An Assessment On The Teachers/Students Perceptions Practice And Challenges Of Group Work In Teaching And Learning English Language Speaking Skills: Grade 10 Teachers/Students Anger Gute Secondary School In Focus.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the teachers/students perception, practice and challenges of group work in teaching and learning English language speaking skills in order to examine how to apply of group work on the language performance particularly in speaking skills classroom. In the case of Grade 10 Anger Gute secondary School. Descriptive design was employed in this study. The sample sizes of the study were 4 EFL teachers and 180 students in 2011E.C. The students were selected using a random sampling. To collect data from the sample group, questionnaire, interview and observation were used. The questionnaire was the major tool and interview and classroom observation were the supporting tools that helped in the triangulation of data collected. This in turn enhanced the validity of the research. Data were analyzed quantitatively by percentage, and qualitatively by description. The findings indicated that both the teachers’ and students’ about the perceptions, practices and challenges of group work used in teaching and learning speaking skills perceive positively towards the uses of teaching and learning speaking skills. However, both the teachers and students were not used in authentic situation and for the targets of language practicing were poor and teachers teaching methodology also one of the problems. some students came with poor educational background and low language proficiency; as a result, they intended to use their first language or they become careless to take part in activities, there was no conducive environment and language center in order to improve their language abilities and the formed groups last only for a period, students lack experience of working in groups. particularly, in speaking lesson; some were passive for the activities were not graded , in some active learners used to dominate the group; because of fear or lack of self confidence some students failed to take part in group work or simply sit and expected to done their task from their leader. The result also revealed that instruction of group work activities through speaking lesson has a few transactions (recognizable start and finish. And lessons were not supported by visual aids. In the end, some recommendations have been given. Maximizing the students‟ proficiency in the language at elementary level. Student should start using the language communicatively through group work at the grass root level. Teachers and administrators should create an English environment in the school to increase students‟ opportunities to practice English i I