EXPLORING EFLTEACHERS'PERCEPTIONS ANDUSEOF INSTRUCTIONALTECHNIQUE TO PROMOTE STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENTIN READINGACTIVITY:THECASEOFGEDEO ZONESECONDARYSCHOOLS,ETHIOPIA

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore English language teachers’ perceptions and use of instructional technique to promote students’ engagement in reading activity. The study was employed survey research design. The study was conducted on five secondary schools which are found in Gedeo zone. The respondents of the study were thirty one high school EFL teachers who were taken using comprehensive sampling technique. To collect data for the study, questionnaires, classroom observation and interview were used as instrument.To analyze the data both qualitative and quantitative data analysis method were used. The data gathered indicated that, teachers use of additional reading materials and autonomy support in reading classroom was neglected. In addition to this, teachers practice of using different reading activities that engage students in reading were not due attention. Teachers also show low interest for teaching reading skill, and emphasizing the usefulness of reading material and reading skill were not popular practice by English language teachers. In addition, as the finding depicted even though teachers aware of instructional technique that used to promote students’ engagement in reading lesson, they do not implement it. Therefore, to minimize the problem and to design instructional technique which used to engage students in reading task the researcher recommends that ,the Ministry of education and other responsible bodies need to offer training to secondary schools EFL teachers aiming at support motivation and engagement of students in learning reading skills, effort should be made in the accessibility of additional reading materials in the library that used to rise students’ engagement in reading lesson, teachers should also to take students’ choice of reading topics in to consideration while teaching reading lesson in order to promote students’ engagement