Secondary School English Teachers Research Articles

The Identity of a Storyteller in Teachers’ Facebook Status Updates

This paper explores how teachers discursively construct the identity of a storyteller when posting Status updates on Facebook Timelines. Data were generated using participant observation where 29 Timelines belonging to Malaysian secondary school English language teachers were observed throughout a six-month period. A total of 178 teaching-related Status updates were recorded and then analyzed using a discursive analytical approach combining ‘broad discourse analysis’ and Edwards and Potter's (1992) discursive psychology. The analysis shows that most of the Status updates fit the structure of a narrative genre and the teachers use various storytelling and discursive psychology strategies to engage readers. This paper argues that teachers' Status updates are more than just an account of mundane teaching-related experiences but serve as a mechanism for them to construct desirable identities.

FOSTERING ESL STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN WRITING THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF ICT: A FOCUS ON TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

This study investigated the motivation in English writing by using the ICT in secondary school. The objectives of this study are to examine the impact of using ICT on ESL students’ motivation to engage in writing skills, and to explore how teachers incorporate ICT into ESL writing instruction to enhance motivation among students. This study used qualitative approach as the main approach by implemented semi-structured interview and open-ended questionnaire as the instruments. The total eight respondents including two secondary school English teachers age 31 and 46 years old meanwhile 6 secondary school students age 13 to 16 years old were participated in this research. The result reveal that ICT significantly enhances student motivation and engagement, making the learning more enjoyable and less monotonous, helping students clarify doubts and develop ideas more quickly especially in writing lesson. Implications of the study are where it enhanced student engagement and motivation, and improve learning and understanding in English writing lesson. Future research for this study is recommended due to the fact that majority of secondary schools in Malaysia such as rural area might need a better ICT implementation especially in English writing lesson. Addressing these issues could involve exploring how to improve ICT infrastructure, provide targeted professional development for teachers, and develop strategies to incorporate technology into curricula more effectively.

““The last bastion of democracy”: teachers’ perceptions of the democratic potential of English curriculum”

Purpose Faced with increasing systemic constraints and pressures, secondary school English teachers often implement transactional approaches to pedagogy and curriculum aimed at improving student results on external exams, which are then used to rank schools. Despite the pressure to teach this way, teachers acknowledge the power of literature, literacy and language in the English curriculum as vehicles for educating students to be critical readers of texts for a democratic society. As such, the purpose of this paper is to share perspectives of secondary English teachers in relation to the democratic potential of their subject. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative case study method, this paper shares data from six Australian secondary school English teachers who work in culturally diverse schools. Teachers were interviewed about their perspectives regarding how the Australian English curriculum enabled and/or constrained the teaching of critical and creative thinking in support of a democratic society. Findings Using Marri’s model of multicultural democratic education, interview data were deductively analyzed to identify elements of the model, including critical pedagogies, disciplinary content and community building. Teachers were concerned that building critical literacy skills was minimized by the system and students’ personal dispositions. Originality/value The English teachers in this study held a strong belief that the subject of English could emancipate students, although they felt it might be “the last bastion” for a democratic education.

The impact of training provisions on novice English language teachers in Hong Kong: A systematic review

AbstractThe early years of learning and the transition period are important for novice teachers. This systematic review investigated the influence that training provisions for novice primary and secondary English language teachers in Hong Kong have had on their initial workplace experience. From a large body of literature dated between 1980 and 2023, a final set of 20 articles that met our inclusion criteria was analysed using Kumaravadivelu's (2012) model of second language teacher education (consisting of the five modules of Knowing, Analysing, Recognising, Doing and Seeing). The findings were condensed into three thematic strands: (i) teacher authority: novice teachers can feel lost among different authorities (including ideological conflicts between university and school authorities) and their desire to establish their own teacher authority, but must eventually learn to think from the students' perspective to improve teaching, (ii) teacher socialisation: whether obtaining sufficient colleague and mentor support or not would lead to their diverse experiences, and (iii) two weaknesses in teacher preparation that require attention across both university preparation and in‐school training: the novice teachers were under‐prepared in procedural knowledge and in learning to theorize. These findings provide internationally relevant theoretical contributions that can advance the understanding of both novice teacher development and primary and secondary English language teacher training. From a practical perspective, the findings point to areas that need attention in novice language teachers' transition to the workplace and this may be relatable to international audiences. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThis systematic review aims to reveal how the training provisions in Hong Kong have influenced early‐year primary and secondary school English language teachers' initial workplace experience.Why the new findings matterOur findings will reveal what impact training provisions for novice English language teachers may have on their initial workplace experience and what gaps may exist in such provisions.Implications for researchers, practitioners and teacher educatorsThe findings in this study can be applied to many other contexts like Hong Kong where English is used as one of the official languages or as a second language. Our recommendations can inform English language teacher education, by highlighting: (a) how novice teachers can feel lost between two different authorities: the school and the university; (b) how novice teachers can undergo a range of positive and negative experiences in their socialisation process; (c) how novice teachers struggle to develop their procedural knowledge; and (d) that novice teachers may not have received enough support in theory‐building.

