Issues and Options on How Elementary Schools English Language Teachers Maximize Teaching and Learning in Large Classes: With Particular Reference to Grade 8 Teachers
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study in general aimed at investigating the issues and options on how elementary school
English language teachers maximize teaching and learning in large classes. Particularly, it aimed
at identifying the issues and options on how those elementary school English language teachers
who are teaching in hottest places of the country maximize teaching and learning in large classes.
Questionnaire and classroom observation were the two key data co ll ection procedures that this
research employed. Among the 12 governmental elementary schools which are found in the city
of The Gambella Peoples' National Regional State, 6 goverrunental elementary schools were
taken as a sample to this study. Twelve English language teachers who teaches in Grade 8, were
taken uniforml y and 2 teachers from each sample governmental elementary school were
randomly selected, and 36 Grade 8 students, 6 from each sample governmental elementary school
were randomly taken as a sample population of this study.
In this research, it was found that, the actual class size 111 which teachers teaches and the
perceptions that teachers have towards small class size and large class size; the large class size
which teachers considered as a large class size which present challenges; and a large class size
which teachers perceived as a large class size which become more difficult to manage is more or
less similar from one governmental elementary school to the other. In the case of teachers'
attitudes towards large classes, it was found that teachers considered large classes as a great
challenge posed to the teaching and learning of the English language and in Ethiopian context it
is important to acknowledge that large classes are a reality and the chance of reducing large
classes in to small classes is very slight in the near future.
Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that constant trainings on how to
maximize teaching and learning in large classes should be given to teachers; constructions of
classrooms should consider the number of students as well as the existing temperature conditions
in different areas of the country; curriculum des igners should consider the high number of
students in Ethiopian classrooms and lln1her research studies dealing with the issues and options
on how to maximize teaching and learning in large classes as well as research studies pe11inent to
maximize teaching and learning in large classes found in hottest places of the country from
teachers' and stud ents' perspectives need to be conducted in large scale.
Key works: Issues, Options, Maximize, Large classes, Strategies
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Keywords
Issues, Options, Maximize, Large classes, Strategies