia. However, several challenges need to be addressed in order to fully and systematically implement the model and observe the opportunities it offers.