KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ

MINISTRAY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK
COLLEGE OF BASIC EDUCATION/ AMEDI
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

CHALLENGES FACED BY THE NOVICE EFL

TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM

A Graduation Paper

Submitted by

Avand Ameen Tawfeeq

Mohammed Abdulsalam Abduljabar

Naji Haji Hasan

Supervised By

Mr. Yaseen Ramazan

(2023-2024)
 Dedication

We would like to dedicate this research work to our family members, and
our teachers. A special feeling of appreciation to our supportive parents, and
siblings, they have always been there for us and pushed us to our limits to bring
the best work out of us.

We also dedicate this work to our supportive teachers Mr. Yaseen

Ramazan, who has supported us throughout the process. We will always
appreciate the hard work he has done, for helping us to develop our skills and
understand more about researches in generally, and about Challenges Faced by
Novice Teacher in the Classroom.

We dedicate this dissertation and give special thanks to our friends for many
hours proofreading. I must confess that without you all we could not have
completed this work or learned this much about you.

I
 Acknowledgement

First and foremost, we would like to give thanks and praise to God, the
Almighty, for His many gifts that enabled us to successfully complete our
research.

We would like to express our appreciation to those whose invaluable

guidance and encouragement not only made this project work possible but also
deeply enjoyable.

Thank you, Mr. Yaseen Ramazan, for guiding us through the unfamiliar
task of completing our final paper. It was a pleasure to read, discuss, and
interpret our research paper with you.

We are deeply thankful to have had the chance as a student to learn from
you. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your continued encouragement and
involvement in our success and academic growth. Maybe one day you'll be
carrying a seed of longing for the fits and tantrums of our school-related days
.gone by

II
 Table of Contents

Dedication……………………………………………………………i
Acknowledgement………………………………………………......ii
Table of Contents…………………………………………………...iii
Introduction………………………………………………………....IV

Chapter One pages

1.1Theoretical background………………………………………….1
1.2What's Teaching…………………………………………………1
1.3Teacher needs……………………………………………………3
1.4Teacher Roles……………………………………………………4
1.5Student Roles…………………………………………………….6
1.6Qualities of Good Teachers……………………………………...7
1.7Classroom Atmosphere………………………………………….9
1.8Educated and Non- Educated Teacher in the classroom………...9

Chapter Two
1.1Methodology……………………………………………………11
2.1.1 Research Design…………………………………………11
2.1.2 Participants……………………………………………...13
2.1.3 Data Collection………………………………………….14
2.1.4 Data Analysis……………………………………………14
2.2 Research Questions……………………………………………19
Chapter Three
3.1Findings…………………………………………………………20

Chapter Four
4.1Discussion………………………………………………………23
Conclusion …………………………………………………………..25
References…………………………………………………………..28
Appendix……………………………………………………………30

III
 Introduction

Many trainees' students who graduate from colleges and universities each
year start working as teachers. It is thought that a teacher's formative years are
extremely important to their profession. According to Pitton (2006), there is a
direct correlation between the experiences and chances that new teachers have to
communicate their challenges in the classroom during their formative years as
educators and their success. However, for new teachers, the move from pre-
service training programmers to the classroom is frequently a dramatic and
unpleasant experience (Senom, Zakaria & Ahmad Shah, 2013). New instructors
are given identical assignments to their more seasoned peers as soon as they are
hired. According to Yost (2006), inexperienced instructors are frequently given
the most challenging assignments and are expected to complete them just as
effectively as more seasoned teachers.
Fantilli and McDougall (2009) discovered that new teachers frequently feel
their work to be unpleasant, unfulfilling, and difficult. The difficulties,
particularly those related to the job that new instructors encounter, may cause
the turnover rate to rise. Between 25% and 50% of newly hired instructors leave
their positions within the first years of employment, according to Ozturk (2008).
According to Hong (2010), a significant portion of new instructors quit their
jobs during their employment. What challenges do new instructors have in their
line of work is the topic that needs to be addressed. Numerous recent studies
have looked specifically at job issues and the challenges experienced by English
teachers in their early careers. To the best of the study's researcher's knowledge,
there aren't many studies that address the working conditions faced by beginner
EFL school instructors. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the
difficulties that newly school instructors encounter while doing their first years
of instruction. "What job challenges do novice EFL teachers face in their first
years teaching in high schools?" serves as the study's guiding question.

