EFL teachers’ conceptions and attitudes of peer-assisted learning in English classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine EFL teachers’ conceptions and attitudes of peer-assisted learning in English language classes. A questionnaire and interview were used to gather data. The study revealed that the majority participant teachers had limited understanding of peer-assisted learning (PAL). The interviews indicated that some of the teachers were less enthusiastic about implementing PAL because of large class size and lack of time. Finally, it was unraveled that the majority participant teachers conceived PAL differently than DBU expected it to be. Many of the participant teachers had negative attitudes toward PAL as they had incredulity in the benefits and effectiveness of its newly introduced structure. Based on the findings and the conclusions made, it was recommended that training be given to teachers on the structure, implementation and benefits of PAL.

Keywords: Peer-Assisted Learning; EFL Teachers; Conceptions of learning; Attitudes; Debre-Berhan University