TEACHERS' PRACTICE OF TEACHING GRAMMAR COMMUNICATIVELY: FOCUS ON GRADE 11 AT YIRGALEM SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL

ABSTRACT This study was conducted with the objective of investigating Teachers’ practice of teaching Grammar communicatively focus on grade 11 at Yirgalem Secondary and Preparatory School. Descriptive statistics was employed. 4 grade11 English language teachers and 230 grade 11 regular students were selected using purposive and simple random sampling technique respectively. 39 questionnaires were used as main tool of data collection. Interviews and classroom observations were used to triangulate the data gathered through questionnaires. The results of the study revealed that communicative grammar teaching was not properly implemented due to various problems. The major problems were large class size, students’ lack of interest and instructional resources, and teachers’ lack of interest to communicative grammar. There were also exists difference between what the teachers understand about communicative grammar teaching and they really practiced. The data showed that the grammar lessons were not presented in meaningful contexts and situations. The students were not also encouraged to express their own feelings and interests using the target structure. In addition teachers did not give a chance to students to practice the exercise efficiently. Traditional/ lecture teaching method is more dominated than meaningful and communicative activities.