Teaching Challenges of English Second Language Teachers in Senior Secondary Schools in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia

Abstract

The study investigated the teaching challenges faced by English Second language (ESL) teachers in Senior Secondary Schools in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia. The study used the mixed methods research approach to collect data from a sample of 60 ESL teachers currently teaching in the eleven Senior Secondary Schools in Ohangwena Region. The research participants were selected using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions and observations. The study found that ESL teachers in Ohangwena Region encounter challenges such as lack of resources for teaching and learning ESL, overcrowded classes, absenteeism by learners, lack of parental involvement, learners’ lack of motivation, learners’ poor altitude, lack of support from advisory education officer, lack of refresher workshop and learners’ lack of exposure to English language programs. To minimize the identified challenges, the participants highlighted the need for the provision of adequate resources such as ESL textbooks and buildings to accommodate all the learners, involving parents in their children’s education, reducing the teacher-learner ratio in the classrooms, organizing capacity building workshops for ESL teachers, and changing the medium of instruction for junior primary grades from Oshikwanyama to the English language. The study recommended that government should improve the teaching resources and infrastructure as well as provide refresher workshops to enhance the ESL teaching conditions in the study area.