The real story of English language teaching in Syrian high schools and the bumpy transition into the university level BATOUL KHOJA AND DEBASISH MOHAPATRA DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES TEZPUR UNIVERSITY ASSAM INDIA
Part 1 About Syria
Geographical Location
Geographical Location
The Syrian Arab Republic Fact File Capital: Damascus Population 21.1 million (2017) Area 185,180 sq km Major language Arabic Minority languages Kurdish, Armenian, Azeri, Circassian, and Neo- Aramaic. Major religions Islam, Christianity Life expectancy 74 years (men), 78 years (women) Currency Syrian pound
Part 2 Education
School Education in Syria Mainly controlled by Ministry of Education (MoE). MoE is responsible for all aspects of school education including curriculum design and development, establishing schools, applying reforms, planning and policies. Classrooms typically accommodate 30-36 students. All public schools have the same arrangements. Teachers are the center of the class and the symbol of authority. Classrooms have a platform where teachers stand in view of the whole class and students sit in rows facing the teacher.
Physical Arrangement of Classrooms
Physical Arrangement of Classrooms
Stages of School There are three major stages in the school education in Syria: i. Pre-school level: 3 - 5 years. ii. Basic education level which splits into two stages (both free and compulsory): a. Beginner: Grade I to Grade VI: 6 -11 years. b. Intermediate: Grade VII to Grade IX: 12 -14 years. There are two semesters in each school year on which there are: (a) oral tests - (b) exercises and homework - (c) written tests - (d) terminal test in each term. The average score of (a)-(c) (d) constitutes the final result.
Stages of School continued Grade IX final examination are held on the national level. Scores determine whether students go for vocational or general secondary education. iii. Secondary level (Scientific or Literary sections) Grade X to XII: 15 – 17 years. The final test at Grade XII set by MoE on the national level. Success in this test grants students the Baccalaureate Degree. Scores determines what students will study at university under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education (MHE).
Teacher Education Primary School = Primary/Intermediate Teaching Certificate from institutes of teacher training. Intermediate = Primary/Intermediate Teaching Certificate from institutes of teacher training OR BA or BSc + Diploma in Education. General Secondary = BA or BSc + preferred Diploma in Education. University = MA or PhD
Part 3 The Study
Target of Study Investigating the gap between English writing skills at high school and university. The study is conducted in Latakia City, Syria. Why this topic? 1- Personal experience as a student and a teacher. 2- Unstudied area in Syria although the problem is well- documented elsewhere.
Framework The adopted framework is a three-step analysis proposed by (Al- Hammadi & Sidek, 2015).
Framework
Step 1 Textbook Analysis The series is called “ English for Starters ” since 2005. The Grades under focus are XI and XII. Student's Book, Activity Book, Literary/ Scientific Supplement Book, and Teacher's Book. Student ’ s Book 4 modules divided into 3 units = 12 units in total. Teachers have to complete 2 modules per semester. Each module discusses one main theme, For example In the first semester of Grade XII
Textbook Analysis continued At the end of each module is a Review Section with exercises on grammar and vocabulary + an optional project in case teachers have time. The Activity Book has activities that parallel the content of Student's Book and targets reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary = either homework or in class. Supplementary Books The Literary Supplement explores important aspects of English Literature, such as writers, literary genres, academic writing, and discusses some poems and parts of famous plays. The Scientific Supplement on the other hand discusses a variety of vital scientific topics, such as modern medicines, space research, and recycling waste. Teacher's Book, provides teachers with numerous tips, ideas, and suggestions as to how to discuss the materials in the books + samples of progress tests that can be used to assess students effectively.
The Curriculum's Approach to ELT CLT approach. Teacher is catalyst ≠ controller or director. Focus on authentic language through task-based in-class activities . Learner-centered environment + role-play, pair/group work ≠ individual work. Students should initiate problem-solving and work on their learning process ≠ depend on the teacher. Teacher should introduce culture of TL + use TL + encourage discovery/ inductive approach ≠ word-for-word translation + deductive teaching. Skill integration ≠ focusing on one skill.
The CLT Approach
Content Analysis of Grades XI and XII Textbooks Skill under Target of Activities (results shown in percentage) Teacher Role Target of focus Activities Whole class Groups Pairs Individuals Catalyst Director Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade XI XII XI XII XI XII XI XII XI XII XI XII Discuss 29.62 25.75 14.81 13.63 37.03 40.09 18.51 19.69 68.96 77.14 31.03 22.85 Read 18.18 26.08 18.18 13.04 45.45 39.13 18.18 21.73 81.81 73.33 18.18 26.66 Listen 44.44 25 11.11 0 11.11 20 33.33 25 81.81 100 18.18 0 Grammar 25.92 23.08 9.25 11.9 50 38.09 14.81 26.19 68.96 74.28 31.03 25.71 Vocabulary 29.62 23.8 5.55 7.14 46.29 42.85 16.66 26.19 74.28 80 8.57 20 Speak 22.22 40 29.62 6.66 37.03 33.33 11.11 20 89.65 68.75 10.34 31.25
Step 2: Curriculum ’ s Approach to Writing Teachers are both directors and a facilitators of writing. The majority of the tasks target in-class pair work or individually if assigned as homework. The textbook uses a mixed approach of product /process. The dominant levels of cognitive demands are: Level 1: Remembering (describe, list, recall, outline). Level 6: Creating (create, plan). Level 2: Understanding (explain, infer, rewrite, explain, give examples).
Analysis of Writing Tasks
Analysis of Writing Tasks
Writing at the Department of English Works on paragraph level in 1 st year. Students should produce a variety of grammatically correct sentences in unified and logical paragraphs. Grammar, sentence structure, types of sentences, and punctuation are focused. Students are introduced to basic concepts of writing (topic sentence, unity and coherence). Emphasis is on writing of cohesive summaries and explanatory pieces on different topics. As for testing, a good command over English is a prerequisite for a pass grade. The content and ideas are extremely important. Critical thinking, using appropriate examples and the ability to present and debate ideas are essential for scoring. Layout, organization, the use of appropriate lexis and terminology.
Step 3: Procedure Level The study adopts a mixed-method approach to data collection. Unstructured followed by Structured classroom observations are conducted. The structured observation adopts Target Language Observation Scheme (TALOS) developed by (Ullman and Geva, 1984). The scheme consists of 2 parts that work together to validate data: 1- Observing low-inference categories during the class. 2- Observing high-inference categories filled by the researcher immediately after the class.
Participants
Participants Sample Teachers Teacher Gender School Years of experience Type Location Gender A Female Public City-center All-female 16 B Female Public City-center All-female 19 C Male Public City-center All-male 33 D Female Public Urban All-male 16 E Female Public Urban All-female 34 F Male Public Urban All-female 30 G Male Public Urban Mixed 18 H Male Public Urban Mixed 35 I Female Public City-center Mixed 25 J Male Private Urban Mixed 46 Total numbers of teachers = 10
Part 4 Results
Unstructured Observations Teachers stress the importance of the final Grade XII national examination ≠ focusing on teaching language use. Grammar and vocabulary are taught deductively ≠ inductive/ discovery approach. Heavy use of translation and explanation is done in Arabic ≠ TL use. Culture of TL is not explored. Teachers dominate the class + no active interaction. Students do not initiate problem-solving and participate when asked to. Pair/group work is rare. Skill integration is neglected . Speaking and listening are skipped (unimportant for the test).
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