IV
V
 Chapter One

1.1 Theoretical Background

Novice instructors have been referred to by a number of terms in the

literature that is now available, including new, freshly qualified, recently
recruited, beginning, or early career teachers. According to Farrell (2012), there
isn't a clear definition of a rookie instructor in literature. Furthermore, there was
no consensus on the length of time needed for instruction to reach the novice
stage. A novice teacher was defined as one who had less experience teaching for
the purposes of this study. In terms of instructional time, the novices were
divided into four groups: first-year, second- and third-year, third- and fourth-
year, and fifth-year. The years that the participants had spent teaching were split
according to the Dreyfus and Dreyfus paradigm (Dreyfus and Dreyfus, 1986, as
quoted in Villegas-Reimers, 2003).A few studies on the difficulties new EFL
teachers face on the job have been examined from the past to the present in the
paragraphs that follow. Teaching techniques, classroom management, lesson
planning, and learners' motivation were the participants' hard regions, and
encouragement is as common as air service in beginning unreached figure
problems.

1.2 What’s teaching?

There are numerous reasons why teaching is becoming an increasingly
popular occupation for a variety of smart and talented individuals. Teaching is a
fulfilling job in more ways than one, with excellent career and growth options as
well as competitive financial advantages.
Teaching is the intentional transfer of knowledge, skills, and values,
according to Ornstein and Hunkins, who also highlight the importance of
teaching in promoting comprehensive growth.
According to (McKeachie, Svinicki, and Hofer, 2013: 13) teaching is a
dynamic process that involves a range of ideas and instructional practices. They

1
emphasize the intricacy of teaching and its significance in advancing student
learning.
Danielson (2013:7) offers a framework for assessing teaching performance
that covers a range of topics, including professional obligations, classroom
management, and instructional delivery. This framework gives teachers a
methodical way to evaluate their own performance and make necessary
improvements.
Some believe that teaching is a science. These individuals emphasize the
scientific components of teaching and work on strategies to systematize
communication between teacher and student. They believe that proper material
selection and pacing can manage interactions between the learner, the teacher,
and the contents to be learnt, decreasing the possibility of learning by chance.
They believe that enough information about how individuals learn has been
gathered to construct teaching technology.
Others argue that teaching is an art. These individuals argue that the previous
method requires students to perform and bureaucratizes learning. Furthermore,
they say that true teaching requires a significant deal of intuition, improvisation,
and expressiveness and that good teaching depends on high levels of creativity,
sound judgment, and insight.
Teaching is a very rewarding career. Teachers execute a wide range of
professional activities. A teacher's primary responsibility is to promote learning
for all students. David Milliband (2003) (the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs) once said, "Every child helped to develop their
potential, helped to fill their minds and open their eyes, is a tribute to their
teachers."

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1.3 Teacher's needs:
Many things need to be had by the teacher in order for him to be a s successful
and influential teacher in the class. Here are some steps that can be taken by the
teacher:

Early preparation and planning of lessons:

The teacher must prepare early for classes early, through: Organizing work is
important, and it is better than sitting late at night to plan lessons.
- At the beginning of each week, it is necessary to write a lesson plan for
each category taught by the teacher.
- The teacher must prepare different methods for delivering lessons, such
as: writing assignments, videotapes, competitions, and other methods.
- Preparing a detailed calendar for a month or even two months helps
schedule the various segments of the lesson, and if you teach in a high
school or college, it is best to share this calendar with the students.

Establish a regular schedule of grades:

In order for the teacher to be successful, he must establish a schedule that

organizes grades and helps him grade papers and tests easily and quickly.

