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Item Instructors’ beliefs and practices in promoting students’ critical thinking skills in university writing classes, and students’ critical thinking and writing performances.(Addis Ababa University, 2024-01) Yemeserach Bayou; Dr. Tamene Kitila (PhD)The requirement for students' critical thinking (CT) skills in academic writing, particularly inhigher education, prompts the promotion of students’ CT skills in writing classes to gain prominentattention. This study, therefore, sought to investigate instructors’ beliefs and practices inpromoting students’ CT skills in university writing classes and students’ CT and writingperformances. The study had a multiple case study design. Six purposively selected instructorsalong with 244 students from Debre Tabor University were participated. Classroom observation,interviews, questionnaire, document analysis, and essay writing were the data-gatheringinstruments used in the study. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis approaches served toanalyze the data. The findings revealed that the instructors interpreted CT as the ability to havean in-depth understanding, reflect ideas logically, and look at things from multiple perspectives inwritten works. They mentioned several CT skills-promoting instructional mechanisms such asinput provision, facilitating, process writing approach, writing-and-reading skills integration,collaborative work, and explicit CT skills introduction. They advocated argumentative, causeeffect,compare-and-contrast, summary writing, jigsaw tasks, and jumbled sentences as CT skillspromotingwriting activities in writing classes. On the contrary, despite their beliefs that the inputsshould be a little beyond students' current level (i+1), and complemented with a Socraticquestioning method, the inputs hardly involved novel contents. Most of the instructor-initiatedquestions sought for students’ knowledge and comprehension skills. Besides, the instructorsdenied a separate time for students to read the passages before doing the writing activities.Similarly, the explicit introduction of CT skills was not prevalent in the writing classes. Thecorrelation result, on the other hand, indicated a strong positive association among students' CTperformance, writing performance, and SPPCTW. The SPPCTW sub-scales (CI, IM, NWA, SFP)significantly predicted students’ CT and writing performances, respectively. The result showedstudent-related factors: negative perceptions towards writing, negligence of CT-orientedactivities, and poor writing competence. The instructor-related factors included limited CT ability,negative perceptions of CT skills promotion, and a tendency to content coverage. Situationalfactors related to large class sizes, time constraints, and inadequate material preparation werethe other obstacles. Therefore, it was recommended that instructors should reconsider their beliefsand reflect on their practices. Further studies shouldinvestigatesources of instructors’ beliefs andstudents’ perceptions and their implementation of CT skills in writing lessons.Item An Evaluation of the writing tasks in the Grade Twelve English Textbook(Addis Ababa University, 2023-06) Wegayehu Gebeyehu; Dr. Hailom BanteyirgaThe main goal of this study was to evaluate and analyze the design accuracy of writing tasks in grade 12 English textbook and checking its alignment with the teacher’s guide and syllabus in the light of the current theories of communicative tasks by using Nuna’s (1989) framework; how well the writing tasks are structured and organized to be able to promote writing skills. Based on the fundamental elements of communicative tasks and the evaluation checklist for communicative tasks proposed by Nunan (1989), the writing tasks were selected and examined. The researcher employed a descriptive research design that combined qualitative and quantitative methods in order to accomplish this goal. The researcher used questionnaires, focus groups, and content analysis (Textbook analysis) for randomly chosen 50 students, and 3 teachers with access to census/available sampling technique. The study's finding showed that the majority of writing tasks fall short of many of the necessary requirements included in the checklist that allow students to express themselves in writing. The results also showed that while the objectives of the writing exercises are described clearly for students and teachers in the textbook. However, a few of the criteria for good objectives are not met by the majority of objectives and there is a lack of variation. Similar to this, the inputs are known to the students and meet their requirements and interests, but because there aren't enough suitable authentic resources and they aren't implemented properly, they don't offer enough information. Similar to this, the textbook's activities satisfy the requirements of being meaningful, purposeful and real-wordiness. However, they lack the use of pair and group work, motivational values, and authenticity; and they are severely constrained in their ability to include stages of tasks and topics that require advanced thought. Furthermore, the textbook, teacher's guide, and syllabus clearly define the role of the students and the teachers, delegating to the latter the roles of guiding, facilitating, and counseling while leaving the students with the full task. However, in a few exercises, the teacher's roles are not made explicit. Additionally, there is integration between writing tasks and other skills well more than half percent but the integrative tasks for each of the skill are not equally and fairly distributed and still, it needs more things to include in the writing task integration design. The alignment of the textbook with the syllabus as well as the teachers' guide has encountered issues. There are restrictions on how the textbook and syllabus align, as well as the teachers' guide. The lack of alignment in the two materials' communicative task components is evident when they are compared to the textbook. Finally, even though they don't greatly encourage the use of pair or group work, the activity settings are variable rather than predetermined. As a result, it is advised that textbook authors take into account the five fundamental elements of communicative tasks (goals, inputs, activities, roles, and setting), integration when designing tasks for course materials and keep the alignments of tasks design between students’ textbook with teachers’ guide and syllabus.Item An Investigation into Teachers’ Talk and Students’ Involvement in EFL Classes: The Case of Wolkite University Students.(Addis Ababa University, 2018-11) Esubalew Getnet; Dr. Assefa ZeruThe objective of this study was to investigate teachers‟ talk and students‟ involvement in EFL classes in Higher Education Institutions at Wolkite University in Ethiopia. The study was a descriptive case study with a mixed methods approach, but mainly qualitative. