INVESTIGATING TEACHERS' PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING IN TEACHING READING SKILL IN EFL CLASSROOM: HIDAR 11 SCONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL GRADE 9 STUDENTS IN FOCUS.

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate the practice and challenges of communicative language teaching in teaching reading skills of teachers who teach English for grade nine students at Hidar-11 General Secondary and Preparatory School which is found in Gondar City. To do so, the researcher intended to look into whether EFL teachers at Hidar-11 General Secondary and Preparatory School use communicative language teaching in teaching reading in EFL classroom. Based on research questions, the researcher employed questioners and post- interviews. The research was employed a descriptive research design. The researcher employed simple random sampling techniques and comprehensive sampling technique for teachers to select sample respondents for the study, due to large number of students the systematic sampling technique was used and 176 samples were used as respondents for this research. The findings of the study show that the students' response for classroom practice generally reveal that their teachers implemented communicative language teaching in teaching reading skill is very limited The challenges that affects teachers in practicing communicative language teaching in teaching reading are misconceptions, lack appropriate use of English in context, lack the knowledge about the English culture, fewer resources for communicative material development, lack training about CLT approach and lack access to authentic materials such as newspapers, magazines, other reference books etc. On one hand, students passive style of learning, less confident of students, resistance of students in participating in communicative class and lack motivation are the role of students were low teaching communicative language in teach reading skills. Based on the conclusions of the study, the researcher recommended that English language teachers should be encourage students to practice communicative language in teaching reading in the classroom and the appropriateness of the reading lessons of the grade nine English textbook in cultivating the reading techniques of our students needs to be assessed.