Implementing Communicative Language Teaching Method In Saudi Arabia .

Implementing Communicative LanguageTeaching Method in Saudi Arabia:Challenges Faced by Formative YearTeachers in State SchoolsByMajed Othman AbahussainJanuary 2016A thesis submitted in fulfilment for the degree ofDoctor of Philosophy in EducationThe School of EducationUniversity of Stirling

AbstractThe demand for using the English language as a means of communication hasincreased substantially around the world because of its status as the language ofglobalisation, international communication, trade, media, and research (Flowerdewand Peacock 2001). The Saudi Ministry of Education (MoE) has considered thisdemand and taken significant steps to reform the teaching of English as a ForeignLanguage (TEFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). For example, the aims ofand documentation for the TEFL curriculum have been modified to focus on the fourbasic language skills and to promote students‘ communicative competence. However,despite all these efforts, there has been little progress in the area of TEFL in KSA.Classroom teaching practices are still devoted to secondary purposes, such as teachinggrammar, translating literary texts, memorisation, rote learning, and preparing forsummative exams. This reality may indicate an incompatibility between thegovernment‘s efforts to develop TEFL and the practices used by English languageteachers in their classes. This incompatibility, however, may also suggest that Englishlanguage teachers have their own reasons for not teaching English for communicativepurposes and are incapable of implementing innovative teaching methods, such as theCommunicative Language Teaching approach (CLT).This study therefore explores the challenges faced by Saudi English teachers (SETs)in their teaching practice that might prevent them from teaching for communicativepurposes and implementing CLT in their classes. In order to meet this objective, dataobtained from interviews, questionnaires and documents were analysed and classifiedinto various categories. The key findings revealed that the current methodologicali

practices of SETs are traditional teaching methods that stress the dominant role ofteachers, marginalise students‘ interactions, focus on discrete skills, and encouragecompetitive rather than cooperative learning. Furthermore, by using CHAT theory asa framework, the study explored a range of challenges that SETs face when theimplementing CLT. These challenges stem from the individual and contextual levelsof SETs‘ teaching practice. At the individual level, it emerged that SETs had somemisconceptions about some of the main features of CLT, and were not sufficientlyconfident to run communicative classes and adopt CLT in their teaching practice. Thedata, moreover, suggested that these shortcomings were a result of the SETs‘pedagogical and linguistic preparation in their pre-service programmes. At thecontextual level, the study data suggested that there were two main types of constraintthat challenge SETs in terms of teaching for communicative purposes and applyingCLT in their teaching practice. Firstly, there were institutional and situational factors(for example the quality of the in-service training programme, examination purposesand classroom structure), and, secondly, socio-cultural factors (such as the traditionalview of education, and the status of the English language in the Saudi context) thatseemed to be incompatible with teaching English for communicative purposes.The study concludes with recommendations that aim to help improve the currentsituation of TEFL in KSA. For example, ending the isolation between the key partiesinvolved in EFL teaching and learning in the Saudi context is very important, andchanges to pre-service and in-service programmes, as well as at the contextual levels,are also essential.ii

AcknowledgementsMy first and foremost gratitude goes to Almighty Allah, for bestowing the ability,strength and means to complete my research throughout this four year doctoraljourney. Afterward, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to allthose who helped make this study possible, including but certainly not limited to thefollowing.My sincere thanks go to my supportive parents who have always prayed for me. Next,my heartfelt thanks go to my family: my wife (Bashair) and my daughters (Seba,Farah, and Haya); you have been unconditionally supportive throughout this longjourney. I look back on how much you had to sacrifice so I could complete mydoctorate, and am so grateful for your love and unwavering support. Without yoursupport, my doctoral study in Stirling, U.K. would not be possible.My special appreciation goes to the government of Saudi Arabia (Almaja‘ahUniversity) for granting me the doctoral scholarship which provided me greatfinancial support for four years of my doctoral study.My genuine appreciation goes to my supervisors:. Dr. Anne Stokes, Dr. DavidBowker, and Dr. Alison Fox who made me realise my own strengths inconceptualising unanticipated knowledge through their critical comments on mywork. Thank you, for helping me, guiding me, and encouraging me at unexpectedlydifficult times throughout this long journey. My final thanks go to all of my brothers,friends, colleagues and the participants of my study for making this project possible.iii

Table of ContentsAbstract.Acknowledgements.Table of contents.List of tables.List of figures.List of acronymsiiiiivixxxiChapter 1.The study .1. 1. Introduction.1. 2. Aims of the study.1. 3. Research Questions.1. 4. Significance of the study.1. 5. Outline of the thesis.1115699Chapter 2 The Context of the study.2. 1. The Educational System in Saudi Arabia.2. 1. 1. Historical background.2. 1. 2. Characteristics of Saudi education.2. 1. 2. 1. Islamic identity.2. 1. 2. 2. Centralised educational system.2. 1. 2. 3. Single-gender education.2. 1. 2. 4. Governmental financial support.2. 2. Teachers‘ status in Saudi context.2. 3. Introduction of English in Saudi Arabia.2. 3. 1. Teaching English in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia.2. 4. The nature of the examination system.2. 5. Pathways of teacher training for English teachers in KSA.2. 5. 1. English Language and Literature Departments in the Faculties of Arts.2. 5. 2. English Language and & Translation Faculties.2. 5. 3. Teachers Colleges or Education Colleges.2. 6. In-service teacher training provision in Saudi Arabia.2. 7. Novice teachers‘ experiences and challenges .2. 8. My place in the study apter 3.Literature Review.3. 1. Introduction.3. 2. Historical developments in EFL teaching and learning in Saudi context.3. 2. 1. The introductory phase.3. 2. 2. The reformative phase.3. 2. 3. The communicative phase.3. 3. What is meant by Communicative Language Teaching Approach.3. 3. 1. Communicative Competence.3. 3. 2. CLT versions 3. 3. 3. CLT principles.3. 3. 4. Teachers‘ and learners' roles.3. 3. 4. 1. Teachers' roles.42424243434446494951545656iv

