An Investigation Of Grade 11 And 12 English Language Teachers’ Practice Of Continuous Assessment In Reading Class: The Case Of Dera Preparatory School.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ practices of continuous assessment in EFL reading classes in Dhera preparatory schools in Dhera town, Arsi zone. The research questions asked focused on assessing the extents to which English teachers implemented continuous assessment (CA) in reading classes, to analyze the types of CA tools English teachers used to assess students’ reading skills, to review whether appropriate feedbacks were given to students based on results of CA and to review the major problems English teachers encountered in using CA. To answer the research questions and to conduct the study, descriptive survey research design having both qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed. The study involved a total of fifty-nine respondents’ who were selected using simple random sampling technique. Three teachers and fifty six students were used as the main sources of data gathered through questionnaire, interview and document analysis. Structured questionnaire was administered to fifty-six students while semi-structured interview was carried out with three Grade 11 and 12 English language teachers. The quantitative data collected through questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools like frequency, mean and standard deviation whereas the qualitative data from interview and document analysis were analyzed using narrative form and interpretative way. The finding of the study revealed that teachers were not using various kinds of continuous assessment devices during the reading lessons. Teachers were not also giving appropriate feedback to learners after every assessment, and teachers’ failures in using the students’ continuous assessment for decision making on learners progress implied that continuous assessment was not practiced effectively. To overcome these problems, it was recommended that due attention should be given to using adequate assessment devices, employing mechanisms to deal with large class size problems, and giving appropriate and constructive feedback.