Algerian EFL Teachers’ and Parents’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward the Introduction of English as a Foreign Language at the Primary School Level

Abstract

The present research investigates Algerian EFL teachers’ and Parents’ perceptions and attitudes toward teaching/learning English as a foreign language in primary schools. It also aims at discovering the different difficulties encountered by third year primary school pupils and their teachers alike since it is their first experience of learning/teaching English at the primary school level. In order to conduct this study, a descriptive research paradigm in which a mixed method research was used through three research instruments was adopted. First, a classroom observation was conducted in two different primary schools in Jijel district for the purpose of unveiling the difficulties faced by EFL teachers with young learners during the process of teaching. Second, two questionnaires were used to collect data. The first was handed to 20 EFL teachers out of 99 from different primary schools of Jijel, while the second was addressed to 61 parents of third-year primary school pupils in order to investigate their attitudes and perceptions towards the instruction of English at the primary school level