Abstract

Teachers face a number of challenges in teaching listening competence and speaking in languages. These include students’ lack of motivation for developing communicative competence; low English proficiency, and resistance to class participation. In addition to these are teachers’ misconceptions, lack of training in CLT combined with deficiencies in sociolinguistic competence, little time for developing materials for communicative classes, and large classes. Other difficulties include grammar based examinations; insufficient funding; and lack of support. The study sought to find out the challenges faced in the use of the CLT approach for teaching Listening competence and Speaking lessons among teachers in Lugari District in Kenya. The study was grounded on Dell Hymes’ theory of communicative competence. The descriptive research design was adopted, with direct observation and interview methods of data collection being used. Note-taking and tape-recording were used to record class proceedings and interviews. A total of twelve secondary schools were selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Fourteen teachers of English were involved. A descriptive analysis of data was done. Frequency tables were used to highlight the data. This helped to establish the extent to which CLT was used. The study revealed that the major challenge lay on time, and wide syllabus. These, together with the large classes limited the teachers ability to involve learners in meaningful participatory activities. The pressure for formal examinations made the teacher concentrate on training and drilling the learners on how to pass the exams at the expense of communicative competence. The teachers chose to teach the learners how to pass exams and not how to use English in different situations. The result of this is that the learner will not be able to speak English both in school and after school. A teacher whose aim is to cover the syllabus will be unwilling to follow an approach that does not recognize that second language learning in a class room setup is guided by what has already been prescribed. To such a teacher CLT is a waste of time. Tasks should be formulated by students themselves because learner-initiated questions have the advantage that will lead the learner to develop those strategies for understanding which will ultimately take him beyond the tutelage of the teacher. These questions should be answered by fellow students.

 

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Background to the Study

This study aimed at exploring the listening competence levels in English of teacher trainees in both public and private teacher training colleges in Kenya. It further aimed at analysing how certain social variables such as sex, age, entry behavior, college type and performance in Mid-course examination affect the trainees‟ listening competence as well as their views and attitudes towards listening skills.

In this chapter, a background to the study is laid out, and the problem, as well as the research objectives stated. The research questions that guided the study are stated and the assumptions on which the study was based presented. The rationale of the study, the scope and limitations are pointed out.

Gilman and Moody (1984) observe that adults spend 40-50% of communication time listening; but the importance of listening in language learning has only been recognised relatively recently (Oxford, 1993). Oxford continues to say that since the role of listening comprehension in language learning was taken for granted, it merited little research and pedagogical attention from linguists. Although listening played an important role in audio- lingual teaching methods, students only listened to repeat and develop a better pronunciation (for speaking) (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language, 1987). Beginning in the early 70s, work by several linguists brought

attention to the role of listening as a tool for understanding and a key factor in facilitating language learning. Among them is Feyten (1991) who argues that listening competency has emerged as an important component in the process of second language acquisition.