TEACHERS’ USE OF ORAL

COMMUNICATION TEACHING
METHODS AT SENIOR
SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN
HHOHHO REGION

Mr. M.W. Kunene

University of Eswatini
Presentation Outline

Background of the Study Theoretical framework

Statement of the Problem Related Literature

Aim of the Study Methodology

Research Objectives Findings and Discussions

Research Questions Conclusions

Significance of the Study Recommendations

Limitations References
Background of the Study

 Learning English Language is essential; international

language of various fields (Huang, 2009)

 Good communication skills in English is a necessity for

most people globally (Richards, 2006)

 However, the teaching of Oral Communication in the

kingdom of Eswatini has been met with challenges as
evident in the (EGCSE English Language Examination
Report, 2014, p27-28)
English in the Kingdom of Eswatini

 English is taught as a second language, and a credit

pass determines entry into tertiary institutions

 Official language for teaching and learning (LoTL)

(Education & Training Sector Policy, 2018)

 Language of the internet, business transactions and

the courts – proficiency is critical
Statement of the Problem
 “Poor language/oral skills” main cause for poor performance
among candidates (ECOS reports 2012, 2014, 2016 & 2017)

 2012 report: “There is less emphasis on the teaching of

productive skills such as speaking than writing” (p16).

 2014 report: “Students are not given enough practice to learn

English through natural interaction.”

 Reports (2012-2019) learners are consistently performing

poorly.
 Statement of the Problem cont.

Students’ Overall Performance in SGCSE / EGCSE English Language (2012-2019)

Year Total A* to C A* to C % D to G D to G %

2019 15 068 4 275 28.37 9 836 65.27

2018 14 922 3 853 25.88 9 789 65.60
2017 13 626 3 371 24.73 8 794 64.53
2016 12 595 3 173 25.19 8 343 66.24
2015 12 003 2 898 24.14 8 179 68.14
2014 10 767 2 643 24.54 7 123 66.15
2013 10 719 2 505 23.36 7 133 66.54
2012 10 444 2 513 24.06 6 914 66.20
Aim of the Study

 To investigate teachers’ use of oral

communication teaching methods at senior
secondary schools in Hhohho region.
Objectives of the Study

1. To identify oral communication teaching methods used

by teachers of English at senior secondary schools in the
kingdom of Eswatini.

2. To ascertain how teachers of English prepare learners

for oral communication skills at senior secondary level.

3. To determine challenges teachers of English face when

teaching oral communication skills at senior secondary
level.
Research Questions

1. What oral communication teaching methods are used by

teachers of English at senior secondary schools in
Swaziland?

2. How do teachers of English prepare learners for oral

communication skills at senior secondary level?

3. What challenges teachers of English face when teaching

oral communication skills at senior secondary level?
Significance of the Study

 Study will benefit the following stake holders:

 The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET)

 Curriculum designers

 Teachers and learners – effective teaching methods

 Other scholars – basis for future research

Limitations of the Study

 Focuses only on oral communication skills

 Concentrates at senior secondary school

 The relatively small sample size means the

results cannot be generalized to the whole
country

 The study is purely qualitative

Theoretical Framework

 Constructivist Learning Theory (Vygotsky, 1978)

 In constructivism, the teacher becomes the facilitator,

coach and advisor and the students are the key players
in the process of constructing meaning and
understanding (Christie, 2005).

 The constructivism approach to oral communication

teaching methods in English is the pedagogical
orientation which guides how it should be taught by
teachers in schools.
Relevance of the Theoretical
Framework to the Study
 Optimal choice for the study because it sets learners as
key players in the learning process, whereas the teacher
takes a supervisory role

 Oral Communication is a practical skill that demands

maximum learner participation ─ thus making them
key players

 Therefore, the underlying principles of the

constructivist theory are aligned with the objectives of
the study
 Related Literature
 Studies focused on oral communication teaching
methods (RQ1): Mishra (2015), Alam and Uddin (2013),
Ahmad and Rao (2013), Maldonado (2015) Bruner et al. (2015)

 Studies focused on oral communication teaching

strategies (RQ2): Uztosun and Erten (2014), Rezvani (2011),
Rask (2006), Yaman et al. (2013), Mesgarshahr &
Abdollahzadeh (2014), Kuivamaki (2015), (2014)

 Studies focused on oral communication teaching

challenges (RQ3): Abdalla and Mustafa (2015), Frans
(2016), Ekanjume-Ilongo (2015), Ozdlpclner et al (2015)
Gaps in Literature [1]

 Population gap: Most studies were conducted at tertiary level

with adult learners; Mishra (2015), Maldonado (2015),
Kuivamaki (2015), Hmaid (2014)

 Geographical gap: Most were conducted in Asian countries,

Mishra (2015): India, Ahmad and Rao (2013): Pakistan, Bruner
et al. (2015): Thailand, Alam and Uddin (2013): Pakistan.
African perspective limited

 Methodological gap: Bruner et al. (2015): survey, Frans

(2016): mixed methods, Mesgarshahr & Abdollahzadeh (2014):
experimental, Alam and Uddin (2013) action research
Gaps in Literature [2]