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews and questionnaires. The participants of the study were English language teachers and first-year students of Wolkite University. A simple random sampling technique was used to select and observe seven teachers. Each class was observed twice. A purposive sampling technique was also employed to select the seven sample teachers for interviews. Besides, 31 EFL teachers, who were selected purposefully, filled in the questionnaire. Furthermore, 230 students were taken from the target classes through a stratified sampling technique. Of these, fourteen students (i.e., two students from each observed class) who were randomly chosen were interviewed face-to-face. The findings were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data were analysed using open Code 4.02 and corpus analysis toolkit (AntConc) software programs, and for the quantitative data, percentages were used. Hence, the findings indicated that EFL teachers created inadequate learning opportunities in the EFL classes. They controlled every learner‟s involvement. The classroom interactions were led and controlled by the teachers. As a result, students‟ contribution to classroom talk was limited. Students did not show their curiosity to participate in the lessons and/or group discussions. It was observed that a few students chose to actively participate in the classroom interactions and thus teachers were found frequently interacting with the few active participants. In spite of the discontent with the classroom interactions, both teachers and students had positive perception and cognizance about ways that construct and obstruct students‟ oral performance. The result of the study also showed that EFL teachers largely utilised close-ended/display types of questions in the classes. Furthermore, the findings showed that learners‟ outputs were related to the types of questions that teachers utilised. The finding further indicated that when learners were asked open-ended and/or referential questions, their utterances were longer and more complex for they strived to clarify their outputs and negotiate the meanings with their interlocutors. Moreover, it was found that when teachers opted for closed-ended/display questions, learners‟ oral contributions were so simple, short and restricted and often comprising one or two words. Regarding the feedback provision behaviour, teachers recast frequently in the form of implicit corrective feedback, and learners were not able to comprehend that errors were committed and then repaired by their teachers. In addition, the result further showed that the wait-time I that teachers were pausing after they asked questions and the wait-time II that teachers‟ take turns after students‟ responses to questions were inadequate and often less than a second. Lastly, it was found that teachers dominated students‟ talk time. Therefore, findings of the study suggest that curriculum designers, language experts, researchers and teacher training programs should give due emphasis to teachers‟ talk and learners‟ involvement in EFL class alongside the pedagogic activities of students‟ oral practise. Moreover, teachers should be sensitive enough to know when to intervene and provide scaffolding. The findings also suggest that formulation of questions should be given emphasis in the English language methodology courses. With regard to wait-time, teachers should deliberately and constantly wait for 3-5 seconds or longer at particular times, and they are recommended not to dominate their students‟ talk time. Finally, it would be useful if such research undertakings are conducted at different levels of the educational system of the country. More importantly, teacher training institutes would benefit if some research on teachers questioning behaviour is carried out.Item Yellow Gender issues in ''Land of the Bull'' and ''Dertogada''(Addis Ababa University, 2022-05) Hana Tadesse; Dr. Olga YazbecThe main of this study; aspects of gender issues in Land of the yellow bull and Dertogada, is to show gender related issues observed in both novels. To succeed the main objective of the study the research answers perceptions of male characters towards female characters, gender based problems faced by the characters, and what inequality effects has an influence on interactions between male and female. More importantly, the research examines gender roles, relations, and occupational differences, in Land of the yellow bull and Dertogada. The study is conducted based on textual analysis of the novels; hence, the researcher provides selective and relevant extracts from the novels for analysis part. The status of men and women of Ethiopia is stated under the Background of the study and the relevance of studying the aspects of gender issues is given in the first chapter. MA theses is based on gender and on the selected novels have been reviewed to confirm that this research is differ from the other studies on the same title. In conceptual frame works detailed and brief explanations on the main concept of gender and gender related issues discussed by distinguished scholars were given. The usual features of gender issue aspects which are dealt with the experience of women in the world especially in developing countries. From them cultural stereotype, gender relation, character stereotype, intimacy between men and women, marriage relation, gender equality, and women's assertiveness are the themes that have been explored in the selected novels. Finally, the researcher concluded the overall concepts that were raised in the previous chapters. As it has been analyzed in the analysis part; the performance and acceptance of women in civilized and uncivilized society is different. Uncivilized or rural peoples are conservative to their culture and identity. They are honest for the practices and cultures they developed from their fore-fathers. Even though, they have a big place for both sexes, their rules and cultures have side to the men and will not be accepted by civilized or literate peoples. On the other side, women's contribution with equal opportunity to do everything, freedom of speech and intelligent and innovative mind and its result is shown on the other novel Dertogada.Item A Feminist Reading in Selected Novels: a Comparative Analysis.