AAU-ETD :: Browsing by Author "Tibebe Alemayehu"

Browsing by Author "Tibebe Alemayehu"

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Analysing The Discourse of Tour Guiding Communication: The Case of Lalibela Rockhewn Churches
(Addis Ababa University, 2015-06) Shegaw Wedaj; Tibebe Alemayehu
This study has aimed to analyse the discourse of tour guiding communication. Specifically, an attempt has been made to describe the way local tour guides of Lalibela view the required discourses for tour guides; to investigate the ways local tour guides discursively construct and represent the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela; to identify challenges that local tour guides experience in representing and communicating the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela to foreign tourists; and to find out strategies employed by local tour guides to overcome communication challenges. To address these issues, data have been collected through interview and video recording of the actual guiding practice. Both the interview and video data have been first analyzed thematically. Then, discourse analysis which is considered as both theoretical and analytical framework has been employed in the analysis stage of the study. Specifically, conversation analysis, speech act theory and critical discourse analysis which are considered as different approaches of discourse analysis have been used to describe, interpret and explain the data. The study findings have showed that local tour guides of Lalibela view the discourse of tour guiding communication at the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela as religious information, participants with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds and prescribed rules and norms of behaving. As a result, religious knowledge, language ability, cultural awareness and good code of ethics have been found as major requirements for local tour guides of Lalibela. Besides, the findings have showed that local tour guides of Lalibela attempt to discursively construct personal identity, destination significance and connection of the destination to other relevant things. The findings have further showed that tour guides have experienced language and culture related problems in their tour guiding practice. While, pronunciation, word choice and grammar have been found to be typical language related problems, nonverbal acts performed by tourists in and around the churches are major challenges for local tour guides of Lalibela. In order to cope up with such challenges, tour guides are found to employ different strategies. Simplification, compensatory and avoidance strategies have been employed to overcome language related problems, whereas providing tourists with cultural orientation has been found to be a remedy for problems related to cultural differences.
Assessing Students' and Teachers' Perception and Classroom Practice of Cooperative Learning in Efl Classes: a Case Study of Haikgeneral Secondary and Preparatory School
(Addis Ababa Universiy, 2011-06) Wossen Mekonenn ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The purpose of this study was to assess students ' and teachers' perception and classroom practice of cooperative learning in EFL classes by using grade-12 students and their EFL teachers in Haik General Secondary and Preparatory School. In order to achieve the intended purpose, the required data were gathered thruugh questionnaire (for students), interview (for teachers) and classroom observation. A questionnaire (consisting of four thematic groups which were based on the objectives of the study) of 32 items for 83 (27. 7%) students (who were randomly selected from 6 sections); interview with 4 EFL teachers and classroom observations on3 sections were administered in Febntary andMarch 2011. The overall findings of this study showed that majority of students and all EFL teachers under the shldy had positive and high level of perception for most of cooperative learning tenets. Although the school has a printed material on some techniques of cooperative learning, in the actual implementation of cooperative learning both students and teachers were not effective since both of them could 1I0t idelltify their major roles properly. Therefore, the study cOHversely reveals that there is a clear mismatch between what students and teachers perceive about cooperative learning and what they actually practice it in their EFL classroom.
