An Investigation of the Nature of Trainers' Feedback Provision During Practicum IV with Reference to English Language Trainers at Jimma Teachers College
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Date
2007-08
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AAU
Abstract
This study investigated the nature of trainers' feedback provision during Practicum IV at
Jimma Teachers College. More specifically, the study explored ways of tminers' feedback
. provision, the common type of feedback, the main focuses of the traillers' feedback, tile
adequacy of the trainers' feedback and the extent to which the trainers' feedback provision
practice is in consonance with the objectives of current teacher education program as
stated in TESO national guideline.
For the study, eight English Language trainers/ tutors, sixllj student teachers who were
assigned to teach English Language during Practicum IV and the practicum office
coordinator were included as sources of data. Twenllj four feedback sessions that the
eight trainer/ tutors offered after their first round observation of their trainees' classroom
were transcribed and analyzed. For the analysis, outstanding behavioral ca tegories were
identified by using the thematic analysis of the trainers' feedback transcripts. These are
encouragement, appreciation, criticism, directing, general comment, request for seifreflection
and rhetorical questions. The feedback transcripts were analyzed by using
utterances as a unit of analysis. The utterances under each categonj were counted and
put in percentage for the analysis. The focuses of each categon} of feedback were also
identified and analyzed. For further consolidation, interviews were held with six tu tors,
seventeen student teachers and the practicum officer. The observation of twenll} four
. ,. student teachers' classes was also made and the observations checklists of the college used
by the trainers during supervision were checked. Besides, fifty four student teachers
. answered the questionnaire used. The data collected was analyzed and discussed both
qualitatively and quantitatively.
The result of the study reveals that the trainers' feedback was predominantly directive or
prescriptive Iljpe. The trainers usually criticized, directed and gave judgl'nents on the
student teachers' classroom practice. They rarely allowed the student teachers for selfappraisal.
TIre trainers gave the post observation feedback usually both orally and in
written form . But most of them observed their student teachers only once and did not
seem to give adequate feedback. The result also shows that most of the student teachers
who were assigned to teach English Language have poor command of the language and
inadequate skills of English Lmzguage Teaching metllOdologJ} and classroom
management. In general, the practice of feedback provision by the target trainer/tutors
doesn 't seem to be in consonance with objectives of the current teacher education
program in our countnj as stated in TESO national guidelines. The recol1l J'nendatiol1s
made based on the above findings includes, among others, giving training for tile tutors'
on how to conduct supervision and feedback provision, revising the existing curriculUlJ'/
. ,Jar English Language teachers training, introducing the practice of peer supervision and
giving incentives for the tutors during pmcticwn.
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Keywords
English Language trainers