CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM: THE CASE OF THREE SECONDERY SCHOOLS IN DIRE DAWA CITY

Abstract

The main focus of this study was to assess “challenges in the implementation of communicative language teaching. This means, challenges that related to teachers and students that hinder the practice of CLT. The study was conducted at three Secondary Schools in D.D City. Questionnaire, classroom observation and interview were used to collect data for the study. Questionnaire were mainly prepared and administrated to both teachers and students. 22 English teachers and 100 sample students from the target schools responded to the questionnaire items. The interview and classroom observation supplemented the data obtained through questionnaires. Statistical tool such as numbers and percentage were used to analyze the collected data. The main challengesin the implementation of communicative language teaching in the target schools were found to be the factors related teacher and students. The findings indicated the existence of problems related to teachers, such as belief about language teaching, teaching methodology, inability to provide classroom CLTactivities, teachers’ perceptions and proficiency, testing systems, way of error correction and failure to use teaching aids in CLT classes. The finding alsorevealed the problems related to students, like belief about language learning, lack of confidence, lack of participation, poor speaking background and use of mother tongue, shortage of vocabulary and lack of practice of CLT in class. Finally, on the basis of the findings, it was recommended that in order to promote the implementation of CLT, students have to practice CLT in the target language by participating in pair or group and individual activities in the class room. To this end, teachers also right to play prominent role to promote the implementations of CLT.