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EFL Teachers’ Practices and the Learners Perception Towards the Use of Amharic in English Classes at Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Received: 8 June 2019    Accepted: 5 July 2019    Published: 10 August 2019
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Abstract

The use of learners’ first language in EFL classrooms has long received attention in the literature. Despite, the focus has often been on its implementations as well as advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, less research has been conducted regarding students’ perceptions on its use. Hence, the purpose of the study was exploring EFL teachers’ practices and learners’ perceptions about use of Amharic in English language classrooms at four selected secondary schools at Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. To achieve the intended objectives, the researcher employed descriptive research design with mixed methods of data collections. Totally, 178 students and three English language teachers were direct participants of the study as sources of data. The results obtained through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation were analyzed by using mixed methods of data analysis. It was found out that Most of the EFL teachers used Amharic for different purposes while teaching English. Based on findings of the study, it was concluded that Amharic is commonly used by EFL teachers in classes because most of their students felt more comfortable while using Amharic in actual classroom teaching-learning process.

Published in International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 4, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11
Page(s) 48-53
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

EFL, Practices, Perception, Amharic, Instructions, Secondary Schools

References
[1] Mohammed Hamid Al Ta’ani, 2019. The Use of Arabic (L1) in the EFL Class rooms: How Do Umm Al Quwain Teachers and Students Perceive It? International Journal of Contemporary Education, Vol. 2, No. 2; October 2019; ISSN 2575-3177 E-ISSN 2575-3185; URL: http://ijce.redfame.com.
[2] Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. Canadian Modern Language Review, 57 (3), 403-423. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.57.3.402.
[3] Nation, P. (2003). The role of the first language in foreign language learning. Asian EFL Journal, 5 (2), 1-18.
[4] Sampson, A. (2012). Learner code-switching versus English only. ELT Journal, 66 (3), 293-303.
[5] Skehan, P. (2001). Comprehension and production strategies in language learning. In C. N. Candlin and N. Mercer (Eds.), English language teaching in its social context (pp. 75-89). New York: Routledge.
[6] Turan Pakera, and Özlem Karaagaç, 2015. The use and functions of mother tongue in EFL classes. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 199 (2015) 111–119.
[7] Kifle Bidika, Temesgen Mereba, and Yemanebirhan Kelemework, 2017. An Investigation of Teachers’ Use of Official Language (Amharic) in English as a Foreign Language. IJERT Volume 8 June 2017.
[8] Abiy, Y. & Mohammed, B. (2011). Frequency, purpose and application of using Amharic in teaching English in Bahir Dar general elementary schools. Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences, 6, 61-80.
[9] Abiy Yigzaw, 2012. Impact of L1 Use in L2 English Writing Classes. Ethiop. J. Educ. & Sc. Vol. 8 No 1 September 2012.
[10] Emily Boersma and Yinager Teklesellassie, 2017. Prevalence and Causes of the Use of Amharic in Content subjects and students’ attitudes towards Its Use. The 4th international conference on language, culture, and communication. March 17-18, 2017; Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
[11] Atta Galali, Emrah Cinkara, 2017. The Use of L1 in English as a Foreign Language Classes: Insights from Iraqi Tertiary Level Students. ALLS 8 (5): 54-64.
[12] Mahmoudi, L., & Amirkhiz, S. (2011). The Use of Persian in the EFL Classroom the Case of English Teaching and Learning at Pre-University Level in Iran. English Language Teaching, 4 (1), 135-140.
[13] Hidayati, I. N. (2012). Evaluating the Role of L1 in Teaching Receptive Skills and Grammar in EFL Classes. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1 (2), 17 32.
[14] Seyed Ali Ostovar-Namaghi, Shabnam Norouzi, 2015. First Language Use in Teaching a Foreign Language: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Findings. US-China Foreign Language, September 2015, Vol. 13, No. 9, 615-622 doi: 10.17265/1539-8080/2015.09.001.
[15] Ahmad Shah Qasemi Ainol Haryati Ibrahim and Mohammad Habib Jilani 2016. Perceptions of Jawzjan University Engineering Graduates towards using First Language in EFL Classes. Research Journal of Recent Sciences; Vol. 5 (9), 62-64, September 2016.
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  • APA Style

    Faskal Faranso Faltamo. (2019). EFL Teachers’ Practices and the Learners Perception Towards the Use of Amharic in English Classes at Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 4(3), 48-53. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11

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    ACS Style

    Faskal Faranso Faltamo. EFL Teachers’ Practices and the Learners Perception Towards the Use of Amharic in English Classes at Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2019, 4(3), 48-53. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11

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    AMA Style

    Faskal Faranso Faltamo. EFL Teachers’ Practices and the Learners Perception Towards the Use of Amharic in English Classes at Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2019;4(3):48-53. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11,
      author = {Faskal Faranso Faltamo},
      title = {EFL Teachers’ Practices and the Learners Perception Towards the Use of Amharic in English Classes at Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3},
      pages = {48-53},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20190403.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20190403.11},
      abstract = {The use of learners’ first language in EFL classrooms has long received attention in the literature. Despite, the focus has often been on its implementations as well as advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, less research has been conducted regarding students’ perceptions on its use. Hence, the purpose of the study was exploring EFL teachers’ practices and learners’ perceptions about use of Amharic in English language classrooms at four selected secondary schools at Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. To achieve the intended objectives, the researcher employed descriptive research design with mixed methods of data collections. Totally, 178 students and three English language teachers were direct participants of the study as sources of data. The results obtained through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation were analyzed by using mixed methods of data analysis. It was found out that Most of the EFL teachers used Amharic for different purposes while teaching English. Based on findings of the study, it was concluded that Amharic is commonly used by EFL teachers in classes because most of their students felt more comfortable while using Amharic in actual classroom teaching-learning process.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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    AB  - The use of learners’ first language in EFL classrooms has long received attention in the literature. Despite, the focus has often been on its implementations as well as advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, less research has been conducted regarding students’ perceptions on its use. Hence, the purpose of the study was exploring EFL teachers’ practices and learners’ perceptions about use of Amharic in English language classrooms at four selected secondary schools at Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. To achieve the intended objectives, the researcher employed descriptive research design with mixed methods of data collections. Totally, 178 students and three English language teachers were direct participants of the study as sources of data. The results obtained through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation were analyzed by using mixed methods of data analysis. It was found out that Most of the EFL teachers used Amharic for different purposes while teaching English. Based on findings of the study, it was concluded that Amharic is commonly used by EFL teachers in classes because most of their students felt more comfortable while using Amharic in actual classroom teaching-learning process.
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Department of English Language and Literature, Wolaita Sodo University, Sodo, Ethiopia

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