ABSTRACT
The conventional model of school-based language learning and teaching aimed to accentuate the transmission of knowledge regardless of concrete experience. The experiential approach to learning was developed around the 1940s by Kurt Lewin’s research on group dynamics. It draws inspiration from learning approaches that focus on hands-on and real-world experiences. In light of this, it gained popularity in the late 20th century and encompassed the relationship between experience and learning. This study addresses both the benefits and challenges of experiential learning in enhancing EFL students’ active learning. Teachers’ perspectives on experiential learning and students attitudes toward this method are analyzed. Results showed that experiential learning offers more opportunities for active learning, increases student motivation, and provides ways of constructing knowledge through discovery and exploration. Moreover, the findings highlighted several challenges that EFL teachers face. These include students’ diverse learning styles, assessment strategies, and the foreseen curriculum which is not fully designed to match this learning approach. In order to effectively integrate experiential learning in English Language Teaching (ELT), it is recommended that training sessions and workshops be offered for EFL teachers.
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