IMPROVING L2 PROFICIENCY, CLASSROOM ENGLISH, AND AWARENESS LEVELS (L2 SELF-EFFICACY, TEACHING EFFICACY, LEARNING STRATEGIES) OF FIRST-YEAR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS UNDER KAKATIYA UNIVERSITY USING TBLT

Abstract

In Asian nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Japan, and India) where English is the national language or the primary medium of instruction, the significance of raising school teachers’ English Language Proficiency (ELP) levels is becoming increasingly apparent (Hayes, 2015; Tsang, A. 2017; Mackenzie, 2019). Freeman et al. (2015), Burns (2017), and Thi Hong Nhung (2017) suggest that there is a need to improve teachers’ Classroom English Proficiency (CEP) levels. Prior research highlighted non native English as a Foreign Language (EFL)/English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers at the school level. However, fewer studies have addressed pre-service teachers’ ELP and CEP needs as part of teacher education programs. Researchers have previously discussed the link between language competence levels and non-native teachers’ self-efficacy levels in EFL situations, including Chacón, 2005; Ghasemboland & Hashim, 2013; Sabokrouh, 2014; Alagözlü, 2016; and Choi & Lee, 2016. According to Richards (2020), boosting instructors’ confidence in the target language they employ in class can have an excellent emotional effect and a lasting effect on their instruction. Pre-service teachers’ teaching practicum is where they will gain a more profound knowledge of the connections between these factors. For this reason, the current study focuses on improving pre-service teachers’ English language proficiency (ELP) and classroom language proficiency (CEP), awareness of language strategies (SILL) (Berne, 2004; Cohen & Henry, 2019), L2 self-efficacy, and teaching efficacy using a task based approach. Pre-service teachers’ teaching practicum objectives are differently perceived at global, national, and local levels. The difference is due to the diverse language needs of pre-service teachers. At the global level, in the CELTA course, the training is offered to pre-service teachers in Language skills and pedagogic knowledge to teach adult learners. At the national level, NCERT looks at ‘language across the curriculum’ and aims to offer training in LSRW skills related to content areas and classroom communication to pre service teachers teaching secondary-level learners. The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) entrance exam conducted by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Telangana, does include an English language component but only grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, which does not provide a complete picture of the language needs of pre-service teachers. In Kakatiya University, selected for the present study, pre-service teachers are provided training in communicative English to teach secondary-level learners, yet need specific guidelines. It is observed that pre-service teachers of all methodologies in all the B. Ed colleges affiliated with Kakatiya University are informed about the TBLT approach and language activities such as role-plays and dialogue writing. However, the training needs of pre-service teachers are not considered. This study addresses those needs by enhancing ELP, CEP, and awareness (SILL, self-efficacy, teaching efficacy) through tasks, connecting them to task preparation for lesson plans. In other words, the present study focuses on improving second language (L2) proficiency, particularly in classroom English for instruction and communication, among first-year pre-service teachers. The study aims to raise awareness levels regarding L2 self efficacy (confidence in using the second language) and teaching efficacy (confidence in using English for instruction). It also explores learning strategies these individuals use to acquire and retain language skills. Conducted at Teacher Education colleges under Kakatiya University, this research suggests using Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) as an effective method to enhance L2 proficiency and teaching efficacy among first-year pre-service teachers. The following are the objectives of the study:  To gauge the gap between the existing English language proficiency and classroom English proficiency and the required language proficiency of pre service teachers, according to global standards. 12  To examine the relationship among ELP, CEP, and awareness levels (language self-efficacy, LLS, teaching efficacy) of pre-service teachers.  To evaluate the impact of task-based language training on English language proficiency levels, classroom English, and awareness (self-efficacy, LLS, teaching efficacy) levels of pre-service teachers.  To explore the impact of improvement in the ELP, CEP, and awareness levels (language self-efficacy, LLS, teaching efficacy) of pre-service teachers on their task preparation for lesson plans. The study is conducted in three stages, viz., preliminary, pilot, and main study. The preliminary stage included a pre-test (Converse & Presser, 1986) and a screening test. For all three stages (pre-test, screening test, pilot study, main study), ‘Aptis for teachers’ developed by the British Council and which is aligned with CEFR, is used for the English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT), and ELTeach 3.0 developed by Anne Katz, Donald Freeman, Anne Burns is used for Classroom English Proficiency Test (CEPT). The ELPT has three levels based on marks that are A1-A2 (basic), B1 (Intermediate), and B2 (above Intermediate). Similarly, the CEPT has three levels: band 1 (basic), band 2 (Intermediate), and band 3 (above intermediate). The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling technique. As part of the preliminary study, a sample pre-test (Converse & Presser, 1986) was conducted with first- and second-year pre-service teachers from teacher education colleges affiliated with Osmania University (N=50) and Kakatiya University (N=50). The test was conducted to select one state university for the screening test. The research tools used for the screening test included diagnostic tests and informal interviews. The diagnostic test was conducted on reading, writing, and classroom English with 402 first-year, second semester pre-service teachers from 12 teacher educational colleges, Warangal, affiliated with Kakatiya University in Telangana. Along with the test, informal interviews were conducted with ten pre-service teachers and ten teacher educators related to teaching practicum. The informal interviews with teacher educators helped adapt the questionnaires used in the present study as per the needs of the pre-service teachers. The informal interviews conducted with pre-service teachers revealed language problems of pre-service teachers and also their need for more awareness about SILL, L2 self-efficacy, and teaching efficacy. The need to connect their language training with their task preparation for lesson plans for secondary school-level learners was recognized. Therefore, based on the screening test findings, 402 pre-service teachers were categorized as ‘A1-A2’, band 1 13 (332) learners, and ‘B1’, band 2 (70) learners. Out of 332 ‘A1-A2’ band 1 level learners, 80 students were selected for the pilot study, and 202 students were selected for the main study. Before conducting the main study, the tasks, questionnaires (SILL, L2 self-efficacy. Teaching efficacy), and task evaluation checklist were piloted with 80 pre-service teachers from four teacher educational colleges, Warangal, Telangana. They were categorised as experimental and control groups using the convenience sampling technique. The experimental and control groups were given pre-test and post-test, and questionnaires were administered to the experimental group. The Intervention was given only to the experimental group. They were made to prepare tasks for lesson plans. A follow-up interview was conducted with ten pre-service teachers about the Intervention. A follow-up interview was conducted with ten pre-service teachers about the Intervention. The pilot study allowed the researcher to adapt tasks and tailor guidelines provided to pre-service teachers to prepare tasks for lesson plans as per the research objective (4) of the study. The main study was conducted with 202 pre-service teachers from 5 teacher education colleges in Warangal in the state of Telangana. They were divided into groups of experimental (N=101) and control (N=101). They were given a pre-test followed by administering questionnaires to the experimental group. Then, the Intervention was provided to the experimental group for six months with 60 hours of Instruction. The final step included  conducting a post-test for both groups,  administering questionnaires to the experimental group and  triangulation of the data with the findings of the task-evaluation checklist given to the experimental group. A follow-up interview was conducted with 10 pre-service teachers about the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings from the main study showed an improvement in the scores of the experimental group (N=101) from ‘A1-A2’ (ELPT), band 1 (CEPT) level in the pre intervention phase to ‘B2’ (ELPT), band 3 level (CEPT) in the post-intervention phase. For the questionnaire on awareness and use of Language Learning Strategies (SILL), the students reported a high use of compensation strategies (m = 3.96), which is related to guessing, which improves the ability to guess the meanings of the sentences using contextual clues. Hence, there is a tremendous enhancement in the reading skills 14 acquisition of the pre-service students, as drawing contextual clues is essential during reading. For the strategy that is ‘I connect the sound of the new English word to the image of the word to help remember the word’ used for listening, the students report a high mean value (m= 3.53). The productive skills such as speaking and writing also improved. The students performed well in the speaking-related task, reflected in the high mean value (m=3.76) of the statement on memory strategies: ’ I think of the relationship between what I already know and new things I learn in English.’ The scores on writing tests are also high with the help of mastery over the select strategies of SILL. The mean values of memory strategies are reported to be higher. The strategy ‘I use new English words in the sentence so I can remember them’ is one of the highly used strategies of SILL that reflects the level of improvement in the use of new vocabulary and language acquisition of the students. The Introductory Chapter 1 provides an overview of the key aspects related to the present study and the rationale of the study. Chapter 2 elaborates on the aspects mentioned in Chapter One, along with the theoretical framework and Task-based language teaching (TBLT) models. Chapter 3 includes research methodology and a description of data collection tools. The development of course materials for the study based on the screening test findings was also discussed. As a continuation of Chapter 3, a detailed description of the tasks, along with the teacher guidelines for task preparation for lesson plans, was provided in Chapter 4. Chapter- 5 provides an analysis of the data collected during the pilot and main study phases through the execution of the tasks that were mentioned in Chapter 4. The conclusion chapter that is chapter- 6 provides important conclusions and implications of the study