The Practicability of Task-Based Efl Instruction in Higher Institutes

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Date

2008-06

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to explore the extent to which task-based language teaching is being implemented in Ethiopian higher institutes. To this end, two government colleges, College of Commerce, Addis Ababa University, and Kotebe College of Teacher Education were chosen to be the target of the study. The study was conducted on 10 English language instructors and 150 first year degree students of the two colleges. The sample of the study was taken by using stratified random sampling method. In order to gather data from the subjects of the study, questionnaires, observation and interview were used. Close-ended questionnaires were prepared for both students and instructors and distributed to the subjects and all of them were returned. The classes were also observed using observation checklist while tasks were being implemented. The interview questions were prepared to get detailed information from the instructors and to cross- check the data gathered by other tools. The collected data showed that higher institutes are using tasks to teach English language to some extent, but they are not following the basic principles of task-based language teaching and learning. It was also found out that instructors use the pre-task cycle better than other cycles, but they do not give more attention to planning and reporting stages of task cycle. The post-task cycle was almost not implemented in colleges. Factors that negatively affect the implementation of task-based instruction in the Ethiopian context are identified. These include students’ poor background, lack of authentic materials, shortage of time to prepare lessons and lack of students’ interest to involve in learning process. Finally, some recommendations were forwarded based on the main findings of the study.

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Keywords

Practicability of Task

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