Abstract:
This study is designed to investigate EFL teachers and students' perceptions and practices of
active learning and the constraints to implementing it in the English classes of Enango, Boji
Dirmeji and Guliso preparatory schools in West Wollega zone. From the total population of
eight (8) EFL teachers of grade 11 and 1480 students in the three schools, 8(100%) and
148(10%) teachers and students were selected respectively. Accordingly, of the students and all
grade eleven EFL teachers in the schools were included in the study. A total of 158 respondents
were selected as a sample. All of them participated in the questionnaire. All (eight) EFL teachers
were interviewed. All of them were also observed in the classroom three times each. Availability
and stratified sampling techniques were used to select sample teachers and students respectively.
A mixed study approach that involves a qualitative self administered questionnaire, lesson
observation guide, and qualitative semi-structured interview were used to obtain relevant data.
Information on what perceptions EFL teachers and students hold towards active learning, how
often they use such methods, and what factors impede teachers and students from implementing
active learning methods were obtained through the questionnaire. In-depth interview of teachers
and classroom lessons observation were used to extrapolate the subjects' responses from the
questionnaire. The collected data from the questionnaires and classroom observation were
analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean value, and grand mean. Whereas, data obtained
through teachers' interview were analyzed qualitatively. The study finding showed that though
teachers positively perceived active learning method, the extent to which they practiced it was
low; whereas, students perceived the method negatively. Active learning strategies such as
problem solving, discussion were employed sometimes. And group work was rarely employed.
The most frequently used strategy was lecture method. This shows that the teachers are still
using traditional method of teaching. The major factors that affect the implementation of active
learning in the school were, large class size, shortage of time, the mismatch between teachers'
and students' perception and teachers’ tendency to use traditional method of teaching. Based on
the major findings, the school principals in collaboration with the woredas' education office and
zonal education office were recommended to solve the facility problems and arrange in-service
trainings for the teachers on issue of active learning so as to bring a paradigm shift from the
teacher fronted method of teaching to the desirable one.
