Critical incidents in language learning and teaching: A classroom research study

This case study aimed to shed light on the critical incidents which were experienced in an EFL classroom lesson flow. Apart from this, the probable outcomes of these critical incidents as perceived by both the students and teachers were also researched. In addition to the outcomes of the critical incidents, the ways both parties approached these incidents was another question which was examined. The participants of the study were 27 English preparatory students and the advisor teacher of this specific class. In order to gain a rich insight into the research questions and for triangulation purposes, a number of data collection tools have been used. The tools utilized were the Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) and student interviews which illustrate the students' perspectives regarding the critical incidents, together with a teaching journal and observation checklist for defining teacher's perception about the lesson course. The results reveal that since the language classrooms are considered to be complex and dynamic in nature, various predictable or unpredictable incidents can take place in an EFL classroom depending on numerous situations. The participants of the study who were the students and the teacher gave a deeper insight to the critical incidents by doing critical reflective. Keywords: Critical incidents, critical reflective, lesson flow, complex