Faculty of Arabic Language Arts & Foreign Languages Department

493 Pages·2013·4.33 MB·English

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Faculty of Arabic Language Arts &
Foreign Languages
Department of Foreign Languages
Branch of English Studies

Investigating Teachers' Attitudes toward the Adequacy of
Teacher Training Programs and CBA-related Instructional
Materials:
A Case Study of the Algerian Intermediate School Teachers of
English in the Region of Biskra

A Dissertation Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Doctorate Degree in Applied Linguistics

Supervisor: Prof. Ahmed MOUMENE. Candidate: Ahmed BACHER.

Board of Examiners

Chairman: Prof. Said KESKES. University of Setif.

Supervisor: Prof. Ahmed MOUMENE. University of Constantine I.

Member: Prof. Nacif LABED. University of Constantine I.

Member: Dr. Riad BELOUAHEM. University of Constantine I.

Member: Dr. Salah KAOUACHE. University of Constantine I.

2013
Thesis Approval

After perusal and close cross-examination of Mr. Ahmed Bachèr’s PhD thesis
entitled : Investigating Teachers’ Attitudes Toward the Adequacy of Teacher Training
Programs and CBA-Related instructional Materials: A case of the Algerian
Intermediate School Teachers in the Region of Biskra, we, the undersigned, solemnly
declare that it is defensible before a panel of experts in the discipline of Applied
Linguistics. Moreover, we hereby certify that it is conform to the required format,
content, and methodology of thesis rules and requirements in vigor in the Algerian
universities.

Approved by :

1. Prof. Said Keskes, Setif University.
__________________________________ (Signature).

2. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Moumène, Supervisor. University of Constantine I.
_________________________________ (Signature).

3. Prof. Nacif Labed, member of the Board of Examiners. University of Constantine
I.
_______________________________ (Signature).

4. Dr. Riad Belouahem, member of the Board of Examiners. University of
Constantine I.
_______________________________ (Signature).

5. Dr. Salah Kaouache, member of the Board of Examiners. University of
Constantine I.

_______________________________ (Signature).
I
Declaration

I hereby declare that this doctoral thesis entitled Investigating Teachers’
Attitudes Toward Teacher Training Programs and CBA-Related
Instructional Materials: A Case Study of the Algerian Intermediate
School Teachers in the Region of Biskra, and supervised by Professor
Ahmed Moumene of Mentouri University of Constantine is my own work
and, to the best of my knowledge, all the sources that I have used and/ or
quoted have duly been indicated and acknowledged by complete
reference.

Mr. Ahmed BACHER Date:
/__/__/2012/.
__________________
(Signature)

II
Declaration

I hereby declare that this thesis has not previously been
submitted and will not be, either in the same or different
form, to this or any other university for the award of
any degree.

Signed: Mr. Ahmed Bacher
__________________________
(Signature)

III
Dedication

To my beloved mother, Abla Bacher.
To my beloved father, Mohammed Larbi Bacher.
To my brothers Farouk, M. Saleh, Adel, Lyès, and Tarek
To my cousin Samia Abid, M.D. & Soumia Bachèr
To my wife Habiba Gouacem
To my sons Mohamed Larbi & Imran
To my in-laws the Gouacem Family : Massood,
Tarek Souad, Sabrina, Hameeda, Awatef,
Afef and Hocein

IV
Acknowledgments

SS
O many believed in me and in what this work is really worth and for whom
thanks can never be enough to express my deep appreciation. This section is my wish
to acknowledge those many who have lent a hand of assistance and whispered a word
of encouragement and have made this work possible.
As a devout Muslim, first and foremost praise be to Our Lord, Allah, as many as He
has created, as large as the expansion of His Realm, and as heavy as the weight of His
Throne, and as varied His blessings have been.
My deep appreciation goes to my supervisor Prof. Dr. Ahmed Moumene whose
gentlemanlike manners and soft-spoken advice count for much of my motivation to
work even harder. His insightful tips have been my stars and compass that guided me
safely ashore.
I wish to record my deep sense of appreciation to the Mohammed Kheidher
University and its top official who extended their hands to reach for the young
researchers and whose unflagging assistance enabled this humble work to reach
fruition.
I am also indebted to Mr Slimani Said, Mr. Boulougroune Adel, Mr Boukhama, Mr.
Temagoult, Mrs. Hacina, Mrs. Rabhi, and Mrs. Salhi who have always believed in
me.
I wish to thank Mr. Bashar Maamar, Mr. Sigueni Lamri, and Tourqui Barkat who
encouraged me all along.
I wish to acknowledge Mr. Rahal Logby and his gentlemanlike support.
My thanks extend to some friends whose presence and faith helped me fight my
‘‘black dogs’’: Ali Othmani, Khalid Jeddi, Salim Moaki-Benani, Mohammed
Alloush, Mourad Jeffal.
V
A special thank you goes to my Master’s 2 students (part. Prof. Boumerzougue,
Meraf, Sebbahi, and Zebila, etc.) who have been supportive all along the writing of
this thesis, and who prayed day and night for its completion.
I want also to express my gratitude to my family whose assistance and
encouragements have urged me to complete this work. I can never thank them enough
for their self-abnegation and their unflinching support.
Although any expression of acknowledgment will miss to fully capture the assistance
and cooperation of middle school teachers of English who gladly and cheerfully
answered the questionnaires piling thus insights upon insights.
A special thank you goes to Mr. and Mrs. Abdelbaki who willingly undertook to
provide me with the necessary measurements of the middle school textbooks.
A debt of heartfelt appreciation needs to be settled and paid in full in favor of my
‘‘heroes in the shadows’’; those people whose compelling books sparkled my
inspiration and made me reach my knowledge nirvana.

