OBSTACLES TO TEACHING ENGLISH IN SAUDI ARABIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: TEACHERS’ AND SUPERVISORS’ PERCEPTIONS (Published)
This study aims at identifying the obstacles to teaching English in public schools in Saudi Arabia from the perception of teachers and supervisors. A mixed-method approach was adopted: two instruments were used for data collection, a close-ended questionnaire and an open-ended interview. A total of 50 copies of the questionnaire have been distributed to teachers and supervisors of English language, followed by open-ended interviews with six chosen English language teachers and supervisors. Qualitative and quantitative data have been elicited to aid in the evaluation. The findings of the study have revealed that: There is a scarcity of development programs, scarcity of in-service training, weakness of in-service training programs, low students’ motivation, overuse of traditional teaching methods, scarcity of using teaching aids and modern technology, weakness of school supplies, and scarcity of language laboratories. These are the major obstacles to teaching English in public education schools in Saudi Arabia from the teachers’ and supervisors views
Keywords: Public Schools Teachers, Saudi Arabia, Teaching English