The Pedagogical Strategies of Filipino EFL Tutors for Non-Filipino Learners: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the experiences and pedagogical practices of Filipino English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tutors in one-to-one synchronous online instruction, an increasingly important mode of global language education. As online tutoring continues to expand, tutors must respond to diverse learners while teaching through digitally mediated environments. However, limited research has examined how Filipino EFL tutors experience their teaching practices in culturally diverse one-to-one online contexts. The study aimed to explore how tutors adapt their instructional strategies, respond to classroom demands, and interpret their professional roles in synchronous online teaching. The study used a qualitative research design guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through in-depth interviews with seven Filipino EFL tutors who had at least two years of online teaching experience. The analysis focused on understanding how tutors make sense of their lived experiences while teaching learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds in virtual settings. The findings show that tutors experience one-to-one online teaching as requiring continuous adjustment to learners’ participation, proficiency, pace, and emotional state. Tutors actively sustain engagement by using multimodal strategies, digital tools, and interactive techniques suited to the online environment. They also build connection with learners to support confidence and participation. Tutors recognize that their instructional decisions are shaped by institutional conditions such as structured lessons, time limits, and platform expectations. Over time, tutors develop greater confidence and adaptability through repeated exposure to diverse teaching situations. They also become more aware of cultural differences that influence communication and interaction. Overall, the study suggests that effective online EFL teaching involves adaptive expertise, relational attentiveness, emotional regulation, and intercultural awareness. These findings provide insights for teacher training, professional support, and future research on one-to-one online language instruction, particularly for enhancing the quality of online EFL teaching and informing professional development.