Instructional Methods Utilized by English Teachers at TEls in Training First-cycle Primary School Teachers: a case of Kotebe College of Teacher Education and St. Mary's University Colle-ge
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Date
2007-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Elementary education is considered to be the basic level of education. Thus; teachers who are going
to teach at this level should be trained well to lay good foundation for the whole education system of
the country. This study attempts to investigate the instructional methods utilized by English teachers
in two TEls one private and the other government owned TEl.
In order to make the study, Kotebe College of Teacher Education and St. MalY's College certificate
English language teachers and English department heads were interviewed, classrooms of three
teachers from each institution were observed twice and analyzed. Moreover, focus group discussions
were held with ten certificate student teachers from each institution. The content of interview
questions were about TEls certificate English teacher trainers background in formation, their attitudes
towards their utilization of instructional and on the student side their attitude towards their teachers '
implementation of different instructional strategies.
The study yield that most teachers and students have positive attitudes towards the implementation
of student-centered instructional methods or interactional instructional strategies such as task based
interactive methods while towards traditional lecture method they have a negative attitude. Brief
lecture, group work, pair work and whole class discussion methods were found to be most dominant
classroom practice of English teachers who train-would be teacher of first cycle primary school. The
other kind of student- centered instructional that involves interactive instruction strategies which has
a potential in helping learners to develop their communication competence such as workshops,
drama ,Simulation, etc were rarely used Most teachers are found to report that their masters' teacher
has a great influence on their present teaching practice.
On the basis of the above findings, it is suggested that teachers need to have training on the
implementation of different kinds of instructional strategies. English teachers of first cycle primary
school need to be well trained on how to implement task based interaction activity which help
students to develop their language proficiency. Moreover it is suggested that the significant of
language improvement courses for first cycle generalist teachers is an questionable the problem of
shortage of the training duration to make the student proficient in English language could be treated
by the use of different instructional method like group work which has the role of facilitate language
acquiSition by providing comprehensive input, active involvement and positive attitude towards to
language learning
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Education