Instructional Methods Used by Secondary School Teachers in Classroom to Develop Students’ English Writing Skills in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania

This study examined instructional methods employed by secondary school English language teachers in classroom to develop students’ English writing skills in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to assess English language teachers’ understanding of the purpose of English language syllabus for secondary education; to investigate the teaching and learning techniques used by teachers in classroom to develop students’ English writing skills; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques used in developing English writing skills among students. The social-cultural theory and communicative competence theory were adopted to guide the study. The study employed an interpretivism paradigm, qualitative approach and a phenomenological research design. The study involved 33 participants (12 English teachers and 21 FIII students) who were selected purposively from 3 public secondary schools in Iringa Municipality. The data were collected using documentary review, classroom observations, and interviews, and thematically analysed. The findings revealed that teachers had differing understanding of the purpose of the English syllabus. Also, the findings showed that teachers used techniques, such as explanation and demonstration, writing practice and exercise, reading-writing integration, sentence combining, genre-based instruction, and collaborative writing, in teaching English writing skills. Moreover, the study found that the techniques used were ineffective to develop students’ English writing abilities as many students struggled to write in English. The study concludes that the opposing understanding of the purpose of the subject syllabus among teachers limits teachers from effectively using instructional methods to develop writing skills in English among students. Therefore, teachers should be trained on the purpose of the subject syllabus to enable them effectively use instructional methods in a manner that focuses to develop English writing skills among students per requirements of the subject syllabus

Moroccan Secondary School English Teacher’s Perception: Science and Literary Stream Students’ Performance

The study investigates the perceptions of Moroccan secondary school teachers regarding the academic performance of science and literary stream students aged 16 to 18. Through a combination of mail surveys, unstructured interviews with English teachers, and discourse analysis, the research identifies that English as the second foreign language in Moroccan schools influences the perceived advantages of science stream students over their literary counterparts. The findings align with a previous study and suggest that science students often pursue literary studies at Moroccan universities post-baccalaureate. The research delves into the distinctive characteristics of science stream students and proposes recommendations for governmental and ministerial reforms in the Moroccan educational system. The study underscores the historical incorporation of English in the Moroccan educational system since 1956 and highlights recent developments, such as the expansion of English language teaching to middle schools. It emphasises the impact of English language learning on students’ future orientations and tendencies in higher education. Ultimately, the study aims to draw attention to English teachers’ perceptions to facilitate positive changes in the Moroccan educational system, urging the education ministry and relevant authorities to consider reforms.

Evaluation of Reading Empowerment Asserting Connection at Home (REACH): Performance of Grade 7 Learners

In the Philippines, reading is a persistent challenge that requires continuous remediation with the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) from both 2018 and 2022, and the country has been at the bottom of the rankings. Thus, the goal of this study is to strengthen reading remediation. This study focused on the evaluation of a reading program implemented; the Reading Empowerment: Asserting Connection at Home (REACH), and its relationship to the performance of Grade 7 learners in relation to reading. The participants of this study were 96 secondary school English teachers because they are field implementers of the reading program and were selected through a proportional stratified random sampling to ensure that each cluster was represented. The study collected MPS results from three successive school years and evaluated the implementation of the reading program. The questionnaire was validated and researcher-made. Based on the findings, the hypotheses were partially supported. It was revealed that there was a significant relationship between the REACH evaluation and the school’s reading performance, particularly between the Product evaluation and the school’s reading performance during SY 2022-2023, and between the overall REACH evaluation and the school’s reading performance during SY 2023-2024. Furthermore, there was a positive relationship between the REACH Evaluation in terms of Context and Psychological Component. It was recommended that curriculum implementers continue the implementation of Reading Empowerment: Asserting Connection at Home (REACH), but this time, we focused on strengthening the other components of the CIPP Evaluation to improve the results of the reading program.

