Language and Literature

 

 Teacher empowerment on second language education, a malnourished baby.

S.A.Kularathne

Centre for excellence in Language education -Yakarawatte

 <kularathne1960@gmail.com >

Abstract

 As it was revealed in a preliminary survey, teacher empowerment programmes done in the Sri Lankan context focus more on content instruction and classroom pedagogy relating to general education. Empowerment programmes specifically designed to address crucial aspects of Teaching English as a Second Language are minimal. One of the objectives of this survey is to study genuine second language teacher needs to be addressed in teacher empowerment programmes . Another objective is to identify a benchmark for context sensitive teaching English as a second language teacher empowerment programmes and then to identify a framework for a quality teacher empowerment programme .A purposive sample of 100 teachers representing rural, semi urban and urban schools were selected to be the sample for the study. An available sample of 10 in Service Advisors was also interviewed to collect data for the study. The study was a qualitative research where questionnaires, semi structured interviews and classroom observations are the data gathering instruments. Data analysis revealed that the teacher empowerment programmes done were not based on the finding of the need analysis of the teachers of English. Problems that the teachers truly and practically faced in teaching English as a second language are not taken as the base line in organizing teacher empowerment programmes. Consequently the teacher teaches the average learner applying   general approaches and methodologies unadapted. Second language teachers have not been fully empowered to accommodate pupils with low cognitive levels and common psycho social abnormalities. No mechanism was found to address the disadvantaged learners in the learning teaching process. Strategies   to accommodate teacher feedback in decision making too are minimal. It is necessary to re define teacher empowerment programme and role of stake holders on Teaching English as a Second Language in Sri Lankan context.

 

 Key words: Teacher empowerment, disadvantaged pupils, autonomy

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction,

A preliminary observation done to the teacher empowerment programmes aiming at improving the teachers of English teaching English as a second language reveals that the content and the art of delivery of the programmes are limited and narrow in scope. The main focus of these programmes is to enable the teacher to deliver the content of the explicit curriculum to the learner which is only a minute part of teacher empowerment .This narrow perception about teacher empowerment has been a hindrance to harness the full potential of the teachers concerned. Consequently the teacher plays the role of a transmitter delivering what is suggested in the instructional materials, textbooks, unadapted. Crucial areas such as learner diversity, inclusivity in education are not emphasized. At the same time prescriptive approaches and methods in the learning teaching process have restricted the teacher autonomy. Teacher participation in decision making in the context of curriculum design and change has also been minimum. So is the teacher’s impact in experimenting innovative practices. This results in low performance in English at public examinations like GCE (O.L).  Overall language  competence of the learner too remains low. This poor performance affects   teachers’ self efficacy.  The issues mentioned above can be addressed through a quality teacher empowerment programme . The aim of this study is to study the impact of teacher empowerment programme in empowering the teacher in three vital areas identified. They are teacher autonomy, professional growth and decision making.

The objectives of this research are

To study into the status of current teacher empowerment programmes in second language education.

To identify elements for a teacher empowerment programme applicable to the Sri Lankan context

To identify a framework for a context sensitive teacher empowerment programme of high quality

 

 

 Literature review

Rebolledo the teacher educator and the  researcher making  a plenary speech at  the International Association of Teachers’ of English as a Foreign Language ( IATEFL) conference 2019 asserts that teacher empowerment done at global level   focuses more on general education. Citing Mc Grow (1992) &Bolin (1989) the researcher identifies teacher empowerment as a process whereby teachers develop autonomy to make decisions and exercise their professional judgment about how and what to teach. Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P.R.  (2011). too supports their claim..

 

 the complex ways in which teachers conceptualize, construct explanations for, and respond to the social interactions and shared meanings that exist within and among teachers, students, parents, and administrators, both inside and outside the classroom. Simply put, reasoning teaching reflects the complex ways in which teachers figure out how to teach a particular topic, with a particular group of students, at a particular time, in a particular classroom, within a particular school. (p. 1)

 

These claims are applicable to teaching English as a Second Language and Foreign Language too. Teacher empowerment programmes on teaching English as a second language education even at global level is at a minimal level claims the researcher.  A preliminary observation reveals that her observation is true in the Sri Lankan context too. Our exam focused second language education promotes rote learning leaving out less or no room for improving an overall language competence of the learner. This exam focus second language education has narrowed down the teacher role reducing it to a role of   a transmitter. Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P.R.  (2011)  also sugest a repertoire for teacher education where they have included all the three elements; professional growth, autonomy and decision making.

              an educational stance that involves much more than the delivery of curriculum or the acquisition of skills, including the building of teacher agency by strengthening teachers’ knowledge of and ability to manipulate a repertoire of linguistic, cultural, pedagogical, and interactional resources that enable them to support productive student learning.AndwebelievethatthedevelopmentofL2teacher/teachingexpertise is best accomplished through high quality meditational activities with expert teacher educators engaged in the practices of L2 teacher education.(p.2)

In this extract Johnson&Golombek emphasizes significance of teacher making adaptations in his her approaches depending on the requirements of the context. This in other words explains  the importance of teacher autonomy in the learning teaching process.

