The Influence of Large-Size Classes on English Teachers’ Performance
Abstract
This research was aimed to analyze the influence of large class sizes on teachers’ performance in different Educational Institutions in Esmeraldas. A descriptive, qualitative and quantitative investigation was carried out by using the deductive and inductive methods. The participants of this study were female and male full-time English teachers from public, fisco-misional and private Institutions, older than 30 years. They were observed for two weeks and then a survey of ten questions was conducted. The results showed that in classes with more than 35 students, the teaching performance decreases as teachers lack the appropriate knowledge, class time and the suitable conditions to teach to that number of students. It also revealed that teachers’ success in managing large classes is not particularly affected by large number of students but for students’ disinterest in learning the language. Besides, teachers in large classes have a growing tendency of using more Spanish than English. This research coincides with a number of investigations done related to large classes and teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Key words: Large classes; English teacher’s performance; collaborative work
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