Essentiality of Competence, Performance and Conduct in Attaining Professionalism in ELT

Abstract

Attaining professionalism in ELT is a required prerequisite for EFL teachers. The current study is an investigation of the essentiality of competence, performance and conduct in attaining professionalism in ELT. The study is intended to achieve a number of adjectives one of which is to prove that linguistic proficiency in itself is not enough to gain professionalism in ELT. Another objective is to emphasize the need for remedial strategies to improvestudent teachers’ proficiency level. It is also intended to make clear that competence, performance and conduct are key factors in attaining professionalism in ELT. Proposing an acknowledged English series at Faculties of Education is also one of the objectives. In addition to that, to suggest an induction year at schools for newly-qualified teachers. The study follows the descriptive analytic method. The population of the study consists of all EFL teachers and learners in Sudan. The sample of the study comprises fifty (50) students and ten (10) teachers selected from the Faculty of Education-Hantoub. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire and an observation checklist. It is analysed by the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) programme. The analysis yields a number of results. From these results, linguistic proficiency in itself is not enough to gain professionalism in ELT. Good implementation of competence, performance and conduct in the class helps students to attain professionalism. Introducing an acknowledged English series to be taught from semester one to semester eight is necessary to develop the EFL students level of language. The microteaching period in schools is not plausibly enough for practicing teaching. Consequently, an induction year is needed. Based on the results, the study recommended that teachers have to inform the students not to depend totally on the courses taught at the department of English language, although they are beneficial, in attaining professionalism in ELT. The teachers at the department of English should get together to select appropriate English series to be taught from semester one to semester eight. Teachers should implement and encourage effective practices in the classroom. This can best be done through pair work, group work, cooperative learning and teaching together with any other effective practices. Teachers should encourage students to attain proficiency and inform them that it leads in the long run to attaining professionalism.