Level English Teachers Research Articles

Analysis of Grade 10 English Textbook with Reference to Curriculum and Examination

This paper entitled “Analysis of Grade 10 English textbook with reference to curriculum and examination” was an attempt to explore the relationship among curriculum, text book and examination system. It aims to explore the contents in the textbook which were assumed by curriculum and evaluation procedures specified in the examination system. The contents and exposure sufficiency to develop intended language competency in learners were attempted to analyze. Another important concern of this paper was to explore the opinions of school level English teachers, who are the keys to materialize the textbook in relation to curriculum and examination system. Phenomenological research design was used in the study and the data was collected through interview, group discussion and interaction. The collected data were critically analyzed by developing themes. The findings of the study depict that there is insufficiency of the contents in the prescribed textbook for grade 10 in the experience of teachers and students. Similarly, they also noted that the contents are not suffice to achieve the objectives of the curriculum.

Digital literacy competencies among English teachers of Nepal: Are they ready for online instruction?

Nepal’s educational system has been face-to-face since the beginning of the formal schooling system. However, this mode of delivery was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its outbreak, the government suspended the traditional classroom teaching system, encouraging the use of online teaching. English teachers need digital literacy skills for them to deliver online teaching effectively. Considering this situation, this study aimed to survey the digital literacy skills of the secondary school level English teachers of Nepal with the objective of checking their preparedness for online delivery of contents. An online questionnaire was designed using Google docs and distributed among English teachers via emails and messengers. This study found that secondary school level English teachers are ready for online mode of teaching and possess necessary digital literacy skills for online delivery.

Professional Identity and Struggles of Basic Level English Teacher: A Critical Narrative Inquiry

Professional development is a continuous process of learning to empower professional competency and enable teachers to be strong and competent in their professional career. The study critically explores the struggles and professional activities of basic level English teachers in professional development. Critical narrative inquiry has been used in relation to long lived experiences of a participant with a semi – structured telephonic interview. The participant narrates three distinct phases of experiences in teaching profession. The result revealed that participant was innately interested in teaching profession before involvement. But the situated school system discouraged his ideology of teaching profession even he determined to continue his profession involving in different seminars, workshop and study. However, the study further suggests that there is lack of innovating teaching profession from critical perspectives focusing the interactive and transformative environment in classroom. Therefore, the basic level teachers need to re- examine and re – construct the professional activities to address the need, interest and level of learners. Similarly, the study contributes to apply language teaching activities in terms of transformative mood rather than structured model of teaching empowering teachers as an agency.

Prospects and Challenges Faced by Secondary Teachers while Integrating ICT in Nepalese ESL Classrooms

Teaching and learning in the 21st century has been embedded with technology. Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a crucial role in ameliorating knowledge acquisition in general and enhancing English Language mastering in particular. The government of Nepal has made provision of integrating ICTs in school education to enhance quality education and make both teachers and learners confident and competitive in the present global world. The teachers are the real implementers of the policy into practice. In this context, this research intends to investigate secondary level English teachers’ skill and motivation in using ICTs while teaching the English language. This is a qualitative study that uses a phenomenological approach to obtain information according to Denzin (2019) in which the participants in the study included eight schools and 16 teachers at different schools in Nepal. They were selected purposefully since selecting the best participant ensures the intended information (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The telephonic interview was conducted and open-ended questions were administered electronically and all necessary directions were provided to them so that they could respond to those questions. The findings imply that teachers should be given opportunities for training on ICT use for building up their skill, motivation, knowledge and confidence.

Nepalese EFL Teachers’ Digital Literacy for Online Teaching

The face-to-face mode of delivery had significantly been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its spread, the government had suspended the traditional classroom teaching system, requiring its alternative online teaching instead. Accordingly, English teachers needed to be prepared with the necessary digital literacy skills for effective online teaching. Considering this situation, this study sought to survey the digital literacy skills of secondary school level English teachers of Nepal to check their preparedness for online delivery. A questionnaire was prepared through Google Docs and circulated to English teachers through emails and Messenger. Data was collected using the snowball-sampling method. Altogether, 426 English teachers across the country participated in this study. This study found that secondary school-level English teachers possess the necessary digital literacy skills like word processing, the use of the Internet, downloading, online presentations, and hence, are prepared for an online teaching mode.