3.3.3. 5.3.3.3.3.3.3. 6.3. 3. 4. 2. Learners' roles.3. 5. Classroom activities in CLT.4.Appropriate pedagogy .Implementation of CLT.5. 1. Challenges for implementation of CLT in EFL contexts.3. 5. 1. 1. Conceptual constraints.3. 5. 1. 2. Teachers‘ preparation and training.3. 5. 1. 3. Classroom-level constraints.3. 5. 1. 4. Societal-institutional level constraints.5. 2. Challenges for the implementation of CLT in modern foreign languages(MFL) contexts.5. 3. Challenges in CLT implementation in Saudi context.5. 4. Comment on the previous studies.5. 5. The gap.Conclusion.Chapter 4.RESEARCH METHODS.4. 1. Introduction.4. 2. Research inquiry.4. 2. 1. Research Methodology (the tools of Grounded Theory methods).4. 2. 1. 2. Grounded Theory and my study.4. 2. 2. Population.4. 2. 3. Data gathering.4. 2. 3. 1. Interview.4. 2. 3. 1. 1. Types of interviews.4. 2. 3. 1. 2. The interview sample.4. 2. 3. 1. 3. Planning and conducting the interviews.4. 2. 3. 1. 4. Co-construction .4. 2. 3. 2. Questionnaire.4. 2. 3. 2. 1. Strengths and limitations of the questionnaire.4. 2. 3. 2. 2. Operationalising the questionnaire.4. 2. 3. 2. 3. Type of questionnaire.4. 2. 3. 2. 4. Type of questionnaire items.4. 2. 3. 2. 5. Questionnaire sample.4. 2. 3. 2. 6. Covering letter.4. 2. 3. 2. 7. Reliability of the questionnaire.4. 2. 3. 2. 8. Validity and piloting of the questionnaires.4. 2. 3. 2. Documentary sources.4. 2. 4. Data Analysis.4. 2. 4. 1. Qualitative data analysis.4. 2. 4. 2. Quantitative data analysis.4. 2. 4. 3. Presenting the findings.4. 2. 4. 4. Applying CHAT theory in presenting and discussion of the data.4. 2. 4. 4. 1. Characteristics of CHAT.a. The concept of activity.b. Mediation.c. Contradictions, conflicts and resistance.4. 2. 4. Study limitations.4. 2. 4. Ethical considerations and access to data.4. 2. 4. Role of the researcher.4. 3. 0110111112112113115116117118119120v

Chapter 5.The SETs' Current Methodological Practices.5. 1. Findings.5. 1. 1. SETs‘ roles.5. 1. 1. 1. Knowledge transmitter.5. 1. 1. 2. Lecturer Role.5. 1. 1. 3. The authoritative role.5. 1. 1. 4. Facilitator.5. 1. 2. Current SETs' Teaching Methods.5. 2. Discussion.5. 3. Conclusion.120121121121122123125125133139Chapter 6.Influential factors at the individual level.6. 1. Introduction.6. 2. Influential factors at the individual level.6. 2. 1. SETs' knowledge of CLT.6. 2. 1. 1. SETs‘ misconceptions of CLT.6. 2. 1. 1. 1. CLT relies heavily on oral skills.6. 2. 1. 1. 2. Using CLT involves no grammar teaching.6. 2. 1. 1. 3. CLT can only be used in pair and group work.6. 2. 2. SETs' initial preparation.6. 2. 2. 1. SETs' limited teaching repertoire.6. 2. 2. 1. 1. Pedagogical preparation during pre-service training.a .The provision of educational courses.b. The model of teaching and the practical aspect.6. 2. 2. 2. SETs' linguistic preparation.6. 2. 2. 2. 1. Lack of proficiency in the English language.a). Leniency and increase in student admission.b). Gaps in the preparatory year.c). Student language exposure in English departments.6. 3. Discussion.6. 3. 1. SETs‘ limited teaching repertoire.6. 3. 2. SETs limited linguistic repertoire.6. 3. 3. SETs' misconceptions about CLT.6. 3. 3. 1. CLT relies heavily on oral skills.6. 3. 3. 2. Using CLT involves no grammar teaching.6. 3. 3. 3. CLT can only be used with pair and group works.6. 4. 159160161163166168172173176179180182183184Chapter 7.Influential factors (Contextual Level).7. 1. Institutional and situational factors.7. 1. 1. In-service training in the Saudi context.7. 1. 1. 1. The planning stage for in-service training courses.7. 1. 1. 2. The execution stage of in-service training courses.a. Qualification of the trainers.b. The nature of the content of the training courses.c. Method of presentation in the training courses.7. 1. 1. 2. The follow-up monitoring and transfer of training stage.7. 1. 2. Examination system.7. 1. 2. 1. The potential impact of the written examination on SETs‘ teachingpractice.7. 1. 2. 1. 1. Participants (stake-holders).7. 1. 2. 1. 2. Process of 201