Communication Strategies Utilized by Omo TTi Trainee-Teachers in Oral Production of English
(Addis Ababa University, 2007-06) Tesfaye Alemu ; Tibebe Alemayehu
This study was carried out to investigate trainee-teachers’ utilization of communication strategies in their oral production of English. Consequently, the study involved eight OMO TTI trainee-teachers. Four of them were from Gamo Department and the other four were from Amharic Department. In order to investigate variation, if any, in utilization of the strategies between female and male trainees, equal number of subjects, i.e. two from each sex, were selected. Thus, they were provided with five different tasks to illicit information. Three of the tasks were grade four lessons which the subjects were supposed to teach to grade four students. The other two tasks were “description of home village” and explaining about “glow worms” which the subjects were expected to talk to English native speakers. Having been provided with these tasks, the subjects were observed while they were presenting the tasks. The observation was aided by video-recording and tape-recording. In the end, the recorded data were transcribed and the types of communication strategies utilized by the subjects were analyzed. The results of the study revealed that almost all the subjects were effective in utilization of communication strategies when they were communicating with the expatriates. However, Amharic trainees were better than Gamo trainees in employing the strategies during the teaching activities. Among trainees of Gamo Department, the male trainees were better than the female trainees. On the other hand, female trainees of Amharic Department were as effective as the male counterparts in the same Department. Despite all these, all the trainees were found to be deficient in their language. Their English language was not to the level that enabled them to teach English. Utilization of both linguistic and nonlinguistic strategies during teaching practice appeared to help trainees of Amharic Department better than trainees of Gamo Department. On the contrary, all the trainees were reported to be effective in transmitting their message to the expatriates. This was because the expatriates were focusing on meaning (theme) rather than the trainees’ grammar. In general, it was concluded that though the trainees were effective n communicating meaning, their language was not to the mark that enabled them to be effective in teaching English. As a result, it was recommended that Teachers’ Training Institute as well as teacher trainers should be aware of the need to balance accuracy and fluency based teaching of English language. Moreover, syllabus designers as well as high school teachers ought to be conscious that English language teaching in high schools should be geared to balance the focus of accuracy and fluency based teaching
Communication Strategies Utilized by Omo Tti Trainee-Teachers in Oral Production of English
(Addis Ababa University, 2007-07) Tesfaye Alemu ; Tibebe Alemayehu
This study was carried out to investigate trainee-teachers’ utilization of communication strategies in their oral production of English. Consequently, the study involved eight OMO TTI trainee-teachers. Four of them were from Gamo Department and the other four were from Amharic Department. In order to investigate variation, if any, in utilization of the strategies between female and male trainees, equal number of subjects, i.e. two from each sex, were selected. Thus, they were provided with five different tasks to illicit information. Three of the tasks were grade four lessons which the subjects were supposed to teach to grade four students. The other two tasks were “description of home village” and explaining about “glow worms” which the subjects were expected to talk to English native speakers. Having been provided with these tasks, the subjects were observed while they were presenting the tasks. The observation was aided by video-recording and tape-recording. In the end, the recorded data were transcribed and the types of communication strategies utilized by the subjects were analyzed. The results of the study revealed that almost all the subjects were effective in utilization of communication strategies when they were communicating with the expatriates. However, Amharic trainees were better than Gamo trainees in employing the strategies during the teaching activities. Among trainees of Gamo Department, the male trainees were better than the female trainees. On the other hand, female trainees of Amharic Department were as effective as the male counterparts in the same Department. Despite all these, all the trainees were found to be deficient in their language. Their English language was not to the level that enabled them to teach English.
The Determinants of Capital Structure: Evidence from Insurance Companies in Ethiopia
(A.A.U., 2020-05) Tibebe Alemayehu; Habtamu B.
This study empirically examines the determinants of capital structure of insurance companies in Ethiopia. The study tried to identify the specific firm and macroeconomic factors that managers should consider when deciding their optimal capital structure. The study employed fixed effect panel regression model in examining the capital structure of insurance companies in Ethiopia with financial statements of 9 insurance companies covering the period of thirteen years, 2005-2017. The model (fixed effect panel regression model) fitness was tested using normality, multicollinearity, Heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation and redundant fixed effects tests on the data used for the model. The results show that pecking order theory is prominently important in explaining the capital structure of insurance companies in Ethiopia. Firm specific factors such as profitability, growth, risk, tax rate, and size of the firm were found to be significant in relation to leverage. Macroeconomic factors used in this study, GDP and inflation were positively related with leverage at significant level of 1%. The study indicated that the independent firm specific variables of profitability, growth, risk, tax rate, and size of the firm and macroeconomic variable of GDP and inflation were significantly related to leverage. Therefore, managers of the insurance companies should consider the impact of these significant variables in determining their financing needs so as to maximize the value of the company and meet the shareholders return to the extent that gives value for their invested money.
