Investigating Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of the Time factor and Their Engagements _in Teaching and Learning English Writing Skills: Jimma Preparatory school in Focus.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' and teachers' perceptions of the time factor for English writing skills and their writing engagements. The research was conducted in Jimma preparatory school at grade 12 level in the months of March and April, 2006E.C. The sample size was 10%, 98 students out of 981 students and 5 English teachers. The research method employed was descriptive study with that of qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Instruments for data collection were: Questionnaire, Interview, Classroom observation, and Writing skill syllabus content VS allocated Schedule. Results of research findings showed that students and teachers had unfavorable perceptions about the writing skills time factor (time allocation) which in turn led them to relegate the textbook and took their own way into cramming exam oriented writing skills subject-matters. Moreover, it was found out that size of syllabus content mismatched with the allocated schedule; and in the classroom writing engagements instead of covering the pre-writing, drafting, and revising stagesthe 40 minutes period restricted them to the drafting stage. Above all, the complex, productive and thoughtful process, and time consuming nature of writing skills was not well considered by syllabus designers in getting adequate time allocation, which deterred students' and teachers' writing engagements. According to the data obtained, 65% of the students reported that time were inadequate for them to complete their classroom writing lessons and the writing syllabus content in the school year. Likewise, 83.3% of the teachers indicated as they found the time allocation was inadequate for classroom practice and to cover the annual syllabus content. With classroom observation, it was seen that the three stages of writing (pre-writing, Drafting, and Revising) were not manageable, and they stopped at the drafting stage. The syllabus content versus time allocation showed just one 40 minutes period was assigned for each of the writing tasks respectively, even to the essay writing. As a whole, poor perceptions of students' and teachers' of the time factor and inadequate time allocation influenced little engagements to their writing practices.