Intercultural Pedagogy Practice: A Scottish Teacher’s Experience with Vietnamese and Indonesian EFL Learners Online

Abstract

This study explores the role of a teacher's instructional beliefs and intrinsic motivational orientations in facilitating culturally mediated online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. The research focuses on a Scottish teacher voluntarily conducting online English lessons for Vietnamese and Indonesian students using synchronous and asynchronous tools. Guided by Self-Determination Theory encompassing competence, relatedness, and autonomy, this qualitative case study collected data through interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of student communications and learning materials. Findings reveal that the teacher's altruistic motivation shapes a learning approach centered on intelligibility-oriented pronunciation, reading guidance, and emotional encouragement, thereby enhancing students' self-confidence and motivation. Student autonomy was supported indirectly through a structured learning approach that aligned with their cultural preference for direct instruction and correction. These findings underscore the significance of a teacher's belief system and motivational orientations in facilitating effective online EFL learning across diverse cultural backgrounds.