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PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PEELI TRAINING FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TEACHERS OF DISTRICT MULTAN
1FARIHA SOHIL, 2SOBIA TASNEEM,3ZAHIDA AZIZ SIAL, 4MARIUM HUSSAIN, 5SAMMER YASMIN,6HUMERA RAFIQ, 7MUHAMMAD UMAIR SOHAIL
1Assistant Professor, Department of Education, The Women University Multan, Pakistan 2Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, The Women University Multan, Pakistan. 3Assistant Professor, Department of Education Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. 4Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, The Women University Multan, Pakistan. 5M.Phil Scholar, Department of Education,
Institute of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. 6Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, The Women University Multan, Pakistan. 7Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan Correspondents Author (umairsohailch@gmail.com )
Abstract
The present study focuses on the impact and perceptions about PEELI training in English language on elementary school teachers of district Multan. In the light of the world's increasing globalization, putting English at the core of Punjab's educational system is crucial. This research has a quantitative approach. Survey design of the research was utilized to collect the data. Simple random is intended to be an objective representation of the group. 304 primary school teachers from the Multan district make up the sample. Data were gathered using a closed-ended, five-point scale that was self-developed SPSS (statistical software for social sciences) was used to further tabulate and analyze the data in order to examine primary school teachers' perceptions. In light of how the training schedule is divided up into sessions, it can be said that training sessions are properly organized. Professionally implemented follow-up and training usage are both well-structured. Overall, training aided in teachers' professional growth and enhanced their pedagogy and English language teaching skills. Teachers have a positive opinion about the impact of PEELI. The PEELI training is helpful in proper use of teaching and learning aids, maintaining a high level of students' engagements in learning, time requirement for activities, maintaining the climate of the country and respect in classrooms. It is recommended that a proper monitoring system should be managed for the implantation of the program. The PEELI training should be conducted for in-service secondary and primary school teachers and also for newly inducted teachers.
Key words: PELLI training, Instructional planning, English language ,Elementary school teachers
INTRODUCTION
Language is a means of communication, and language policies are a set of directives given to the school that highlight the nation's national policy and educational road map. All things considered, a country like ours can alter its destiny by benefiting from a universal tongue. English is taught in our country in some classrooms as a required subject, although it is optional in some other parts of our educational system. English is a fundamental language for understanding how to keep up with globalization and is essential for advancing society. For a striving nation like Pakistan, English is the finest way to advance and demonstrate destiny-changing skills.
Punjab's provincial government, led by the Chief Minister, has been driving education reform with the help of the World Bank. The Punjab Education Sector Reform Program began offering support in
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2003. A new set of textbooks and teacher guides have been sent to all schools starting this academic year, and recruiting goals for teachers have been met. The Directorate of Staff Development (DSD) introduced the Punjab Strategy for Teacher Education (PSTE) 2012-2022 in January 2013, outlining a clear path for creating a future-focused teacher preparation programme that is cogent, uniform, and coordinated.
The placement of creative and excellent teachers is crucial to the success and progress of our educational system. According to research, teachers lack confidence while utilizing English as a communication tool in the classroom (Parveen Muhammad) (Subject Specialist at directorate of staff development). Development of teachers is a crucial area that urgently needs development (Ammar 2008; Ammar, Lightbown, and Spada) (2010). For both students and teachers, closing the communication gap in the classroom is crucial since it advances learning objectives. With the aid of Activity Based Learning English (ABLE). PEELI is designed to close this gap using the English language in both verbal and nonverbal ways and tactics, which promotes stronger bonds. The most cutting-edge professors should be experts at disseminating knowledge through a variety of languages while also having a firm grasp on their subject matter. Our experts are currently focusing on using a variety of training projects to help our teachers develop their skills. This important duty of preparation falls under the purview of the Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development in our country (QAED).
The Government of Punjab (GOP) announced a shift to English Medium Instruction (EMI) in state-funded schools starting in Grades I through V in March 2009. This implied that Math, Physics, and Computer Science will all use English as a method of guidance. However, the decision was reversed in February 2014 when Urdu was reinstated as the medium of instruction for Grades 1 through 3, with EMI starting with Grade 4 Nusrat, S. (2015).
Due to the aforementioned requirements, the Punjab Education and English Language Initiative (PEELI) in relation to the Directorate of Staff Development was sent out by the British Council in 2013. The Punjab Chief Ministers' plan for advancing education includes PEELI. PEELI hopes to increase the government instructors' and coaches' capacity to deliver high-quality instruction and learning in study halls. PEELI is centered on learning that is kid-focused and movement-based. Eighty percent of the preparation exercises were used to address concerns in the homeroom by exchanging useful encounters and learning new information. The prepared teachers picked up a lot of new skills during the preparation, such as providing English-language assistance, playing around, employing teaching aids, and writing parts using section planning.