English Language Needs Analysis of 10+3 Tank Mechanics Trainees of Major General Mulugeta Buli Technical And Vocational EducationTraining College
(Addis Ababa University, 2007-08) Gashaw Shewangizaw ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The aim of the study was to investigate the English language needs of the trainees of Major General Mulugeta Buli Technical and Vocational Education Training College. The needs analyses were carried out taking respondents from five groups: the English instructors, the trainers and tank mechanics trainees of MGMBC. The other two subjects – shop heads and technicians- are from Ministry of National Defence 40720 project. The data gathering instruments employed were questionnaires, interviews and observations along with assessments of tank mechanics texts. The findings reveal that all the macro-English skills are very important. However, their relative importance to the trainees can be give as reading, speaking, writing, and listening in descending order. The specific activities are also identified and prioritized in a relation to the four macro language skills. So, the most important activities from each of the four macro sills are reading notes, asking questions, writing answers to easy type questions and listening to class discussions. The second important activities are reading manuals participating in pair/ group discussions, making notes, and listening to lectures to take notes. Concerning the ability of the trainees, they are relatively better in the receptive skills than in the productive skills. The most difficult skill is therefore, is speaking followed by writing, reading and listening. Regarding the micro-skills, giving oral presentations of project work, writing answers to easy type questions, reading manuals and listening to short talks at work shops are the most difficult ones, while giving oral instructions; writing project reports, reading instructions and listening to class discussions are less difficult than the former ones. The trainees prefer a balance of general English and technical English. They also prefer communicative way of teaching and learning with the help of teaching aids. In occupational setting the relative importance of the macro skills in descending order are speaking, listening, writing and reading. Concerning the activities, the most important are speaking to foreigners, listening to foreigners, writing project reports and reading manuals. Based on the above findings, it is essential to design an English course considering the relative importance and difficulty of the macro-and micro-skills and areas of language knowledge. In addition, course designers as well as English instructors should consider the trainees’ learning preferences and wants when designing and teaching an English course.
The english language teaching competence of Primary school first-cycle level teachersemphasizing Attitudinal competence
(Addis Ababa Universiy, 2008-06) Wudu Liyew ; Tibebe Alemayehu
Measuring teaching competence has become the central theme of educational policies to safeguard the quality of instruction. Teachers are expected to play their roles in order to satisfy the needs and objectives of their students by providing the best teaching. They need to create positive learning environments. They need to have adequate knowledge in the subject they teach and the necessary skills to communicate the knowledge. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the English language teaching competence of primary school, first-cycle level teachers. The researcher of this study mainly focuses on the teachers' attitudinal competence. Competence is a wide area of professional necessity. Mainly, there are three components of competence which are essential to be effective in teaching. These are attitudinal competence, knowledge competence, and skill competence. These competences have many sub-components. Specifically, the study attempts to: discoveL--the attitude of English language teachers toward their students, identify the attitude of English language teachers toward the English subject, describe the teachers' view of effective English language teaching, understand what the teachers think about a competent English language teacher ,and describe w hat the first- cycle level primary school English language teachers look like in their classes. To achieve the main purpose as well as the specific objectives of this research, fuse mainly three instruments of data collection. These are questionnaire for teachers and students, interview for teachers, and classroom observation. All the 16 English language teachers in the two government primary schools first -cycle level are participated in the study. A closedended questionnaire is prepared for them. This questionnaire consists of five different parts. A sample of 30 students are selected randomly from the two schools of primary first-cycle le vel to fill a closed -ended questionnaire consisting of ten items. These items focus on the English teachers' competence to teach the target language in general, and how they treat their students, positively or negatively. To the interview data, seven English teachers are interviewed voluntarily. The purpose of the semi-structured interview is to verify the validity and reliability of the teachers' responses of the questionnaire items. There are also some general questions about their profession, and specific ones about their students English language learning. During the classroom observations, there are six classes observed in the two schools.
