Practices and Challenges of EFL Teachers in Monitoring Learners’ Group Performances and Administrating Feedback with Reference to High Schools in Nekemte, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out how teachers of EFL monitor their students’ group performances and handle feedback provisions in secondary school English classes with particularly reference to grade 10. To gather information, two instruments (classroom observation and interview) were employed. The study is made on twelve subjects: four EFL teachers and eight students at Biftu Nekemte and Dergie High schools in east Wollega Zone Nekemte Town. The teachers were selected by their respective department heads and the students on the basis of their first semester achievements. Accordingly, eight classroom observations and eight students (four from each school and those being taught by the observed teachers) were interviewed. The result of the study showed that EFL teachers do not pay significant attention for their students’ understanding responsibilities participating in group work. Setting group work according to students’ interest and ability has not become practical by the majority of the teachers as they form groups only on desk basis. Assigning only few active students has been found discouraging for the majority since few clever students dominated students’ group performance. The finding revealed that students were observed frequently using their mother tongue than English during group discussions. What is more, although some teachers move around the class room, others merely stand in front of the class. Teachers do not manage feedback provision in the context of full class after group work in general and the language and content of their discussion in particular since they give little attention for students to comment each other. Based on the findings, it was concluded that EFL teachers’ group work monitoring skills and feedback provisions become relatively fragile as many of the students do not get opportunities of practicing the target language. Therefore, the importance of change on EFL teachers’ ways of administrating of group work with the help of the concerned bodies was recommended.