EXPLORING COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (CLC) STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD TEACHER TURNOVER AND ITS EFFECT ON ENGLISH LEARNING MOTIVATION

ELSA KHOIRUN NADA, Dzulfikri Dzulfikri, Eko Suhartoyo

Abstract


Teacher–student rapport plays a critical role in sustaining English learning motivation, yet frequent teacher turnover makes such relationships difficult to establish. This study explores how students at a community learning center (CLC) in Selangor, Malaysia, experience recurring teacher turnover caused by the rotation of international teaching practicum (ITP) volunteer teachers. A qualitative case study was conducted with six CLC students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. The findings revealed three themes: challenges, perceptions, and impact on motivation. Participants experienced instructional discontinuity, confusion caused by inconsistent teaching styles, and the constant need to adapt to new teachers, which shaped perceptions ranging from positive to negative to conditional. The impact on motivation was not uniform: some students lost motivation due to difficulties in building rapport with rotating teachers, while others, particularly those with instrumental or intrinsic motivation, remained resilient. These findings highlight rapport as a key mechanism linking structural teacher turnover to English learning motivation, extending the application of self-determination theory to vulnerable, nonformal learning contexts. Recommendations are offered for ITP program administrators, prospective ITP students, and future researchers to better support consistent and motivating learning environments in similar settings.

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