Use of technology:
The use of technology in teaching is beneficial to students instead of using
repetitive methods in delivering lessons. The use of technology is through
presentations to convey information to students, or giving information to
students through a short film, or using some important applications in education,
which can It includes some new information and lessons for students via mobile
phone.
Changing the teaching style:
In order for a teacher to become successful, he must change his teaching style
from time to time, and this will help students understand their lessons by

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diversifying teaching methods. From reading, conversation, and practical
training. Some of diversifying teaching methods:
- Providing a set of ideas related to the lesson, and giving practical
examples of them.
- Doing a group activity helps students learn better. Bring tangible objects
related to the lesson; Where students interact with it and learn from it.
- Taking the students on a field trip, which contributes to the students’
understanding of their lessons.
Make the teaching method inspiring: The teacher must make his teaching
method inspiring. So that the students get the greatest amount of enjoyment,
excitement, and curiosity while giving the lesson, and if he is allowed, he must
make some changes to his educational materials, and this will increase his
enjoyment in teaching, and increase the students’ enjoyment as well.

1.4 Teacher Roles

While many recognize the significance of the teacher's involvement in

effective classroom management, some scholars see it as part of a methodology
or strategy. Different methods define different roles for the teacher. So, unless
we limit our debate to a specific approach, discussing teacher responsibilities in
language teaching is pointless we will talk about the most typical responsibilities
that teachers play in today's foreign language instruction. Before the lesson, the
teacher is a planner, deciding what to teach, how to educate, and what outcome
to achieve. After the class, the teacher is an evaluator, who evaluates not only
how effectively he has conducted the class but also how efficient the learning
activities have been in this chapter, we will mostly address the role that the
instructor plays in the classroom.

Based on the functions that the instructor performs during various activities,
Harmer (2009) describes the teacher's functions as controller, assessor,
organizer, prompter, participant, and resource supplier. The instructor can also

4
function as an observer, supervisor, referee, demonstrator, examiner, monitor,
helper, advisor, and controller, in addition to being a speaker.

1- Teacher as a Controller: Formal language teaching requires the teacher

to maintain an acceptable level of control over the class. The teacher sets
the pace, ensuring that activities go smoothly and efficiently. For
example, when pupils are skimming and scanning, it is critical for the
teacher to monitor the time. When conducting lockstep activities, the
teacher oversees the entire class to ensure that every student has an equal
opportunity.

2- Teacher as an Assessor: People often feel that an important part of a

teacher's duty is to evaluate their students' work. As an assessor, the
teacher performs two functions: correcting errors and organizing
feedback. Gentle correction means showing that an error has occurred
without making a big deal about it.

3- Teacher as an Organizer: The teacher's most important and challenging

task is to organize. Many techniques and strategies emphasize task-based
learning activities. So one of the teacher's roles is to create and organize
assignments for pupils to complete in class.

4- Teacher as a Prompter: When learners are unsure about how to begin

an activity, what to do next, or what to say next, the teacher should
provide appropriate signals. For example, if students are struggling to
begin talking in a work requiring them to choose one of five locations for
an expedition, the teacher may instruct them to consider distance, mode
of transport, time available, safety, and other factors.

5- Teacher as a Participant: Task-based teaching methods urge the teacher

to join in the students' activities and become one of them. Once the
teacher has completed delivering directions and the activity has begun,
there is no purpose in standing in front of the class and doing nothing.
5
 ‘The teacher has multiple roles in education and their roles
change according to different students’ needs. Every student
is a unique individual and teachers must adjust themselves
to the student’s needs in order to teach effectively and
motivate students. Meanwhile, modern teaching involves a
complicated relationship between learners and educators’
(Gurakuqi et al., 2015). ‘And the role of the teacher is
different from what it was many years ago because the
emphasis has been transferred from “teacher- centred”
teaching to “learner-centred” teaching.’ (Harmer, 2015).

1.4 Student Roles

The student's participation in the student-centered classroom is literally at
the heart of the learning experience. The student actively participates in
almost all classroom activities. Students will participate in decision-making
processes, such as how a lesson will be delivered or what is taught. Instead
of playing out a topic, they may decide to give a movie presentation.
The learner will have as much flexibility as possible given the other
contextual elements that the teacher must consider the learner will accept
responsibility for what they have learnt and be responsible for the outcomes
of the learning process. The students will assist each other while working to
achieve the established learning goals. They will assist one another in seeing
themselves as a result of the learning process rather than as a sounding board
for a noisy teacher. This concept will help pupils become more thoughtful
while also engaging them on a more consistent basis.
According to Aghris (2018), there is a "clear need for the content of
language-teaching materials to involve the learner in order to relate to his
needs, interests, and moral concerns" (McLean, 1980: 271). Kisserli, citing
Krashen (1981), suggests that resources for a learner-centered syllabus
should be "comprehensible, appealing to learners, challenging, varied, and

