Mantle of the expert as an arts-based approach to learning: a review on experiences of tertiary learners

Abstract

One of the most fundamental issues with the current teaching methodology is that pupils are not motivated or involved in class and find it uninteresting. Therefore, a practical teaching approach should be used when teaching ESL to produce learners with these skills. Mantle of the Expert pedagogy is a practical approach to help learners develop the 4Cs (critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and cooperating) in 21st-century learning. This study intends to determine how the Mantle of Expert approach affects learners' attitudes toward language acquisition and explore how learners perceive the Mantle of Expert approach's contribution to speaking ability. As part of the mixed-method approach utilized in this study, questionnaires were distributed to thirty undergraduates at a public institution in Johor. The mean value for each item in the surveys was set to analyse the research questions. In addition, ten students who took part in the lessons that were taught using the Mantle of Expert approach were interviewed based on their opinions. The data's thematic analysis results reveal that most students had a favourable attitude toward employing the Mantle of Expert approach to language acquisition, mainly speaking. Increased engagement, learning benefits, self-efficacy, confidence, motivation, speaking development, and vocabulary acquisition were among the points underlined. To address teacher-centred classroom concerns that affect their learning outcomes, creativity, and satisfaction, instructors must be aware of learners' needs and adopt a new approach that significantly engages them in learning English better.