An Assessment of the Practices of Awareness Raising to Teaching the Course English Grammar in Use I: Kotebe College of Teachers' Education in Focus
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Date
2011-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study attempts to assess the practice of awareness raising approach to teaching
the course English Grammar in Use I. The study assessed whether or not the method
and different components of grammar teaching used helped students effectively use the
language both in the classroom and in real-life situations in their professional career. In
order to achieve the objective, Kotebe College of teacher education was selected as a
sample. Two instructors offering the course and also students were selected and taken
as sample subjects. To select the subjects, availability sampling was used for the
instructor and lottery method of simple random sampling was used for the students.
Afterwards, three research instruments were used to gather information: questionnaire,
classroom observation and interview. The results of the study indicated that, though the
instructors claim the application of awareness raising to grammar teaching, the actual
classroom practice with reference to task, techniques, procedures and integration of
skills was not up to the expectation. In other words, what the instructors intended to
apply and what was exactly going on in each grammar in use session was not
harmonious. As the data revealed, different techniques which enhance students' active
use of the language were not incorporated in the tasks. That is, students were not
provided with series of tasks which enable them intensively practice. This,
consequently, left most students passive in the production stage. The findings also
indicated the less attempts made to integrate grammar with other basic language skills.
To address the problems, the following were recommended for better practice. since
teaching is a developing art which requires innovative and creative ideals to enrich its
effectiveness, instructors must not hesitate to: (1) use alternative methods, (2) make use
of varied techniques in presenting series of tasks which can bring about a balance
among language skills, (3) make smooth and precise transition from one stage to the
other. Besides, the college, in general, and the department, in particular, need to develop
course material like module and avail other relevant teaching materials.
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Keywords
Awareness Raising