An Exploration of the English Proficiency Level of Government and Mission Secondary School Leavers
(Addis Ababa University, 1987-06) Tibebe Alemayehu ; Gerard Despatie
Today in Ethiopia, there is a widely heard academic common talk, especially in the tertiary level of learning, about a great variation in the English language proficiency level of governmenu and mission secondary school graduatese The degree of this diffierence has not so far been assessed. The reserch desccibed in this paper attempted to examine whether or not there was a significant difference in the English language proficiency level of government and mission second~y school leavers, usin~ two very well reputed instruments. These instruments are the cloze procedure and the dictation, perhaps the most qualified integrative tests of language proficiency. Since constructing discrete-point proficiency tests is extremely difficult for ordinary classroom teachers, like the writer of this paper, unskilled in the technicalities of dev8loping such tests, these two integrative tests, which are considered to be perhaps equally valid and reliable to measure the language proficiency level of the learner, have been employed as best alternative devices for the purpose. 11.11 the possible necessary cautions essential in developing such tests, have been taken in order to determine the gra~3 level of the cloze and the dictation passages, the Fog Index, one of the formulas currently used for the purpose has been used and according to this formula all the cloze and the dictation passages have a difficulty level of grade 12. In addition to this the personal judgement of English language teachers in the Addis Ababa University, about their fitness, has been considered. They were validated against the Michign Test of English Language Proficiency Form-Bo The results showed that the cloze and the dictation tests used in this paper, correlated at .97. And in order to examine their relinbility the Kuder Richardson formula (Kr-21) has been adopted. This revealed a reliability coefficient of .95 for the cloze ~nd .96 for the dictation tests. The t-test technique was used to evaluate the differences in the Mean scores of each test, so as to assess the extent of the variations in the performance level of English between these two groups of student. The findings showed that there is a singificant difference between government and mission secondary school leavers at p .001 level of confidence. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that selection for admission of students into the colleges and the universities has to be made on the basis of an English language proficiency test or College Entrance English Language ~xamination, on the basis of which placement of students into an appropriate program of English language learning could be mnde so that each group can learn at a pace commensurate nith its ability. An inquiry to make a thorough revien of the English curriculum of the lower levels has also been made. Further research on the subject has also been invited, so that a reliable solution to the problem can be found.
An Exploration of the Major Problems Hindering Learners’ Speaking Ability: Kotebe College of Teachers Education in Focus
(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Arega Mekonnen ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The main purpose of this study was to explore some of the major problems hindering the English language speaking ability of Freshman English major students at Kotebe College of Teachers’ Education. The sample for the study consisted of 56 students and one spoken English instructor of the two sections. In the process, three different kinds of instruments: students’ questionnaire, students’ and teacher’s interview and classroom observation were used. Accordingly, all the sample students filled the questionnaire, eight selected students and their spoken English instructor were interviewed and classroom observation was held three times in each section. Finally, the results of the study indicated that the students’ native culture has greatly influenced their English language speaking ability. They also did not have the confidence to express their ideas in English both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, it was found that the teacher did not motivate them to the required level. Other problems like low vocabulary and poor grammar knowledge also affected their speaking ability of English. In the classroom, the students were often corrected for the errors they committed while speaking. Some students were also shy /afraid to participate in spite of the provision of a few activities to engage them into using the language. To improve their ability of speaking English, therefore, the instructor should create a free, enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere of learning and students, on their part, must use this opportunity to freely practice in the language and develop their speaking ability
An Exploration of the Major Problems Hindering Learners’ Speaking Ability: Kotebe College of Teachers Education in Focus
(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Arega Mekonnen ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The main purpose of this study was to explore some of the major problems hindering the English language speaking ability of Freshman English major students at Kotebe College of Teachers’ Education. The sample for the study consisted of 56 students and one spoken English instructor of the two sections. In the process, three different kinds of instruments: students’ questionnaire, students’ and teacher’s interview and classroom observation were used. Accordingly, all the sample students filled the questionnaire, eight selected students and their spoken English instructor were interviewed and classroom observation was held three times in each section. Finally, the results of the study indicated that the students’ native culture has greatly influenced their English language speaking ability. They also did not have the confidence to express their ideas in English both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, it was found that the teacher did not motivate them to the required level. Other problems like low vocabulary and poor grammar knowledge also affected their speaking ability of English. In the classroom, the students were often corrected for the errors they committed while speaking. Some students were also shy /afraid to participate in spite of the provision of a few activities to engage them into using the language. To improve their ability of speaking English, therefore, the instructor should create a free, enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere of learning and students, on their part, must use this opportunity to freely practice in the language and develop their speaking ability
