1. Oral Presentation
on
Findings for Research Paper
Stacey George-Charles
20040693
MA English Language
LING 600
Due: - Thursday 25th April,
2013

2. Synopsis of Research Paper
TOPIC
“Teachers’ perception of
requirements
for
effective classroom language
teaching”

3. Twenty-four teachers, three from each of
the eight Educational Districts in St Lucia
were interviewed during two Focus Group
Interview sessions which were held
separately. The teachers’ views and
perceptions on three requirements for
effective classroom language teaching were
looked at. These areas were: -
•Pedagogy
•Teacher training
•Planning and
preparation
•Classroom

4. Distribution of Participants
Trained Trained
graduate, post
Untrained, 2 graduate,
6 1
Trained, 1
5

5. Overall Findings
Requirements that affect classroom
language
teaching:-
Pedagogy:-
 Teachers move from children center
approaches to teacher center
approaches due to time constraints
which are due to pressures placed on
them to complete the syllabus rather
than building the foundation language
acquisition for the next level

6.  It was amazing to note that teachers whether
trained or untrained admitted that their
classrooms are all heterogeneous however, the
language needs of all the students are not met
which includes the literacy skills of reading,
writing, listening and speaking. Not much oral
communication is done which will assist the
students to become better language
communicators.
 The students in the classrooms are either placed
in groups or rows for classroom activities
regardless the subject being done. Groupings in
some classes are done based on the students’
abilities but the classroom activities do not

7.  Modeling is done by all participants but again is
inconsistent as participants are lead to using
variations of the target language rather than the
target language itself
 Participants perceive focusing on writing skills will
enable the student to acquire the other language
skills (listening, speaking and reading), but when
asked whether it has helped the answer was
unanimously NO.

9. Teacher Training
 Most teachers in the urban schools are
forced to use the language of the
students during the teaching and
learning process which they believe
helps with learning content but does not
foster good classroom language
learning/teaching
 Teachers in the rural areas use students
L1 to help understand L2 which is
English when clarifying points during

10.  Teachers do not realize that their oral
communication during classroom activities
are important to classroom language
teaching as they are more inclined to focus
on the lessons rather than the language
 Teachers feel frustrated when students are
unable to give correct responses and are
therefore inclined to just give the answer
rather than using questioning techniques
which will assist students in getting the
answers

11.  Students are not always encouraged to answer
questions in complete sentences using the target
language but rather a simple phrase or one word
would suffice for some participants. Participants are
aware that students ought to answer in complete
sentences which will help them with their sentence
structure thereby improving written and oral
communication skills in the target language.
 Participants openly admitted to not having a solid
foundation in the target language and are therefore
faulty in being a good role model to students. Some
participants from the rural area admitted that
sometimes they try to speak slowly to ensure they
say the write things and must double check content

12.  The language areas which are focused on more
frequently at the level of the participants under
study were
grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, reading and
creative writing. However, they noted again that
these areas are only looked at during the language
arts periods and not throughout the curriculum.
When asked the reasons for this occurring, it was
repeated that the system is “EXAM ORIENTED”
 It is perceived by trained teachers that untrained
teachers are less effective in classroom language
teaching but the untrained participants begged to
differ and pointed out that there are some untrained
teachers who are more effective classroom

13. The trained teachers may have the knowledge as
to what needs to be done but in practice they don’t
do it. They believe effectiveness is being able to
carry out something which will bring out positive
results but it is not reflected in national and regional
exams taken by students.