Challenges in Using Literature in English Classroom:The Case of Grade 11 Students in Sodo Preparatory School

This descriptive-analytic study aimed 1) to investigate the problems that the teachers and students face in using literature to teach English; 2) To identify the extent to which the teachers and the students treat the literature provided in grade 11 English textbook; and 3) To identify which literary work is more challenging to teach and to learn English in the classroom. First, some commonly adopted approaches to literature teaching are outlined and specific issues and dilemmas located. Next, using current situation at Wolaita Sodo preparatory school as a case in point, these perceived issues and dilemmas are fleshed out and possible solutions from diverse fronts are then sketched out. This study examined the difficulties facing English teachers in teaching literary texts in English for Ethiopia (grade 11) textbook which has been prescribed by the MOE (Ministry of Education) of Ethiopia from the academic session 2020. Literature has always been an integral part of teaching foreign languages. In the era of CA (Communicative Approach), the aim of reading literature has been changed. From this view point, MOE of Ethiopia has published new textbook version of English textbook for grade-11 classes, and included some literary texts in this book. The emphasis of this literary text is not just on content but on the exploitation of the texts to trigger a variety of language activities. Based on a semi-structured interview with six HSC (Higher Secondary) level English teachers from Wolaita Sodo preparatory school, this study particularly focused on the newly included literary texts to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the materials; and identified the difficulties that the teachers might have encountered. Finally, some recommendations were drawn by means of valuable opinions of the participants. Based on the findings of the study and the conclusions, syllabus designers and textbook writers should take the challenges which both teachers and students face into account and add more explanations on the guide and the textbook that help teachers and students tackle the challenges of literature. Key w ords: Challenges, Using Literature, English Classroom, Students, Preparatory School DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-1-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Teachers’ Skill and Motivation in Using Information and Communication Technology

Teaching and learning in the 21st century has been embedded with technology. Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a crucial role in ameliorating knowledge acquisition in general and enhancing English Language mastering in particular. The government of Nepal has made provision of integrating ICTs in school education to enhance quality education and make both teachers and learners confident and competitive in the present global world. The teachers are the real implementers of the policy into practice. In this context, this research intended to investigate secondary level English teachers’ skill and motivation in using ICTs while teaching the English language. To achieve the objective, an explanatory sequential mixed research design was adopted. The survey questionnaire, unstructured interview and non-participant observation were used to determine the skills and motivation of forty secondary English teachers (20 from public and 20 from private schools). Two datasets, i.e. quantitative and qualitative were collected and analyzed sequentially. The findings of the research reveal that majority of the teachers have high motivation in using ICTs even though they are not skilful, knowledgeable and confident in handling and using new ICT tools and applications. The findings imply that teachers should be given opportunities for training on ICT use for building up their skill, motivation, knowledge and confidence.

Integrating ICT in English Language Teaching in Bangladesh: Teachers’ Perceptions and Challenges

The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education especially, in English Language Teaching (ELT) in secondary schools of Bangladesh has been existing for a decade now. However, the status of actual implementation is quite different from the adoption and initiatives taken to integrate ICT in ELT. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the secondary level English language teachers’ attitude towards integration of ICT in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and the factors inhibiting the use of it. Further, the paper attempts to examine the challenges faced by the secondary level English teachers of Bangladesh in using ICT in language teaching effectively. In an attempt to examine the attitude of teachers in using ICT in ELT, a quantitative research is designed with a close ended questionnaire to collect the data from a sample of 100 secondary English language teachers of various schools of Bangladesh. The data of the responses is quantified and is analyzed by SPSS 20 program. The obtained data from the questionnaire is examined in order to investigate the perceptions of the secondary level English language teachers towards ICT integrated language teaching and the challenges of the implementation of ICT in ELT. In conclusion, the outcome of the research would provide significant information about the attitude of the teachers towards ICT integration in ELT and the challenges faced by them and hence, the study would help the policy makers and the teachers to enhance the effectiveness of using ICT in ELT.