Some important facts of PEELI include the fact that, as part of its English Medium of Instruction (MoI) plan, it targets 300,000 Primary (Grades 1-5) and Middle school (Grades 6-8) educators who have been trained since 2018.
The project ran from 2013 to 2018 (5 years), working closely with the Government of Pakistan (GoP) Education departments and a number of international partners who are active in the larger field of education. It was expected that by 2018, the task's results would have been fully incorporated into the Punjab Strategy for Teacher Education's educator instruction structure. In light of the fact that its first phase was completed in June 2018. A legitimate inspection to evaluate the first stage of the PEELI show has not yet taken place. We will try to evaluate the effects that the PEELI preparation had on each partner in this assessment. Here, we'll try to shed some light on the PEELI exhibition inquiry.
1.1 Rational of the Study
The current investigation centers around the impact of instructors preparing for English language learning in Pakistan. We are interested in knowing whether teacher training affects teaching methods or not. This study was conducted on Government school teachers at the Elementary level in Multan District Pakistan and the results were drawn by interviewing and observing classrooms after training of the teacher.
This study will be undertaken to assess the teaching of English language competency of Elementary school teachers of public schools in the Multan region. At the same time, this study also stresses the
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effect of PEELI training on the pedagogical skills of said teachers. It also shed light on challenges which are faced by the teachers to implement English language teaching practices in the classrooms.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Language is a major apparatus for conveying contemplations and thoughts. It additionally produces social ties and monetary connections. Without language, it's hard to communicate our emotions to other people and since this is the fundamental device to procure further information and abilities in other branches of knowledge, this is significant. Language has likewise a significant function in our everyday life. With regards to Pakistan, this is a well-established certainty that essential instruction is the terminal schooling for countless understudies. They don't get the occasion to proceed with their schooling, due to their financial condition. In this manner, language abilities are significant for these understudies for conveying purpose as well as for additional schooling later on. For this purpose, this research presents the impact of PEELI training on teachers and students and sheds light on the pedagogical skills of primary school teachers. It is essential to determine the effect of PEELI training on students' learning.
It also addresses the further scope of such training and highlights the challenges confronted by the teachers in using language activities in the classrooms. Being herself a participant in PEELI training, a researcher observed that most teachers only passed time there and had no interest. Master trainers were IT professionals and did not know the English language pedagogy skills. That's why this topic became an area of interest for the researcher.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1. To investigate the impression of instructors about the usage of the PEELI preparing program in area Multan.
2. To investigate the view of instructors about the nature of the substance of the PEELI preparing program executed in region Multan.
1.4 Questions of the Study
1. What do teachers think about the quality of the contents of the PEELI training program implemented in district Multan?
2. How did the PEELI training program affect the instructional planning skills of the teachers in district Multan?
3. How did the PEELI training program affect the instructional strategies used by the teachers?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Previous research on teacher training has given highly conflicting results and has fueled a wide range of policy recommendations. This study also focuses on what we have gained through PEELI during the last five years. This study provides 5 empirical evidence of how training enhances the teaching language skills. It leaves a positive effect on teachers' performance and consequently improves student performance. It would be a great help for policymakers, master trainers, and head teachers. It was also mentioned in an Introductory Teacher Guide for Early Language and Emergent Literacy Instruction (2009) that, "Assessing children's attainment of essential skills allows teachers to target instruction to individual children and to modify their instruction in ways that have the most benefit for the majority of children. The Pakistan government is also assessing students' achievement in grade three to assess learning competences.
The research will be beneficial for teachers as they will know about their strong areas and will be able to work on the areas that need improvement regarding subject English. They will be able to know about the effect of the training program. Research Design
The nature of this investigation is quantitative. The study was a descriptive one. Descriptive research is a type of analysis that focuses on outlining the features of the population or issue under study. This methodology emphasizes the "what" of the study topic more so than the "why" of the topic (Bhat, 2019).
1.6 Procedure of the Study
The present study is descriptive by nature,ssss thus it was quantitative by design. The survey method was used to collect data from the respondents. Public school teachers from the district Multan were
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considered as the population of the study. 300 primary school teachers were selected by employing the random sampling technique.
