Teaching English as Foreign Language

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Browsing Teaching English as Foreign Language by Author "Abebe Damtew(PhD)"

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    A Study of English Teachers’ Perception of Preparedness and Practice of Teaching Early Grade Reading
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-12) Endrias Yisihak Ukumo; Abebe Damtew(PhD)
    The purpose of this study was to investigate English teachers’ perception of preparedness and practice of teaching early grade reading. The context of this study was randomly selected public primary schools in Hawassa City Administration, Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia. To achieve its objectives, this study chose a descriptive research design of mixed methods. Quantitative data were gathered from 125 English teacher of 20 randomly selected schools through questionnaire of closed ended items of four scales adapted from (Salinger et al, 2010; Nyguyen, 2013) and knowledge assessment test of 40 multiple choice items; qualitative data were gathered through unstructured classroom observation of 60 video recorded lessons, two focus group discussions, 15 writtenclassroom assessment activities and semistructured interviews.The data gathered through knowledge assessment test and questionnaires were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Scieneces (SPSS Version 25.0). The qualitative data from focus group discussions and interviews were coded by using grounded theory techniques, and categories were identified for interpretation and discussion. It has been learnt from the teachers’ responses that teaching early grade reading got little emphasis of coursework and practicum of primary English teacher preparation. As result, the teachers are not completely sure how to use the strategies and activities with students in all early grades and at all reading levels. Moreover,the results have revealed that early grades English teachers have serious knowledge limitations of early grade reading instruction; the average knowledge assessment test score is 36.4%; 113 (90.4%) teachers scored below 50%. and 57.5% of the items were answered incorrectly. The results of classroom observations also reveal that participant English teachers are not properly employing the strategies for effective early grade reading instruction. The participant English teachers are not systematically assessing and recording students’ progress of learning to read; some of the classroom assessment activities have been repeatedly used with no relevance to language and literacy skills development; instead such repeated and irrelevant assessments may have detrimental effects. That is, teachers are inadequately prepared and are teaching and assessing inappropriately. Therefore, due attention should be paid to revising primary school English teacher preparation curriculum with particular focus on teaching early grade reading and providing systematic, explicit and hands-on training to teachers on early grade reading instruction and assessment techniques. However, the implementation of curricular revision of primary English teacher preparation and professional development activities would be effective if the trend of attracting potential teachers of poor academic performance and low interest to the profession is improved.
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    EFL Teachers’ Perceptions, Perceived Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Practices of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in Teaching Reading Skills: Selected Secondary Schools in Hawassa City in Focus
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-11) Akalewold Samuel Aguye; Abebe Damtew(PhD)
    The endeavor to improve teacher quality and instructional quality seems to be a pressing concern in modern education. It is also becoming crucial, particularly in the realm of foreign or second language learners’ pedagogy. The present study was sought to investigate secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions, perceived self-efficacy beliefs (SEB), and practices of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in the teaching of reading skills to grade nine students across selected secondary schools in Hawassa City administration. To achieve this objective, the researcher employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. In the pursuit of gathering the relevant data, the researcher employed questionnaires, a semi-structured interview, and classroom observation protocols (CROP). The teachers’ self-report questionnaire was meant for collecting pertinent data regarding English teachers’ perceptions of PCK in teaching reading. It was adapted from the standard questionnaires prepared by Janga et al. (2009). Orignally the questionnaire consisted of 28 items, but the present researcher modified and increased the number to 42 items comprising six distinct components so as to make it more comprehensive and appealing. Hence, these questionnaires were administered to (N = 70) EFL teachers to extract information about their perception of PCK. These items in teachers’ questionnaires were tested for reliability and found to be interanally consistent in that they yielded Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.952). In its other continuum, to generate teachers’ perceived self-efficacy beliefs (SEB), a self-constructed or researcher-made questionnaire containing 21 items was also administered to those same number (N = 70) of teachers. The internal consistency reliability for items of SEB in teachers’ questionnaires was Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.852). Data was also collected using a researcher-made questionnaire containing 34 items from secondary school students (N = 258) in order to capture their own perceptions regarding their teachers’ PCK performance. The items yielded Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.948), indicating strong internal consistency and reliability. Moreover, an in-depth, semi-structured interview was conducted with (N = 10) EFL teachers from the six selected secondary schools in order to capture pertinent information about teachers’ perceptions, perceived self-efficacy beliefs, and practices of PCK under the umbrella of teaching reading skills. To get insight into the implementation of pedagogical content knowledge in the context of teaching reading, the researcher employed classroom observation protocol (CROP) as a tool, which includes a structured observation checklist that consisted of 55 items, and un-structured video recorded teaching episode, and field notes during the first academic semester in 2023. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis using the grounded theory approach. The grand mean value of teachers’ perception of PCK was (M = 3.91; SD = 0.559), indicating the presence of a moderately high positive perception of PCK in teaching reading skills. Similarly, the grand mean value of teachers’ perceived self-efficacy beliefs was (M = 3.74; SD = 0.533). This indicates that these teachers were somewhat efficacious. The results from the teacher interviews corroborated the questionnaire findings. The findings from students’ perception of their teachers’ PCK (SPTPCK) revealed that students had a moderately positive perception of their teachers’ PCK (M = 3.32; SD = 0.926). The Spearman’s Rank-order Correlation Coefficient between students’ perceptions and teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs was (r = -0.027; p=0.826) suggesting a weak, negative relationship between these variables. The results from the Classroom observation protocols (CROP), both from the observation checklist and video recordings together with field notes, revealed that EFL teachers lack the required level of competence in pedagogical content iv knowledge implementation. The relationship between EFL teachers’ perception of PCK and classroom observation result was Spearman’s Rho correlation coefficient (r = -0.306; p = 0.360). This value indicates inverse proportionality and the existence of weak relationships between the two variables. This finding seems to be consistent with what was gained through video recorded data. Therefore, to mitigate these shortcomings and to bridge the existing noticeable gap, tailor-made continuous professional development training schemes should be organized by concerned inistitutions. Such type of trainings should be given to EFL teachers, as they might play pivotal roles in enhancing teacher quality, instructional quality, and again gains in students’ reading skills achievement.