Browsing by Author "Leta, Dejenie (PhD)"

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    An Assessment of the Extent of English Language Teachers' Involvement in Conducting Action Research (with Particular Reference to Teachers Teaching at Colleges of Teacher Education in Amhara Region)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-07) Ayenew, Mekuriaw; Leta, Dejenie (PhD)
    The main objective of the study was to find out the extent of English language teachers' involvement in conducting action research, with particular reference to teachers teaching at Colleges of Teacher Education in Amhara Region. In order to achieve this objective, relevant data were gathered from seventeen English language teachers, nine from Debre Markos and eight from Debre Birhan Colleges of Teacher Education. In addition, academic and research vice deans, and English language . department heads, in the two colleges, were included in the study. Questionnaires, structured interview and document analysis were used to gather data. The data gathered were organized by using tables, and analysis and interpretation were made on each datum. The analyses were done by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Based on the analyses and interpretations, it was found out that majority of the teachers had the interest and the confidence to conduct action research. The administration of each college was supportive of research activities. In this regard, there was provision of resources like finance and incentives even if not sufficient, computer and internet access, stationery materials, secretarial and printing service, moral support from each college for teachers' research activities. Shortage of time, work load, and lack of adequate action research skill were the main constraints for teachers to conduct action research whereas the supportive nature of college administration to research activities, the training teachers got from the Higher Diploma Program, the Research and Publication Office, the research finding presentations, teachers' level of qualification, teachers' teaching and research experience were facilitating factors of teachers' research activities. None of them had conscious effort to conduct action research and the extent of their involvement showed no improvement. Therefore, it was recommended that in order to enhance their involvement in action research, training programs should be arranged frequently, there should be pre-planning of the activities that are to be carried out in a year, and it is better if teachers conduct their action research collaboratively because it can avoid, if possible, or minimize certain constraints.
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    Evaluation of Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Formats in English Language Tests: Are They Gender-Biased?
    (Addis Ababa University, 2001-10) G/Selassie, Dessalegn; Leta, Dejenie (PhD)
    The choice as to which mode (s) of assessment to employ in constructing tests and/or examinations can affect the relative performance of male and female candidates. I t has been said by scholars that multiple-choice format favours male candidates while free-response format is to the advantage of female candidates. The present study was conducted on the basis of the data gathered from 114 (57 male and 57 female) candidates who were made to take multiple-choice and free-response versions of the same test. The result of the t-tests conducted to assess whether the difference between the performances of the male and female candidates on the two versions of the test was stati stically significant showed that femaletestees, compared with their male counterparts, performed better on the free-response test than they did on the multiple-choice mode of assessment, whereas the opposite is true for the male candidates. Based on the findings, the necessary conclusions were drawn and recommendations made.
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    An Exploration of the Content Validity of the 1997 E .C. EHEEC English Language Examination
    (Addis Ababa University, 2006-06) Baye, Kassaw; Leta, Dejenie (PhD)
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    An Investigation of the Washback Effect of the Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate (Eslc) English Language Examination
    (Addis Ababa University, 2000-05) Negede, Dereje; Leta, Dejenie (PhD)
    This study investigates the washback effect of the ESLC English language examination Oln what happens in secondary school language classrooms. The study employed various methodological techniques such as questionnaire, interviews with Grade 12 English teachers, with the English Curriculum Designer, and with the Senior Expert in English Language Examination Development, and classroom Observation. Besides, to examine whether or not the ESLC English language examination mirrors the secondary school English textbooks, the contents and methods of the textbo, ks and the 1997, 1998 and 1999 ESLC English language examination papers were ~z';;d~ ~~d~ • The results of the study revealed that ESLC English language examination has an impact on the secondary school English language classrooms. Moreover, there was strong undesirable ESLC English language exam inat ion's impact on the teaching content and,to some degret;/"on f... A teaching methodo!Qg\' as \Veil as on students' study technique. E\'! (' ''~'' of :1cgati\'e \\'8')bb~ck on the \': ~:y t::: J.chers design testslexan1inations wa:J u.lso observed . The ESLC English language examination failed to ad equately reflect the secondary school English language textbooks. Based on the results of the find ings, concl usions were drawn and recommendations made.
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    Motivation in Listening Classes of College English At Addis Ababa University
    (Addis Ababa University, 1997-05) Teka, Mulugeta; Leta, Dejenie (PhD)
    In this study attempts were made to investigate the degree of students' intrinsic motivation for studying listening and the motivational roles of the listening tasks, the listening texts and the instructors in the listening classes of College English in relation to students' achievement in the listening tests at the Addis Abeba University Freshman Programmer. Seventy- seven students from College of Social Sciences and seventy-one from Science Faculty completed a questionnaire and twenty of these students were interviewed. These students' results on the two listening tests given by the department during the first semester were collected. To cross check the information given by the students, a questionnaire was administered to twenty instructors. Descriptive statistical analysis was first employed to analyse the responses given to each item. The analysis showed that the students' intrinsic motivation is accounted for by their perception of the relevance of the skill, the tasks and the texts to their needs in the academic setting. Correlational analysis was then made to see the interrelations among the variables. This analysis showed significant relationship among each other. Then, multiple reg ression models of analysis were employed to examine the contribution of the motivational variables to the students' achievement. The analysis revealed that the motivational variables together explained 46.2% of the variation in the students' achievement scores. The stepwise regression model confirmed that the greatest of th is contribution was accounted for by the students' intrinsic motivation . To see if the motivating natures of the listening tasks, the tasks, and the instructors have significantly different effects on social science and natural science students, a t-test was employed for comparing the mean scores. Accordingly, the motivational roles of the listening tasks and texts did not have significantly different effects on the two groups of students, but the instructors' motivational role had significantly different effect on the two groups. The mean scores of each motivational variable showed that they had a varying degree of motivating power. The instructors' responses to the qualitative data collected through the interview and the open-ended items in the questionnaire also confirmed this finding. Fin ally it has been recommended that students' awareness of the relevance of the listening component in the course should be more developed and the department should organize a workshop for the instructors to narrow the gap between the instructors' practices to motivate students to study listening.