Examining Relationship between Self-efficacy Beliefs of Elementary Level English Teachers and their Implementation Practices of Formative Assessment in Punjab

The purpose of the study was to examine curriculum implementation practices regarding formative assessment carried out by English teachers at elementary level in Punjab, and to see their relationship with their self-efficacy beliefs. The researcher used explanatory correlational research design to conduct this study. Data were collected from 576 English teachers of 288 elementary and secondary schools that were selected through multistage sampling technique. For this purpose, Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and a self-developed Questionnaire on Curriculum Implementation Practices of Teachers (QCIPT) were used. Data were analyzed by using frequency percentages, means and Spearman correlation coefficient. The mean value revealed that implementation practices of English teachers regarding formative assessment were lesser than the optimal level. English teachers were found moderately confident in their capabilities regarding their classroom practices. A significant relationship was found between English teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their formative assessment practices. It was recommended that more practical work may be included in the programs to enhance their competence of curriculum implementation practices in formative assessment.

EFL Teachers' Prosocial Behaviors at the Secondary Level in Bangladesh

The present comprehensive study dealt with the psychosocial perspectives of English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' academic activities or behaviors at the secondary level education in Bangladesh. Students are usually undernourished and very weak in English in the Bangladeshi EFL context, and no methods seem to improve the situation deploying any tactic or technique. The approaches have also been proved to be inappropriate in the last two decades for the teaching of the English language in Bangladesh. So, the study intends to find out the reasons behind the failure and the possible ways to develop English skills among the Bangladeshi EFL students by analyzing their teachers' academic and prosocial behaviors both inside and outside the classroom. The researcher collected data from 47 English teachers and 96 students of 16 secondary and higher secondary level institutions. The most supportive tools for this study were questionnaire survey and teacher interviews with phenomenological analyses of the participants' replies. The data were analyzed with conceptual and relational inquisition of the academic prosocial behaviors and features of the English language teachers in both the qualitative and quantitative approaches. The upshot of the study is, in fact, a report of the understandings and needs of the current condition of teaching and prosocial behaviors of the secondary level English teachers outside the classroom. The result displayed the lacking of relationships between teachers and students along with the needs of developing teachers' prosocial behaviors through kaizen, resilience, effective teacher-training, and teacher-research with the contemplation of non-verbal cues.

Teachers’ Attitudes Towards English as Medium of Instruction

English as medium of Instruction (EMI) has been a genuine issue of discussion in today’s pedagogical field among the concerned stakeholders including teachers. In this concern, a mixed method study entitled ‘Attitudes of teachers towards using English as Medium of Instruction (EMI) in Public Secondary Schools of Ilam was attempted to explore the teachers’ attitude towards using EMI in the public schools and challenges faced by them in course of adopting EMI. For this, twenty secondary level English teachers were accessed purposively and data were collected using questionnaire consisting of both close ended and open-ended questions. The results of the study revealed that teachers of public schools were found aware of the basic concept of the notion of English as a medium of instruction. They were found positive in implementing EMI in conducting their daily teaching and learning activities. The study also showed that teachers of secondary level have been facing different challenges in adopting EMI in the classroom like students’ weak exposure to English, mother tongue interference, unresourceful schools and linguistic diversity in the class. The study recommended that there should be conducive and encouraging environment in the public schools for the teachers for adopting EMI in the class. The schools should be made resourceful and well equipped with modern technologies. Moreover, the teachers should be made sound with pedagogically and professionally.

