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.
If your advice is about a specific school, please post it in our forum
English language schools in Algeria
TEFL courses in Algeria
TEFL jobs in Africa and the Middle East
Teaching in Africa Forum
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