Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to Investigate to EFL teachers’ perception, practice and challenges of
competency-based language teaching approach to teach EFL in the high schools for academic purpose of Limu
Genet town high schools grade 10 students in focus. The research designs that was used to carry out the study
was descriptive study designs. A questionnaire, an interview, classroom observation, and Focus Group
discussion were used to collect data. Mixed data analyses that include both quantitative and qualitative
methods were used. The study sites are Limu Genet Town higher secondary schools. The participants of the
study were all EFL teachers in the three high schools 18 EFL teachers and 81 students taken randomly from
three high schools. the total numbers of the participants were 99. Ten item with five Likert-scale questionnaire
prepared for students and 20 item with five Likert-scale questionnaire were prepared for teachers beside this
interview, classroom observation and Focus Group Discussions were used to gather data. The data gained
from the questionnaire were analyzed using the quantitative and the qualitative methods by combining with the
data gained from interview, classroom observation and the transcribed data gained from Focus Group
Discussion. The result showed that EFL teachers have positive perception towards CBLT approach. However,
they were obliged to cover the contents of the materials than the specific competence that would be achieved by
the students. the challenges EFL teachers faced to implement CBLTA in the EFL classroom were; the
principals and supervisors’ focuses on content coverage than competency. The teachers took large class size
as a challenge not as an opportunity. The curriculum itself was not designed to implement CBLT Approach in
the EFL classrooms. The researcher recommend ministry of education should encourage a curriculum designer
to give attention about CBLT approach in high schools, the town education office should encourage EFL
teachers to use CBLT approach in the actual class room in addition to this they should arrange training for
EFL teachers. English department heads and EFL teachers should give priority to the students to use EFL for
day-to-day activity. (To develop students’ competency in using EFL in the 21st century.)