Bangladesh's national education policy for English teaching: Policy direction and gaps over the last decade

This study aims to demonstrate the perceived differences between the direction and the gaps in the execution of Bangladesh's National Education Policy (NEP) for English Teachers. It specifically examines the changing requirements of English teachers over the past decade by enhancing their proficiency and teaching methodologies. In this study, we show that communicative language teaching (CLT) approaches significantly modify the existing structure of educational policy in Bangladesh. The present study is grounded in the constructivist research paradigm and utilized a qualitative case study approach from diverse sources. The data was gathered via document analysis, classroom observations, and interviews with six secondary school English teachers from a pool of educators representing four schools in different areas of Bangladesh. The data was analyzed using theme analysis via NVivo 11 software. The findings indicate several areas where the objectives of Bangladesh's NEP could be better aligned with their practical execution. These areas include reforming elementary and secondary schools and restructuring school leadership, teacher education, teacher status, and classroom pedagogy. Furthermore, this study is a valuable contribution toward advancing a more robust and efficient education policy at the national level, which can effectively improve the standard of education for all to provide quality teaching.

THE VIEWS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (PDC) MEETINGS

This current research aims to identify the views of secondary school English teachers who participated in PDC meetings organised within the scope of "English Together" project. For this aim, mixed method was adopted in the research process. Since both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from the participants in the research process, the researchers agreed on the suitability of this method. Two separate data collection tools were used. The first one is an e-form prepared for the content and scope of PDC meetings and demographic characteristics of the participants. The second data collection tool is an interview form prepared to analyse the quantitative data obtained in more depth. 122 English teachers participated in the research process and the quantitative data obtained were first recorded in an Excel file by the researchers. These recorded data were analysed within the framework of the sub-problems of the research and visualised as pie charts. These visualisations are shared in the findings section of the study. Qualitative data obtained from interviews with some of the participants were subjected to content analysis and shared under the relevant figures to reinforce the quantitative data. Based on the results obtained from the research, it is understood that the participants are generally satisfied with the content of the PDC meetings, they consider the facilitators professionally adequate, they are partially dissatisfied with the frequency of the meetings, and they see the meetings as useful.

Effect of Using Problem Solving Technique of 5Es Instructional Model on Student’ Learning at Secondary Level: An Analysis

The study aimed to analyze,” Effect of Using Problem Solving Technique 5Es Instructional Model on Student’ Learning at Secondary Level”. The descriptive part was based on data collected through the questionnaire and the interview protocol from head teachers, teachers and students of class 10th. The experimental part was based on data collected through pre-test and post-test for 9th class students. The (QUAN-QUAL) method was executed and the explanatory sequential method was used. Four 4 Head teachers,16 English Teachers and 400 students200 girls and 200 boys studying in government schools in tehsil and district R.Y. Khan. The stratified sampling technique was implemented. The desired data was collected from Tehsil Rahim Yar Khan. The sample, sampling and sample size of the study was comprised; 4 secondary school head teachers with the same ratio of male and female; 16 secondary school English teachers with the same ratio of male and female; 400 students of secondary classes with the same ratio of male and female. The study found that majority (55%) of respondents agreed that they were interested in using problem solving technique in teaching of English. Mean value 2.94 shows a central tendency towards neutrality with a slight inclination towards agreement, indicating a moderate recognition of the role of interest in learning among respondents. The standard deviation 1.034 indicates moderate variability in responses suggesting that while there was some consensus; opinions on the influence of interest on learning still vary among the respondents. On the basis of these findings researcher presented some recommendations.