(Addis Ababa University, 2020-05) Tarekegn Abraha; Olga Yazbec (PhD)The aim of the study is to comparatively analyze the societal representation of women in England in the 19th and 20thThe novels Emma and Persuasion by Austen deal with the position of women and their social expectations most of which are related to marriage. The protagonists of these novels represent a unique response to those expectations which are the products of their way of thinking. Jane Austen artistically reveals various gender discriminations in economics, education, marriage and religion. As to Austen expressed through her characters, gender discrimination happens because people think that men are better than women. The researcher’s intention, real aim of Austen is then to reduce gender discrimination through education and change the ways that people think about gender roles. century. The method of the study is textual, contextual descriptive comparative analysis. The study reveals the patriarchal assumptions on women, the extent of women stereotypes and subjectivity and the women’s’ selfhood in exercising agency against the males’ suppressive action on females. The researcher employs theories of Julia Kristeva and Toril Moi, post-structuralism literary feminism as analysis framework. In the novel, Women in Love the study analyses the composition of will to power between women and men characters. This thesis analyses the characters Gudrun and Gerald and their concept and competition of the will to power. The relationship between the characters in Women in Love basically portrays their significance, the will to power and the conflicts arising from dominating one another. It also considers women’s wise struggle to challenge the traditional male characters in their treatment of gender equality and their social status as a source of power and authority. Sons and Lovers first published in 1913 is Lawrence’s first most important novel which receives praise. The novel depicts the story of the Morel family, Mrs. Morel, in particular of Paul Morel. The story focuses on the problem of human relationships, chiefly relations between men and women, children and parents. The analysis focuses on how gender and sexuality become a central issue in the twentieth century’s society, and it reflects Lawrence’s attitude towards them. Finally the study concludes on the type of women’s advocacy on marriage through love and respect between husband and wife. The direct and indirect women’s agency in Persuasion, furthermore, male characters’ sexual ineffectiveness forced by women characters and the will to power which occurs between the men and women characters which are mainly reflected in Women in Love. This all are happened backed by females’ education and their economic independenceItem The Theme of Alienation as Reflected in Dinaw Mengestu’s Trilogy: A Sociological Perspective(Addis Ababa University, 2021-04) Tsegaberhan Wodaj; Abiye Daniel (PhD)This study focuses on the three fictional works of Dinaw Mengestu; “The Beautiful Things thatHeaven Bears” (2007), “How to Read the Air” (2010), and “All Our Names” (2014). Thisresearch aims to investigate the causes of alienation that enumerates by extracting the influencingfactors and the consequence of alienation in a way the fundamental concern that human beingfaces in the course of migration and immigration. This study reveals that theimmigrantcharactersrepresented in the selected trilogy while confronting and challenging the various forms ofalienation in their attempt to co-exist the new immigrant life since alienation has become wordsof such modern man’s everyday language. This study also deals with the major concerns andmatters of the immigrant characters’ reactions of alienation regardless of their reasons for exile.The main reason for focusing on the concept of alienation in the selected novels is that this areaof literary theme has not been given enough attention to be studied comprehensively in the contextof African (Ethiopians) immigrants’ life. Besides, no other Ethiopian literary work has portrayedthe themes of alienation better than the selected three novels which have dealt with the pain andsufferings of alienation in the lives of the. This study tried to explore the immigrants ‘sense ofalienation in the hosting country and in the process of immigration where life as an immigrantwas unbearable, forcing them to try towards the process of economic, social, and culturaladjustment. An attempt is made to explore the multiple dimensions of alienation and the alienatingfactors based on Melvin Seeman’s five aspects of alienation: powerlessness, meaninglessness,normlessness, isolation, and self-estrangement. The selected three literary immigrant novelsreveal the theme of the immigrants’ feelings of alienation as a central preoccupation of the author. The researcher has used textual analysis to explore the selected literary works and captured theportrayal of alienation of the African immigrants which allows us the understanding, processing,and witnessing of human suffering. The study summarizes that the selected trilogy explicitly orimplicitly points out the various forms of alienation facing the African immigrants in the course ofcreating new life in the host land. Keywords: Alienation, Dinaw, Seeman, and ImmigrationItem An Investigation into the Relatioship among Reading Strategy Use, Reading Anxiety and Performance in Reading: With Particular Reference to EFL Students in Ethiopian Universities(Addis Ababa University, 2019-05) Berhe Tafere; Nuru Mohammod (PhD)The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship among EFL learners’ status ofreading strategy use, reading anxiety, and performance in reading. The subjects were 130 students who were majoring in English at B.A level in four universities in the Tigrai regionalstate of Ethiopia. Descriptive-correlational research designs which contained both quantitative and qualitative data were employed in this study. The quantitative data werecollected throughquestionnaires, and reading test, while the qualitative data were collectedusing interview. Descriptive statistics were applied to describe students’ present status ofreading strategy use, reading anxiety, and reading performance; while the inferentialstatistics were used to examine the correlations between the variables. Theresultsshowedthat the EFL learners were found to have medium level of English language reading anxiety,and they read English texts in academiccontexts for understanding; however, the students hadlowlevelofreadingperformance.Moreimportantly, the results of the study revealed that the students’ reading anxietyappeared to have a strong significant negative correlation with their overall reading strategyuse. In the same way, the result also indicated that the students’ English language readinganxiety had a significant moderate negative correlation with their reading comprehensionperformance. Nevertheless, in this study, statistically significant moderate positive correlationwas obtained between students’ overall reading strategy use and their readingcomprehension performance. On the other hand, the linear regression analysis indicated thatthe prediction of reading anxiety on students’ reading performance was moderate negativeand statistically significant, while the prediction of reading strategy use on students’ readingperformance was weak. It was also found that reading anxiety and reading strategy usetogether accounted 18.4% influence on students’ reading performance. The results alsoindicated that the cognitive reading strategies were found to be the most frequently used ones,while compensation reading strategies were the least usedstrategies. Unfamiliar culture ofEnglish, inadequate knowledge of grammar, new topics, unfamiliar words, lack of priorpreparations, reading without purpose, lack of knowledge andpracticeofthedifferent typesof reading strategies, worry about the reading effect of English, lack of motivation,humiliationbyteachersandbyclasssmates,negativeattitudeofstudents towards English,and their poor academic background were identified bythestudentsasthemajorsourcesoftheirEnglish language reading anxiety, and the causes for their reading comprehension problems. Based on the results, limitations, pedagogical implications and further studies have been forwarded. Key Words: Reading Strategy Use; Reading Anxiety; Reading PerformanceItem A Deconstructionist Reading of Yismaeke’s Kibur Dingay and Yeogaden Dimetoch.