 Variable gap: The studies focused on various aspects of

oral communication
 Some focused only on teaching methods and strategies,
others strictly on barriers or challenges faced by students
 Justification for current study: fills the geographical
and population gap.
 Very few studies have been conducted in Africa, and they
used different variables from the current study
 No similar studies have been found in Ewatini context
Methodology

 Research design: Qualitative paradigm, case

study (Gustafsson, 2017)

 Instruments: document analysis, observation

schedule and interview guide (Schumacher &
McMillan, 2006)
Population and Sampling
 Target population: All senior secondary school
English language teachers in the south northern art of
Hhohho region of Eswatini

 Sample: 20 teachers of English Language from five

senior secondary schools under the Madlangempisi
cluster, Northern Hhohho Region.

 Sampling Criteria: purposive sampling (Creswell,

2012)
Participants’ Demographic Data

 20 teachers of English Language from five senior

secondary schools under the Madlangempisi cluster,
Northern Hhohho Region

 Gender: 13 females, 7 males

 Teaching experience: 6 to 15 years

 Qualifications: STD (2), BA (1), BA + PGCE (12), STD

+B.Ed. Sec (5)
Data Collection Procedure [1]

DOC. ANALYSIS OBSERVATION

 Official books: scheme  Classroom activities
and preparation books during teaching of oral
(lesson plans) skills

 Interaction: teacher-
 Teaching methods /
student; student-student
aids used to teach oral
skills (Appendix B)
 Challenges (Appendix A)
Data Collection Procedure [2]

 Interviews:
 Semi structured, using open-ended questions

 Groups interviewed:
• Heads of Department (Appendix C)
• Subject teachers (Appendix D)
Data Analysis

 Thematic Content Analysis (Neuman, 2003)

 Categorized all themes contained in data, linked

the themes and ideas

 Drew conclusions about the characteristics and

meaning of the recorded material (Neuman,
2011).
Trustworthiness

 Credibility: clear intentions, sincerity

 Transferability: thick descriptions

 Dependability: audit trail, transparent coding

 Confirmability: audit trail

Ethical Considerations

 Research ethics were followed

 Written permission was sought from the University of

Eswatini Ethics Committee (Appendix H) and another
from the Ministry of Education and Training (Appendix
I) to collect data from the research site

 Each participant in this study was requested to complete

a consent form (Appendix G)
Findings and Discussions

 Findings to research question 1:

 What oral communication teaching methods are

used by teachers of English at senior secondary
schools in Swaziland?
Findings to Research Question 1

Frequency of the interactive methods used to teach oral skills

Method Oral Aspect Taught Frequency Percentage
/20
Oral presentations Control of structures, command
of 5 25
vocabulary, pronunciation and
intonation
Dialogues Control of structures, command
of 5 25
vocabulary, pronunciation and
intonation
Role plays Clear pronunciation,
building self-confidence 1 5
Group discussions vocabulary, pronunciation and
intonation 6 30
Question and Vocabulary
answer 3 15
Findings and Discussions cont.

 Findings to research question 2:

 How do teachers of English prepare learners for

oral communication skills at senior secondary
level?
 Findings to Research Question 2 (i)

Figure 2. Frequency of teaching / learning activities in the oral skills lesson

Findings to Research Question 2 (ii)

Figure 3. Communication strategies used by learners during oral skills lesson

Findings and Discussions cont.

 Findings to research question 3:

 What challenges teachers of English face when

teaching oral communication skills at senior
secondary level?
Findings to Research Question 3

Figure 4. Challenges faced by the participants during oral lessons

Summary of the Findings
 Participants used a variety of interactive methods of
teaching oral communication skills.

 Various activities were used to prepare learners for oral

communication skills: discussion most used, role play
least used. Learners responded using compensatory
language strategies during lessons in oral
communication

 Teachers faced various challenges when teaching oral

communication skills: from negative attitudes to poor
background
Overall Findings

 Results were consistent with the findings of

Mishra (2015), Okwako (2002), Mwamba
(2005), Abdalla and Mustaffa (2015), Frans
(2016), Ekanjume-Ilongo (2015)

 Contrary to the findings of Alam and Uddin

(2013)
Conclusions

 The participants were not preparing the learners

adequately to engage in all activities of language
learning.

 Lessons become engaging and memorable when the

participants used a variety of interactive methods in one
lesson at different stages and then adopt the
constructivist classroom approach.

 Therefore, an integration of both instructional methods

and oral communication techniques is encouraged.
Recommendations for Action

 English department should provide the opportunities for

extra debate and oral communication activities

 English teachers to allow more time for interaction in

the class between and among learners

 English department should take responsibility for

exposing the learners to use English in a variety of
situations so as to improve their oral proficiency level.
Recommendations for Further Study

 Further research be conducted on the same topic but

using a larger sample

 A study with using both teachers and learners as

participants to compare views

 Use of mixed methods, to overcome the inherent

weaknesses of qualitative methods

 Carry out a similar study at junior secondary school

References
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Alibakhshi, G. (2011). The effect of teaching strategic competence on speaking

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End

Thank You