http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/236 2026-10-19T10:35:40Z 2026-10-19T10:35:40Z KALI GUTEMA GABISA Dr. Dereje Tadesse Dr. Dereje Bekuma http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8708 2026-10-13T11:30:54Z 2025-08-01T00:00:00Z

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS TEACHERS’ PRACTICE OF TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS: GRADE 8 STUDENTS AT SHAKISO TOWN IN FOCUS KALI GUTEMA GABISA; Dr. Dereje Tadesse; Dr. Dereje Bekuma The main purpose of this study was to assess and compare the practices of teaching and learning listening skills in private and government schools, focusing on Grade 8 students in Shakiso Town. To address this objective, the study examined teachers’ instructional practices as well as students’ learning experiences and challenges. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative data gathered through questionnaires with qualitative insights obtained from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The study involved 28 English teachers (census) and 323 Grade 8 students from twelve schools in Shakiso Town (seven private, five government schools). Four teachers were interviewed, classroom observations were conducted in four schools, and students were proportionally sampled from a population of 1,678 to represent both school types. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests, while qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teachers in both school types faced challenges such as vocabulary deficiencies, large class sizes, and limited listening materials. Government schools were more affected by overcrowding and shortages of instructional resources, whereas private schools reported challenges related to student motivation and technical constraints. Students across both contexts experienced difficulties with limited vocabulary, fast speech, and poor learning environments, with government learners reporting higher levels of anxiety and vocabulary gaps, and private learners reporting more issues related to noise and audio quality. Although teachers reported using structured strategies, classroom observations indicated a gap between planned and actual practices, particularly in government schools. The study concludes that systemic disparities between private and government schools constrain effective listening instruction. The findings of this study suggest that teachers adopt a strategy-based approach to listening instruction by explicitly teaching listening strategies and consistently integrating authentic materials. This research also recommends that school administrations, both government and private, ensure the availability of essential listening resources and provide the technical and instructional support needed for effective delivery. The findings also suggest that the Oromia Education Bureau and the Ministry of Education strengthen teacher training programs, enhance curriculum support for listening skills, and promote the use of accessible digital technologies to improve instructional quality. Generally, the study underscores the importance of structured, strategy-based listening instruction and highlights the need for coordinated stakeholder efforts to foster equitable learning environments and enhance students’ listening competence. Although delimited to Grade 8 classrooms in Shakiso Town, the study provides a basis for future research extending to other towns and grade levels, employing longitudinal designs, and exploring technology-supported interventions in listening instruction. 125

2025-08-01T00:00:00Z MEKONNEN GAROMA TAO Dr. Dereje Tadesse Dr. Rabuma Fikadu http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8707 2026-10-13T07:30:31Z 2025-08-01T00:00:00Z

THE PRACTICE AND ASSESMENT OF TEACHING READING SKILLS: BISHOFTU SECONDARY SCHOOLS GRADE 9 STUDENTS IN FOCUS MEKONNEN GAROMA TAO; Dr. Dereje Tadesse; Dr. Rabuma Fikadu This study investigated the teaching and assessment of reading skills in Grade 9 English classrooms in government secondary schools in Bishoftu Town, where reading remains a cornerstone of academic achievement within Ethiopia’s English-medium instructional context. Despite the recognized importance of the three-phase reading instruction model: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading, evidence shows persistent gaps between recommended practices and actual classroom implementation. The study aimed to examine teachers’ instructional practices, explore the challenges they encounter, and analyze how they apply the stages of reading instruction. A mixed–methods approach, specifically an explanatory sequential design, was employed. Quantitative data were gathered from all 77 Grade 9 English teachers through a structured questionnaire, followed by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations involving five purposively selected teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, while thematic analysis guided the interpretation of qualitative findings, with methodological triangulation strengthening the validity and depth of the results. The findings revealed that reading instruction is largely dominated by while-reading and post-reading activities, including skimming, scanning, guided comprehension, summarizing, and whole-class discussions, whereas pre-reading strategies receive minimal attention. Teachers’ use of learner-centered, interactive techniques and authentic reading materials was also limited. Major challenges identified include large class sizes, inadequate instructional resources, low student motivation and proficiency, and insufficient instructional time, all of which hinder the effective use of recommended reading practices. Assessment practices were found to rely predominantly on oral questioning and immediate feedback, with limited utilization of structured, continuous, or varied assessment techniques. The study concludes that reading instruction and assessment in Bishoftu Town are not fully aligned with established pedagogical frameworks, resulting in imbalanced instructional stages and restricted opportunities for students’ comprehensive reading development. Accordingly, the study recommends strengthening access to reading materials, enhancing teachers’ professional development, promoting balanced and interactive reading strategies, and integrating systematic formative assessment at classroom, school, and broader educational levels 60