Secondary School English Teachers’ Perceptions of Educational Technology Integration in Kapit

Secondary School English Teachers’ Perceptions of Educational Technology Integration in Kapit

An Analysis on the Stages of Secondary School English Teachers" Concern and Level of Use for Blended Learning

An Analysis on the Stages of Secondary School English Teachers" Concern and Level of Use for Blended Learning

“I know this is good, but I am confused”: English teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing the Independent Curriculum

Several studies have been conducted to determine the implementation of the Independent Curriculum. However, the existing studies have not identified English teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing the curriculum. Therefore, the present research aims to investigate the English teachers’ self-efficacy in applying the Independent Curriculum in secondary schools in Indonesia. This study was a mixed method study using a questionnaire and focus group discussions with teachers in teacher support groups. The data was collected from 171 secondary school English teachers. The results show that most English teachers understand the freedom offered by the government to schools and teachers in the new curriculum. However, they have low self-efficacy in implementing the curriculum in the teaching-learning process. They do not have adequate knowledge of how to translate the learning objectives specified by the government into their own syllabi. They do not have sufficient understanding or ability to conduct a needs analysis and syllabus design as a prerequisite for implementing the curriculum. Our research suggests that the teachers need further support from the government and teacher trainers through in-person hands-on training and workshops on needs analysis, syllabus design, and materials selection and development to effectively implement the Independent Curriculum.

The effect of CAR on English language teachers’ beliefs about action research

This study examined the effect of collaborative action research (CAR) on secondary school English language teachers' beliefs about and perceived competency in conducting action research. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measures within a single group was employed. The intervention involved a one-day training workshop followed by 15 months of active CAR engagement. Data were collected via questionnaires from 37 English language teachers (21 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group) at two secondary schools in Mettu town, Ethiopia. The results revealed a positive transformative effect of CAR on teachers’ beliefs about action research. Their perceived competency in conducting action research as part of their teaching duties also improved significantly. These findings suggest that CAR empowers teachers to become self-directed, collaborative problem solvers within their classrooms rather than passively waiting for external solutions. However, the study’s limitations, including its single-group design and focus on two schools, necessitate further research. Future studies, particularly in-depth qualitative investigations, are recommended to explore the practical changes in teaching practices driven by CAR and to diversify the subject group and research methods for broader insights.

Lived Experiences of Novice Secondary School English Teachers in the Implementation of Modular Distance Learning in the Philippines

As COVID-19 forced schools to shift to distance learning, the modular approach, in particular, became the most viable option for the continuity of learning. However, these sudden changes also brought unique experiences to novice teachers. This study explored the lived experiences of novice secondary school English teachers (NSSET) in Tagum City in implementing modular distance learning (MDL) in the context of the pandemic. Phenomenological inquiry based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was used to explain the experiences of the eight (8) participants. Using validated researcher-made interview questions, virtual in-depth interviews were conducted. Through Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step framework, themes that emerged, categorized into five echelons, are as follows: poor cooperation of parents and students, and productive collaboration with colleagues and immediate heads; overwhelming pressure from external sources, and taking direction from others’ influence; perpetual communication breakdown, and confronting challenges in the delivery of modular learning; meeting society’s expectations; abrupt adjustment to the new normal. These shape the experiences of the NSSET in conducting MDL in the new normal. However, the poor cooperation of parents and students poses the most significant experience for the NSSET. Notwithstanding, novice teachers navigated successfully through these experiences brought about by implementing MDL amid the pandemic.

Strategies for Implementing "Integrated Teaching-Learning-Assessment" in the Context of English Core Literacy

The emergence of the National English Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition, Revised in 2020) has sparked widespread attention and resonance in the field of secondary school English teaching. Delving into the study and application of the new curriculum standards has become a crucial entry point and lever for secondary school English teachers to renew their teaching philosophies, enhance teaching effectiveness, and advance the depth of education. The new curriculum standards provide important guidance on how secondary school English teachers should teach, how students should learn, and how to effectively integrate teaching, learning, and assessment, thereby delineating the direction of English teaching in the current era of emphasizing subject core literacy in quality education. The 2022 Compulsory Education Curriculum Standards explicitly mention the curriculum design concept of "integrating teaching and assessment," further deepening the intrinsic connections among teaching, learning, and assessment. Therefore, based on the guiding principles of "integrating teaching and assessment," this paper relies on the 2017 edition of the new curriculum standards and combines the practical situation of secondary school English teaching to analyze how to comprehensively understand the connotation of "integrating teaching and assessment" and how to implement effective teaching and assessment practices.

