Perceptions And Difficulties Of Students In Efl Large Classes: Grade 11 Students In Focus
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Date
2013-06
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AAU
Abstract
The major objective of the study was to assess students' perceptions towards EFL large classes
in terms of its instructional, psychological and social aspects and their perceived challenges.
To this end, two preparatory schools were selected owing to their convenience for the study,
the researchers' familiarity with the situation and the serious situational constraints related
to EFL large class size with special reference to grade eleven.
To achieve the purpose of the study, a descriptive research method was employed because the
main objective was just to gather information about students' perceptions and their perceived
difficulties. Likert-scale type questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were employed to
gather adequate data from the student respondents, but only open-ended and close-ended
questionnaires were distributed to eight randomly selected EFL teachers to confirm data
obtained from their students. The instruments were piloted before the main study on 20
students and some modifications were made on their grammar and wordings, but six items
were rejected. Out of 1545 students, 155 were selected as samples through simple random
sampling technique and ten of them were voluntarily selected and interviewed. The data
collected through Iikert type questionnaires were analysed through descriptive statistics like
frequency, percentages and means. Data gathered through interview were analysed through
descriptive statements. The data gathered through questionnaires were substantiated by the
data obtained through interview.
The findings revealed that most of the student participants had a clear picture of the
situational challenges and benefits of EFL large class. The majority of the respondents'
perceived large EFL class negatively in general. Most of the student respondents perceived
the instructional and psychological aspects negatively, but they perceived the social aspects
positively and favourably. It was also found that the majority of them believe that learning in
EFL large class affects their English learning negatively because of its constraints. Most of the
student interviewees expressed their opinion that class size matters beyond quality of
teaching and their teachers too! The findings indicated that the perceived difficulties of most
of the participants were: lack of continuous assessment, getting immediate feedback,
avoidance of practical skills (writing and speaking) focus on usage than language use, low
active student involvement, less students learning, problems of rapport, no use of teaching
aids,failure of teachers to effectively various use active learning and motivational strategies,
lack of motivation, concentration, confidence and student-teacher interaction. The results
revealed that EFL large class related constraints can be alleviated through changing style of
teaching fiexibly, class size reduction, effective use of teaching strategies, and use of
competent and potential EFL teachers, communicating and working cooperatively with
students.
Finally, it was suggested that EFL teachers should be provided conferences and special
training regarding how to teach large class, change their approach to EFL large class and
their own as well as their students' negative perceptions towards such classroom situation!
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Keywords
psychological and social aspects and their perceived challenges.