Assessing the Higher Secondary Level Text Book through Reading and Writing Skills: An Empirical Investigation

The article aims to look at evaluating English for Today for Class XI-XII of the HSC Textbook in the light of reading and writing skills which has been prescribed by the NCTB (National Curriculum Textbook Board) of Bangladesh from the current academic session. Based on the questionnaire approach with the five HSC level English teachers and ten students from Scholars College, Tongi thana, Gazipur district, this study focuses on the reading and writing pedagogies to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the materials, and identifies the difficulties that teachers and students encounter. The findings of the study revealed a disparity between students’ needs and what the HSC reading and writing syllabus contains, and its actual implementation in the classroom. The teachers adopted an approach to reading and writing skills which was overridingly form-focused and product-oriented. They performed roles which were traditional, i.e., the teacher as a purveyor of knowledge and evaluator. Teachers have lack training in areas specific to the development of reading and writing skills and are unaware of recent developments in teaching and learning policy. This study contributed to the documentation of curriculum evaluation studies in the context of Bangladesh education system as well as frameworks for the assessment of reading and writing skills. Awareness has been raised about the hindering and helpful factors in bringing about a new change. General caution is suggested in the making of foreign methodologies appropriate to the HSC level textbook. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations are also made in relation to curriculum development and pedagogy of English for Today for Class XI-XII.

Writing Instruction in Secondary Schools: Unraveling Practices and Challenges

In a discourse related to teaching writing in second or foreign language classrooms, there is a focus on process writing which seems still new practice in many Nepali classrooms. In this context, this study was conducted to explore secondary level English teachers' practices and challenges of teaching writing. The study adopted qualitative research design. For this, twenty secondary level English teachers from both public and private schools of Sunsari District, Nepal were selected as informants. The data were collected through classroom observation, semi- structured interview and Focused Group Discussion (FGD). First, classroom observation of eight teachers was carried out followed by semi-structured interview. Then, the other twelve teachers were invited for FGD. Analysis of qualitative data uncovered that majority of the teachers adopted product approach to teaching writing with abundant stress on support to students for securing good marks in the final examination. The major challenges revealed behind this situation were large class size, low proficient learners, pressure on course completion, lack of practical training for teachers, and insufficient resources including ICT facility in the classroom contexts.

Code-Switching in the Classroom of Doti

This article entitled 'code-switching in the classroom of Doti' is an attempt to identify the types of code-switching and reasons behind those code-switching which take place in the Nepali or Doteli language in English medium classes. The data of the study were collected through both primary and secondary sources. The sample population consists of 10 teachers teaching in secondary level English teachers of Silgadhi, Doti.The researcher used questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The study shows that teachers switch Nepali and Doteli code in English medium classes. Code- switching in the English medium classes occur in all the levels of language. Teachers' lack of competency in the target language and existence of multiplicity of language and cultures are the main reasons of code-switching. Sometimes, they switch Doteli code to break monotony and create fun in English medium classes.

Difficulties Facing English Teachers in Teaching Literary Texts at Higher Secondary Level in Bangladesh

The present Study examines the difficulties facing English teachers in teaching literary texts in English for Today (11-12) textbook which has been prescribed by the NCTB (National Curriculum Textbook Board) of Bangladesh from the academic session 2015-2016. Literature has always been an integral part of teaching foreign languages. In the era of CA (Communicative Approach), the aim of reading literature has been changed. From this view point, in July 2015, the NCTB has published a new version of English textbook for classes XI-XII, and included some literary texts in this book. The emphasis of these literary texts is not just on content but on the exploitation of the texts to trigger a variety of language activities. Based on a semi-structured interview with six HSC (Higher Secondary) level English teachers from four colleges of Dhaka city, this study particularly focuses on the newly included literary texts to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the materials; and identifies the difficulties that the teachers may encounter. Finally, some recommendations are drawn by means of valuable opinions of the participants.

