Investigating The Impact of Social Distancing and Mask Wearing In Covid-19 Context on Effective Classroom Management In Beninese Intermediate Efl Classes: Case Study Of Some Public and Private Secondary Schools in Avrankou Area

Abstract

Effective classroom management has always been a great challenge for EFL teachers regardless of their teaching experience. Unfortunately, covid-19 pandemic requiring protective measures such as social distancing and mask wearing makes it more challenging. Those measures create a tensed classroom environment where face-toface communication has been restricted to minimal input breaking chance to promote a conducive learning environment. The main objective of this study is to make classroom management effective and safe despite the practice of protective measures. A mixed-method including questionnaire, classroom observation and interview is used in this study. ten (10) EFL teachers and fifty (50) EFL learners are sampled purposively in the district of Avrankou in Benin. The results reveal that the social distancing and the mask wearing in the context of covid-19 have many negative impacts on EFL communication and classroom management. Some strategies such as optimal individual work and home work and the development of digital literacy in both EFL teachers and learners are suggested for effective EFL classroom management in this pandemic.