Browsing by Author "Mendida Barkessa"

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    A Study on the Implementation of English Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in Selected Government Primary Schools in Addis Ababa.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-08) Meseret Alaro; Mendida Barkessa
    As its central objective, this study attempts to assess the implementation of English Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in selected government primary schools in Addis Ababa. In line with that, the researcher has framed specific questions that address issues related to classroom management, training given to the teachers, links among different stakeholders and the suitability and clarity of the program. Students and teachers of Grade Three from Biherawi Betemengist, Edget Besira , Karalo , Lafto and Salayish Primary Schools are participants of this study .To undertake the study descriptive research design is used . Accordingly, data that is pertinent to the study is collected using different tools such as questionnaire, observation, focus group discussion, interview and document analysis. The findings of the study reveal that the implementation of the program seems to face grave challenges. These mainly emanate from loose link among stakeholders, failure of supplying basic facilities needed to promote the fruitfulness of the program and failure to arrange suitable conditions for the broadcast. Moreover, based on the opinion of the participants, results of the study highlight that in some cases contents of the program is not suitable compared to the students language proficiency .It is also noticed from the findings of the study that classroom practice is not effectively carried out as per the very goal of the program. Despite that, both students and teachers forward positive comments about the utilization of the program for the teaching of English.Based on the findings recommendations for better service and suggestions for further studies are given.
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    A Comparison of The Reading Level of Bahir Dar Teachers' College Freshman Students With The Reading Levels Expected of Them
    (Addis Ababa University, 1988-06) Mendida Barkessa ; Tilahun Gamta
    The purpose of this study is primarily to find out the gap between the actual reading ability and what is expected of the Bahir Dar Teachers7 College freshman students in their subject area text books. Its secondary purpose is to investigate whether a significant difference exists between and among the groups of the sample population due to some variables. In order to accomplish this goal, eleven degree and seventeen diploma English students, sixteen degree and thirty-four diploma Geography students totalling seventy-eight were taken as a sample population representing the social science freshman students. Six passages from English for New Ethiopia series were taken for both department students and three passages related to their field of studies for each department students were cposen based on the instructions recommended by Fry;s (1968) formula (graph). C10ze and comprehension tests were set and administered to the sample population and the necessary statistical data were obtained using a computer. Besides, c10ze and comprehension error analyses of the student~l responses were done. ~~i1e the result of the cloze analysis indicates that the students lack an adequate knowledge of the English grammar and sufficent vocabulary stock, the analysis of the comprehension question responses show that they are deficient in the higher comprehension skills. Apart from the c10ze and comprehension tests, a questionnaire was administered to see whether differences exist between the groups due to the variables stated in the questionnaire. The result, however, indicates no sirnificant difference amonp the prouns except for two cases. In general, the result of the study reveals that the 8ctual reading ability of the two dep~rtment students enables them to read text books of grade four djfficulty levels with the help o~ a teacher. This implies that the students' readinp ability is ~ar below the expected standard and the problem is acute. The researcher hopes that the conc€rned autho,ities should do something in order to solve the nroblcm.
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    An Investigation in to The English Language Course Needs of Electricity Students of Dilla Tvet College
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-06) Tagel Elias ; Mendida Barkessa
    The purpose of this study was to assess the target as well as learning needs of the electricity students at Dilla TVET college with a view of setting a criteria for designing an appropriate English course for these students. For this study a questionnaire was designed and distributed to English language teachers, academic subject teachers, technical subject teachers and the electricity students. Interviews were conducted with the English teachers and electricity students to backup the questionnaires. The textbooks have also been analyzed. The findings showed that the most frequently needed language activities within each macro skill are: a) Writing laboratory reports and essays, taking notes, making notes from books, and summarizing texts b) Reading handouts and reference materials, reading magazines and examination papers c) Listening to lectures and instructions d) Asking and answering question, giving oral reports, and participating in discussions. Based on these plausible recommendations have been
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    An Investigation in to The English Language Course Needs of Electricity Students of Dilla Tvet College
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-06) Tagel Elias ; Mendida Barkessa
    The purpose of this study was to assess the target as well as learning needs of the electricity students at Dilla TVET college with a view of setting a criteria for designing an appropriate English course for these students. For this study a questionnaire was designed and distributed to English language teachers, academic subject teachers, technical subject teachers and the electricity students. Interviews were conducted with the English teachers and electricity students to backup the questionnaires. The textbooks have also been analyzed. The findings showed that the most frequently needed language activities within each macro skill are: a) Writing laboratory reports and essays, taking notes, making notes from books, and summarizing texts b) Reading handouts and reference materials, reading magazines and examination papers c) Listening to lectures and instructions d) Asking and answering question, giving oral reports, and participating in discussions. Based on these plausible recommendations have been given
