Browsing by Author "Bedilu Teka"

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    Eap Syllabus Design, Material Development and its Implementation: the Case of Communicative English Skills (Enla1011) in Selected Public Universities
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019-12) Bedilu Teka; Fekadu Mulugeta
    The main objective of this study was to examine Communicative English Skills syllabus design,material development and its implementation. In doing so, two universities were selectedpurposively since universities in the country were expected to offer harmonized common courses as of 2013.Moreover, as massive number, which accounts for 40% of students who have beenjoining public universities in Ethiopia for the last decade were enrolled tofaculties/colleges/institutes/schools of engineering and technologies, it is an imperative to lookinto whether this EAP course is compatible with the university academic dynamics inengineering and technology as it is impractical to study trends in all fields of studies at once.The study attempted to answer the following major research questions. First and foremost, whata Communicative English Skills course design and material development looks like in universities under study was focused on. Next to this, the extent to the communicative Englishskills course syllabus and course materials in use were fit forpurpose were given due attention.Thirdly, the degree to which pre-engineering students are good at English language skills asperceived by the learners themselves and their respective EAP teachers was also focused on ashow one perceives about oneself or others affects classroom practices where there is a diverseneeds, wants and lacks. Moreover, whether what EAP teachers‟ give priority to in the learningteachingprocess really address students‟ needs or not was scrutinized. Furthermore, how muchdo English language teachers in the area under are acquainted with skills and knowledgerequired to become EAP practitioner is examined. Finally, whether appropriate assignment forlearning is in place or not was looked into as it either makes or breaks the implementation of anycourse in one or the other way. To address these research objectives, four instruments of datacollections which include: questionnaire, interview, classroom observation and documentanalysis were employed in the study. With regards to the participants of the study, 236 students(145 from ASTU University (ASTU) and 91 from Mettu University) were selected randomly outof 1,206 pre-engineering students from ASTU and out of 302 students in the same stream fromMettu University respectively in order they fill in the questionnaire. On the other hand, 31teachers (17 from ASTU and 14 from Mettu University) were also included in the study bymaking use of availability sampling technique since the number English language teacherswho were on job during researcher‟s stay in the study sites was less than 20 in both cases.Out of 31 teacher respondents, four of them, two from each university, were observed fourtimes each to examine their actual classroom practices. Moreover, English languagedepartment heads, teachers whose classroom were observed, Communicative English Skillscourse book writer and curriculum officer at MoE were interviewed. Based on quantitative andqualitative analysis, the following findings were identified: thoughthere is harmonized syllabusmeant for Communicative English skills to be used in rhetoric, both universities underinvestigation were neither using the recommended syllabus nor designed their own syllabus andteaching materials that foster critical-pragmatic EAP. In this case, it was a commercialteaching material called „Oxford for Career: Technology1‟ which was in use at ASTU. Thiscourse book a result of is a „narrow-angle‟ EAP if one looks into the contents and tasks in each v | P a g eunit. The other main problem this material has is that it does not have cultural and situationrelevance. Opposed to trend in ASTU, EAP teachers at Mettu University were supposed toteach whatever they liked since they did not use similar inputs except the grammar points takenfrom College English volumeI. Teacher respondents from both universities consider asteaching productive skills is very important overteachingthereceptiveskills.Therefore,academicliteracyand study skills related to listening and reading skills students need to developin the university academic sphere were not given due attention. With respect to EAP teachersorientation and skills, the study depicted that majority of them were offering the course underscrutiny without taking any pre-service or in-serve trainings. Moreover, though plethora ofempirical studies in the area of EAP teaching show as class size is among factors that hampeimplementation of active learning techniques and continuous assessment, this problem is soevident in case of Mettu University whereby majority of pre-engineering class is above 50.Consequently, teachers in this university inclined to assessment of learning over assessment forlearning. Finally, based on the findings of the study it is recommended that Englishlanguage department heads should plan for periodic evaluation of effectiveness EAP courses toinitiate syllabus and textbook renewal or modification. Furthermore, EAP teachers should begiven trainings on the recent EAP pedagogy in pre-service and in-service modalities. On thetop of these, as we are in the technological advanced era, instead of waiting for advancedEnglish language laboratory, it seems sound to establish computer lab where listening skillsinputs could be shared and made accessible to students as need be. In nutshell, it is appropriateto design EAP syllabus and course book that incorporate both feature of ESAP and EGAP to tapon the diverse target and learning needs of the students.Keywords: English for Academic Purpose, Syllabus Design, Course Material Development,Needs Assessment, Pedagogical orientations and skills
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    An Investigation Into Suitability Of English For Academic Purpose Course Book In Addressing Learners’ Needs: The Case Of Communicative English Skills At Adama Science And Technology University
    (Addis Ababa University, 2020-07) Bedilu Teka ; Fekadu Mulugeta
