The Practices of Teaching Listening Skill in EFL Classes: General Tadesse Biru Secondary School Grade Nine (9) English Language Teachers in Focus

Abstract

As to the researcher’s subjective experience and observations, the teaching of listening skill in government secondary schools in Ethiopian pedagogic context seems to be neglected. For instance, it seems that English language teachers do not seriously teach this skill as compared to the other language skills.  Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the practice of teaching listening skill in secondary schools with specific reference to General Tadese Biru Secondary School Grade 9 English language teachers. To this effect, the researcher focused on the actual practice of English language teachers in teaching listening skill in terms of employing listening strategies and sub listening skills, the extent to which English language teachers use the three stages of listening skill, and the English language teachers’ use of appropriate listening materials. Descriptive case study design involving both qualitative and quantitative research approaches was employed. Three English language teachers were selected through availability sampling technique and 78 students were selected using simple random sampling technique. Three data gathering tools: questionnaire for students, classroom observations and interview for English language teachers were used. To ensure the validity and reliability of the tools, a pilot study was conducted in selected secondary schools. The data obtained through questionnaire and classroom observations were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, whereas; the data obtained through interview were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study revealed that the English language teachers failed to employ perceptive strategies, cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies well in teaching listening skill, and did not make student practice well the sub listening skills; the English language teachers employed the while listening stage to some extent, but they used the pre listening stage and the post listening stage to some extent; the English language teachers failed to use appropriate listening materials- both printed and electronic. Based on the findings, pertinent recommendations were suggested to the concerned stakeholders.

DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/62-04

Publication date:October 31^st 2020