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    A Study on The Implementation of English Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in Selected Government Primary Schools in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-08) Meseret Alaro ; Mendida Barkessa
    As its central objective, this study attempts to assess the implementation of English Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in selected government primary schools in Addis Ababa. In line with that, the researcher has framed specific questions that address issues related to classroom management, training given to the teachers, links among different stakeholders and the suitability and clarity of the program. Students and teachers of Grade Three from Biherawi Betemengist, Edget Besira , Karalo , Lafto and Salayish Primary Schools are participants of this study .To undertake the study descriptive research design is used . Accordingly, data that is pertinent to the study is collected using different tools such as questionnaire, observation, focus group discussion, interview and document analysis. The findings of the study reveal that the implementation of the program seems to face grave challenges. These mainly emanate from loose link among stakeholders, failure of supplying basic facilities needed to promote the fruitfulness of the program and failure to arrange suitable conditions for the broadcast. Moreover, based on the opinion of the participants, results of the study highlight that in some cases contents of the program is not suitable compared to the students language proficiency .It is also noticed from the findings of the study that classroom practice is not effectively carried out as per the very goal of the program. Despite that, both students and teachers forward positive comments about the utilization of the program for the teaching of English. Based on the findings recommendations for better service and suggestions for further studies are given.
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    The Actual and Expected Reading Comprehension Ability of Grade Nine Students: Entoto Amba Secondary School in Focus.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Teshome Fekadu; Mendida Barkessa
    The primary objective of this study was to indicate the gap between the actual and expectedreading comprehension ability of grade nine students with reference to national andinternational reading competency expectations. In relation to this, an attempt was made toinvestigate what factor contributed to theactualreading performance of the students. To thisend, the present study employed descriptive research design, where both qualitativandquantitativdatacollectiontoolsandata analysis procedures were included.Accordingly,twoPETreadingtests,aquestionnaire,documentanalysis,aclassroomobservationchecklistandFry’sReadability Graph were used to collect relevant data. The tests were engaged to determinethe reading ability level grade nine students fall into. The students’ questionnaire was set toindicate the factors that contributed to the actual reading performance of the students. Readingcompetencies, reading texts, reading activities and reading tasks (given and suggested in GradeNine English Textbook, Grade Nine English Syllabus, a document by the Ministry of Educationand a document by CEFR) were inspected in an effort to identify the reading competenciesexpected and to determine the relevance of the chosen tests to the grade level. The classroom observation checklist, on its part, was set to identify the reading skills and strategies that weretreated in the sample classes, to take the observation as input for the reading test selection andto consider the implementation of the three phases of reading with their tasks. Fry’s Readabilitygraph was used to determine the readability grade level of the reading passages in Grade NineEnglish Textbook and the reading tests set for this study. Regarding administration of the tools,the reading tests and students’ questionnaire were administered to a sample of 373 students whowere selected from 21 sections, using the lottery method. The classroom observation was madein the 3 classes, which were selected using the lottery method. Determining readability gradelevel was done by selecting 3 sample passages from Grade Nine English Textbook and other 3from the reading tests. After the data was collected with all the mentioned tools, analysis and interpretations were made. The findings, based on the test results, indicated that all the samplestudents demonstrated reading ability that could identify them with a frustration ability level,where 22 (6.28%) were found to be at elementary reading ability level while the rest 328(93.71%) were at beginner level. The reading passages were of 7th grade readability level, andthe students were frustrated with the passages or found the passages too difficult to understand. A close investigation of the test results also revealed that the students’ performance was pooracross all the tested reading skills and strategies: understanding the message of short texts,reading for detailed information, scanning for specific information, understanding writer’spurpose, attitude and opinion, and completing gaps with grammar and vocabulary words. Theresults from the students’ questionnaire and the classroom observation substantiated the findings from the reading tests. Results from these tools authenticated the poor reading practice studentshad in school and at home, and the poor reading ability they demonstrated. Finally, on the basisof the results of the present study, some recommendations were forwarded. Theserecommendations call for revision of the English language course as an English Language Artscourse, which will provide contents, ideas, themes, issues, problems and conflicts found inclassical and contemporary literature and other texts such as technical manuals, periodicals,speeches and videos, on the part of the bodies concerned; use of additional literary readingmaterials and proper extensive reading guidance on the part of teachers; provision of readingmaterials in libraries and ICT rooms on the part of schools; provision of reading materials andsupport on the part of parents; and extensive reading practice on the part of students.