    The main objective of this study was to examine Suitability of English for Academic Purpose course in addressing learners’ needs with special reference to provision of Communicative English Skills at Adama Science and Technology University. To achieve the intended objective, descriptive case study was employed in order to portrait the existing situation, and then forward alternative means of curbing the problem. In doing so, data were collected from 145 student respondents who were selected randomly out of 1,206 pre-engineering students. Moreover, 17 communicative English Skills teachers were included in the study by making use of availability sampling technique since the number English language teachers who were around during researcher’s stay in the study sites was only the said figure. Out of 17 teacher respondents, two of them were observed four times each to check whether they were servant of the course book or creative enough to contextualize inputs and tasks included the course book under scrutiny. Moreover, English language department head and teachers whose classrooms were observed were interviewed to triangulate the findings of the study. On the top of these, document analysis was carried out to examine relevance of objectives, inputs, tasks and activities included in the course book ‘Oxford English for Career: Techonlogy1’ in equipping Pre-engineering students with academic literacies and study skills they need to learn at university level. Finally, based on quantitative and qualitative data analysis, the following findings were identified: though there is harmonized syllabus meant to teach Communicative English skills in rhetoric, university under investigation did neither use the recommended syllabus nor designed its teaching materials that address learners’ dynamic needs. However, ASTU has been using a commercial teaching material, ‘Oxford English for Career: Technology1’, which lacks cultural and situational relevance if one looks into puts provided in all most all the units of the book. In addition to this, teacher respondents from university under investigation seem to consider that teaching productive skills is so essential over teaching the receptive skills as opposed to student respondents’ reaction in which they have showed their dire needs of learning the four major language skills in a balanced manner. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that English language department heads should plan for periodic appraisal of communicative English skills provision sine this could open up windows of opportunities for syllabus and textbook renewal/ modification. In nutshell, it is appropriate to design EAP syllabus, and then develop/adapt a course book that can tap on learners’ diverse target and learning needs
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    An Investigation Into Suitability Of English For Academic Purpose Course In Addressing Learners’ Needs: The Case Of Communicative English Skills At Adama Science And Technology University
    (Addis Ababa University, 2020-07) Bedilu Teka ; Fekadu Mulugeta
    The main objective of this study was to examine Suitability of English for Academic Purpose course in addressing learners‟ needs with special reference to provision of Communicative English Skills at Adama Science and Technology University. To achieve the intended objective, descriptive case study was employed in order to portrait the existing situation, and then forward alternative means of curbing the problem. In doing so, data were collected from 145 student respondents who were selected randomly out of 1,206 pre-engineering students. Moreover, 17 communicative English Skills teachers were included in the study by making use of availability sampling technique since the number English language teachers who were around during researcher‟s stay in the study sites was only the said figure. Out of 17 teacher respondents, two of them were observed four times each to check whether they were servant of the course book or creative enough to contextualize inputs and tasks included the course book under scrutiny. Moreover, English language department head and teachers whose classrooms were observed were interviewed to triangulate the findings of the study. On the top of these, document analysis was carried out to examine relevance of objectives, inputs, tasks and activities included in the course book „Oxford English for Career: Techonlogy1‟ in equipping Pre-engineering students with academic literacies and study skills they need to learn at university level. Finally, based on quantitative and qualitative data analysis, the following findings were identified: though there is harmonized syllabus meant to teach Communicative English skills in rhetoric, university under investigation did neither use the recommended syllabus nor designed its teaching materials that address learners‟ dynamic needs. However, ASTU has been using a commercial teaching material, „Oxford English for Career: Technology1‟, which lacks cultural and situational relevance if one looks into puts provided in all most all the units of the book. In addition to this, teacher respondents from university under investigation seem to consider that teaching productive skills is so essential over teaching the receptive skills as opposed to student respondents‟ reaction in which they have showed their dire needs of learning the four major language skills in a balanced manner. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that English language department heads should plan for periodic appraisal of communicative English skills provision sine this could open up windows of opportunities for syllabus and textbook renewal/ modification. In nutshell, it is appropriate to design EAP syllabus, and then develop/adapt a course book that can tap on learners‟ diverse target and learning needs.
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    Teachers' Perception of active Learning and their Classroom Practices in English Language Classes: the Case of Mettu Secondary and Preparatory School
    (Addis Ababa Universiy, 2011-05) Bedilu Teka ; kedir Assefa
    The main purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perception of' active learning and their classroom practices in English language classes of Meltu Secondary and Preparatory school. To achieve this, specific objectives were set giving due emphasis to perception and knowledge of active learning, teachers' practices in selecting active learning strategies and challenges those hamper effective implementation of active learning respectively. It was a descljjztive case study which was used in the study. Based on the focus of the research work, the subject of the study were all English language teachers in the school under study. The method of samJ!ling employed was availability sampling since only four English language teachers who were carrying out the teaching learning process during the researcher's stay in the school~ere participated in the study. This happened since three of the seven English language teachers in the school were not around during the study. Data were gathered through questionnaire, classroom observation and in; view. Data collected through questionnaire were discussed using mean values since using percentage is misleading. On the other hand, data that were gathered through classroom observation and illlerview were analyzed qualitatively in descriptive words. The findings of the study reveled that the main implementers of active learning (teachers) have a blurred perception of active learning; as a result, their practices of active learning were low. Among serious factors affecting implementation of active learning, lack of interest and attitudinal resistance, poor instructional facilities and classroom setting, and lack of orientation and training were the major ones. Finally, on the basis of the findings, it was recommended that teachers have to be well equipped with basic knowledge and skills that could help in fostering critical thinking and problem solving capacity of the learners. Thus, concerned bodies have to plan for continuous raining and orientations on the nature, practice and relevance of active learning in English language classes.