ASSESSING FACTORS AFFECT SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN GROUP WORK TASKS DURING SPEAKING LESSON: THE CASE OF BEDESSA SECONDARY SCHOOL

Abstract

The general objective of the study is to investigate the major factors that that impede group work activities in line with participation in speaking lesson in Bedessa Secondary school. The target population of the present study were English teachers and grade nine and ten students. Generally, a total of 184 (4 teachers and 180 students) were selected as samples by using both probability and non-probability sampling techniques. To gather relevant information from respondents the researcher used questionnaire, focus group discussion and observation. This research followed a mixed methods research design. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data. The analysis of the data was made using descriptive statistics and thematization. The results of the study disclosed that Most research findings reveal that group work is the right technique for developing students’ language use and increasing their classroom oral participation in interactional environment. It is also indicated that it helps them in developing their self confidence and reducing their classroom anxiety and inhibition. In this regard, the findings of this study showed that students’ perception about group work was fairly good though it depends on the nature of the lesson topic. The study also investigated that students’ interest and motivation to participate in group work tasks and activities is fairly positive. However, the analysis of the classroom observation showed that the class size one of the biggest challenges for the effective implementation of group work activates.The study further revealed higher achiever students’ domination, time consuming nature of the task, large class size and sitting arrangement, mother tongue interference, shyness and inhibition were the major factors that affect students’ participation during group work activities. Furthermore, this study revealed that group work helps to improve students’ speaking skills and maximizes their learning by assigning individual roles and shared responsibilities. However, the various challenges which hinder students’ motivation and interest to participate during cooperative group work as well as other teacher related factors negatively affected students’ participation during the group work activities in EFL classes in Bedessa Secondary School. Finally, the research suggested more detailed investigation on other schools in West Hararge Zone.