Keyword: flipped classroom

ABSTRACT: The flipped classroom (FC) model has gained increasing attention as a student-centered instructional approach that promotes active learning and communicative engagement. However, its application within the Afghan English as a foreign language (EFL) context remains largely underexplored. This study examines perceived attitudes of Afghan EFL major students towards FC and explores learners’ perceptions regarding its benefits and challenges in their speaking performance. A mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative data. Twenty-five elementary-level English major students participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected through a 10-item Likert-scale questionnaire, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with four purposively selected participants. Descriptive statistics and one-sample t-tests were used to analyze the questionnaire data, and thematic analysis was applied to the interview responses. The findings revealed that students held significantly positive perceptions of the flipped classroom, with mean scores for all items exceeding the neutral midpoint. Learners reported improvements in speaking fluency, confidence, pronunciation, and opportunities for communicative practice. Interview findings further indicated that flipped learning enhanced motivation, learner responsibility, and classroom interaction while also presenting challenges related to time management, comprehension of pre-class materials, and unequal participation during group activities. Overall, the study provides empirical evidence that the flipped classroom can effectively support speaking development and learner engagement in Afghan EFL higher education. The findings suggest that adopting flipped pedagogy may contribute to more interactive and communicatively rich language classrooms in Afghanistan.