Abstract            Volume:7  Issue-4  Year-2019         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Lee (2005) says participation usually means students speaking in classroom such as answering teacher’s questions or other students’ questions, asking questions to get the better explanation and clarification. As long as English language is very important in Ethiopian high school students’ academic performance, due consideration should be given to female students in target subject matter. A number of female students in high school of target research area were very low compared with male counterparts, which initiated the researcher to conduct present research in targeted area. So, the study enables to address problems to different concerned bodies and helps female students to enhance their classroom participation in English as well as outside the classroom. The objective the study was ‘Difficulties of Female Students in Classroom Participation in English at Areka Preparatory School, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.’ Mixed methods i.e. quantitative and qualitative research designs were used. 70 participants were selected using simple random sampling. 2 English teachers were selected purposively. Self administered questionnaire and interview were employed to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and qualitative data were supported the quantitative one. As the result shown the largest number 28 (40%) of respondents were not confident in classroom participation. Most of respondents, 34 (48.6%) were not participated in mixed sex group in English classroom. 27 (38%) responded guidance and counseling were highly helped them. 36 (51.5%) were strongly agreed that female students were affected by fear. Most of the time, English teachers were directed questions to male students than female students in the classroom as it was represented by large number, i.e. 37 (53%). Significant large numbers of respondents, 23 (32.8%) socio-cultural factors were not affected female students’ classroom participation in English. 30 (42.8%) said they had no interest in English subject matter so that they were not interacted in English. Thus, the extents of female students were low. They were less likely took part in mixed-sex group arrangement. Guidance and counseling played great role in their participation. English teachers were rarely encouraged girls. It is better if much consideration should be given to female students’ involvement in education in general and classroom participation in English in particular. English teachers should give equal chance to female students as of male counter parts while asking question in the classroom. They also should frequently encourage female students by giving advice, tutoring them in same sex arrangement, giving awareness, etc. to promote their confidence to interact in the classroom.

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