 

 Second Language Education programmes do not focus adequately on the five essential elements of teacher empowerment; impact, professional growth, autonomy, self efficacy and status (Short & Reinheart 1992). Out of the five elements of teacher empowerment, this research focuses on three elements that are directly relevant to teaching English as a Second Language Education. They are teacher autonomy, professional growth and decision making. Autonomy refers to the degree of freedom that the teacher the teacher enjoys in the learning teaching process. Professional growth explains the teacher’s perception about the opportunities he/she has to develop and grow as a professional. Decision making speaks about the degree of teacher involvement in making decisions about his her job inside and outside the classroom. This survey is significant as it provides input for a   quality second language learning and teaching approach.

Methodology

As the study is related to one of the Social Sciences, Second Language Education, the methodology adopted in this research is a qualitative dominant mixed mode methodology.  Also this study requires more qualitative data; attitudes, values, personality types and the contexts where teachers teach in identifying issues pertaining to second Language Education in Sri Lanka. Data gathering instruments used are also qualitative as they are   also in keeping with the objectives of the study.

The sample selected is a purposive sample of teachers and teacher educators as their responses can be valid and has a strong relevance to the study. Teachers were selected from 100 schools representing   rural, semi urban and urban schools. Locality of the schools was taken into granted to study as the locality or the environment is a determinant in ensuring the quality of teacher education programmes and the degree of exposure to teacher education.

 Data gathering instruments used are a questionnaire, a semi structured interview and classroom observations. These instruments were specifically selected to collect qualitative data.

 The questionnaire was administered to 100 participants including   second language teachers teaching English as a Second Language and Teacher Educators.

The table given below explains the structure of the questionnaire

Table 1 Structure of the questionnaire

Sections	Objectives
Section    1	Seeking biographical information of the participants
Section    2	Evaluating the contribution of the teacher education programmes  in  empowering the teachers
Section    3	Evaluating teacher awareness about the selected  elements of teacher empowerment

 

Out of the 100 participants, only 53 had responded to the questionnaire. Only 50 questionnaires were selected for analysis for the ease of statistical presentation.

The objective of the semi structured interview was to study the role of teacher educators as decision makers in designing teacher education programmes. The semi structured interview focused basically three areas; teacher autonomy in the learning teaching process, opportunities for professional growth and decision making at  school, provincial and state level . 

Ten teacher educators selected randomly were interviewed to collect data on the themes specified above.

 Three classroom observations were done in three selected schools, rural, semi urban and urban to study the teacher autonomy in the learning teaching process .The rationale for selecting teachers was the professional competence of the teachers.  Teachers’ exposure into pedagogical issues, approaches used in the learning teaching process success stories and best practices were looked into.

Results and Discussion

The study was done   in relation to three aspects of teacher empowerment. They are   professional growth, autonomy and decision making.  The operational definition about professional growth is teachers’ perception about opportunities he or she has for professional growth. Autonomy is the freedom that the teacher is endowed with in the learning teaching process. Decision making is the teachers’ level of participation in making decisions pertaining to his or her job inside and outside the classroom

Data on professional growth were collected through a questionnaire administered to the teacher in the sample selected

Table 2

Area of focus in teacher empowerment programmes

	Exposure
Data driven code	Evident	Percentage	Not evident	Percentage
1.      Material adaptation	10	20%	40	80%
2.      Designing learning tasks	12	24%	38	26%
3.      Inclusive education	0	0%	0	0%
4.      Handling large classes	0	0%	0	0%
5.      Resource management	0	0%	0	05%
6.      Formative assessment	8	16%	42	34%
7.      Use of digital platforms	6	12%	44	38%

 

Questions in the questionnaire were prepared based on the primary codes given in table 2.The areas mentioned in the table were specially investigated into as teachers should be equipped with knowledge and skills pertaining to the area given above to address the three areas of teacher empowerment  focused on in this study.

It is evident that teachers need more exposure to all areas.  However, prescribing teachers to teach the prescribed syllabus making use of the instructional materials hinder material adaptation.  Classroom observation contradicted the teacher responses given under material adaptation as it was minimum in the learning teaching process.

Digital resources such as mobile phones, computers and various other applications are no longer a luxury. These resources are affordable. However,   most of the teachers in the sample observed are not competent in making use of this equipment in the learning teaching process when sharing resources related to the learning teaching process. Teachers have the potential to improve themselves if opportunities are made available to them.