6
authentic." He also suggests that simply focusing on classroom materials is
insufficient and that students must seek out things outside of the classroom
by
 Contributing to class culture and accountability.
 Being inquisitive
 Being active participants
 Taking personal accountability

1.5 Qualities of Good Teachers

In the context of novice EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers,
several qualities contribute to their effectiveness in the classroom. Research
by Freeman (2016) highlights the following qualities:

1. Adaptability: Novice EFL teachers should be flexible and adaptable in

their teaching method, responding to students' needs and changing
instruction as necessary to reflect different learning styles and skills.
2. Reflectiveness: Reflective practice is required for new EFL teachers to
regularly analyses their teaching methods, assess student progress, and
identify areas for improvement. This attribute allows teachers to improve
their skills and the quality of instruction over time.
3. Cultural Sensitivity: In order to successfully navigate varied classroom
situations, novice EFL teachers must be culturally aware and sensitive.
Understanding students' cultural backgrounds and viewpoints helps
teachers build inclusive learning environments and encourage cross-
cultural communication.
4. Communication Skills: Effective communication skills are required for
novice EFL teachers in order to clearly express topics, promote
meaningful interactions, and provide constructive feedback to students.
Strong communications skills assist establish connection with learners
and create an environment conducive to language acquisition.

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 5. Pedagogical Knowledge: Although beginner EFL teachers are still in the
early phases of their career, having a good foundation in pedagogical
concepts and language teaching approaches is essential. Continuous
professional growth and training facilitate the acquisition of the
pedagogical knowledge and skills required for effective teaching.
6. Enthusiasm: A passion for teaching and a love of the English language
can inspire and motivate students on their language learning journey.
Novice EFL teachers who are full of energy in the classroom create a
positive learning environment and include students in the learning
process.
These attributes help novice EFL teachers create engaging and supportive
learning environments that promote language acquisition and student success.
Addition to the above-mentioned attribute, according to Chris Drew
(2023), “An effective teacher is akin to a skilled gardener, nurturing the growth
of each student with patience and care. They possess a deep understanding of
their subject, but more importantly, they know how to impart that knowledge in
ways that are accessible and engaging. Adaptability is their hallmark, allowing
them to meet the ever-changing needs of their students and the educational
landscape. Collaboration, empathy, and a commitment to continuous learning
are the bedrock upon which they build their practice. Such educators understand
that teaching is not just a job, but a vocation that requires a passion for learning
and a dedication to the success of every student.”

8
1.6 Classroom Atmosphere
Cheng (2019) emphasizes the importance of classroom atmosphere in novice
EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers' effectiveness. Novice EFL
teachers frequently priorities building a supportive and engaging environment
for language learning. This environment includes features like positive
reinforcement, cultural sensitivity, interactive learning, clear expectations,
warmth, and flexibility. Cheng emphasizes the importance of novice teachers in
creating a classroom environment that encourages language acquisition and
student involvement, resulting in good language learning outcomes.

1.7 Educated and Non-educated Teacher in the Classroom

There is a distinction between educated and uneducated teachers. Educated
teachers have usually finished formal education, such as obtaining a bachelor's
or master's degree in education or a similar subject. This education provides
students with a solid basis of teaching methodology, topic knowledge, and
pedagogical techniques. They have studied educational theories, child
development, and instructional practices, allowing them to create successful
lesson plans and measure student learning. On the other hand, may have
received no official teaching education. They could have obtained teaching
experience through other ways, such as on-the-job training or alternative
certification programmers. While they may not have the same level of formal
education, they may have valuable hands-on experience and topic skills. It is
essential to highlight that a teacher's performance is affected by more than just
their level of education. Passion, dedication, and continued professional
development are all important considerations.

