Country info and advice - Algeria
The following comments are from teachers who have taught, or are currently teaching, in Algeria. If you are a teacher and have some advice to share, please add it here.
Recently, Algeria has become
aware of the importance English has in the world. That's why it has opened
training schools specialized in preparing teachers of TEFL. The problem is the
lack of authentic material that help them transmit English culture to those who
are supposed to teach English.
Teaching English in Algeria
has improved somewhat but it still requires effort, especially a serious
preparation of textbooks and helping teachers in different aspects.
Teaching English in Algeria
isn't efficient and teachers generally have no academic background, most of
those who teach English in Algeria have learnt English in French, they think in
either French or Arabic. Professional English training in companies is corrupted
i.e. if you own a private school, you cannot get a contract to teach English
onsite unless you bribe the Algerian state companies Sonatrach or multi national
companies´ bosses and this applies to all other training.
You really ignore and neglect
the efforts that teachers are making to teach your children, sisters and
brothers, nephews and nieces. Stop criticising Algeria, when you were at school
you never saw a computer, now we have more than one room full of computers, we
have two laptops and datashows, in every middle and secondary school, and free
access to the Internet. What do you want more than this? Stop bombing Algeria
with your negative attitudes, be grateful to you beloved nation.
Teaching in Algeria is not
serious at all because of the yearly change in the teaching syllabus without
taking teachers' levels and their training before into consideration.
In order to improve teaching
English in Algeria, teachers should be paid more for their efforts and implement
their maximum capacities. Furthermore, students must focus on their lessons and
stop wasting time.
Hi everybody. I have been a
teacher of english for more than 20 years. I haven't stopped loving my job. I
believe that teaching english especially in the secondary school has been
improving. English teachers are known in Algeria for being very serious and very
motivated. To have a better and clearer idea about this, please visit our site:
www.eltalgeria.webs.com
English teachers in Algeria
need training. They need to take the initiative to raise their own levels in
English and to learn modern methods of teaching, especially with regards to
teaching large classes. The biggest problem is the teachers' mistaken belief
that the problem is the system and the students' behavior. The reason students
misbehave is because their teachers have not been empowered sufficiently to
facilitate their learning. Teaching is helping children to find out how they
learn best, and to encourage individual growth. Ongoing professional teacher
training together with advanced language learning/practice is the only solution.
This can be accomplished by the teachers themselves organizing workshops,
inviting English native speakers and teaching professionals to join them, and
working together to make a change.
I want to say that English
teachers in Algeria are doing their best to improve teaching English but they
are facing a lot of encounters. They don't receive any training or scholarships.
Other languages like French for example is encouraged by France but English is
left in Algeria for teachers who were poorly educated. We need real training and
why not scholarships in the UK OR the USA?
Teaching English in Algeria is
very difficult. Teachers face many problems: large classes and class management,
absence of communication, luck of teaching materials... Not only is the
atmosphere not appropriate to teach English but the actual program does not
satisfy the teaching aims and learners' needs.
Frankly speaking, our problem
in Algeria is that no one can guide teachers, even inspectors. They just
criticise and never give solutions because, simply, they don't know. We all know
that there is no magic recipe for teaching English but some basic facilities are
SO NECESSARY to know how to teach such a language perfectly. If the inspector
himself makes mistakes when speaking, how can I trust him or his lnformation? We
are suffering. I always try to find new methods to teach well. I wish I could do
my job to perfection.
The problem here is not the
teachers but the puipls... they don t have the capacity to learn. They always
say that we will never get a job in the future so why should we learn! i.e they
don't learn for the sake of learning but for getting a gob in the future.
It's just because our learners
are not exposed to English. They only meet English in classrooms, once they're
out they forget it. This is the cause of the failure.
I totally agree with Halima
and Ibrahim. Our students don't take the English language seriously. They
consider it a dead language! They think that it is just a waste of time to learn
a language which they don't need when entering university; because they will
study in french
I seriously think that
Algeria, at a NATIONAL LEVEL, should abandon the French language and adopt
English as the second official language. French has nothing to do in Maghreb
nowadays, teaching English would bring way more opportunities for the future of
North Africans than teaching French.
With all my respect to you
all... the problem lies within each individual. You are all pointing the finger
at others, whether it's the government or the student! Yes you may not have the
best facilities, programs, training etc etc etc... In my opinion, the principal
at every school plays the biggest role. He/she needs to stimulate the teachers
first. If the teacher is dedicated, you will be amazed with the
accomplishments!! The internet is huge and open to the world. Use it! Try
looking at the syllabus of education in English speaking nations, which for a
fact is very possible! Take online courses, or whatever it takes to improve
"one's" English. Little every day things can help improve your english eg.
READING... please don't tell me you are unable to get your hands on reading
material like books, newspapers.
Hello every body, I don't
really know how to start to speak about this topic because there are so many
things to say and most of them are not very encouraging. Teaching (in general)
in Algeria is suffering from many problems due to many reasons. As a young
teacher of English in a high school, I am extremely disappointed at all levels.
I spent 5 years to train to become a teacher.
Pupils are not interested to this language and in studying in general, no one is
doing his job, neither the inspectors nor the academie and even the
administration. Teachers are always blamed for any problems, always given
deadlines and put under pressure. 99% of pupils have no respect, no level of
interest in studies, and many of them were dropped from schools and turn back to
illegal ways.
The image of a teacher for Algerians is very bad and pupils have no respect,
teacher=enemy who prevents them from moving forward (especially for those who
have no level and don't deserve to pass to the next level). Parents are not very
involved in the learning and education of their pupils too. Last week, pupils
made explosives(tnt) in class and the teacher was fired!!! Where is the dignity
and the value of the teacher nowadays? During examinations, you face all kinds
of insults and verbal violence like: "as if you teachers never cheated before
becoming a teachers"!!!, why are you vegelitating so seriously! zaama you have
professional consciousness"!!! and all kinds of provocations to end up fighting
in some cases.
The professional life of English teachers, like teachers of other modules, is a
desert. No scholarships abroad, no convincing salary, daily life for most is
degraded and full of problems. To continue post graduate studies is impossible
here, we close all doors for improvement, if anyone goes abroad to resume
studies how can he come back to face such problems that are not only related to
how to teach English but how to teach in such environment and conditions that
encourage all things but not studying.
Well, if we think learners
don't care about English we are so wrong because they do care about American
movies and games that are mainly done in English, they like them and are up to
date on them so really teachers need to figure out a way to exploit their
interests when teaching.
Unfortunately teachers like
myself aren't given neither the wages deserved nor the consideration of their
great experience. all these aspects are fully and purposely ignored. In other
words; a teacher with no experience is treated and paid just the same as the one
who has worked many years. So private schools and companies are simply money
makers using the knowledge of these teachers to get wealthier, that's the bottom
line.
If your advice is about a specific school, please post it in our forum
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