Published Paper


Analyzing the Current English Language Teaching Materials in Line with the Academic and Professional Needs: The Case of Some Selected Seminaries and Theological Colleges in Oromia

Wakgari Deressa, Yohannes Tefera, Adege Alemu

Page: 33-46
Published on: 2013 June

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the current English language teaching/learning materials in line with the academic and professional needs and interests of diploma theology students in some selected seminaries and theological colleges of Oromia. The study is a descriptive survey that makes use of a mixed-method approach. The data were collected using a questionnaire, interview, and content analysis. The participants of the study were second and third-year diploma theology students, former theology students, theology instructors, and EFL teachers in the seminaries and  colleges. All 112 students of 2nd and 3rd the year were chosen using comprehensive sampling technique, and ten former theology students who were working as priests and evangelists using the snowball technique to fill out the questionnaire. Three EFL teachers and three theology instructors were chosen for the interview.  Additionally, the contents of three units of the current English language teaching materials’  were evaluated using the checklist. For the evaluation of the units, the researcher prepared checklists that were adapted from the literature and gave them to the two coders. Then, based on that they evaluated the sample units. In this line, the researcher collected quantitative data using a questionnaire and coding form, and he collected qualitative data using the interview. Data were analyzed in both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study revealed that the most needed skills for theology students were identified according to their order of importance: speaking (94%), listening (86.3), writing (77.1), reading (70.1), grammar (55.6), and vocabulary (51.3). Based on the results of the contents analysis, the contents of the teaching materials hardly meet the needs and interests of diploma theology students.  Finally, the researcher developed a sample unit (teaching/learning material) that can be used as a model.

 

PDF