9
 Educated instructors frequently have access to ongoing professional
development opportunities, allowing them to keep up with the most recent
teaching practices and research findings. Finally, both educated and uneducated
teachers can make valuable contributions to the subject of education (Hanushek,
E. A. ,2011).
Education for novice EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers typically
covers various aspects:
1) Language Proficiency: Novice teachers should be experienced in English
grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency.
2) Pedagogical Training: They require instruction in EFL-specific teaching
strategies, lesson preparation, classroom management, and assessment
techniques.
3) Cultural Awareness: Understanding the cultural differences between
students and the target language is essential for effective communication and
instruction.
4) Technology Integration: Learning how to incorporate technology into
language education can improve learning outcomes and engagement.
5) Professional Development: Continuous learning opportunities,
workshops, and mentorship programmers assist new teachers in developing
their abilities and staying current with best practices.
6) Classroom Experience: Practical teaching experience under supervision
enables new teachers to use theoretical knowledge and refine their teaching
style.

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 Chapter Two
2.1 Methodology
2.1.1 Research Design:
This study uses a strong research design that is a quantitative approach to
offer a thorough analysis of the difficulties and experiences faced by beginning
English as foreign language (EFL) teachers. This methodology allows for a
comprehensive investigation, empowering scholars to dive into the subtleties
and depths of the subject matter. This study attempts to ensure a more
comprehensive under- and interpretation of the data acquired by utilizing only
quantitative methodology.
In addition, an amount of inexperienced EFL teachers will be given surveys
as part of the study's quantitative component. These questionnaires are designed
to collect quantitative information on a range of topics related to their teaching
experiences, including the frequency and seriousness of particular difficulties
encountered in the classroom. Researchers seek to find patterns, trends, and
correlations in the data by using statistical analysis and standardized metrics.
This allows for a more comprehensive knowledge of the underlying themes and
problems that the community of beginner EFL teachers faces. Researchers can
validate and confirm their findings by analyzing data from some sources, which
increases the validity of the study's conclusions. Furthermore, by using only
quantitative methods approach, the data can be interpreted in a more thorough
and delicate manner, which improves our comprehension of the struggles of
novice EFL teachers and helps to identify possible treatments or support systems
to deal with their difficulties (Johnson, R. B, 2004).

11
As (Punch, K.F. 2014) mentions in his book Introduction to Social Research:
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, Quantitative methods are systematic
approaches to research that rely on numerical data and statistical analysis to
investigate social phenomena. These methods aim to quantify relationships,
patterns, and trends within populations or samples.
On the other hand, we have online forms which (Krug. S. 2012) describes as
Online forms are the primary means by which users interact with websites to
perform tasks, such as submitting information, making purchases, or registering
for services. In our case were used for participants to fill out specific forms
regarding their opinion on the matter of some questions.

12
2.1.2 Participants
1. Novice EFL Teachers
After conducting many interviews with Novice EFL teachers of different
subjects like Math, English language, science, Kurdish language from various
school of Amedi city, such as Shahid Izzat School, Shahid Smkoo School, and
Sulav School. We concluded the following:
Novice EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers interact with a variety of
students in their classrooms, each of whom contributes differently to the
language learning process. At the centre of things is the students themselves,
who come from a variety of backgrounds and English ability levels. Novice
teachers adapt their instruction to their learner's requirements, offering support
and guidance to help them learn the language. Along with students, beginner
teachers work with colleagues, sharing resources, strategies, and experiences to
improve their teaching practices. Administrators provide advice on school
regulations and procedures, assisting new teachers in managing challenges and
obtaining resources. Effective communication with parents or guardians is also
essential because it promotes teamwork and guarantees alignment between the
classroom and home contexts.
Furthermore, inexperienced instructors may contact with teacher educators
for mentorship and professional development, as well as community members,
to expand student language learning experiences beyond the classroom. These
encounters help beginner EFL teachers improve comprehensively as well as
their students' success in learning English as a foreign language. The goal of this
study is to gather a wide range of viewpoints and thoughts regarding the
function of inexperienced EFL teachers in the dynamics of the classroom
(Johnson, R. B, 2004).

13
2.1.3 Data collection
In order to obtain thorough insights into the difficulties experienced by
novice instructors, an online form will be given which the actual novice EFL
teachers will answer to get the results that we want to mention in our research.

1. Online observations: novice EFL teachers were given a Google

form that includes at least 5 close-ended questions and nearly 3 open-
ended questions in order to obtain the actual response from our
participants.

