The EFL Teachers Approaches in Dealing with At-Risk Students; A Focus on the Technology Use

Learning is a tantamount to a battle for at-risk students. Numerous hindrances are brought by the learners of this ilk to the classroom and these hindrances entail teachers to implement proper ways assist them to succeed. Based on researches on factors affecting at-risk students undertaken to date, at-risk students are not provided with challenges in overriding teaching methods. Focusing point for these methods are basic skills. At-risk students need to use complex thinking skills. Achieving this goal requires being motivated and run the gauntlet of difficulties and teachers need to contribute them to boost the progression of problem solving, reasoning and independent thinking as they do for ordinary students [9]. This study explores EFL teachers approaches and experiences in dealing with at-risk students and their attitude, methods and amount of Computer and Information technology (CIT) use in assisting at-risk learners. The data collected through an open-ended survey through ten experienced teachers in a preparatory school and a language academy in Istanbul in academic year 2019-2020. Results gained from this study show that EFL teachers believe that although using technology with some at-risk students are to somehow beneficial but it generates another learning barrier. Findings indicate that there is a contradiction between the EFL teachers' attitude and their use of technology in their classes. The EFL teachers hold a positive attitude toward using technology in dealing with their at-risk students but still they are low users of technology in dealing with their at-risk students. Educational technology training classes is strongly felt for EFL teachers and students by the specialist of this field as the way that teachers are using technology in their classroom is the key factor. Teachers' utilizing technology in an effective and alternate way should be a MUST from their authorities and manages as once they were asked to use technology in assessing their students, all of them applied it. From the results achieved from this study, it becomes clear that authorities and policy makers have significant roles in the way that EFL teachers are using technology in their classes.