Abstract:

The aim of this research was to find out whether English teachers teaching in rural areas in Indonesia are incorporating the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach in their reading classes. The mixed research design included questionnaires, observations and interviews. A questionnaire was administered to 144 teachers in 68 rural high schools in Padang, West Sumatra. Out of these teachers, eight were chosen to be interviewed, and observations were conducted in their classes. Findings of the questionnaire showed that English teachers’ perceptions and attitudes are generally positive towards CLT in teaching reading. However, the results from observations and interviews with the teachers indicated that a majority of teachers still implemented the traditional (teacher-centred) approach in teaching reading compared to the student-centred approach as suggested by CLT. The preferred choice of teaching methods in teaching reading was influenced by several factors; namely, the students’ low proficiency level, their low degree of self-confidence and motivation, large class sizes, limited teaching schedule, and the teachers’ insufficient knowledge on CLT implementation. Finally, this research suggests that if Indonesia expects its policy of learning reform to be successful, intensive and consistent teacher development must be well-organized, and sufficient resources must be allocated so that all schools, especially those in rural areas, can meet the objectives.

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