The data from the chosen sample was gathered using a self-created survey questionnaire using a five-point Likert Scale. There were two sections to the questionnaire. The first section sought information on demographics. The second part consisted of statement further classified into three parts, implementation of PEELI training program, quality of the PEELI training program and impact of the PEELI training program on pedagogical skills of the teachers in terms of instructional planning, instructional presentation skills, classroom management skills, and instructional delivery skills. SPSS software was used to examine the data that had been gathered. Data analysis led to the writing of results, the drawing of conclusions, and the formulation of suggestions. Validity of Research Instrument
The developed research instrument was shared with the expert of the field of research and development in the area of education. Their opinions were incorporated regarding the improvement of the research instrument developed for the Perception of Elementary school Teachers about Effect of Punjab Education and English Language Initiative Training on Pedagogical Skills in District Multan. Reliability of Research Instrument
Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was utilized to determine the dependability of the research tool.
Scale Factor No. of Items Coefficient
Scale 45 .85
Cronbach's Alpha shows that it is enough, which is more than .85 and it is considered suitable reliability for the research tool. Data Collection
The researcher created a survey-style questionnaire after reviewing the pertinent literature in order to collect the data. The survey's reliability was assessed in a pilot study, and subject-matter experts confirmed it. Data analysis
SPSS software will be used to code and tabulate the obtained data for analysis. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics will be used. To examine the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Upon the conclusion of the data analysis, findings, inferences, and suggestions will be documented. Demographic Analysis of the Respondents Table 1: Frequency Distribution of the Respondents
Gender of respondents Frequency Percentage
Male 144 47.4
Female 160 52.6
Total 304 100
According to Table 1, 144 of the respondents (47.4%) were men, and the remaining 160 (52.6%) were women.
Table 2: Frequency Distribution of the age of the Respondents
Age Frequency Percentage
20 - 30 198 65TÎ
30 - 40 77 25.3
40 - 50 23 7.6
Above Fifty 6 2
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Total 304 100
Table 2 above shows that 198 respondents (65.1 %) were between the ages of 20 and 30 years, 77 respondents (25.3%) were between the ages of 30 and 40 years, 23 respondents (7.6%) were between the ages of 40 and 50 years, and 6 respondents (2%), were over the age of fifty. Distribution of respondents' academic degrees on a regular basis.
Table 3: Frequency distribution of academic qualification of the respondents
Academic qualification Frequency Percentage
B.A/B.Sc 72 23.7
M.A/M.Sc 166 54.6
M.Phil. 59 19.4
Ph.D 7 2.3
Total 304 100
According to Table 3, 72 (23.7%) respondents had a B.A./B.Sc. degree, 166 (54.6%) respondents had an M.A./M.Sc. degree, 59 (19.4%) respondents had an M.Phil. degree, and 7 (2.3%) respondents had a Ph.D.
SPSS software will be used to code and tabulate the obtained data for analysis. To analyzsssse the data, descriptive and inferential statistics will be used. To examine the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Upon the conclusion of the data analysis, findings, inferences, and suggestions will be documented.
Q # 1 What do teachers think about the quality of the contents of the PEELI training program. Statement Mean S.D
The training schedule, breakup of sessions and follow up are
well managed 3.99 .99
Modules used during training are well structured and easy to
follow 4.13 0.99
All modules presentation and trimming of distribution are well planned to engage the trainees.
4.13
All activities in training are interesting and engaging 4.31
1.01
0.82
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The designed and implemented activities are helpful in capacity building 3.97
1.03
The activities are designed concerning training modules. 4 11
Overall training helped improve teaching skills 4 -jq
1.02
Taught skills help teachers in enhancing student
achievements
4.10
.97
Total score
4.10
0.97
The opinions of the elementary school teacher about PEELI training were highly positive. Highly positive opinions were noted from the elementary school teachers. The training was helpful in forming breakups and training modules were very effective as the mean score 3.99 and 4.13 showed respectively. All the teachers agreed that training was interesting as a mean score (4.31 ) and activity based (3.97). Overall mean score 4.10 and standard deviation 0.97 showed that PEELI training helped to improve teaching skills.
Q # 2 How did the PEELI training program affect the instructional Planning, skills of the teachers
Statement
Mean
S.D
It helps to plan lessons for teacher easily
1.01
It helps to classify contents in a manageable manners
3.98
1.09
It helps to achieve intended outcomes to relate the contests to real life situation 3.87
1.11
It helps to plan activities according to students need
.99
It helps to use allocated time activities that maximize learning 4
1.09
1
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It helps to manage routines and procedures for learning tasks.