Exploring the Learning Needs of Dilla University Students in EAP Setting: The Case of Second Year English Majors
(Addis Ababa University, 2013-12) Wendiyfraw Wanna G/Medhin ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The purpose of the current study is to identi fy th e sub-sk ills with which DU slUdents, particularly 2"" year English maj ors, have much/some difficulty while tak ing the skil l courses. In order to achieve this, different methods were used to coll ect data : questionnaires, tests, document analys is, and interview. Holistic and analytic criteria were used to interpret test scores while a sca le that ranges from 'much difficulty to no difficulty' was used to ident ify subjects' level of performance. In addition, different methods of descri ptive sta tistics such as frequency counts and percentages were used to spec ify learners' difficulties with the sub-skills. The find ings from the tests showed that the study-subjects had experienced 'much difficul ty' and 'some diff iculty' in a number of sub-skills. The sub-sk ills in which most learners had 'much difficul ty' included: word stress, 100%; interaction ski ll 2 (i.e. learners' abil ity to respond appropriately to speech stimulus), 9 1.7%; organi zing ideas, 85.7%; synthesizing ideas, 7 1.4%; using COiTect and complete sentences, 68.6%; recognizing text structure, 65.7%; syntactic ski lls, 62.9%; vocabulary, 62.9%; and joining sentences, 60%. Besides, the sub-ski lls with which most subjects had 'some difficul ty' were: intonation, 100%; scanni ng,82.9%; listening for spec ific detail s, 7 1.4%; pronouncing words, 66.7%; using capitalization correc tly, 65 .7%; distinguishing main ideas from supporting details, 60%; and recognizing discourse markers, 60%. Furthermore, the findings from the tests revea led that subjects belonging to certain categories namely satisfactory performers, low-scorers, students from rural places, and those from uneducated family had ' much difficulty' with most of the sub-sk ills. The fi ndings from the questionnaires, interview, and document analys is suggested that severa l fa ctors constrained the teaching of the skill courses. Some of these included: lack of resources, harsh environment, poor background, and so on. On top of that, th e credit hours for the sk ill co urses were not suff icient in order to meet the programme objecti ves envisaged by the English Department. At the same time, the anal ysis of the course materials in light of lea rners' diffi culties with sub-skill s showed the presence of mi smatch between course materials and learners' needs. Consequently, it was recommended that the cUITiculum, sy ll abi, and course materia ls should undergo complete revision in line with learners' current needs.
The Implementation of Group Work In Awassa Primary Governmental Schools: Grade 8 in Focus
(Addis Ababa University, 2011-05) Mehari Abreha; Tibebe Alemayehu
The main purpose of thi s study was to investigate the implementation of group work strategy in primary school EFL classes. The focus was to assess if primary school EFL teachers appropriately use group work strategy in their classes. Besides, the study was attempted to answer some basic questions such as: how the EFL teachers implement it, how the EFL teachers(and students perceive group work learning, whether they play their expected roles or not and what problems they face whenever they employ group work strategy in their classes. To this end, three data gathering tools were employed to collect necessary information from the subjects of the research. The questionnaire was piloted at Bete Kihnet Primary School in Awassa town and administered to 86 grade-8 students who selected randomly from 4 sections of two primary schools, Tabor and Ethiopia Tikidem primary schools. An interview was also managed for 5 EFL teachers and 5 grade-8 students selected using availability sampling and purposive sampling respectively while an actual classroom observation was held in three sections of volunteered EFL teachers. To analyze the data gathered through the above three instruments, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Quantitative method was used to analyze the data gathered through questionnaire and qualitative method was used to analyze the data gathered through an interview and classroom observation. Analysis of the data indicated that primary school EFL teachers implement group work strategy rarely. Though they perceive that group work strategy is an active teaching approach to EFL classroom which give more chance for students to practice the language and for the teachers to check individ ual student's progress, the EFL teachers use it rarely due to many reasons such as shortage of time and large class size. The students also perceived learning through group work though they affected by factors like language problem, anxiety, group size, etc. According to the conclusions made, concerned bodies like the Ministry Of Education and school administrative should either reduce the class size or increase the class time, to give EFL teachers and students a freedom to check their academic progress at the end of each lesson.
