Browsing by Author "Gebremedhin Simon"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    A Comparative Study of two Second Language Teaching Approaches:I The Language AcqUisition and Conscious Rule-Learning Approaches
    (Addis Ababa University, 1984-06) Gebremedhin Simon ; Melaku Asfaw
    This study was conducted in order to determine whether the Language Acquisition Approach to language teaching is more effective and functional than the Conscious Rule-learning Approach in enhancing students' proficiency in English. Six sections of freshman Social Sciences students were selected and assigned into two groups, the study group and the control group, by lot. A pretest was given before the study started and the results showed that the~was no significant dif~erence in English language proficienoy among the groups. The three sections of the study group were supplied with a set of topics - topics that freshmen would find meaningful and interesting, and that are related to their courses. The students were expected to select topics and initiate discussions. Each study group class was divided into small discussion groups consisting of a maximum of four students. These small groups worked independently in the selection and treatment of the topics. Each member had a turn to come prepared and present his views to others on topics assigned to him. To keep the students busy, each member was then expected to write a report on what the group discussed. Teacher's role was reduced to co-ordinating the activities and acting as a partner. The control group which had three sections was supplied with teaching materials based on the Conscious Rule-learning Approach. The materials consisted of adequate linguistic descriptions of selected items, i.e., the descriptions of the uses of "would," "could", "should" and conditional sentences, and adequate exercises that would help to form the desired habits. They consisted of oral drills and simple sentence completion exercises. The teacher had the dominant role and errors were deliberately and tirelessly corrected. After six weeks, a post-test was given and the results showed a significant difference in language proficiency between the study groups and the control groups. A twotailed t-test at a significance level of 0.05 was used to determine the significance difference between the means of .the groups. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that non-native speakers ehould be taught English using the Language Acquisition Approach. Moreover, it was recommended that research must be conducted on ways of designing syllabus, methodology. preparation of teaching materials and evaluating performances based on the Language Acquisition Approach
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    An Exploration Of Vocabulary Teaching in Primary Schools With Special Reference to Grades One and two
    (Addis Ababa University, 1998-06) Berhane Achame ; Gebremedhin Simon
    The study is carried out in primary schools, which have not been given due attention. More specifically, it attempts to explore the teaching of vocabulary in grades one and two. The subjects of the study, teachers as well as students, are from old and well established government primary schools in Addis Ababa. The data for the study are collected from a questionnaire, classroom observations, interviews and a vocabulary test. First, data are collected from the questionnaire distributed to teachers. Then teachers are interviewed on their use of the different techniques of vocabulary teaching. Subsequently, teachers are observed teaching vocabulary. Students are also asked what their reaction to vocabulary teaching is, after the observations. Finally, students are given a vocabulary test to find out how effective the techniques used by teachers in teaching vocabulary are. The data collected from the questionnaire, the classroom observations and the test are seen in relation to one another to find out which techniques are more frequently used and more effective in teaching the meaning of words in grades one and two. The findings show that pictures, picture cards, blackboard drawings and real objects are more frequented and effective techniques of vocabulary teaching in grades one and two. On the bases of these findings, it is recommended that, since they are teaching young children, teachers in grades one and two should use real objects (realia) as most of the vocabulary items in the syllabi can be better taught this way.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Regular and Supportive English Classes: A Study of Relationship
    (2006) Seid Mohammed; Gebremedhin Simon
    Supportive English classes are believed to enable students to improve their English ability and academic performance. Hence, in this study an attempt is made to find out the kind of relationship between regular and supportive English classes. Three research questions were raised: What sorts of relationship are there between regular and supportive English classes? What are the attitudes of English teachers and students toward supportive English classes? And how is supportive English class conducted? The study involved twenty three English teachers and one hundred grade ten supportive English classes students selected from four sec ondary sc ho ols in North Shoa.- The major in struments in thi s study were questionnaire, interview , and c la ssroom observation. The questionnaires were admin istered for both English teachers and students. The questionnaires contained 26 items for teachers, and 20 items for students . To consolidate the inform ation obtained from the questionnaire, unstructured interview was conducted with four English teach ers and classroom observation was used. The study showed that support ive Engli s h c la sses are some w ha t related to the regular Engl ish c lasses in some aspects. For in s tance, it indicated that as supportive Engli sh classes enhance the regular class and help s tudents improve their English ability, there is a positive relationship between them . Moreover, the re s ults of the study revea led that Engli sh teachers themselves are conducting the supportive English classes . Moreover, students do not get suppoli from their peers in the supportive English classes. The study also showed that most of the sampled English teachers and student s seemed to hold positive attitudes towards supportive English class program. Hence, the researc her recommends among ot hers the need to understand the mall1 goal of conducting supportive English classes by English teachers as we ll as students is essential
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Students' Attitude Toward their Teachers and their Teacher-Made English Language Test Results: an Exploratory Study of the Impact of Gender
    (Addis Ababa University, 2000-05) Hishe Hailu ; Gebremedhin Simon
    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between attitude and performance and to examine gender differences in the English language performance as a function of attitude, teacher characteristics, parental occupation and parental educational level. Two questionnaires on attitude and interview were administered to a random sample of 71 students of grade 10. T-test and multiple regression analyses were employed. The hypothesis that male and female students differ in attitude and performance was confirmed. Besides, attitude was found to have strong association with performance,