A Study of Bilingual Instruction Practices In Some Selected Private Primary Schools of Yeka Sub-City In Addis Ababa
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to explore the practices of bilingual instructional language in
some selected private primary schools of Yeka sub-city in Addis Ababa. The research has
attempted to assess the perceptions of teachers, parents & students in bilingual instruction in these
selected schools. The research has also attempted to explore why and how private schools use
bilingual instruction, their management of material and human resources and the major
challenges encountered in the program. Thus, in order to address the basic questions of the study,
descriptive survey method was employed. The instruments used to collect data were questionnaires
for teacher respondents, interview questions for education officials, guide line questions for focus
group discussions with parents and students, classroom observations were used. Hence, thirty
eight teachers, ten education officials, twelve parents and eighteen students about a total of
seventy eight were the target group participants to give their responses. The data gathered were
finally analyzed both in quantitative and qualitative terms. The findings of the study have
uncovered that private primary schools were using bilingual instruction with the inadequate
availability of standard textbooks and trained teachers. The schools had used bilingual programs
without consulting and participating stakeholders especially teachers, students and parents in the
selection of the medium of instruction. The federal language policy established in 1994, calls the
use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction throughout the primary education. Teacher
training should also be in mother tongue instruction; however, teachers in private schools have
been trained in English mediums at the college levels and teach first cycle grades. As revealed
from the findings these teachers were not qualified for the level and were not proficient either in
English language to teach in bilingual instructional programs. From the results of the study, it is
possible to conclude that bilingual education in private schools is not effective pedagogically to
achieve the designed educational goal as teachers are not trained in the context of bilingual
education. Private schools used English as medium of instruction for market advocacy as if they
provide quality education in English to attract the community. As a result, the provision of
bilingual education will have adverse effect on the feeling of children's national identity and
acquisition of knowledge where foreign language of instruction is not mandatory in the context of
Addis Ababa. As the primary objective of education entails, it should be emphasized that quality
education is the delivery of education which will best allow students to achieve high-level
academic proficiency across the Curriculum. The language education policy and practice should
be to support this objective. The interest of the learners, availability of human and material
resources and including professional support should be considered to conduct bilingual education
when it is necessary to achieve the intended educational goal in light of pedagogical science
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Keywords
Practices In Some Selected Private