Journal of Indigenous Knowledge and Development Studies

Efl Teachers’ Implementations of Strategies of Contemporary Theories of Language Teaching and Its Challenges: The Case of Grade 12 English Teacher in Selected Secondary Schools in Ambo

Habtamu Walga Adaba — 2024-06-10

The purpose of this study was to investigate EFL teachers’ practices of strategies of contemporary theories of language teaching and its challenges in the case of grade 12 secondary schools of in Ambo town in 2023. The subjects of the study were 15 English language teachers. The data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The schools were included based on convenience sampling techniques. Three (3) secondary schools were selected using a simple random sampling technique out of 5 secondary schools, and the subjects were selected in a comprehensive sampling technique since they are manageable. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS Version 20, whereas the interview was analyzed qualitatively. The findings of this study indicated that the teachers sometimes practiced: inquiry-based learning, culturally responsive teaching, mindfulness and social-emotional learning, differentiated instructions, student-centered learning, metacognitive strategies, and adapting the existing materials as strategies of implementing current theories of language teaching. However, the teachers rarely practiced other strategies like personalized learning, blended learning, flipped classroom, project-based learning, gamification and game-based learning, and technology integration. The study also identified that institutional constraints, large class sizes, time constraints, limited training, professional development, language context, and, teacher knowledge of subject matter and beliefs, resources, and lack of technical skills affected the implementation of contemporary theory in the EFL classroom. Therefore, teachers should integrate different modern theories and theorize based on their students' needs, goals, and the specific learning context. Finally, addressing the identified challenges requires a collective effort from educators, policymakers, administrators, and stakeholders in education. Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, recommendations are forwarded.

Spatial and Multilevel Analysis on the Determinants of Gender-Based Violence Against Women in Ethiopia

Kenenisa Abdisa Kuse — 2024-06-10

Violence against women and girls is a global human rights violation and a substantial development challenge. It affects women in the world and crosses cultural and economic boundaries. This research was designed to explore the distribution and variation of gender-based violence against women aged between 15 to 49 years and to identify the associated determinant factors using the evidence from the 2016 EDHS. In this study, a sample of 5860 women of reproductive age (15-49) years were selected using a two-stage stratified random sampling. The multilevel random coefficient model has a best-fitted model and estimates the variation of women’s violence across the regions and zones of Ethiopia. Further, Spatial analysis was performed to analyze the spatial distribution of women’s violence across the regions and zones of Ethiopia. Accordingly, At the national level, 23% of women have experienced physical violence, 19% have experienced emotional violence, and 10% have experienced sexual violence. The multilevel random coefficient model identified that there is significant evidence of variation among regions and zone clusters in Ethiopia. Similarly, spatial analysis indicated that the pattern of spatial distribution of women was randomly clustered at regional and zonal levels in Ethiopia. In general, the study indicated that women’s violence is still a public health problem in Ethiopia. Thus, the government should ensure the legal framework and policies including enforcement of legal punishment for the perpetrators of gender-based violence against women.

Effects of Cooperative Learning on Grade Eleven Students’ Paragraph Contents: Fitche Preparatory School in Focus

Wondwosen Tesfamichael — 2024-06-10

The target of this research was to examine whether or not the effects of implementing cooperative learning (CL) on grade eleven students’ paragraph writing in contents. The quasi-experimental research design was employed and the sample was taken from two sections of eleventh grade. CL method was implemented in the experimental group after the students had been made aware of the method whereas, in the control group, the students were taught their lessons through the conventional method in which the elements and theoretical perspectives of the method were not implemented. Data were collected through tests. Dependent samples t-tests were employed to test whether or not there were significant intra-group differences in paragraph writing at 0.05 risk levels whereas independent samples t-tests were used to check if there were significant inter-group differences in paragraph writing at 0.05 alpha levels. The analyses of paragraph writing pre-tests of the inter-groups showed that both groups had similar backgrounds of contents in writing paragraphs at the initial stage of this research. Nevertheless, after the treatments had been given to the experimental research participants, the analyses of the data indicated that the experimental group outscored significantly (p<0.05) the control group on contents in paragraph writing post-test. This indicates that the implementation of the CL method based on social interdependence, motivational and cognitive perspectives, and the elements of the method, i.e. positive interdependence, face-to-face interaction, individual and group accountability, collaborative skills, and group processing brought about changes in the experimental group. Therefore, the major findings of this study reveal that the method enabled the participants in the experimental group to show improvements in content in paragraph writing skills.