Teachers’ Challenges in Teaching Vocabulary to Primary EFL Learners in Zawia Schools: A Research Paper on Teachers’ Challenges

Abstract

Flashcards are commonly employed in primary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms because they offer visual support, repeated exposure, and opportunities for retrieval. Despite their pedagogical advantages, teachers encounter notable challenges in practical classroom contexts. This paper addresses the dissertation's second research question: What challenges do teachers encounter when using flashcards to enhance vocabulary among primary pupils in Zawia schools? It provides a focused analysis of qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with nine experienced primary school English teachers. The findings indicate that teachers face interconnected pedagogical, practical, classroom-management, learner-related, and professional challenges. Key pedagogical concerns include rote memorization, limited opportunities for contextualized vocabulary use, difficulty representing abstract or polysemous vocabulary with images, and reduced effectiveness with older or more proficient learners. Practical challenges involve insufficient school provision of flashcards, significant preparation time, limited lesson duration, and the complexities of teaching large classes. Teachers also reported difficulties in managing pupils’ heightened excitement during fast-paced flashcard activities and sustaining learner interest with repeated use. The discussion situates these findings within research on vocabulary learning, retrieval practice, young-learner pedagogy, cognitive load, teacher cognition, large classes, and digital flashcards. The paper argues that these challenges should not be interpreted as evidence of flashcard ineffectiveness; rather, they highlight that the instructional value of flashcards depends on their contextualized, varied, and age-appropriate use, as well as sufficient preparation, institutional support, and teachers’ pedagogical expertise.