Browsing by Author "Kassaye, Mekasha"

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    The Effects of Peer Feedback on the Efl Students’ Writing Performance and Writing Anxiety at Adama University
    (Addis Ababa University, 2008-02) Chibssa, Temesgen; Kassaye, Mekasha
    The main objective of this study was to investigate whether peer feedback had any effect on the writing performance and writing anxiety of EFL students of Adama University. The writing features peer feedback could address and the perceptions of the students about peer feedback were also investigated. The subjects of the study were divided into the control and the experimental group. At the beginning of the study, the students were made to write texts without any feedback. They also rated their writing anxiety using Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI). Then, the experimental group was given training in giving and receiving peer feedback for five weeks, and then, wrote three paragraphs within two weeks. The control group, on the other hand, wrote the same texts within the same period of time without peer feedback. Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory was used to investigate the difference in the level of writing anxiety between the two groups before and after the peer feedback training. To investigate students’ perceptions towards peer feedback, questionnaire and interview were used with the experimental group. The analysis of the students’ written texts showed no significant difference in the overall writing performance between the experimental and control group students. However, there was a significant difference between these groups in the low order features of writing (mechanics, spelling and grammar). The SLWAI analysis showed that the experimental group students experienced significantly less writing anxiety than the control group. The results of the questionnaire and interview revealed that the students had positive attitude towards the practice of peer feedback. Based on the findings, it was suggested that peer feedback should be used primarily to encourage students to rewrite their texts in learning writing. Writing teachers should also use peer feedback in helping students to improve their writing in the areas of spelling, mechanics and grammar. Teachers are also advised to use this feedback to deal with students’ writing anxiety in writing. Finally, as this study is limited to one university and short period of time, it appears to be difficult to draw generalizations about the findings of the study. Hence, further research is highly recommended to further investigate the area.
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    A Study of the Syllabus of Unity Private Language School In Relation to The Need of the Learners
    (Addis Ababa University, 1994-06) Kassaye, Mekasha; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)
    The aim o f this research was t o study the English syllabus of Unity Privet Language School in relation to the needs of the learners . Prior to the actual study on the syllabus of this school however a general survey study was conducted on all private language schools in Addis Ababa. The learners' target and learning needs were analysed first in order to describe and assess the syllabus. The target needs were specified in terms of the four macro-skills and the most common language activities under each macroskill. The learning needs were also specified in terms of the modes of classroom organization, the physical learning environment, the teaching techniques and methods, teaching aids and teaching materials, attitude, motivation, and interest. Data were then gathered on these variables using questionnaires (for the teachers and the students), interviews (for the teachers and the students), and c lassroom observation. The c lassroom observation was particularly important in order to describe the learning situation of the school. The findings from the analysed data reveal that the ;:tudents ' pur pose of studying English i.1l Unity Private i Language School is academic or educational. The findings placed the importance of the four macro-skills in the order of priority: speaking, listening , writing, and reading. The students' high interest in pair and group work has also been found out from the study. But the findings indicate that the most emphasized item in the classroom lesson is grammar. And the most frequently used mode of classroom organization is the whole class. Viewed vis-a-vis these and other several findings on the target needs and the learning situations, the syllabus of the school (the textbook and the supplementary handouts) fails largely to meet the students' needs. The findings indicate the students' need to learn the four macro-skills with varied emphasis. But the syllabus is essentially grammatical. The students showed interest and motivation in communicative activities. approach. But the syllabus is basically structural in An academic English syllabus, integrating all skills with variable emphasis , is therefore recommended. This kind of skills-based syllabus is believed to best suit the target and the learning situation of the target group. It is also noted that this syllabus s hould address the question of methodology. It should create conducive conditions to use pair and group work, role plays and dramas in the classrooms .