Browsing by Author "Mekonnen Disasa"

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    Classroom Interaction and Its Influence on The Devewpment of Students' Speaking Skill In Engush at Grade 11 Level in Government Schools.
    (Addis Ababa University, 1999-06) Sissay Aseffie; Mekonnen Disasa
    The purpose of this study was to find out the factors that affect the development of students' speaking skill in classroom interaction. To do this, Methods of Teaching,Interpersonal Relations and Affective Elements were the variables selected.To obtain the aim, three different instruments i.e. classroom observation,questionnaires and interview methods were used. Three different Grade 11 sections from different schools were observed. Grade 11 English teachers in those schools were asked to give their opinion for the questionnaires.The English teachers of the observed sections and 5 students from each observed section were interviewed. The results of the study show: Teachers did not balance accuracy and fluency work in classroom interaction. They focused more on accuracy work. Two teachers were more direct than indirect in their influence in the classroom. One was found more indirect. 71.67% and 71 .1 % of the classroom talk was done by two teachers whereas one teacher did 48.33% of the talk. Organising group work has not become practical by the majority of the teachers yet. There was an awareness by both teachers and students that lack of preparation from the teacher's side can lead to unfavourable teacher-student relation. Asking few students only has been found discouraging for the majority. 66.67% of the students who were interviewed responded that they have been deprived of getting the opportunity to exercise oral activities in English in their school years up to now.What the three interviewed teachers believe about speaking activities theoretically and what is seen in the two classrooms practically was contradicting. The teacher who graduated recently has relatively shown a better communicative approach which helped students to use the language in oral activities Based on the findings conclusions have been reached and recommendations are given to minimize the problem and develop students' skill that requires to communicate orally
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    An Exploration of the Developmental Context of The Experienced English Language Teachers in the Senior Secondary Schools of Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2000-05) Jeylan Wolyie ; Mekonnen Disasa
    The idea of teacher development has gained considerable attention in teacher education. The fact that it has been only marginally treated in the M.A TEFL research at Addis Ababa University provided the impetus to study it. The purpose of the present study was to explore the developmental nature of the experienced English language teachers in the senior secondary schools of Addis Ababa. The study was carried out, specifically, to investigate the actual teacher development practices, the teachers' views of the various developmental activities, factors hindering teacher development efforts and anticipation of future developmental pursuits. To conduct the study, a descriptive research approach was employed. The data used in the study were generated through questionnaires and interview. Thirty-six English teachers and six principals in the selected six government and non-government senior secondary schools of Addis Ababa were involved in the study. Various statistical techniques and procedures of data analysis were used. To analyze the descriptive data, frequency distributions, percentages and average scores were used. T-test and Chi-square (X2) analyses were made to detect the difference between the two groups of teachers with regard to their developmental experiences and views. To analyze written responses and reflections in the interview part of the study, content analysis and guided analysis procedures were applied. Generally, the study revealed that in both government and non-government schools under study, teaching English is an isolated practice. Conditions within which collaborative learning can be optimized have not been sufficiently provided in both groups of schools. On the other hand, the results suggested that the teachers would like to improve themselves through learning in their profession and appreciate the various developmental activities in schools and administrative roles that may facilitate conditions within which individual and collective learning can be optimized. The implications of the findings for the schools and the teachers were presented and discussed Recommendations for further study were also made.
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    Investigating Methods of Training for Developing Students' Skills for Academic Oral Work: Focus on Social Science Students -- Addis Ababa University
    (Addis Ababa University, 1998-05) Mekonnen Disasa; Michael Haile
    This study investigated methods of training second year students in the College of Social Sciences, Addis Ababa Uni versity, for academic oral work. The main objective of the investigation was how to help the students activate their already existing linguistic resources so that they could reduce their foreign language speech--related anxiety in order for them to build the contidence to improve the level of their oral performance in academic contexts. Teaching methods and techniques relevant to the development of oral competence were extracted from the literature on current foreign/second teaching. These were used as the basis for the design of new course materials for the study. The materials were taught to an experimental group of students which was contrasted with a control group. The effects of the new training on the students oral performance were examined through: (a) the trainees' reactions to the training, (b) two simulated academic oral presentations by experimental and control groups of students and (c) assessment of the confidence demonstrated by the two study groups at the end of the training. It was found that the training was positively evaluated by the trainees. The result of Oral Presentation I (pre-training) showed the two study groups were performing at the same level of oral intelligibility , while the resu lt of Oral Presentation 2 (post-training) indicated the experimental group was, on the whole, better in its oral intelligibility than the control group. The assessment of the confidence demonstrated by the study groups at the end of the training revea led there were more confident students in the experimental group than in the control group. Thus, it was concluded that the new training positively contributed to academically relevant, better oral performance by tbe trainees. This was not found to be true in the case of the control group of students who were not exposed to the same training. Based on this conclusion and other findings of the research, recommendations were made.