Chapter one: description of the context
1.1 Teaching English in the Senegalese context
It is visible today that English is a language that is spoken
all over the world. As a result of that, Senegalese people are really
interested in this language even if English is not the first language in
Senegal. To have a high command of the language, people hire teachers and bring
their children to schools where English teachers teach them English. English is
not the mother tongues the Senegalese people, so it will not be easy for the
learners to master the language without great effort.
Teaching English in Senegal can be sometimes very tiresome
simply because students are exposed to neither listening nor speaking it all
the time. It can be discouraging for the teacher who is not patient because
teaching English under these circumstances requires patience and care. One of
the main problems that teachers encounter is students' use of their mother
tongue in class which is so frequent and common. This situation will not help
students because the less students are exposed to practise, the more they are
not in a position not to have a full grasp of English. Students tend also to
use French in their daily activities. Most students think in French or in Wolof
first and then try to translate into English to do the job that is asked to
him. These kinds of situations are really impediments and obstacles for those
who want to learn the English language.
Another fact that is important to highlight is that the time
devoted to teaching English in classrooms is far from enough and this is so
problematic. In most Senegalese schools, the English teacher is allocated three
hours a week for the 4th form and everybody knows that three hours
is not much time and in this respect it is really difficult if teachers want
their students to be proficient. Much more time is needed to carry out the task
that is given to the teacher.
It has to be shown that in most schools mainly in schools in
the rural areas, books are sometimes not available and it is really difficult
to get in touch with the English books because they are unobtainable. This
makes the situation more difficult since when students are not exposed to
English and they have not the adequate material, it is obvious that teaching
them will not be an easy task.
Lack of infrastructure and didactic material are really a
problem in the Senegalese schools. Old books are not renewed for a long time
and the result is that English teachers will not update their knowledge, and
this fact will have negative impact on the students' learning. This matter is
so important because if teachers are not well trained or if they are not
trained at all, which is the present case, learning and teaching will not be
efficient, then beneficial to students. Government and educational authorities
should take this matter seriously, because the better the training of the
teachers is, the more comfortable students feel when they learn English. Here
are some problems that are visible in teaching English in Senegal.
It will not a fallacy to assert that English is one of the
most enticing and catching language in the world. English is a language that
people use everywhere in the world and they use it in all sectors and
activities. This is the very reason why it catches the interest of so many
people. A striking fact is that students like so much English that English
teachers are the happiest teachers in the Senegalese educational context.
Teaching English in Senegal, particularly in villages are
really so interesting because students want to know how to speak and express
themselves in English. It is without a doubt that teaching English is so
exciting because they are more often than not truly motivated and galvanized
into learning. Another fact that has to be pointed out is that the syllabus is
in compliance with the Senegalese culture and this facilitates the English
teaching in Senegal. While teaching English, when the teacher takes into
account the culture of the students, this can really enhance students' interest
and lead them to like more what they are learning.
Today many improvements are done by authorities to up level
the professional capacities of the teachers of English so that their teaching
may be efficient once they are in the classrooms. In this respect, we can name
cells which are of vital importance as it is a place where teachers can put
their heads together and improve their knowledge. Cells are meant to reinforce
the capacities of the teachers. Seminars are also ways of improving English
teachers efficiency and capacities to perform their jobs in the normal way. No
one can deny today the efficiency and the effectiveness of the English clubs.
In high schools, in universities, English clubs are omnipresent, and most of
the time they are the most dynamic clubs in the schools. This is really due to
the fact that English is the language that attracts people. Students are
strongly keen on English because they know its value and the solutions it can
bring. Through English clubs, everyone can see that students love English and
they set their hearts on it. With the advent of numerous books Go for
English, Stayed Tuned, students are really in a position to ameliorate
their level with the help of their teachers and reduce to the minimum the
problems that they daily encounter.
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