English Language Teachers' Perceptions and Practices of Implementing Communicative Grammar Testing: The Case of Grade Ten in Selected Secondary Schools of North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Communicative grammar testing emphasizes the assessment of grammatical knowledge through meaningful and authentic communication rather than isolated language forms. Despite its theoretical importance, its implementation remains a challenge in Ethiopia. This study investigated English language teachers' perceptions and practices of communicative grammar testing in the selected secondary schools of the North Shewa Zone. Guided by the pragmatist research paradigm, which combines both interpretivism and positivism, the study used a descriptive mixed-methods design. From the 52 secondary schools of the selected zones, 15 schools were purposively sampled. All 74 English teachers in grade ten from the selected schools completed the questionnaire using census sampling. The study also conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 participants conveniently sampled. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that most teachers held positive perceptions toward communicative grammar testing. However, the results also indicated a noticeable gap between teachers' perceptions and their actual practices. The study concludes that although teachers value communicative grammar testing, contextual constraints hinder its effective practice. Thus, the study recommends providing targeted professional development and improving classroom conditions to support the practical implementation of communicative grammar testing in EFL classrooms