Teaching Listening within the Competency Based Approach, and the Challenges the Teachers can Face The Case of Middle School Teachers in Bordj Bou Arreridj

Abstract

The research at hand aims to evaluate the implementation of the Competency Based Approach which has been adopted by the Algerian ministry since 2003. More particularly, it aims to explore how the listening skill is taught to middle school students under this approach. Besides, it tries to discover the difficulties the teachers may face when teaching listening. The present research is a case study. We adopted a descriptive research design based on the qualitative approach. For the sake of triangulation, two data collection tools are used: Classroom observation and a questionnaire administered to middle school teachers. The findings revealed that middle school teachers consider that CBA plays an important role in fostering students’ learning autonomy in addition to enabling them to be competent users of English in real life situations. However, the process of teaching the listening skill under the CBA framework constitutes a big challenge since many difficulties are facing the teachers such as: The lack of time, tools…etc. To this regard, in order to give CBA a chance to succeed in teaching listening in middle schools and overcome the difficulties a teacher can face, it is recommended that teachers should select, provide and adapt teaching competences, techniques and materials to the needs of the CBA framework and the students. Likewise, the ministry of education should give more time to English sessions during the week to middle school classes