Table 3

Teacher autonomy in classroom teaching

Primary code	Sub categories	Permitted	Not permitted	Possible	Evidence
Decision making	Using alternative materials	Yes		Yes	Not evident
	Changing the classroom setting	Yes		Yes	To some extent
	Changing the class size			Impossible
	Changing  prescribed competencies  to be taught		Yes	possible	Not evident
	Extending the time allotted per period		Yes	possible	Not evident

 

Freedom to ensure teacher autonomy in classroom teaching was investigated into in relation to semi structured interviews held. The sample consisted of 6 teachers and 3 in-service advisors. Teachers selected were a purposive sample representing rural urban and semi urban schools in the sample.  In service advisors were an available sample.

Teachers are compelled to work under rigid frameworks designed by the school management and administrative bodies such as National Institute of Education and the Ministry of Education. Provincial and zonal authorities too set targets each year aiming at a high percentage of pass rates at GCE (O.L). Teachers have to complete the targets and the performance of school is measured in terms of the percentage of the pass rate at GCE (O.L) and advanced Level. Means to reach the set targets are immaterial so long as the targets are achieved .This environment does not ensure teacher autonomy.  Teaching learning process in the exam focused context does not demand the teacher to be autonomous.

Primary code	Sub categories	Many	Less	No
Teacher participation at decision making at school level	in pupil enrolment			ü
	Preparation  of  assessment tools and tests	ü
	Deciding the number of students in the class			ü
	Altering the set  time allocation  per periods			ü
	Introducing and experimenting new routines and practices		ü
Teacher participation at decision making at provincial level	Contributing test items for  item banks			ü
	Participating   in cluster school meetings / study cycles  etc		ü
Teacher participation at decision making at provincial level	Contributing  in national level need analysis in designing explicit curriculum			ü
	Participating and contributing  in piloting new materials			ü
	Participating and presenting  in research symposiums		ü

 Table 4

 Teacher participation at decision making level

 

As it is evident in table 4 opportunities for the teachers to participate in making decision in the learning teaching process including contributing to explicit and implicit curriculums are minimum. One of the obstacles in doing so is the exam oriented teaching which restricts   opportunities for the teachers.

It was evident that the teacher educators and the teachers do not have the autonomy to make decisions in designing teacher empowerment programmes. The practice is   delivering tailor-made programmes designed by higher authorities such as National Institute of Education and the Ministry of Education. Cascading method is adopted in delivering content. It was revealed that cascading method was not a success .There were instances where three day workshops were condensed to one day or two day workshops due to administrative and financial constrains at zonal and provincial level.

 Exam oriented education has compelled the teachers to deliver the content of textbooks as they are. Analysis of questionnaire data revealed that material adaptation were not focused extensively. Teacher’s awareness about materials adaptation too needs further improvement.

Issues such as handling large classrooms, accommodating disadvantaged learners and the learners with physical and psycho social problems have not been the themes in teacher empowerment programmes.

Incorporating technology in the teaching learning process in second language education too has not been a theme in the programmes.

There has not been a mechanism for teachers to share knowledge and experience making use of technology as a mode. Opportunities to use modern computer and android phone applications facilitating coordination among teachers of English have not been tried to the optimal level except a few self initiated isolated practices.

A need analysis done prior to organizing empowerment programmes was not evident in the data gathered.

Recommendations

 A need analysis should be done at national provincial and zonal levels in organizing teacher empowerment programmes for the teachers teaching English as a second language taking teacher feedback to be the base.

Administrative and academic bodies such as the National Institute of Education and the Ministry of Education should make an intervention in introducing mechanism where teachers can share knowledge and skills with the rest of the professional partners. Initiatives such as Community of Practice (CoP) should be formed with the guidance and supervision of local and state bodies.

Strategies should be invented to accommodate teachers’ opinions views and ideas when making decisions at school level.  This can also be done at the state level too.  Platforms to share teacher feedback in relation to teaching English as a Second Language should be identified and introduced.  This should also be embedded into policy formation.

An appraisal system should be initiated at various levels to recognize the second language teachers with best practices in relation to the areas discussed.

 

List of references

Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P.R. (Eds.) (2011). Research on second language

teacher education: A sociocultural perspective on professional development. New York:Routledge

 

McGraw, J. (1992). The road to empowerment. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 16(3), 16-19

Rebellodo, P. (2019) Teacher Empowerment: leaving the twilight zone . Retrieved May 28, 2019, from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/events/IATEFL.

 

Rinehart, J. S., Short, P. M., Short, R. J., & Eckley, M. (1998).