Exploring English Language Teaching in an Ecuadorian Urban Secondary Institution

This article presents a case study focused on the pedagogy of nine English language teachers’ pedagogy in Ecuador. The significance of this study is its potential to inform practitioners, teacher educators, and policymakers in countries where teachers need to be prepared to teach in multilingual settings, such as Ecuador. Data analyses of nine observations of practicing teachers seems to suggest the curriculum used to prepare English teachers does not fully meet the educational needs of teachers or students. Observations of secondary level English teachers were conducted using the Classroom Observation Checklist (2010). This instrument is useful to analyze teachers’ delivery of content, lesson organization, classroom interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication in the classroom, and integration of media during instruction. One major theme emerged from data analyses; English language teaching appears to follow teaching as a foreign language paradigm. The validation of the results of this exploratory study through the participation of a larger sample size of classroom teachers would be important to provide a more robust conclusion regarding teaching diverse student populations.

Using Language Objectives to Integrate Language and Content Instruction: A Case History of Planning and Implementation Challenges

This paper provides a case study of the use of language objectives within a newly developed English language teacher education programme in Hong Kong. The programme development team decided to adopt a content-based language teaching approach to support students' second language development through content learning. The teacher education programme (the content) prepares Chinese-speaking students to become secondary level English teachers. Because of students' level of English language proficiency upon entry, the programme must provide substantial support for students' English language development in addition to their learning of subject content knowledge and ELT pedagogy. There is also a government-stipulated proficiency level for all qualified English language teachers, which essentially becomes the language syllabus for the programme. The language objectives serve as a medium for mapping the language syllabus on to the content curriculum. There are reasons to believe that the approach adopted has been successful in supporting students' language and content learning. This paper describes the programme development and implementation process and the problems and constraints met. The paper also shares the lessons learnt from the curriculum development and implementation process.

Using Language Objectives to Integrate Language and Content Instruction: A Case History of Planning and Implementation Challenges

This paper provides a case study of the use of language objectives within a newly developed English language teacher education programme in Hong Kong. The programme development team decided to adopt a content-based language teaching approach to support students' second language development through content learning. The teacher education programme (the content) prepares Chinese-speaking students to become secondary level English teachers. Because of students' level of English language proficiency upon entry, the programme must provide substantial support for students' English language development in addition to their learning of subject content knowledge and ELT pedagogy. There is also a government-stipulated proficiency level for all qualified English language teachers, which essentially becomes the language syllabus for the programme. The language objectives serve as a medium for mapping the language syllabus on to the content curriculum. There are reasons to believe that the approach adopted has been successful in supporting students' language and content learning. This paper describes the programme development and implementation process and the problems and constraints met. The paper also shares the lessons learnt from the curriculum development and implementation process.

Bait/Rebait: English Programs Should Be Competency Based

Within the education profession, one employs the term competency-based instruction with some trepidation, for it has accumulated an array of connotations. Some of them are intimidating or even offensive to teachers. The goal of competency-based instruction is, however, decidedly clearcut: to make instruction effective and enjoyable for the learner. In any competency-based instruction program there are three essential components. First, the skills that students are expected to acquire must be defined with precision. Second, activities must be provided which allow students to practice these skills. Third, the students' ability to perform the skills must be assessed once instruction is completed. By carefully planning in advance the skills that are to be taught, the teacher may examine them from several perspectives. Are they worth teaching in the first place; that is, is each skill important to the students' success in the content area and/or outside the classroom? Is each skill actually teachable in the sense that rules or procedures can be stated which will enable students to perform it successfully? Are the skills sequenced in the way that will best allow students to build on their increased understanding of the content? Are the skills prioritized so that the most important competencies will definitely be covered while those of lesser importance can be introduced as time permits? At every grade level English teachers are confronted by an abundance of skills from which to choose. Their choice is further complicated by an awareness that many of these skills (e.g., reading, composition, analysis of writing, oral arts) have value in other subject areas. By basing the instructional program on a carefully considered set of skills, the teacher can be confident that class time will be