The Assessment of Advantage and Disadvantage of English as Medium of Instruction in Primary Schools in the Case of Holy Saviour and Nazareth Schools.
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Date
2011-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
English which is a prominent international language is taught and learn as an
important second foreign language in many countries.
Our country Ethiopian has also made it a part of her educational system and
used it as medium of instruction in secondary and tertiary level (grade 7 up to
college and universities) Jor a long period of time, but nowadays most of private
schools used English as medium of instruction for first cycle (1-4) elementary
schools and also for second cycle (5-8).
\ .
So the purpose of this study is to asses the advantage and disadvantage of
English as medium of instruction in first cycle primary schools in Addis Ababa
and suggest possibie solutions to the problems that may impede the medium of
instruction. To this end the research employed a sUI vey descriptive research
methodology. The sample consists of two private elementary schools those are
used English as medium of instruction. The sample schools and woredas
regarding to the respondents 209 students, ninty Jam ilies, fourty one teachers
and two woreda and sub city experts using systematic simple Random method
respe,ctively.
The teachers, students and their family made to fi ll in the questionnaire.
Furthermore, interview was held with .selected two experts cluster supervisors
from woreda and sub city education offices.
The data colelcted were anslysied (quantitatively and qualitaively) using
percentages and decriptive phrases. The results indicate that English medium is
" advantagous Jor many aspects in teaching-learning process, such as providing
acadamic understandability, it's intersting while in teaching and learning
process for teachers and pupls, it's also acepted by tI Le students family, and it
makes the pupils active participant in class , but tl tere are problems for its
success such as, lack of text books, reference mat rials and other teachingEnglish which is a prominent international language is taught and learn as an
important second foreign language in many countries.
Our country Ethiopian has also made it a part of her educational system and
used it as medium of instruction in secondary and tertiary level (grade 7 up to
college and universities) for a long period of time, but nowadays most of private
schools used English as medium of instruction for first cycle (1-4) elementary
schools and also for second cycle (5-8).
So the purpose of this study is to asses the advantage and disadvantage of
English as medium of instruction in first cycle primary schools in Addis Ababa
and suggest possibie solutions to the problems that may impede the medium of
instruction. To this end the research employed a sUI vey descriptive research
methodology. The sample consists of two private elementary schools those are
used English as medium of instruction. The samp e schools and woredas
regarding to the respondents 209 students, ninty fam ilies, fourty one teachers
and two woreda and sub city experts using systematic simple Random method
respe.ctively.
The teachers, students and their family made to fi. ll in the questionnaire.
Furthermore, interview was held with selected two experts cluster supervisors
from woreda and sub city education offices.
The data colelcted were anslysied (quantitatively and qualitaively) usmg
percentages and decriptiue phrases. The results indicate that English medium is
" aduantagous for many aspects in teaching-learning process, such as providing
acadamic understandability, it's intersting while in teaching and learning
process for teachers and pupls, it's also acepted by tl Le students family) and it
makes the pupils active participant in class ,but tJ (ere are problems for its
success such as, lack of text books, reference mat rials and other teachinglearning materials like manuals and suplementary materials are absent in the
school and using teaching materials which are beyond the pupils ability and
capaciy. The absence of these materials resulted in hampering the intersts and
motivations of both the teacher and the students, means it is indirectly create
problems in teaching learning process of in using English as medium of
instruction. Based on the findings and conclusions the study enventually makes
recommendation.
Which includes the importance of English medium of instruction for elementary
grades in TrIflny aspects as mentioned as above, but it is necessary that the
provision of teaching learning materials such as texts, reference materials,
manuals, suplementary materials, teaching aids and so on in accordance with
the level and capacity of puils. It is also important that giving special courses,
trading, and workshops for teachers, because ementary pupils are young in age
and but also mentality. In addition to these there are also other problems like
pupils who are young in age and weak in acasdamic become stress and other
pupils who haeve no help at home faced difficulty in learning and in interaction
or communication with their teacher in class, then they need tutor and extra &
special help by the teachers and their family regularly. It is also necessary to
have computers, other electronic materials such as slides, films and so on in
order to make English medium more effective.
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Keywords
Linguistics