Practices and Impeding Factors in the Teaching of English to Young Learners in the First Cycle Public Primary Schools at Nekemte Town, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed to examine the practices and related impeding factors in the teaching of English to young learners in the ten first cycle (Grades 1-4) public primary schools of Nekemte town (Ethiopia). It employed lesson observations and interviews with the teachers involved in the teaching of English to young learners to gather relevant and proper data. The analysis was made based on themes and categories identified from the available literature. The findings of the study indicate that English is taught through mother tongue. Moreover, it shows that teachers who teach English do not have command of the language and lack the understanding and knowledge of the purpose, procedures and approaches of teaching English to young learners because of lack of proper pre-service and in-service professional development courses on how to deal with young learners. The study, therefore, recommends efficient training and development programmes for Total Quality Teachers (TQT) of young learners in the country.

Keywords: Practices; Young Learners; Total Quality Teachers; Development; Training