The Status, Roles and Challenges of Teaching English Language in Ethiopia Context: the case of Selected Primary and Secondary Schools in Hawassa University Technology Village Area

Abstract

<p>The main objectives of the study was to determine the status, roles and challenges of teaching English Language in Ethiopia Context, particularly in Selected Primary and Secondary Schools in Hawassa University Technology Village Area. The participants were English language and natural science teachers, students and school administrators. From Each secondary school, two, ten and two teachers, students and school administrators were selected respectively through random sampling. As a whole, 14 teachers, 46 students and 14 school administrators involved in the study. The research instruments employed to collect data were the questionnaire and interview. According to the results of the study, there were serious English language proficiency problems in the English teachers, students and teachers of other subjects in the area. The problems ranged from their ability of English language to their view which they were sharing to their students regarding the language. Similarly, results showed that teachers of other subjects ignore the language needs of students in content courses whenever they want to rush to cover the syllabus. When the root of the problems was discovered, there are various contributing factors such as poor capacity building activities, unavailability of opportunities to use the language except the English class. Hence, English language and other subject teachers should understand the learners’ need of English language and the challenges the face, and employ different techniques and strategies to alleviate the problems.</p>

A Critical Literature Review of Studies in Teaching and Learning

“…Student assessment studies in Ethiopia reported that (1) Proper student assessment in the sampled secondary schools are inadequate because (a) most of the sample secondary school teachers lack skills of assessing students' performance in using continuous assessment, (b) school principals established to help the implementation of continuous assessment have not to their expectations of teachers, and (c) manuals and directives of continuous assessment are inadequate and (2) Continuous Assessment Strategies were not properly used (Birhanu, 2013;Desalegn, 2014). Other major problems reported by the findings were language proficiency problems from both teachers and students, underestimation of the teaching profession by the society, teachers' low teaching efficacy and reluctance to develop their personal career as teachers, teachers turnover because of difficult work conditions and low salary, problems of poor classroom management and poor student background that result in cheating and contamination of education quality and wastage of instructional time because of many reasons (Mabratu, 2015;Eba, 2014;Korie, 2012;Desalegn and Girma, 2013;Workneh and Tassew, 2013;Mawcha and Berihu, 2015;Tewedaje, 2014). The Challenges of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in Ethiopia were identified as 1) In nearly four out of five schools, the structure of CPD is either absent or inadequate; 2) 93.5% of the CRCs (Cluster Resource Centers) were not adequately trained to run well organized, inspiring, and transforming CPD activities; 3) Failure to synchronize the career structure and the CPD values and activities; 4) the CPD facilitators high turnover; 5) Time constraints on teachers as well as their school leaders; 6) the CPD programs lagging behind its time and the tendency of rushing to cover the course; 7) Total absence or inadequacy of the minimum resources to run CPD and 8) Lack of systematic coordination between the education bureaus, Teacher Education Institutions, and NGOs (Daniel, Desalegn & Girma, 2013;Desalegn, n.d).…”

The Role of English Language Proficiency as Determinant of PGDT Candidate Academic Performance Across Selected Public Universities of Ethiopia

“…Quality of education which is measured in terms of students exam score for the current case could be affected by enormous factors such as language skill, students' socio economic background, teacher effectiveness, methodology, student's interest, school/institution quality among others [4,12,22]. Among the aforementioned factors, language proficiency is considered as one of the most determinants of students' academic performance which is the concern of this study.…”

“…In the absence of language proficiency, it would be unthinkable to understand and know the meaning and concept of any subject concept within the academic world [15]. Currently, English language has been one of the most widely used medium of communication and instruction among many countries of the glob [4,12]. Over the last four decades, the use of English language as a medium of international communication through various electronic and printed media unprecedentedly has been paramount.…”

“…In Ethiopia, English language is taught as a foreign language course at primary level, whereas at secondary and tertiary levels English language is used as a medium of instruction for all academic courses except the home language courses [19,24]. Nevertheless, English is a second language for Ethiopian students who don't have conducive environment to practice and master it, outside the classroom [4,5]. Such impediment factors together with other language proficiency shortcomings (school, socio-economic background, and teacher related factors) would affect students' academic achievement and thereby causes for deterioration of educational quality of the nation [19].…”

“…For example, according to the national assessment of English language proficiency test for grade 10 and 12 students; 86.2% of grade 10 and 65.1% of grade 12 students scored below the minimum standard (50%) [19]. In this regard, primary, secondary, and even some of the higher education teachers do not have the required proficiency of the language to properly impart the subject matter knowledge for their students [4,10].…”