Extent of Students' Participation in Classroom Speaking Activities: Grade Ten Students in Abomsa Senior Secondary School in Focus
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was mainly aimed at examining the extent of students' participation
.in classroom speaking activities at grade ten level during lesson and exploring
problems students face in their attempt to participate ill lesson. Abomsa senior
secondary school was selected as the study setting based on the researcher
intention of getting the required assistance from school since he was the member
of staffl before. To gather data for the study, three types of tools namely
classroom observation, questionnaire and interview were used. First, classroom
observation was conducted on three sections based on their three teachers, that
is, one section was selected from every of those teachers sections and the
questionnaire was employed on 87 students who were selected randomly from
216 students of the three observed sections. Then interview was employed on
the three available teachers of grade ten English to tliclI1gulate the findings of
observations and questionnaires. The gathered data were analyzed using both
quantitative and qualitative method of data analysis. The study showed that
grade ten students participate to a limited extent in speaking dwing classroom
interaction. It also indicateel that leamers face lack of words and expressions,
over domination by peers, low opportunity of speaking culd support, difficulty of
activities and inadequacy of time to do activities CIS main problems. Furthermore,
in relation to students poor background knowledge, lack of self-confidence, fear
of making mistakes, lack of motivation and interest and wash back effect of test
were found to be causes for poor leamers' participation. In relation to teachers
teacher-jronted method of teaching which involved too much teacher, talk lack of
teachers guide etc might influence leamers' interaction. Other factors such as
large class size, rigidity of seats in fonning different groups and moving freely in
classes, lack of supplementary materials and incapability of school principal to
encourage teachers were found to be causes or factors eiliter hindering directly
or indirectly students' participation. Finally, based on the finding
recommendations were made for the students, teachers, schools and the
'concemed bodies.
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Keywords
Grade Ten Students in Abomsa Senior Secondary School in Focus