TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF COMPETENCY-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING IN TEACHING SPEAKING IN DJIBOUTIAN HIGH SCHOOLS: GRADE TWELVE IN FOCUS.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate EFL Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of Competency-Based Language Teaching (CBLT) in Teaching Speaking to Grade Twelve Students. The study was conducted to find out Teachers’ perceptions of CBLT, identify their (teachers’) actual practices in implementing CBLT in enhancing learners’ speaking performance and delve challenges teachers encounter while teaching speaking skills and see what activities and strategies teachers employ to promote learners’ speaking skills applying CBLT. Five contextually heterogeneous cluster of schools, in Djibouti, were purposefully selected to ensure the reliability (consistency) of the data to be obtained. Sequential Exploratory (Mixed Research) Design was employed to obtain, analyze, interpret and report both qualitative and quantitative data from the target population. This research utilized a survey for the quantitative approach and a case study for the qualitative approach. Seventy (70) EFL teachers, out of one hundred and forty one (141) EFL teacher populations in Djiboutian high schools in this academic year of 2017/2018 were involved in this study. Three instruments of data collection, Semi-Structured Interviews, Classroom Observations and Questionnaires were used in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were employed to analyze the data. The overall findings of this study shows that the teachers had positive perceptions towards the Competency-Based Language Teaching approach and viewed that this approach advocates for preparing the students to operate efficiently in real world. The study further found a significant discrepancy (mismatch) between what teachers perceived towards CBLT and what they actually practiced in teaching speaking to students. Moreover, the study discovered various inhibitory factors impeding the effective implementation of CBLT in enhancing learners’ speaking performance, for instance: classroom situations, learners’ poor command of English, Teachers’ motivations, insufficient training of teachers and insufficient time allocated for teaching English in relation to the ambitious instructional materials. Consequently, based on the above findings and conclusions appropriate recommendations are drawn, for instance: Teachers and inspection team (pedagogical advisors and the inspector(s) should work together to make sure that what counts as successful instruction is to be measured with learners’ mastery of specific competences after each module of instruction. Moreover, if CBLT is to be implemented effectively in actual practice, then Teachers should be given opportunities to participate in practice-based training sessions and frequent classroom observations with peers.