Beteseb High School Teachers’ and Students’ Perception of Their English Language Proficiency

Abstract

Teachers and students perceptions of their English proficiency affect both teaching and acquisition. English teachers’ self-perception affects not only their teaching practices but also their classroom behavior. It is also related to the academic achievement of students. Similarly, students’ positive perception of the English language can motivate learners to study the language deeply and attend other content subjects comfortably since English is the medium of instruction. This study is therefore conducted to examine the perception of students and teachers English proficiency. It also tries to identify the level of students’ proficiency and its relation with final examination and students’ and teachers’ perceptions. The study used quantitative method. Correlational and predictive designs were used. The sources of the study were primary. All English teachers and 120 grade 12 students from a total of 170 population were sampled as subjects of the study with census and simple random sampling techniques respectively. Questionnaires were the data gathering tool. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Mean and standard deviation from descriptive statistics and Pearson moment product correlation, T-tests and simple regression from inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The findings made known that both students and teachers have very high English language proficiency perception, and students have rated their teachers’ English proficiency as very high. The level of IELTS result is 6.3 which is labeled as competent. The mean scores of IELTS exam is 63 where as that of the final exam is 81. The T-test results of students’ and teachers’ self -reported English proficiency perception show statistically significant differences. IELTS and first semester final examination have statistically significant moderate relationship. However, students’ self- reported and teachers’ self- reported English proficiency have low negative relationship. Students self -reported English proficiency perception predicts their final examination but not their IELTS scores. The recommendations of the study are discussed.