(Addis Ababa University, 2021) Birhan Mekuanent; Dr. Berhanu MatthewsThe objective of this paper is to examine the binary oppositions, the inconsistencies, the notion of absence, and ambiguity of the novels. To achieve the objective of the study the research answers the role of binary oppositions and ambiguities in making new meaning of the novels, moreover the research shows the dominant inconsistencies and notion of absence in Kibur Dingay (Ore) and Yeogaden Dimetoch (Ogaden’s Cats). The study is based on textual and intertextual analysis; hence the researcher provides selective and relevant extracts from the novels for discussion after a repetitive critical reading. Moreover, a Biblical expression has been exemplified, and also it deals with the De-humanization of the current generation based on the deconstructionist point of view. In the research a highlight is given in the introduction about the relevance of theory of deconstruction to the study. A brief conceptual issue of deconstruction, which is formulated by Jacques Derrida, is discussed in the second chapter. In the third chapter analysis is made on the novels based on deconstruction theory. The dual nature of the characters: the Dog-man, the Cat-man and the Cat-woman create an ambiguity to exhibit how much the respected human being devaluates one’s own status and live as animals or below instinctive creatures those target only on sensational life. The inconsistencies, the notion of absence and the ambiguity emphasize as if the human being is created in the image and likeness of animals. In the conclusion, the findings of the research are presented briefly: Based on the notion of Derrida a focus is given to the marginalized and unprivileged term. Then the research reveals the binary oppositions and they have been already subverted to create new meaning: woman over man, animal over person, and nature over culture portray how the life of the current human beings is deteriorated. Hence, the center that of person, man and culture are brought into decenter; and also animal, woman and nature which are inferior terms are brought into superior to reveal how much the generation underrates one’s own status below human’s ethical standard. In the selected literary works the scrutinized notions of absences: absence of good life opportunity, absence of confidence and absence of reason show the reason why a person is changed into beast now a day. Moreover, the inconsistencies show the inadequacy of language to reveal the reality in the novels and also the ambiguous characters: the Dog-man, cat-man, Cat-woman show the high abstraction of the words that refer many meanings in the novels. Generally the finding shows that currently the animal kingdom is much better than human species.Item Post-Colonial Resistance in Selected Anglophone African Novels (1980-1990)(Addis Ababa University, 2020-04) Getnet Tibebu; Dr. Melakneh MengistuThis study aims at investigating the post-colonial resistance in selected Anglophone African Novels from post-colonial perspectives. This study examines how the resistance strategies in Anthills of the Savannah , Nervous Conditions and Matigari are depicted to the emancipation of Africa from neo-colonialism manifestations and post-colonial dominations. The study employs post-colonial motherism, magical realism and language politics as strategies of exploration through the portrayal of psycho-active intellectual characters in the selected novels. The research has qualitative nature. Post-colonial theory is applied as theoretical framework and as a method of analysis. One of the finding in this study is the presence of strong post-colonial female and male characters in struggling for freedom. Moreover, in spite of the fact that there is a gender inequality in the story both men and women are depicted to be a part of the solution. Women’s Education is the other major finding which is portrayed as a tool of resistance against gender inequality. Furthermore, the study reveals that there is a continuous struggle for freedom against any form of oppression as clearly depicted in the novels. Besides, Searching for justice, identity, place and displacement, gender equality, resistance against cultural stereotypes, motherhood, and magical realism as strategies of resistance are some of the findings that have been discussed in this study. Finally, the study concluded by indicating the possibility of a new political, social and economic revolution that will bring freedom and equality in African literary works. The result also shows that how the strategies of appropriation and magical realism are depicted in line with the post-colonial resistance as a new mode of writing in African literary works.Item Interfacing Fact and Fiction in Tower in the Sky and The Emperor: A New Historicist Reading(Addis Ababa University, 2021-06) Haile Gezae; Olga Yazbec (PhD)This dissertation explores the interfacing of fact and fiction in two Ethiopian creative nonfictions, "The Emperor" (1978) and "Tower in the Sky" (2012). The main objective of the study is to examine the line and relationship between fact and fiction, thereby understanding and gaining more insight into a new historical method of presenting history in the context of creative nonfiction. In order to achieve this objective, an attempt is made to review relevant literature in relation to new historicism and the subject texts. In addition to this, the new historicist approach to literary texts is used as the study’s theoretical framework. New historicism purports that literature must be studied and interpreted within the context of the historical background and context of the time of production in order to evaluate how the text was influenced by the time in which it was created. Using this basic assumption as an initial point, the study examines the stories presented in these texts so as to find out how they are affected by situations in the times they were created and how their