VI
Abstract
The present, dual-focused descriptive-interpretive study purports itself to investigate
the attitudes of the middle school teachers of English in the aftermath of the
implementation of new school reforms that aim to introduce a new, interdisciplinary
approach (viz., Competency-Based Approach) as a medium of instruction. This
research evolves from and revolves around a prevailing assertion: namely, that is the
teaching-learning process has a firm attitudinal footing. Differently stated, the aim of
the study is to explore teachers’ attitudes and the extent to which these may affect
their engagement in the teaching-learning process. It should be noted that teachers’
attitudes, beliefs, cognition, emotions, and values appear to be customarily
underexplored so much so that psychological aspects are assumed to be ancillary at
best or non-existent at worst. The answers provided in the questionnaires (three in
all), which are the linchpin of our investigation along with the unstructured
interviews, sit well with the hypothetical framework, which is formulated as follows:
If we rethink teacher education and training, improve teachers’ socio-professional
conditions, and involve teachers in decision making, we will significantly reduce
teachers’ negative attitudes. The targeted population of this study is the middle school
teachers of English in the Region of Biskra of which seventy (70) teachers responded
to the questionnaires and the unstructured interviews. The findings of the
investigation disclose that the middle school teachers of English have developed
negative attitudes toward four (04) major challenges: the management-related
challenges, contextual-related challenges, teaching profession-related challenges, and
working relationships-related challenges. Management-related challenges, which
include teacher education and training programs, textbook design and writing, and
organization of pedagogic activities, have affected teachers’ unfavorable attitudes
toward their very existence and roles in the teaching-learning process. Contextual
challenges, such as old facilities, busy schedules, and especially class size, have
sparked a record number of teachers’ flurry grievances and negative attitudes.
Teaching-related challenges (i.e., the teachability of the self-contained textbooks,)
have proved to frustrate teachers’ attempt to attain the set objectives. As for the
working relationships-related challenges, teachers seem to have developed
unfavorable attitudes vis-à-vis the tense relations with other stakeholders (mainly
inspectors and male students), limited prospects for promotion, and pecuniary
incentives.
VII
List of Figures and Tables

Chapter One:

Table 1: English world roles and functions………………………………………………... 30
Table 2: Classification of the National Chart goals (1976) ………....………..…… 34
Table 3: School context attributes…………………………………………………. 54
Table 4: The benefits of schools for individuals and society……………………... 56
Table 5: The new roles the principal in the knowledge-based societies and market-
driven economies…………………………………………………………. 60
Table 6: Classroom size and density……………………………………………... 63
Table 7: The main characteristics of the Common European Framework (CEF)... 67
Table 8: Conventional/ traditional education vs. Non -traditional/CBE……….... 78
Table 9: Features of the CBLT………………………………………………….. 79
Table 10: Key learning and competency areas in CBA curriculum……………… 80

Chapter Two:

Table 11: Qualities of Webster’s New World Student Writing Handbook ……………. 93
Table 12: Aims of the Teacher’s Handbook -1st Year Middle School…………… 94
Table 13: Debts and credits of e-books…………………………………………... 99
Table 14: Roles of textbooks …………………………………......…………….. 103
Table 15: Justifications of school textbooks ………………………………..…... 106
Table 16: Textbook titles for school subjects …………………………………… 108
VIII
Table 17: Middle school textbooks prices ……………………………………… 114
Table 18: Prices of Middle school English textbooks ………………………….. 114
Table 19: Percentage of middle school English textbooks ..…………..……..... 115
Table 20: Textbooks prices reduction ………………………………………….. 116
Table 21: Advantages & disadvantages of TRS ……………………………….. 117
Table 22: Middle school textbooks weight .……………………………..……… 120
Table 23: Middle school textbook authors ………………………………….…… 124
Table 24: The GSD (anglais) team (2000) ……………………………………..... 126
Table 25: List of foundational and advanced competencies …………………….. 130
Table 26: The Size of the English Language …………………………………….. 135
Table 27: Different definitions of “authentic text” ……………………………… 141
Table 28: Martinez’s listing of (dis)advantages of authentic materials …………. 144
Table 29: Definitions and outcomes of pedagogical practice …………………… 148
Table 30: TGs roles, merits and demerits …………………….…………………. 151
Table 31: Advantages and disadvantages of TA …………………………….….. 161

Chapter Three:

Table 32: Murray’s psychogenic needs ……………………………………..…… 173
Table 33: Fundamental human needs according to Max-Neef ……………..…… 175
Table 34: Learning styles and skill-related activities …………………..….……. 184
Table 35: Classroom practice & discipline evaluation of teachers’ LS………….. 184
Table 36: Specialized literature MS readership ……………………….…………. 195
IX