A study of challenges faced by ESL Novice Teachers and Primary School students’ Perception towards Them

Contents1.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background of the Research....................................................................................................................2

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem.........................................................................................................2

1.3 Research Objectives.................................................................................................................................2

1.3.1 To find out the challenges and obstacles faced by novice teachers teaching English in primary schools........................................................................................................................................................3

1.3.2 To investigate the perceptions of primary school students towards novice teachers teaching English in their school...............................................................................................................................3

1.3.3 To describe ways that novice teachers can help experienced teachers in improving the quality and achievement of English language among primary school students...........................................................3

1.4 Research Questions..................................................................................................................................3

1.4.1 What are the challenges and obstacles faced by novice teachers teaching English in primary schools?......................................................................................................................................................3

1.4.2 What are the perceptions of primary schools students towards novice teachers teaching English in their school?...............................................................................................................................................3

1.4.3 How can novice teachers help experienced teachers in improving the quality and achievement of English language among primary school students?...................................................................................3

1.5 Operational Definitions............................................................................................................................3

1.5.1 Novice teacher..................................................................................................................................3

1.5.2 Experienced teacher..........................................................................................................................3

1.5.3 Primary school student......................................................................................................................3

1.5.4 Improve.............................................................................................................................................4

1.5.5 Challenges.........................................................................................................................................4

1.6 Limitations...............................................................................................................................................4

1.7 Significance of the Research....................................................................................................................4

1.0 Introduction

It is a common way of practices in education where all teachers and educators need to attend some period of trainings in schools before they step into the real education life. These sorts of trainings allow them to practice the strategies and concepts they have been learning in their university and college education courses. Apart from that, coursework with field experience and internship provided opportunities to rehearse practices (Wenner, 2011). Moreover, pre-service or sometimes referred as novice teachers may be working through observing experienced teachers in the classroom as well as learning in preparing and giving lessons and measuring student’s progress in classroom.

However, there have been many perceptions towards novice teachers who need to undergo some trainings and practices in school. Many beliefs that they lack of confidence to deliver or practice what have been taught or even they are clueless to try out any alternative teaching methods (Tsui, 2003). He further agreed that novice teachers tend to strictly following the rules and guidelines prescribed to them compared to expert teachers who highly rely on their own judgment and exercise in their lesson planning.

1.1 Background of the Research

This paper aims at identifying challenges and obstacles faced by novice teachers who teach English language to primary school students. It focuses on examining the difficulties that novice teachers in Malaysia faced in their early experience of teaching English language. This is due to the reason that novice teachers experience complicated transition from their college or university life into a real classroom life (Fatiha, Abd, & Shanina, 2013). They further stated that the lack of emphasis given to novice teachers’ transition in more likely because of very minimal understanding on challenges that they need to face.

Not only that, this paper also focuses on describing student’s perceptions towards novice teachers in their school. This is based on the belief that among one reason teachers are able to learn to teach effectively through their own teaching experience is that they can expect and predict what is supposed to happen in their classroom (Kennedy, 1999). This strengthen the argument that novice teachers will suffer many difficulties compared to experienced teacher.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

There are many challenges and obstacles that we have to face every day, regardless of whether we are skillful and experienced enough to that particular field. However, the more experiences you have, the more advantages you have in dealing those challenges and less experience you have tend to make you have bigger challenges and obstacles. That is why this research is important in order to identify the

challenges faced by new teacher or novice teacher so that they will get benefit from this and know how to overcome this problem.

According to (Fatiha, Abd, & Shanina, 2013), they argue that new teachers always struggle with problems pertaining to dealing with problems of individual students, heavy teaching load with little preparation time, relation with colleagues, planning of lessons and schooldays, effective use of different teaching methods, awareness of school policies and rules, determining learning level of students, and knowledge of subject matter. This research is important in helping the teachers to identify the challenges that they need to face as well as finding a way improve their teaching quality.

1.3 Research Objectives

The research objectives of this study are as follows:

1.3.1 To find out the challenges and obstacles faced by novice teachers teaching English in primary schools.

1.3.2 To investigate the perceptions of primary school students towards novice teachers teaching English in their school.

1.3.3 To describe ways that novice teachers can help experienced teachers in improving the quality and achievement of English language among primary school students.

1.4 Research Questions

The research questions of this study are as follows:

1.4.1 What are the challenges and obstacles faced by novice teachers teaching English in primary schools?

1.4.2 What are the perceptions of primary schools students towards novice teachers teaching English in their school?

1.4.3 How can novice teachers help experienced teachers in improving the quality and achievement of English language among primary school students?

1.5 Operational Definitions

The definitions used in this study are as follows:

1.5.1 Novice teacher

The term novice refers to a new person who is new to a field or a beginner. According to Collins English Dictionary, novice means a person who is new to or inexperienced in a certain task and situation. Novice teacher refers to a teacher education program graduate entering teaching.

1.5.2 Experienced teacher

The term experience refers to knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what someone has observed, encountered or undergone (Kernerman, 2010). Experienced teacher refers to a teacher education program who has been entering teaching for many years.

1.5.3 Primary school student

A student, by the definition in Webster’s dictionary, is a person formally engages in learning. Primary school student refers to students who enroll in primary school aged between 7 to 12 years old.

1.5.4 Challenges

According to (Cambridge International Dictionary of English, 1995), challenge refers to the situation of being faced with something needing great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and which therefore tests a person’s ability.

1.6 Limitations

The first limitation is the respondents of this study. The respondents are only limited to teachers who are teaching English language subjects to primary schools students only. Both male and female teachers may be affected differently in a way that they might have different personality and motivation in their teaching field. As an example, different teacher may have higher motivation in delivering lesson even though they have low proficiency level in communicating using English language.

The second limitation is sample size. The sample size for this study is quite small to conduct the research since it is limited to only primary school students around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor only. This is due to limited access to the school authority to conduct this research. By conducting research to schools outside this area might probably show different result and conclusion.

The third limitation is the effectiveness of the answers given by the primary school students. This is due to the reason that primary school students may get affected both mentally and emotionally in giving response to the questions asked.

1.7 Significance of the Research

The significance of this study will help novice teachers in dealing with all challenges that they might faced along their early years of teaching as they are able to list all the obstacles and get the perceptions from their students pertaining to their teaching skill. In addition, the outcome of this study will give advantages for both novice and experienced teachers towards the improvements needed to give good impact and quality of their teaching career.

Bibliography

Cambridge International Dictionary of English. (1995). Australia: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.

F. S., A. R., & S. S. (2013). Novice Teachers' Challenges and Survival: Where do Malaysian ESL Teachers Stand? American Journal of Educational Research 1.4 , 119-125.

Kernerman, R. H. (2010). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/experience

Tsui, A. B. (2003). Understanding Expertise in Teaching: Case Studies in ESL Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Wenner, E. J. (2011). Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher Education Experience and Child-Focused Practices Implemented in Quality Early Childhood Inclusive Environments. Greensboro: ProQuest LLC.