Assessment Literacy: Secondary School Teachers’ Conception of Formative Assessment

Formative assessment has been proved to be one of the means of improving quantity and quality of students learning. However, it hasn’t been implemented effectively in classrooms may be because of misconceptions. The purpose of this research is to find out how English language teachers conceptualize formative assessment, and if their conceptions vary with level of their qualification. A total of 252 randomly selected secondary school English language teachers with different level of qualification filled in Teachers’ Conception of Formative Assessment (TCFA), questionnaire adapted from Teachers’ Conception of Assessment (TCOA III). They were also interviewed in groups of their qualification. The data from the questionnaire was analyzed running one-sample t-test and The One-way between groups ANOVA. The interview data was analyzed thematically. The result indicated that the participants’ conception is mixed and partially deviates from proper notion of formative assessment; It also revealed that the higher the level of qualification, the better conception of formative assessment. This implied poor conceptualization of the relation of teaching-learning and assessment that can impede its implementation.

Measuring Secondary School Teachers’ Competency in the Subject of English

This study examines the qualifications of secondary school English teachers in South Punjab, Pakistan. It emphasizes the central role of teachers in education, emphasizing that their effectiveness is linked to their knowledge, skills, and attitude awareness. Competency standards are divided into academic skills, professional skills, and personal skills. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale, and observations, which ensured reliability. The sample consisted of 3600 high school students, equally distributed across gender and urban/rural areas. Results showed that although the teachers are competent in many areas, they lack the knowledge to teach the vocabulary components, oral communication with correct pronunciation and intonation, and assessment of student work. In addition, teachers strive to provide quality care to students. Studies have recommended needs-based training for teachers to address these weaknesses.

Integration of 21st Century Skills into Secondary School English Classes and the Challenges faced by Teachers

The aim of this study is to examine the utilization of 21st century skills by secondary school English language teachers and to investigate whether their background has a role in using these skills. The study also aims to shed light on the challenges teachers face when integrating these skills into their teaching practices. A mixed-methods research design, which incorporates the scale and interviews, was used to accomplish the aims of the study. The data were obtained online using 21st Century Teaching and Learning scale developed by Hixson, Ravitz, and Whisman (2012) and semi-structured interviews. A total of 119 teachers were reached using convenience and snowball sampling methods, with 26 of them participating in the interviews. The quantitative findings of the study showed that teachers used 21st century skills approximately once or three times a month, and the most used skill was using technology as a tool for learning, while local connections were the least. According to the t-test results, a significant difference was found in the use of these skills between private and public school teachers, with private school teachers employing these skills more frequently than their public school counterparts. Furthermore, it was revealed that teachers who received 21st century skills training integrated some of the 21st century skills into their lessons more often than those who did not. In addition, it was found that years of experience played a role in the implementation of these skills. According to the post-hoc test, less experienced teachers integrated 21st century skills more frequently than more experienced teachers. On the other hand, the teachers’ educational backgrounds did not show any significant difference in using these skills. According to the findings obtained from the content analysis of the interviews, the lack of qualified in-per service training on 21st century skills, poor curricula, lack of required materials and infrastructure, and unsupportive attitudes of the administrators were the challenges encountered by teachers.

Competence-based language curricula: implementation challenges in Africa

Abstract Drawing on a case study design, this article examines the real-life adaptive challenges secondary school teachers of English in Uganda face while implementing the 2020 English language competence-based curriculum innovation. Findings indicate that scarcity of instructional materials, time constraints and large class sizes, limited planning and stakeholders’ support, dissonance between local culture and learning styles significantly underlie complications ESL teachers face adapting and implementing competence-based curricula innovations in English language classrooms in low-income contexts in the global south. The experiences of teachers in Uganda resonate across most global south ESL educational contexts. They illustrate the universality of challenges teachers face and are likely to face when implementing competence-based curricula in sub-Saharan Africa and the wider global south where the teaching and learning of English is premised on facilitating acquisition of English language for meaningful interaction.