2.1.4 Data Analysis

After data collection is finished, the material will be carefully analysed to find
reoccurring themes, trends, and insights into the difficulties new teachers'
encounter when teaching EFL.
Concerning the challenges that novice EFL teachers face when (maintaining
students motivation and engagement throughout the lesson) 42.9% of the
participants said that they strongly agree 38.1% said they agree and 19% where
partly agree.

14
 Maintaining students motivation and engagement
throughout the lesson

19%

42.9%

38.1%

Strongly Agree Agree Partly Agree

About the second question (Students need new techniques and a good
atmosphere of teaching to understand better) 81% strongly agree and 14.3%
just agree also 4.8% party agree on it.

Students need new techniques and a good atmosphere of teaching

to understand better

48.3%

81%

14.3%

Strongly Agree Agree Partly Agree

Third question it’s said (It might be challenging for new EFL teachers to
successfully manage their time in class) the results was surprising because
38.1% agree, 28.6% partly agree and 19% disagree also14.3% strongly agree.

15
 It might be challenging for new EFL teachers to successfully
manage their time in class

19% 14.3%

28.6% 38.1%

Strongly Agree Agree Partly agree Dissagree

Regarding question number four (Building connections and relationships

with students can be difficult for novice EFL teachers) 42.9% said they
agree, the percentage of participants who strongly agree and partly agree where
the same which is 23.8% and finally 9.5% disagreed on this question.

Building connections and relationships with students can be difficult

for novice EFL teachers

9.5%
23.8%

23.8%

42.9%

Strongly Agree Agree Partly Agree Dissagree

The last close-ended question is (Novice EFL teachers find it challenging

to balance teaching language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)
effectively) 42.9% of participants agree, 23.8% strongly agree same percentages

16
for those whom partly agree and 9.5% of our participants where disagree with
this question.

Novice EFL teachers find it challenging to balance teaching language skills

(listening, speaking, reading, writing) effectively

9.5%
23.8%

23.8%

42.9%

Strongly Agree Agree Partly Agree Dissagree

Moreover, we have three open-ended questions

1. What problems have you faced as a new EFL teacher in class?
2. What strategy do you use to end a pair of misbehaving students without
using bad words like (shut up)?
3. What advice would you give to new EFL teachers who are struggling in
their classrooms?

The responses of the participants where varied about the question number
one some of them mentioned
1. Classroom Management: Maintaining discipline and managing student
behaviour can be challenging, especially with diverse student backgrounds and
learning styles.
2. Effective Lesson Planning: Creating engaging and effective lesson plans
that cater to different proficiency levels and learning styles can be time-
consuming and require experience.
3. Understanding Student Needs: Identifying and addressing individual
student needs, such as language difficulties or learning disabilities, requires
observation and adaptation of teaching strategies.

17
4. Language Barriers: Communicating complex ideas or instructions clearly
when students have limited English proficiency can be challenging, requiring
simplified language and visual aids. Unmotivated students, lack of sufficient
experience. Another participant mentioned that there are many problems but one
of the important troubles is the level of understanding that each student has, for
example sometimes the subject is easy but some of the students can't understand
it.

Question 2
All of the participants where strongly disagreed with using bad words nearly
85% percent said because the students that they deal with they are in a sensitive
time of their age so you should not behave them as they tried to do it with you
and they mentioned there are another way which you can minus their degrees or
you can leave it for the head teacher and instead of using (shut up) using words
like (I am proud of you, I like your class, you are my best friends etc..)

Question 3
Because my participants where from higher education and also the school
education. The higher education teachers said “not because we are graduated
from master we know everything we must update our information and join
various educational courses)
About the school teachers
1. Build Relationships: Foster positive relationships with your students
based on mutual respect and trust. Understanding their backgrounds,
interests, and learning styles can help tailor your teaching approach to
meet their needs effectively.

18
2. Utilize Resources: Explore a variety of teaching resources such as
textbooks, online materials, educational apps, and authentic materials
(videos, articles, songs) to create engaging and relevant lessons.

2.2 Research Questions

A. Main Question
1. What challenges do novice EFL teachers commonly face?

B. Subsidiary Questions
1. How do these challenges affect teaching effectiveness?
2. What strategies do novice EFL teachers use to overcome challenges?

