LG600/LANG6099- Advanced Academic English Writing

Skills

Oral Presentation- Research Essay

Research Essay

The ways in which teachers develop and implement effective classroom strategies and practices for the teaching of English at a secondary school in Jamaica.

Abstract

Teaching of English is challenging in Jamaica.

Language situation – English is the official language, yet not the native language

Students enter educational institutions with varieties of languages that resemble the standard English

Teachers must find methods to bridge this gap between the native and standard language.

•

Abstract cont’d

Research was done to see which methods are used and how they are used.

Approach used most: Student-centre

Others include: Information TechnologyBilingual language teaching

Background to the Research

The study was conducted at a traditional boys’ school .

The average pass in English is 65%.

For CSEC 68% 0f the cohort attain grades I-III

School’s objective is to have 100% passes in CSEC English by 2016

Statement of Problem

• Kachru ( 2006) Teachers need text and methodologies to teach English.

• Jamaica is a Creole –speaking environment.

• Language resembles English but not standard variety.

• CXC Subject Report (2013) shows that in region on average 58% of candidates pass English .

• School not reaching the 100% target.

Research Questions

What are the challenges that teachers of English in a Jamaican high school face in teaching English?

What strategies have they implemented to combat these challenges?

To what extent have these strategies proved successful?

Literature Review- Challenges

Teaching of English in Jamaica demands appropriate methodology, syllabus and material that will be effective.

It is difficult to make the transition from Creole to Standard English.

Literature Review- Strategies

Researchers recommend the following strategies:

i. Communicative language teaching

ii. Bilingual language teaching

iii. Immersion

iv. Student-centred approach

• Use these methods to:

teach vocabulary, comprehension, literacy, persuasive writing, advertisement, summary writing , extended writing

Literature Review- Benefits of Strategies

• Improve higher order skills, grammar, comprehension , vocabulary

• Make students more responsible

• Improve grasp of second language.

FINDINGS:

Lack

of I

ntere

st fr

om stu

dents

Creole

Inte

rfere

nce

Subject

doe

s not

relate

to re

al-life

exp

erience

s

Studen

ts n

ot g

rasp

ing th

e co

ncepts

taught

02468

7

5

2 2

Challenges to teaching English

2

Scaffolding

Student-Centred Approach

Bilingual Langauge Teaching

Use of Technology

3

6

1

6

Strategies used

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Strategies• Lack of interest on the

part of students was the main challenge the teachers faced

• The student-centred approach is the most popular and most effective method.

• Despite the language situation few respondents used bilingual language teaching

Findings Cont’d

Recommendations

Teachers must incorporate different strategies.

Know all aspects of strategy/strategies used.

More implementation of bilingual language teaching to meet the problem of Creole interference.

Have workshops so expose each other to best practices.

Conclusion

Teaching English in Jamaica challenging due to the language situation

Teachers have used multiple approaches to teach aspects of the syllabus with some success.

Teachers should investigate other strategies and/or best practices in order to attain goal of 100% pass in English language.

Reference

• Kachru, Y. (2006). World Englishes and language education In

S. Nero (Ed.), Dialects, Englishes, Creoles and education

(pp. 19-38). London: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates.

• CXC School report (2013) (http://www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/2013SchoolReports/CSEC_MayJune2013_EnglishA_S R.pdf