fact/fiction, dual nature is reflected in the process. However, this tension of classification seems not new. There are examples that combine approaches and processes, and mix life writing with history, novels with memoir and journalistic writing with fictional narrative, which in turn made the line blurry and the works hybrid. The focus of this study is thus examining how the facts and fiction mixed and made the line between them blurry in selected life narratives. Accordingly, the study attempts to analyze and interpret the two texts in light of Greenblatt’s New Historicist theory, mainly focusing on major paradigms such as textuality of history and historicity of text, and reveals postmodern concerns about re-writing history. The findings reveal that both Hiwot’s and Kapuscinski’s narratives portray the narrative of history and change its closed linear nature into multiple discontinuous histories. The narratives have unmasked the textuality and historicity of the texts; and hence the textualization of the books shows the ideological embeddedness of our knowledge about the past. The authors have explored the connections between literature, history, and the organization of social and cultural power relations through both utilizing and trying to challenge historical authorities and facts. As such, their works indicate that the experiential history of narrating subjects always blurs the line between fact and fiction. Hence, it can be said that there is an inseparable unity of discourse, history and imagination in both texts. The study’s findings further indicate that both authors are more concerned with marginalized histories of marginalized people. Based on this, with a vast array of characters and overflowing with incidents, the life writings re-create a new version of history with fused personal and political narratives. In addition to this, Kapuscinski has undergone a process of self-fashioning in which he was first a reporter (correspondents), and then showed himself up as a creative writer, whereas, Hiwot, who was influenced by the environment and time In conclusion, the two texts prove that both the historian and life writer maintain using both literary and historical mechanisms in their attempts to craft images of reality.Item The Representation of Social Values and Social Identities in Selected Post-Colonial African Novels(Addis Ababa University, 2019-04) Hailu Sheleme; Dr. Berhanu MatthewsThe dissertation presents representations of social values and social identities in selected postcolonialAfrican novels. The novels are selected depending on criteria set from a wide range ofpost-colonial experiences and have been analyzed in ways central characters of novels aredepicted. In the study, the central characters are focused because they represent the differingsocial values and social identities in the constructed story worlds through actionsanddialogues.The central characters are Wariinga from Devil on the Cross, Dodge from Son of woman, Obufrom The Potter’s Wheel, Dele from The Edifice, and Lucifer from Waiting for the Rain. Thestudy is approached through close reading with a content analysis to obtain textual data. Socialvalues and social identities arecategorized and defined depending on their aspects. Aspects ofsocial values are sense of good human relations, community, hospitality, respect, an extendedfamily system and religion, and aspects of social identities are languages, cultures and historicalevents. In all these aspects as units of analysis, the purpose is to obtain basic guiding principlesand socially shared representations of colonial society in selected post-colonial Africa novels. The study is to analyze ways of representing oppressive colonial ideologies and ways of resistingand reinforcing them in the novels through those analytical aspects from social values and socialidentities. It is for a better understanding of colonized society in Africa in relation to effects ofcolonial dominations. From the narrative aspects, the central characters are focused to addressthe collective identities and the guiding principles of the continent from novels. As a result ofcolonial domination, sporadically deformed social values and social identities are constructed innovels due to the flawed moral argument of pre-colonialAfrican social values and socialidentities. The sporadic reactions toward pre-colonial social values and social identities are notbased on the awareness of pre-colonial knowledge. Rather, they are signs of residual colonialeffects and colonial domination in colonized discourses. The pre-colonial African social valueshave come to life as primitive, uncivilized and diluted moral qualities, and indirectly consumedmagnify in colonized discourses. The processes of creating personality traits are more of amoral dilemma than self-assertion. They are associated with the concepts of post-colonialismlike ambivalence, mimicry, hybridity, ‘unhomeliness’ and double consciousness and detect waysof colonizing strategies.Item The Practice and Significance of Magical Realism in Selected African Novels(Addis Ababa University, 2020-06) Hiwot Walelign; Olga Yazbec (PhD)This study entitled The Practice and Significance of Magical Realism in Selected African Novels attempts to read different African novels through the lens of magical realism. Magical realism, introduced to the realm of literature mostly with Latin American novels and gaining worldwide recognition with postcolonial literary works, has been a focal point of different scholarly studies. In Africa, Ben Okri‘s Famished Road has been studied by many for its skilful employment of the technique. The motivation behind taking up this topic is to fill the research gap in reading different novels from different regions of Africa in one volume and to be able to observe the trend in the practice and significance of using magical realism. In doing so, the paper aims to compare and contrast how different novelists from different contexts in Africa have applied the different features that magical realism is known for. After establishing the practices of the usage in different regions, the study attempts to identify the drive that motivates novelists to use magical realism and it also tries to highlight the issues raised through the magical realist approach. Five novels have been chosen for this study namely; The Heart of Redness, The Bleeding of the Stone, Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez, Woman of the Aeroplanes and Wizard of the Crow. To read these novels, a theoretical framework is formed using magical realism‘s different features theorized by different critics. The practices and significances of the use of magical realism in these novels are studied comparatively in order to show how and why the approach is used in different contexts. In addition, the paper attempts to identify if there are any differences or similarities among different traditional contexts in Africa in the employment of magical realism and if the issues raised through it have commonalities. The fact that the novels are chosen from South, North, East, West and Central Africa and that they are studied comparatively in one thesis could be taken as a new contribution in showing expressions of magical realism in different backgrounds. The study concludes that different novelists in different parts of Africa have used magical realism associating it with their own contexts, connecting it with their respective cultural backgrounds, shared historical accounts, commenting on existing economic, social and political situations.Item The Actual and Expected Reading Comprehension Ability of Grade Nine Students: Entoto Amba Secondary School in Focus.(Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Teshome Fekadu; Dr. Mendida BarkessaThe 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.Item Contemporary Sociopolitical Predicaments in Selected East African Novels in English [Ca. 2005-2015](Addis Ababa University, 2021-01) Mekwanent Tilahun; Abiye Daniel (PhD)This project is geared towards investigating contemporary sociopolitical predicaments in an attempt to determine the trajectory of the historical, social and political realities reflected in theselected East African novels in English. The study aimed at finding out the emergent themes in the selected novels, identifying if the prevailing themes correlate with the historical realities,examining the representation of Africa and Africans, and identifying the intertexuality between the chosen novels. A postcolonial theory is used as a reading strategy and a national/regionalmodel of postcolonial theory is employed to comparatively examine the thematic convergenceand divergence the novels under scrutiny may have. To this effect, four novels namely, TheOrchard of Lost Souls (2013) Cross Bones(2011), Black Star Nairobi (2013) and Waiting(2007) have been selected purposively from East Africa. The purposive selection of theaforementioned novels is grounded on the researcher’s motivation to fill the identified researchgap. A postcolonial theory has been discussed in an eclectic manner as a theoretical frameworkof the study. The study thus found out that the selected novels have brought out emergent themessuch as religious fundamentalism, ethnocentrism, piracy, human trafficking, and cross boundarysociopolitical problems that are unsettling the sociopolitical atmosphere of the Horn of Africa. In addition to foregrounding the impact of the aforesaid themes upon sociopolitical realities ofthe East African countries, the novels under scrutiny also reveal that the existing sociopoliticalanomalies such as corruption, lack of good governance, and gender issues are still taking theirtoll on Africans long after independence. Finally, the comparative analysis conducted on theselected novels has shown that the novels under investigation have both thematic convergencesand divergences. The study concludes that the authors have tried to call the attention of thereaders to the fact that Africa in general and theEastAfrican region in particular is confrontedwith new challenges such as religious fundamentalism, ethnocentrism, piracy, human trafficking,cross boundary sociopolitical problems, and foreign powers’ meddling in their internal affairs.Item African Feminism in Selected Contemporary African Novels in English: A Comparative Approach(Addis Ababa University, 2020-06) Mesfin Wodajo; Berhanu Matthews (Asso. Prof.)The main aim of this research is to examine representation of women‘s issues in contemporary African Anglophone novels (published from 2000-2016) because such novels are not studied comparatively and comprehensively from African feminist perspectives. To this end, eight novels such as: Kintu (2014), Hiding in Plain Sight (2014), Ancestor Stones (2006), Season of Crimson Blossoms (2016), Coconut (2008), The Hairdresser of Harare (2010), Minaret (2005) and The Yacoubian Building (2004) are selected and analyzed based on African feminist theoretical framework. The result of the analyses shows that all the studied novels attempt to correct the misrepresentation of identities, experiences and burdens of African women by colonialism, neo-colonialism and Western feminism and call for inclusion of women‘s experiences and roles in post-colonial discourses. Particularly, two female-authored novels, Kintu and Ancestor Stones, go back to delineate the pre-colonial cultural history of their respective nation in comparison with the post-colonial contexts of their respective societies‘ view of women‘s roles and experiences; whereas the rest focus on contemporary issues of women in their particular societies or nations. Most of the examined novels reinforce African feminists‘ argument, which states that African women‘s movement for liberation should be based on African indigenous knowledge and culture, and through which they disclose and challenge various roots of women‘s suppression. All the novels share themes such as recognizing and transforming the notion of motherhood; decolonizing African women‘s culture and identity (except Minaret); maintaining a cooperative relationship between men and women through negotiation and compromise with the assumption of binary complementarity of male and female rather than binary oppositions. Although there are few weak and submissive women characters that agree with both patriarchal and colonial/neo-colonial oppression, many of the women characters in each of the above-studied novels are depicted as strong and progressive. These female characters endeavor to bring socio-cultural transformation by confronting poverty, post-colonial mal-governance systems and related amoralities with recognition of the significance of proper education for empowerment of women and their respective societies.Item Adapting Feature Films from Amharic Prose Narratives: Narrative Strategies in Focus.