The Education of English Teachers in the Ethiopian Higher Education: The Missing Ingredients

Abstract

English language teachers bear a significant responsibility in ensuring students' proficiency. However, the training of English language teachers has not received adequate attention, with curricula often being perceived as mere replicas of established models. Despite significant effort in training English teachers, the TEFL/ELT program has not been thoroughly examined to determine the extent to which its packages meet workplace demands. This study, therefore, investigated the responsiveness of Ethiopian English language teaching programs by examining the perspectives of English language teacher educators and students, as well as curriculum documents. Results revealed substantial mismatches between curricular content, which is almost a replication across universities,
and linguistic, pedagogical, and technological competencies. The data indicated that the program placed inadequate emphasis on English language proficiency development, limited training on contemporary ELT issues, insufficient integration of technology, and curricula and second language teacher education practice were overly dominated by general education topics, with minimal ELT-specific depth. The results suggest a reconceptualization of the TEFL/ELT curriculum that foregrounds workplace-demand-driven TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) competencies.