2025-08-01T00:00:00Z GAROMA TAO, MEKONNEN Tadesse, Dr. Dereje Fikadu, Dr. Rabuma http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8706 2026-09-21T10:57:07Z 2025-08-01T00:00:00Z

THE PRACTICE AND ASSESMENT OF TEACHING READING SKILLS: BISHOFTU SECONDARY SCHOOLS GRADE 9 STUDENTS IN FOCUS GAROMA TAO, MEKONNEN; Tadesse, Dr. Dereje; Fikadu, Dr. Rabuma This study investigated the teaching and assessment of reading skills in Grade 9 English classrooms in government secondary schools in Bishoftu Town, where reading remains a cornerstone of academic achievement within Ethiopia’s English-medium instructional context. Despite the recognized importance of the three-phase reading instruction model: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading, evidence shows persistent gaps between recommended practices and actual classroom implementation. The study aimed to examine teachers’ instructional practices, explore the challenges they encounter, and analyze how they apply the stages of reading instruction. A mixed–methods approach, specifically an explanatory sequential design, was employed. Quantitative data were gathered from all 77 Grade 9 English teachers through a structured questionnaire, followed by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations involving five purposively selected teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, while thematic analysis guided the interpretation of qualitative findings, with methodological triangulation strengthening the validity and depth of the results. The findings revealed that reading instruction is largely dominated by while-reading and post-reading activities, including skimming, scanning, guided comprehension, summarizing, and whole-class discussions, whereas pre-reading strategies receive minimal attention. Teachers’ use of learner-centered, interactive techniques and authentic reading materials was also limited. Major challenges identified include large class sizes, inadequate instructional resources, low student motivation and proficiency, and insufficient instructional time, all of which hinder the effective use of recommended reading practices. Assessment practices were found to rely predominantly on oral questioning and immediate feedback, with limited utilization of structured, continuous, or varied assessment techniques. The study concludes that reading instruction and assessment in Bishoftu Town are not fully aligned with established pedagogical frameworks, resulting in imbalanced instructional stages and restricted opportunities for students’ comprehensive reading development. Accordingly, the study recommends strengthening access to reading materials, enhancing teachers’ professional development, promoting balanced and interactive reading strategies, and integrating systematic formative assessment at classroom, school, and broader educational levels. 60

2025-08-01T00:00:00Z Dagim Endale Galata Adinew Tadesse Degago (PhD, ) Abera Admasu Endashaw (PhD) Alemayehu Getachew Tsegaye (PhD) http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8500 2026-06-04T05:53:00Z 2025-03-01T00:00:00Z

EXPLORING ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT IN ETHIOPIAN UNIVERSITIES: ASSUMPTIONS, PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES Dagim Endale Galata; Adinew Tadesse Degago (PhD, ); Abera Admasu Endashaw (PhD); Alemayehu Getachew Tsegaye (PhD) This study aimed to explore assessment assumptions, practices and challenges in the enactment of communicative English language skills course in Ethiopian universities. To this end, a mixed methods research design was employed, and data were collected from EFL instructors and firstyear undergraduate students through questionnaires, interviews and documents. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics whereas thematic and content analysis approaches were applied for the qualitative data. The findings revealed that EFL instructors conducted assessments mainly for accountability purposes and relied on some particular conventional assessment methods to realize this. In addition, although instructors used both written and oral feedback modes frequently, they were found to be the sole source of feedback. These feedbacks often focused on verifying and directly providing correct answers than on scaffolding learners to generate by themselves. The findings also showed that students were highly traditionalists in their assumptions. On the other hand, although EFL instructors seem to hold mixed assumptions (progressive and traditional), most of their assumptions were those underlying traditional assessment approaches. The few alternativist assumptions held by EFL instructors often did not translate into practice due to various external factors such as the established assessment system, students’ language proficiency and overall competence, large class size, and workload. The study suggests the importance of ensuring that the assessment practices in the target course are aligned with the current assessment developments so that students’ English language learning is more supported. Changing EFL instructors’ and students assumptions about assessment and working on barriers that hinder interpreting assumptions into practice are also the other implications of the study. 229p.

2025-03-01T00:00:00Z