3.98
1.12
It helps clarify direction for learning 3.94
1.22
Total score
3.97
1.09
PEELI training played an extremely effective role in enhancing the skills of instructional planning. It helped in making lesson planning as the mean score (3.96) showed and it also helped in classified contents and relate the contents to real life situations as the mean score respectively 3.87 and 4.10. Overall mean score 3.97 and standard deviation 1.09 indicated that peeli training was very effective for teachers.
Q # 3 How did PEELI training program affect instructional strategies?
Statement
Mean
S.D
It helps in provide example when students are confused
3.97
1.27
It helps in adjusting lessons according to different level of understanding of students
4.12
1.12
It helps in providing good guidance and instructions to all students regardless of their level of ability
It helps in actively involving students in critical thinking and problem solving
4.22
1.01
4.28
.95
Total score
4.14
1.08
PEELI training affected the instructional strategies. The mean score 3.97 shows that it immediately helps to provide examples when students are confused. The mean score 4.12 and 4.22 respectively shows that it helped the teacher in adjusting lessons and providing guidance in instruction. The mean score 4.28 showed that it is extremely effective in creating ability and skills of critical thinking and problem solving .Overall mean value 4.14 and standard deviation showed that it is very effective in instructional strategies and planning.
CONCLUSION
Following conclusion were drawn on the basis of findings: It is concluded that the training is well planned with respect to the training schedule, break-up of sessions follow up implemented professionally, usage of training modules used during training are well structured, timing of distribution are well planned to engage the audience and easy to follow. All the designed and implemented activities in training are interesting, engaging, helpful, relevant to the module in capacity building. Overall training was helpful in the professional development of the teacher,
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improving teaching abilities, and personality development. Taught skills help teachers in enhancing student achievement.
Teachers have a very positive opinion about the impact of the PEELI training. They are feeling very positive impact after attending the training, that they prepared for implementation of different instructional strategies during the lesson planning, interaction with students has become more easy, can use more than one way to explain the concepts in class, can use real life problems to teach my students in classroom, I came to know that applying variety of instructional strategies in necessary to help the students learn better, learned useful information for instruction, can manage my class easily, and I improved my teaching capacity.
All the teachers strictly believed that the PEELI training help them in planning the lesson, classify contents in a manageable manner, achieving intended outcomes to relate the contents to the reallife situation, plan activities according to students need, allocated time for activities that maximize learning, manage routines, procedures for learning tasks and in the clarification of directions for learning. Moreover, the teachers firmly believe that the PEELI training helps them in the presentation of the contents in an interesting manner, in the learning in connecting previous knowledge with the new ideas, and to involve students actively.
Teacher received the PEELI training helps them in seating arrangements for instructions, time management for activities, proper use of teaching and learning aids, maintaining a high level of student's engagements in learning, maintaining a climate of courtesy and respect in classrooms, maintaining a climate that is fair and impartial, and communicating the specific learning outcomes of the lessons.
Recommendations
Following recommendations were made on the basis of conclusion:
1. The PEELI training program should also launch for the Elementary School Teachers and the Secondary School Teachers.
2. Proper monitoring system should be managed for the implementation of the training program for better results.
3. Follow up mechanisms need to develop for the successful implementation of the PEELI training throughout the Punjab for the accomplishment of the targets.
4. This kind of research should also have been conducted at the large level for the generalization of the results.
5. To generalize the results of this study head teachers and the students of the schools should also include in such types of the research studies.
REFERENCES:
[1] Ammar, A., P. M. Lightbown, and N. Spada (2010) Awareness of l1/l2 differences: doesit matter? Language Awareness, 19:2, 129-146.
[2] Ammar, A. (2008) Prompts and recasts: Differential effects on second language morphosyntax. Language Teaching Research,12:2, 183-210.
[3] British Council Pakistan (2014). PEELI One Year On Report. British Council. Available online at: www.britishcouncil.pk/programmes/education/peeli
[4] British Council Pakistan, DSD and ITA (2013). PEELI Baseline Report. Available online sat: www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/britishcouncil.pk.files/peeli_report.pdf
[5] Campaign for Quality Education & Society for Advancement of Education (2013). Policy and Practice: Teaching and Learning in English in Punjab Schools.
[6] Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational Research Planning, conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4th Ed). New York & London: Pearson.
[7] Nadeem, H. A., Saadi, A. M., Fatima, N., & Sahar, N. E. (2020). PEELI Training and Professional Development of Primary School Teachers.
[8] Powell-Davies, P and Khalid, S (2012). Transforming the Teaching of English in
[9] Punjab - Scoping Study Final Report. British Council Pakistan
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