ESL Teachers’ Perceptions towards Teaching the Four Skills for Developing Learners’ Communicative Abilities for Ordinary Secondary Schools: Do Learning Objectives Matter?

Abstract

Country wide, studies on oral language skills in relation to students’ communicative competence are relatively scanty. These studies focused on testing and performance with less attention to oral language skills instruction. Hence, leaving a knowledge gap. Therefore, previous studies did not consider whether oral skills are included in teaching and learning in ESL classes. The findings reveal that effective teaching of language as communication calls for an integrated approach which represents different skills and abilities as aspects of as a single underlying activity. The present study was descriptive in nature. The study used mixed research approach. The study was conducted in Simiyu region, specifically, Bariadi district. The study used purposive sampling technique. The study used total population sampling which included 100 respondents. Only 75 respondents participated in questionnaires and focus group discussion. Thematic and content analysis were used in analyzing the data. The findings concluded that teaching ESL in ordinary secondary schools does not base on the teaching and learning objectives as prescribed in the 2010 syllabus for developing learners’ communicative competence. The contributing factors include the negative impact of assessment. This means that both internal and national examinations do not test or assess students in terms of mastery of oral language skills. Also, teaching methods especially integrated-skills approach that is suggested to be used when teaching the four skills is not used at all. Therefore, the present study recommends that there is a need of change of both teaching/learning methods, materials, time and assessment objectives so as to meet the intended goals of teaching ESL in ordinary secondary schools in Tanzania