Abstract

The main goal of this study was to examine conversational glitches among high school students in Bamenda. Specifically, the study sought to investigate why students are often quiet during interactional talks in English Language, to examine the challenges faced by high school students during English conversations and to examine strategies that could be used to overcome high school students English Language conversational problems.

This study was conducted in Bamenda. The study used a mixed research design involving both qualitative and quantitative data. Out of a population of 450 students, 205 students were randomly selected to comprise the sample. Questionnaires were filled by students while six teachers of high school were interviewed. Two teachers were selected from each of the 3 schools under study.

Findings from this study revealed that students face lots of challenges during interactional use of English language and as a result, they are often quiet during English language conversations because they sometimes lack the right words to use or sometimes they are scared of their friends laughing at them when they make mistakes. Often, they prefer to stay quiet when conversations are brought up in English and or will not know how to change topics, take turns and so participants end up with yes or no answers when they are confronted with a question.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Following the fact that the world has become a global village today, and that that the english language is a world language, conversational skills is a must have if not one will be left behind. European linguists saw the need for language instructors to focus on communicative competence rather than on the mastery of structures alone.

The term “communicative competence” was first used by Hymes, who referred to it as “that aspect of our competence that enables us to convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within specific contexts”. Since then, researchers have sought diligently to define and redefine the construct of communicative competence and the most widely accepted definition by Canale and Swan (1980) that there are four different components of communicative competence: grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociolinguistic competence and strategic competence. Communicative Language Teaching(CLT) primarily aims at developing language learners ‟ communicative competence”.

Pei-long (2011) also argues that language teaching should focus on communicative proficiency rather than mastery of sentence structures. Therefore, several researchers identify CLT as one of the most influential and effective language teaching methodologies that increase learners‟ communicative competence.

Due to the needs of international communication today years back, the CLT approach was introduced in many countries where English is learnt and spoken as a second and or foreign language in ESL/EFL classrooms. Given the current English teaching circumstances in African countries, researchers have argued that implementing fully a CLT approach in anglophone countries should be trending like fashion does. They have also pointed out that certain barriers need to be overcome for the effective implementation of CLT in these countries. Earlier the language was taught through grammar translation and direct method that teaches the target language in the target language while the grammar-translation method teaches the target language in the students’ mother tongue.

These methods have not been successful at improving English proficiency of Cameroon school students because if it did we will not have students in languages centres every year trying trying to acquire fluency in English despite having gone through secondary and high schools using the language instudies. In its attempts to find a solution for better teaching methods, the Cameroon government has sought the Competency Based Approach(CBA) to learning, introduced since 2014, which ought to be helping teachers of English develop better contents and techniques of having their students speak spontaneously, thus keeping up with the global trends in the field of teaching English.

The main concept of Communicative Language Teaching which should be brought through the CBA is “Communicative Competence” introduced by Dell Hymes in 1972. According to Hymes, in the real world the students not only aim to produce structural or grammatical sentences but also to understand the situation in which the sentences must be used.

The previous teaching methodologies aimed at improving the accuracy rather than fluency of language. In addition, the Communicative Competence incorporates with the knowledge of language rules, connection of utterances in interaction and appropriate language knowledge in different situation and language strategy.

The core strategy of CLT encourages the “Students-Centered Classroom”. In this classroom teacher has to create a learner friendly learning environment, as well as he or she must be a facilitator. Therefore it is known as a contrary approach to the teacher – centered learning approach.

Further, it provides a sense of ownership and confidence to the students in their learning. It consists of various teaching materials. Even though, three types of instructional materials are being used in CLT such as: Text based, Task based and Realia. Text based is a kind of instructional technique in which there is using of textbooks in language teaching, which seems to be the habit of most teachers in Cameroon and frowned at by our pedagogic inspectors.

Task based includes games, role – plays and group works but we do not take time to be creative enough to work on this, besides the time with students does not give room for elaborate lessons. Authentic tasks such as: newspapers are used in realia. The style of the English language is being changed day by day which are not found in text books or other syllabus curriculum. Hence the authentic materials help students to realize the contemporary information and knowledge as well as display the outside world in the classroom.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It is common knowledge to those who know Cameroon that, Cameroon is a bilingual country (English and French). And these two languages are of equal status. They are both official languages used throughout schools and offices, simply put, in public affairs. This is in accordance with Article 1(3) of our constitution.

Thus making English Cameroon’s second language, since we have about 250 indigenous languages. Therefore, on the above premise, Cameroonians are instructed in English either as a second language or a foreign language depending on whether they have chosen the French or English sub-system of education.

Based again on this, Cameroonians ought to be fluent enough in communication. Yes our curriculum, syllabuses make provision for speaking lessons and this is so much on the transactional use of language than on the interactional use. Having been a student in the system and having taught for five years as a trained teacher, and assisted learners of English as a foreign or second language, the syllabus focuses on passing exams and neglecting learners’ communicative competence. It is in this light that we think that more should be done to see that our students surpass “yes” or “no” answers or keep to short talks and be more into collaborative conversations.

If a student has gone through secondary school and has to face the university milieu or the working force, his or her communication skills or communicative competence should be a way of life or a norm. Many Cameroonians solicit the services of language teaching centres every year when they have to travel out of Cameroon either for studies or for job opportunities, this should normally not exist for the learning of the English language, given the status of this language in Cameroon.

Unfortunately, it is observed that language centres are created in Yaoundé and Douala every year, meanwhile English is taught throughout secondary school, to us it is a cause for concern. It is not like students have not had enough input.

We do not lack the necessary vocabulary and the grammatical rules to hold beyond a rudimentary conversation to express our ideas effectively. Should a Cameroonian have this problem? I do not think we should, but we do. So, where is the problem found? Is it the curriculum, the methodology, lack of reading culture with us or something else?

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.3.1 Main Research Question

What are the conversational glitches among high school students in Bamenda?

1.3.2 Specific research questions

Specific research questions include;

1. Why are students often quiet during interactional conversations in the English Language?
2. What are the Challenges faced by high school students during English conversation?
3. What strategies can be used to overcome high school students’ English Language conversation problems?

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