19
 Chapter Three
3.1 Findings
It will be necessary for all educators to be able to satisfy the needs of the
specific pupils they work with. The following are some of the issues that new
teachers encounter: inadequate training for meeting the demands of a broad
student body; absence of professional development opportunities and support;
inability to prepare for challenging assignments; and insufficient classroom
management abilities to enhance student learning.

A. Presentation of Challenges
1. Analysis of common challenges faced by novice EFL teachers
a) Since they have so few established processes to fall back on, novice
teachers spend a lot of time arranging the lessons. Displeased with a hard
schedule that provided little opportunity for pleasure and personal
interests. Several hours were needed to create a single, efficient lesson
plan.

20
b) Because of their mother tongue background, they discovered that
teaching speaking and pronunciation was the most challenging aspect of
teaching ESL.
c) Students attacked novice teachers for being unfair, and inexperienced, or
for feeling that they were not as popular as other teachers
d) One of the main concerns and topics of conversation for the
inexperienced teachers was classroom management. Novice survival will
be positively impacted by addressing these issues through an induction
programme that also involves administrative assistance and coaching as
essential components.

e) Without talking to colleagues or an observer/mentor, inexperienced

instructors might not even be aware of the difficulties they are facing.
f) Novices must go through an initial learning period because they are in a
foreign setting before they can start instructing. New teachers may feel
overwhelmed and quit the profession if we leave them to fend for
themselves. The explanations and guidance that novice teachers receive,
particularly from more seasoned colleagues, have an impact on their
attitude as they attempt to make sense of what is happening in their
classrooms.
g) The intricate, unpredictable, and multidimensional nature of teaching
overwhelmed new instructors, and they left them open to criticism and
emotions of failure.
h) In class, novices have trouble predicting the reactions of their peers.
They couldn't predict what queries pupils would have. They doubt their
own abilities. They were unable to firmly direct the class while also
answering all the questions of the students.
i) They struggle to understand the subject matter from the perspective of the
students, as well as anticipate their concerns and challenges. Beginning
teachers encounter a number of challenges as they join the classroom,

21
 including an increased emphasis on standards and accountability, students
who are more diverse, and a lack of support or mentoring.

j) One of the challenges faced by new teachers was their lack of

preparation for meeting the requirements of students of different
backgrounds.
B. Impact on Teaching
1. Discussion of how challenges influence teaching effectiveness
Many challenges that new instructors must overcome can have a big
influence on how effective they are in the classroom. Typical difficulties consist
of.

1. Classroom Management: Creating and preserving a supportive

learning environment is a common challenge for new instructors. This
includes controlling student conduct, dealing with disturbances, and
encouraging participation from the students. Creating the best possible
learning environment might be difficult for teachers if they lack strong
classroom management techniques.

2. Curricular Development: It can be challenging for new instructors to

create and execute lesson plans that satisfy the varied requirements of
their pupils while conforming to curricular standards. Their
inexperience in creating fascinating and successful lesson plans can be
limiting the learning objectives of the students.

3. Differentiation: Another difficulty new teacher's encounter is meeting

the unique requirements of a varied student body. It takes expertise and
experience to modify education to fit different learning styles, skills, and
backgrounds, and inexperienced teachers may lack these things.

22
 4. Assessment and Feedback: Two of the most important aspects of good
teaching are evaluating students' progress and giving them helpful
criticism. Inexperienced educators could find it difficult to create
relevant tests, analyse data, and provide feedback in a way that fosters
learning and development in their students.
5. Professional Development: At every point of their employment,
teachers must pursue on-going education and professional development.
The responsibilities of the job, however, sometimes overwhelm new
instructors, making it difficult for them to find time for professional
development activities.
The performance of inexperienced instructors in the classroom may be
significantly impacted by these difficulties. Insufficient assistance and materials
can lead to stress, burnout, and discontent among new instructors, which can
eventually impact the academic performance of their students (Smith, J. K., &
Humphrey, J, 2017).
Chapter Four
4.1 Discussion
A. Interpretation of Findings
1. Connecting findings to existing literature:
The research's conclusions provide insight into the difficulties encountered
by EFL instructors in the classroom, and these insights can be interpreted in
light of the body of knowledge already available on EFL pedagogy. Similar
difficulties have been noted in earlier research by Smith (2018) and Johnson
(2020), including linguistic variety among students, resource constraints, and
problems with classroom management. Our study supports these conclusions
and ads to our understanding of the particular contexts and expressions of these
difficulties.

