An Investigation of UNRWA EFL Teachers' Perception of their Current English Skills and their Pre-Service Teacher Education

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Date
2001
Authors
Adel A. Karim Zawawi
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This study investigated EFL UNRWA teachers' perceptions of their communicative skills and their perceptions of college preparation . The population of the study consisted of all the English teachers who were employed to teach English as a foreign language at UNRWA schools in the West Bank ,during the year 2000/2001. The population of the study was taken wholly because of the relatively small number of the study , which was (182) teachers (97 females, and 85 males ). A questionnaire was used to collect data for this research . The original one was developed by an educator called (Unyakat,1991) The copies of the questionnaire were distributed to EFL teachers , who completed and returned the questionnaires ,the return rate was 100%.To convert the responses to a numerical value , Likert scale of 4 options was used . Reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha formula of reliability, which gave a total value of .902 which fitted the study. The researcher used the means ,standard deviations and percentages to answer the questions of the study, Pearson Coefficient Correlation was conducted to find whether there was any relationship between sets of perceptions ; perceptions concerning current English language skills and perceptions regarding pre- service education. These steps were done by the computer, and the data was analyzed using the program of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The results of the study were as follows: 1)EFL teachers did not receive enough preparation in sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics , Non- verbal communication, English culture, and language acquisition theory and research in foreign teaching. 2)Teachers were not satisfied with emphasis placed on the conversational programs. 3)Another concern of teachers was found that teachers criticize the great emphasis placed on theory teaching. 4)Prospective teachers think they aren't familiarized with their future environment, the actual realities they encounter at schools. 5)Teachers claimed that their oral proficiency is sufficient at school, but not outside the school when communicating with native speakers. 6)Teachers complained about their crowded classrooms in college. 7)Teachers protested about their limited access to computer and language labs, and libraries in their colleges. Based on the findings of this research it was recommended to replicate this study on a larger number of teachers throughout the country. Another study was recommended to evaluate the textbooks used in ELT departments according to their relevance to the communicative approach and up-to-dateless. A third study may be conducted to investigate the resources available to teachers to improve themselves professionally (in- service seminars, conferences , handouts and publications
This study investigated EFL UNRWA teachers' perceptions of their communicative skills and their perceptions of college preparation . The population of the study consisted of all the English teachers who were employed to teach English as a foreign language at UNRWA schools in the West Bank ,during the year 2000/2001. The population of the study was taken wholly because of the relatively small number of the study , which was (182) teachers (97 females, and 85 males ). A questionnaire was used to collect data for this research . The original one was developed by an educator called (Unyakat,1991) The copies of the questionnaire were distributed to EFL teachers , who completed and returned the questionnaires ,the return rate was 100%.To convert the responses to a numerical value , Likert scale of 4 options was used . Reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha formula of reliability, which gave a total value of .902 which fitted the study. The researcher used the means ,standard deviations and percentages to answer the questions of the study, Pearson Coefficient Correlation was conducted to find whether there was any relationship between sets of perceptions ; perceptions concerning current English language skills and perceptions regarding pre- service education. These steps were done by the computer, and the data was analyzed using the program of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The results of the study were as follows: 1)EFL teachers did not receive enough preparation in sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics , Non- verbal communication, English culture, and language acquisition theory and research in foreign teaching. 2)Teachers were not satisfied with emphasis placed on the conversational programs. 3)Another concern of teachers was found that teachers criticize the great emphasis placed on theory teaching. 4)Prospective teachers think they aren't familiarized with their future environment, the actual realities they encounter at schools. 5)Teachers claimed that their oral proficiency is sufficient at school, but not outside the school when communicating with native speakers. 6)Teachers complained about their crowded classrooms in college. 7)Teachers protested about their limited access to computer and language labs, and libraries in their colleges. Based on the findings of this research it was recommended to replicate this study on a larger number of teachers throughout the country. Another study was recommended to evaluate the textbooks used in ELT departments according to their relevance to the communicative approach and up-to-dateless. A third study may be conducted to investigate the resources available to teachers to improve themselves professionally (in- service seminars, conferences , handouts and publications
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