The growing role of technology in education has created new opportunities for learner-centred teaching methods to support skills development and increase student engagement. One of the approaches I have incorporated into my teaching practice is Flipped Learning, which changes the traditional structure of the lesson and allows classroom time to be used more effectively.
I discovered and explored this innovative approach at the end of October 2025, during an Erasmus+ KA1 mobility – Learning Mobility of Individuals – School Education, Adult Education and Vocational Education and Training (project no. 2025-1-RO01-KA121-SCH-000322196). The training course took place in Braga, Portugal, and was provided by Bragamob. The experience I gained provided the basis for experimenting with and adapting this approach to my classroom practice.
The specific feature of this approach is the reversal of the traditional roles: instead of the teacher delivering most of the information during the lesson and students subsequently completing exercises at home, in the “flipped” model students encounter part of the content before the lesson through materials prepared or selected by the teacher. Classroom time can therefore be used effectively for communication, application, collaboration, problem-solving and interactive activities.
In English language teaching, this approach is particularly useful because it provides more time for the actual use of the language. Before the lesson, students can work through a video, a presentation, a grammar explanation, a text or a set of interactive exercises, while in class they can use the knowledge they have acquired in communicative situations.
For example, before a lesson on “Healthy Lifestyle”, students can watch a video and identify new vocabulary. During the lesson, the information can be put into practice through conversation activities, pair or group work, role-plays, debates and problem-solving tasks.
In grammar lessons, students can watch an explanation of a particular grammatical structure at home, while classroom time can be devoted to practice exercises and using the structure in real-life communication contexts.
Advantages of Using Flipped Learning
One of the main advantages is increased student engagement, as students become active participants in their own learning process. Instead of being merely recipients of information, they have the opportunity to explore the content before the lesson and then apply it in interactive activities.
Another advantage is the development of learner autonomy. Flipped Learning encourages students to organise their learning and take greater responsibility for their own progress. This autonomy is important when learning a foreign language.
Students have more time for communication, which is an important advantage in English lessons because classroom time can be used more for speaking, interaction and collaborative activities, rather than being occupied mainly by explaining content.
Students are able to learn at their own pace because the materials provided before the lesson can be watched or studied more than once. In this way, students who need more time to understand a concept can return to the material.
Another advantage is the development of digital competences. The use of videos, interactive presentations, educational platforms and quizzes contributes at the same time to the development of students’ digital skills.
In the “flipped” model, the teacher becomes more of a facilitator, guide and coordinator of the learning process, with greater opportunities to identify students’ difficulties and provide differentiated support.
Challenges and Disadvantages
Flipped Learning is not without difficulties and cannot be applied in exactly the same way in every class.
One of the main challenges is unequal access to devices and a stable internet connection.
The model works effectively when students engage with the materials before the lesson. If this does not happen, the activities planned for the classroom may be affected. Insufficient preparation before the lesson is one of the challenges encountered most frequently.
Another disadvantage is the teacher’s increased workload. Creating high-quality materials, such as videos, presentations, worksheets, interactive exercises and quizzes, requires additional time and preparation on the part of the teacher.
It is important to emphasise that simply sending a video to students does not automatically turn a lesson into a Flipped Learning activity. The material must be accompanied by clear tasks, and the classroom activities must make use of what students have previously studied.
Another disadvantage is that not all students have the same level of autonomy, motivation or digital skills. For this reason, in addition to providing clear instructions, the teacher should, when necessary, offer alternatives for students who cannot access online materials.
In my teaching practice, I have used the principles of Flipped Learning to transform classroom time into a space devoted mainly to communication and application. I have used video materials, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets and interactive quizzes, which students could work through before or in preparation for lessons. During the lesson, these resources were used in individual, pair and group activities. I particularly aimed to help students move from “I understand the rule” to “I can use the language” – from understanding a rule or piece of content to using it in communicative contexts. Flipped Learning has therefore proved useful in alternating individual and collaborative activities and in creating contexts in which students have more opportunities to use English.
In conclusion, Flipped Learning is a flexible approach that can contribute to transforming the English lesson into a more active and learner-centred process. Its potential benefits include increased engagement, the development of learner autonomy, more effective use of classroom time and the creation of more opportunities for communication and collaboration.
At the same time, the effectiveness of the approach depends on how the lesson is designed, the quality of the resources and the level of students’ preparation and engagement. Recent research highlights that, although there are encouraging findings, evidence regarding its impact on all educational outcomes is not uniform, and it is important to adapt the approach to the specific classroom context.
Therefore, I believe that Flipped Learning should not be viewed as a replacement for traditional methods, but as a complementary approach that can enrich the learning experience and provide students with more opportunities to use English actively and meaningfully.
References
Ale Magar, J. B., & Lee, D. (2026). Instructional design and strategies in flipped EFL teaching: A systematic review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
Hava, K. (2024). A Systematic Review of Flipped Learning in EFL Education. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology.
Bredow, C. A., Roehling, P. V., Knorp, A. J., & Sweet, A. M. (2021). To flip or not to flip? A meta-analysis of the efficacy of flipped learning in higher education. Educational Research Review.
Disclaimer
“The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the National Agency and Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein”.