ASSESSING THE PRACTICES OF TEACHING LISTENING IN EFL CLASS: GRADE NINE AT GASHENA SECONDARY SCHOOL IN NORTH WOLLO ZONE IN FOCUS

Abstract

The major objective of this study was assessing the practice of teaching listening in EFL classroom. In order to achieve the intended objective of this research, a case study research design was employed. In related to this the researcher also used qualitative method of analysis to address the issues. Five teachers who have taught English at Gashena secondary school were selected using available sampling technique. The data was collected using three types of instruments. These were classroom observation, focus group discussion, and interview and analyzed qualitatively. As a result of the finding illustrates, EFL teachers have problems about the practice of teaching listening and some of them try their best to teach it well. However, it was observed that they face many challenges to implement listening lesson in well organized manner based on the current trends of language teaching methodologies, which is communicative language teaching (CLT), and language learning principles. Challenges such as lack of motivation, lack of resource book, teachers speech rate, lack of time, inability of knowing strategies of teaching listening arises from teacher identified through interview and focus group discussion. In addition, other challenges such as; difficulty of the text for implementation and unfamiliar words were identified through observation, interview and focus group discussion from teachers were the major findings of the study indicated that the teaching of listening at Gashena Secondary School was hindered by teacher related factors. Based on this findings conclusions and appropriately recommendations have been forwarded. Some of the recommendations are teachers should have commitment and motivation to practice listening skill, teachers should practice the stages of listening in listening lesson and tasks should be prepared or designed by fulfilling the three stages.