(Addis Ababa University, 2020-04) Bezabhe Tesfahunegn; Tena Shale (PhD)Studying the relationship between Amharic feature film adaptation and their source prose narratives is a neglected field of study in the academia of Ethiopia. The absence of study in the area in the academia of Ethiopia confirms the existence of the problem. The major rationale behind this study is to explore and analyze three narrative strategies, namely narrative time, voice and focalization, in adapting Amharic feature films from Amharic prose narratives. The study is conducted on two Amharic adapted films from two Amharic prose narratives. The two adapted films are ‗Yenegen Alweldim‟ directed by Abreham Gezahagn and ‗Kalkidan‟ directed by Shimles Abera and the two source prose narratives are respectively ‗EHAPA ena Sport‟ by Genene Mekuira and ‗Kalkidan‟ by Getachew Ayalkie. Qualitative literary analysis is employed by using narratology as a theoretical framework to analyze the aforementioned three narrative strategies in both the adapted films and in their source prose narratives. The approaches proposed by major narratologists, namely Gerard Genette ([1972] 1980), Seymour Chatman (1978 and 1990), Mike Bal (1985), David Bordwell (1985), Manfred Jahn (2003) and David Bordwell and Kirstin Thompson (2013), have been used to approach the applicatuion of the three narrative strategies and transference from the source prose narratives to the adapted films. Aspects of narrative time, namely order, duration and frequency, are analyzed and the results show that they play a crucial role as narrative strategies in the arrangement of the narratives of all the four texts. From the analysis of narrative voice, the study found out that different types of narrators (namely heterodiegetic, homodiegetic, extradiegetic, intradiegetic and metadiegetic narrators) are employed in the two prose narratives. Regarding the adapted films, the four fundamental elements of narrative film (namely mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound and editing) are the narrators. Thus, narrative voice is another narrative strategy in all of the four texts. From the analysis of focalization, the study found out that all of the aforementioned narrators of both the prose narratives and the adapted films are responsible in orienting the audiences‘ vision or access to the story worlds in all of the four texts accordingly. Hence, focalization is the third narrative strategy in all of the four texts. Then, the above findings reveal that the three narrative strategies are transferred from the source prose narratives to the adapted films and thus these narrative strategies transcend the boundary between genre and medium distinctions. Finally, the study also found out that these narrative strategies are omnipresent in all of the four texts in spite of their differences in genre and mediumItem An Investigation into Teachers’ Talk and Students’ Involvement in EFL Classes in Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia: the Case of Wolkite University Students(Addis Ababa University, 2018-10) Esubalew Getne; Assefa Zeru (PhD)The objective of this study was to investigate teachers‟ talk and students‟ involvement in EFL classes in Higher Education Institutions at Wolkite University in Ethiopia. The study was a descriptive case study with a mixed methods approach, but mainly qualitative. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews and questionnaires. The participants of the study were English language teachers and first-year students of Wolkite University. A simple random sampling technique was used to select and observe seven teachers. Each class was observed twice. A purposive sampling technique was also employed to select the seven sample teachers for interviews. Besides, 31 EFL teachers, who were selected purposefully, filled in the questionnaire. Furthermore, 230 students were taken from the target classes through a stratified sampling technique. Of these, fourteen students (i.e., two students from each observed class) who were randomly chosen were interviewed face-to-face. The findings were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data were analysed using open Code 4.02 and corpus analysis toolkit (AntConc) software programs, and for the quantitative data, percentages were used. Hence, the findings indicated that EFL teachers created inadequate learning opportunities in the EFL classes. They controlled every learner‟s involvement. The classroom interactions were led and controlled by the teachers. As a result, students‟ contribution to classroom talk was limited. Students did not show their curiosity to participate in the lessons and/or group discussions. It was observed that a few students chose to actively participate in the classroom interactions and thus teachers were found frequently interacting with the few active participants. In spite of the discontent with the classroom interactions, both teachers and students had positive perception and cognizance about ways that construct and obstruct students‟ oral performance. The result of the study also showed that EFL teachers largely utilised close-ended/display types of questions in the classes. Furthermore, the findings showed that learners‟ outputs were related to the types of questions that teachers utilised. The finding further indicated that when learners were asked open-ended and/or referential questions, their utterances were longer and more complex for they strived to clarify their outputs and negotiate the meanings with their interlocutors. Moreover, it was found that when teachers opted for closed-ended/display questions, learners‟ oral contributions were so simple, short and restricted and often comprising one or two words. Regarding the feedback provision behaviour, teachers recast frequently in the form of implicit corrective feedback, and learners were not able to comprehend that errors were committed and then repaired by their teachers. In addition, the result further showed that the wait-time I that teachers were pausing after they asked questions and the wait-time II that teachers‟ take turns after students‟ responses to questions were inadequate and often less than a second. Lastly, it was found that teachers dominated students‟ talk time. Therefore, findings of the study suggest that curriculum designers, language experts, researchers and teacher training programs should give due emphasis to teachers‟ talk and learners‟ involvement in EFL class alongside the pedagogic activities of students‟ oral practise. Moreover, teachers should be sensitive enough to know when to intervene and provide scaffolding. The findings also suggest that formulation of questions should be given emphasis in the English language methodology courses. With regard to wait-time, teachers should deliberately and constantly wait for 3-5 seconds or longer at particular times, and they are recommended not to dominate their students‟ talk time. Finally, it would be useful if such research undertakings are conducted at different levels of the educational system of the country. More importantly, teacher training institutes would benefit if some research on teachers questioning behaviour is carried out.Item A Postmodernist Reading of Selected Ethiopian Novels in English(Addis Ababa University, 2020-06) Liknaw Yirsaw; Berhanu Matthews (Asso. Prof)This study has been designed to make a modest attempt which could add contributions on someof the practices that can make Ethiopian literature in English into its stature. In other words,this study has been attempted because researchers in most of the time are not zealous onEthiopian literature in English. The study has been employing postmodernism as a tool ofanalysis, for postmodernism is primarily inaugurated for giving fair attention for themarginalized literatures like Ethiopian literature in English. Therefore, the analysis in thisdissertation has been made on selected Ethiopian Novels in English in line with postmodern narrative strategies. Thus, the chief postmodern narrative strategies reflected in the novelsinclude; interrogating the historical, political, religious and cultural realities; magical realismin relation to fantasy, irony and blackhumour; metafiction, historiographic metafiction,maximalism, fragmentation, intertextuality and the denial of superior over inferior culturalpresentations. Therefore, the novels have been read in line with basic postmodern narrativestrategies. On top of their own differences, all the four novels are similar in relation to reflectingmajor postmodern narrative strategies. In simple terms, though there are some differences among the individual novels selected for the dissertation, they are equally appropriate to be readas postmodern texts.Item Dislocation and the Quest for Identity in Selected Postcolonial Caribbean Novels in English.