ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTEXTUAL VOCABULARY TEACHING: THE CASE OF GRADE TWELVE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN ADAMA HAWAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of contextual vocabulary teaching in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) class. Grade twelve English teachers and students in Adama Hawas Preparatory School were the participants of the study. Qualitative method was employed to conduct the study and such instruments as classroom observation, textbook analysis, interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. e interview; textbook analysis was used to assess whether the text had enough instruction which enables teachers help students learn the vocabulary from the classroom observation. Added to this, focus group discussion was used to ed to develop from contextual vocabulary instruction. Thus, the findings indicate that teachers include contextual vocabulary instruction in EFL classes to teach vocabulary. However, context-based vocabulary instruction has not been given the attention it deserves in grade twelve English textbook; the activities which are presented in matching formats also lack adequate depth.Thereforechance of learning new words from context is limited both in quantity and quality. What students want to implement in the actual classroom teaching background knowledge and mother tongue influence (students tend to directly translate the meaning of the word into their mother tongue) were also factors that impede contextual vocabulary teaching practice. The vocabulary instructions should be presented to help students understand the meaning of new words in multiple contexts. Therefore, students should be exposed for contextual vocabulary instruction in order to develop their word power that enables them comprehends the concept of any text.