A Study on the Effectiveness of Teaching-Learning Vocabulary in Three Second Cycle Elementary Schools in Addis Ababa: Grade Eight In Focus
(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Gashaw Nigussie; Tibebe Alemayehu
The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching and learning vocabulary in three second cycle elementary schools of Addis Ababa (grade eight in focus). .This is because the present day high school students’ poor language proficiency is assumed to result particularly from the absence of effective vocabulary teaching techniques and learning strategies at second cycle elementary school level. Hence, the writer decided to examine how effectively vocabulary was taught and learned just before learners started their high school English course. Before the actual process of data collection began, preliminary survey was conducted on some of the common vocabulary teaching techniques prescribed by linguists and language experts. A brief review was also made on the complex nature of vocabulary knowledge. Because teaching alone doesn’t guarantee successful learning, there aroused a need to explore the type of learning strategies learners employ to acquire sufficient English vocabulary. Then data were collected from 90 systematically chosen students and 6 teachers through questionnaire, interview and observation. The textbook was also analyzed to see the extent it encourages to implement a range of vocabulary teaching techniques and learning strategies. Consequently, the results seemed to indicate that teachers, unlike students, believe vocabulary is not such a prominent component of language learning to be given more considerable emphasis during teaching English compared to other aspects. It was also obtained that among a wide rage of techniques of vocabulary instruction, teaching vocabulary through reading texts, synonymy, translation and definition were the most commonly used techniques. However, a close inspection of the actual application of these techniques did not imply effective vocabulary instruction in the subject schools. Although students appeared to be relatively interested in learning vocabulary, practically they were less effective in their effort as they were not able to use a variety of vocabulary learning strategies. Among the major strategies of learning vocabulary, determination strategies (guessing from context and using dictionary) seemed to be used better than social strategies (asking people). However, strategies that promote memory of the previously learned words (memory, cognitive and metacognitive strategies) were not used efficiently. Hence, it was unlikely that students had successfully acquired most of the 512 vocabulary items designed in their textbook
Use of Students’ Native Culture as a Resource in the EFL Classroom: The Case of Second Year English Majors in the Department of English Language Education of AAU
(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Mulugeta Girma ; Tibebe Alemayehu
The study attempted to investigate the use of students’ native culture as a resource in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom among the second year English majors of the Department of English Language Education of College of Education in Addis Ababa University (AAU). Descriptive survey method was used in the study. In addition, Addis Ababa University (AAU) was selected as a study site. The primary sources of data for the study were also second year English majors in the Department of English Language Education of the College of Education in AAU and their Communicative skills course instructors during the 2007/08 Academic Year. In the second semester of 2007/08 Academic Year, two sections of students took the Communication Skills course II (FLEE 202), which is a subsequent of Communicative Skills course I (FLEE 201) taken during the first semester. Out of eighty students taking the course, seventy were included as subjects in the study with four of their teachers who had given them the aforementioned courses in both semesters. Ten students were unavailable during the data collection process for various reasons. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, questionnaire, interview, classroom observation and document analysis were used as instruments of data collection. In the pilot study, data gathering was carried out immediately after designing the two sets of questionnaires in order to verify their validity. The opinion of experts familiar with the topic was also sought on the adapted instruments before administering them. After carefully gathering the appropriate data using the four instruments of data collection, the data was analyzed in an integrated manner using different statistical tools and narration. Therefore, frequency counting, percentage, mean and description of some qualitative data were applied to analyze and describe the data. It was found out that the teachers were aware of the value of using students’ native culture as a resource in their classrooms. But, they only sometimes incorporated it owing to the lack of time, appropriate course book and related teaching experience. Teachers need to judiciously implement this approach in line with relevant research findings by taking in to account the role incorporating students’ native culture can play in improving cultural inter-group relationships.

Browsing by Author "Tibebe Alemayehu"

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