(Addis Ababa University, 2019-05) Sintayehu Genet; Melakneh Mengistu (PhD)This study is an investigation into the life of dislocated immigrants depicted in selected literary works of Caribbean writers. The study examines effects of dislocation, and how it pertains to the quest for identity. Drawing on postcolonial notions and approaches related to dislocation, the study explicates the various predicaments immigrants experience in their attempt to make a place belong. Thus, the study focuses on examining how the dislocated individuals (and people) inthe literary texts are challenged by various forms of dislocation and its multifaceted discontents such as unhomeliness, racial discrimination, loss of identity,quest for identity, marginalization, etc.It is not an uncommon fact that people get dislocated from their original socio-culturalenvironments (‘home’) due to factors beyond their control and/or due to reasons that theyconsider are important. Prior to their dislocation, people share several cultural elements as well as values that shape and determine their identity. Unfortunately, often results in a feeling of not belonging to the host country and loss of identity. It is in light of this argument that this study aims to explicate the interplay of dislocation and the quest for identity in selected Caribbean novels in English. Taking this major objective, this studyspecifically examines how dislocation with all its various forms is presented in the selectednovels. It also analyzes the cultural and racial alienations as well as marginality that emanatefrom dislocation. Furthermore, the study explores how the issues of subordination, with all the impacts on one’s identity, are revealed through dislocation in the novels. Finally, itpresents thematic parallels and incongruities, with to dislocation and the quest foridentity, in the novels.The study qualitatively analyzes Samuel Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners (1956), V.S.Naipaul’s In A Free State (1971), Joan Riley’s The Unbelonging (1985), and CarylPhillips’s The Final Passage (1985). The novels are, first, separately analyzed in the fourth chapter to see detailed issues related to dislocation and the quest for identity as depicted inthe unique social, cultural, and economic context of the story in each novel. Then, in the fifth chapter, it has been attempted to compare and contrast the various the matic commonalities and differences among the literary works.In its conclusion, the study maintains that the literary works reveal the strong relationshipbetween the search for home and the quest for identity. In other words, the constant searchfor home through nostalgia oftentimes creates connection to the past. Moreover, the examination of the literary texts points out that dislocation often leaves the immigrants in the space of in-between. In this regard, the recurring feelings of loneliness, exclusion, and otherness depicted in the stories reveal the immigrants’ position of unbelonging to the socio cultur almilieu of the host country. Hence, the study shows the importance of examining different contexts from the immigrant’s position.Item Construction of Self: Narrating Minds in Two Novels of Adam Retta.(Addis Ababa University, 2021-01) Yewubdar Demissie; Abiye Daniel (PhD)This dissertation examines the construction of self in two Amharic novels of Adam Retta, ―Yesinibit Kelemat‖ (2016) and ―Merek‖ (2017). The main objective of the study then, is to examine the relationship between life story and construction of self, thereby understand and gain more insight into the processes of self construction in the context of fictional characters. In order to accomplish this objective, I tried to review relevant literature in relation to self, narrative and plot. Moreover, the social constructionists approach to narrative and self, together with a theory of plot structure, has laid the foundation for the study‘s theoretical framework, which made it interdisciplinary by its nature as it draws concepts from literary theory and narrative identity theory in social psychology. Social constructionism contends that self is defined through a continuous process of narrative construction in social contexts. My research uses this premise as a starting point and asks how the character-narrators in these novels attempt to organize their life experiences into coherent self-narratives to define themselves. Then an attempt is made to perform a textual analysis on five selected self narratives from the two novels in accordance with the reviewed literature and theoretical framework by focusing on dominant stories constituted by important life events and their organization into a coherent life story in order to define the self. The findings indicate that dominant stories are frequently found to be problem-loaded with three recurring experiences, i.e., the physical body, suffering and relationships, which are found to be fertile grounds from which the characters draw a strong sense of selves. Beginnings of the narrative texts provided hints on specific points that the narrating subjects want to accentuate on, while chronological beginnings shed light on familial influences on identity. Multiple flashbacks also situate some of the self narratives with beginnings ―in medias res‖, which in most cases served as indicators of the following chaotic life story with conflicting selves and identity struggles. Endings, on the other hand, gave some of the self-narratives definite conclusions, while leaving others open, designating the ongoing nature of identity work. In addition to this, turning points in characters‘ life involved surprising incidents which, usually, are followed by profound shifts in identity. Besides this, identity changes are mainly triggered by influences from significant others, followed by sudden and enlightening realizations about the self. In conclusion, the self narratives demonstrated how self-construction is an ongoing social narrative practice and not something to be settled once and for all.