Abstract

EVALUATING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF GRAMMAR ACTIVITIES IN DEVELOPING GRADE ELEVEN STUDENTS’ ENGLISH ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS: EVIDENCES FROM ETHIOPIA

Abebe Asres Mengistu

Volume: 10 Issue: 1 2020

Abstract:

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of the grammar activities in grade eleven English for Ethiopia students‟ textbook in developing students‟ oral communication skills. So as to achieve the intended objectives, the grammar tasks were identified and analyzed based on Nunan‟s (1989) model. The data for the study were collected by the means of document analysis, students‟ questionnaire and teachers‟ interview. The students‟ textbook, forty students and six teachers from Shinta General Secondary and Preparatory School were randomly selected as sources of data for the study. As the findings of the study indicated, the objectives of the grammar tasks are stated explicitly in a way that students could understand them easily. However, most of the objectives are not found as expected because of lack of variety and repetition. Though the grammar activities are appropriate to the goals of the tasks, most of the inputs in the textbook are not authentic and motivating. Most of the grammar tasks are also designed to be done in the classroom as well as outside the classroom setting but they are inappropriate for pair/group work to allow students to actively participate in-group. Moreover, the grammar tasks in the textbook are integrated with the other language skills. Most of the grammar tasks in the textbook are not the level to encourage language use/meaning rather they are focusing on form/structure. It was also found out that grammar activities in the textbook are giving little attention for pair and group work, and the activities are not at the level to encourage students‟ participation and develop their oral communication skill. Based on the conclusion, it is recommended that English textbook writers should take in to consideration the basic components of the tasks, nature of the grammar tasks and the appropriateness of grammar tasks in improving students‟ oral communication skills. Further, teachers have to play their role effectively by making some adjustments on the grammar tasks to fill the gaps.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.37648/ijrssh.v10i01.039

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