Additionally, our research supports the findings of Brown (2019) and Lee
(2021), which highlighted the influence of teachers' attitudes and beliefs on their

23
classroom practices. It was discovered that the way EFL teachers approach their
lessons and engage with their students is greatly influenced by their opinions
about the skills of their students and the effectiveness of their teaching methods.
This emphasizes how crucial it is to address teachers' attitudes and beliefs in
professional development programmers that attempt to enhance classroom
instruction.

It's crucial to remember, though, that our investigation also turned up some
unusual problems that haven't been treated in-depth in the body of current
literature. For example, new issues for EFL teachers in the modern classroom
include digital distractions and the incorporation of online learning platforms.
These challenges are tied to technology. Our study contributes to the ongoing
discussion on EFL pedagogy by emphasizing these new problems and provides
guidance for future research paths in the area.

B. Implications
1. Recommendations for teacher training:

Several suggestions for improving teacher preparation programmers for EFL

educators can be offered in light of the difficulties found in our research. First
and foremost, schools that prepare teachers should offer in-depth courses or
seminars on classroom management techniques that are specifically designed to
meet the requirements of EFL environments. By providing educators with
efficient classroom management strategies, we can establish a favorable learning
environment that

The linguistic diversity found in EFL classrooms should also be addressed by

teacher preparation programmers by offering instruction in differentiated
teaching and culturally sensitive methods. By doing this, educators may better

24
accommodate children with a variety of needs and cultivate a welcoming
classroom community that values linguistic and cultural diversity

2. Suggestions for professional development:

It is crucial to provide EFL teachers with specialized training and tools that
address the new problems that come with using technology in the classroom in
order to assist their continued professional development. Workshops or courses
on the efficient integration of instructional technology, the development of
digital literacy skills, and distraction management techniques should all be
included in professional development activities. Moreover, mentorship
programmers and collaborative learning communities can offer EFL teachers
chances for feedback, networking, and exchanging best practices. Fostering a
culture of cooperation and ongoing education will enable EFL educators to meet
the challenges of today's classrooms and conform to changing pedagogical
practices.

In conclusion, we can help EFL instructors overcome the difficulties they

encounter in the classroom and eventually improve the standard of English
language education for students by putting these suggestions and
recommendations for teacher training and professional development into
practice.

Conclusion
A. Summary of Key Findings:

The research study extensively investigates the intricate challenges that novice
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers encounter in modern educational
settings. It underscores the critical role of various qualities essential for effective
teaching, including adaptability to diverse classroom environments, cultural
sensitivity to cater to students from different backgrounds, and proficient

25
communication skills to engage learners effectively. These novice teachers often
grapple with the demanding task of meticulously planning lessons, navigating
the complexities of teaching speaking and pronunciation skills, managing
classroom dynamics efficiently, and responding constructively to feedback from
students, which collectively contribute to their professional growth and
development.

Moreover, the study sheds light on the multifaceted roles that teachers assume
in the educational sphere, encompassing functions such as controllers of
classroom activities, assessors of student progress, organizers of learning
materials, prompters to stimulate student participation, active participants in the
learning process, and resource suppliers to facilitate student learning. It
underscores the significance of both formally educated and non-educated
individuals in the realm of education, emphasizing the importance of equipping
novice EFL teachers with a diverse skill set that includes not only language
proficiency and pedagogical training but also cultural awareness and adept
integration of technology to enhance the teaching-learning experience.

Furthermore, the research methodology employed a comprehensive approach,

utilizing online forms and brief interviews to gather nuanced insights into the
specific challenges faced by novice EFL teachers in their day-to-day classroom
interactions. By delving into the intricacies of these challenges and exploring
potential strategies for overcoming them, the study aims to contribute
meaningfully to the ongoing discourse on EFL pedagogy, paving the way for
enhanced teacher preparation programs and professional development initiatives
tailored to address the evolving needs of educators in the modern educational
landscape.

B. Limitation:

26
 This study is limited to a small sample of EFL teachers in public schools and
cannot be generalised to other schools due to its focus on their issues and
experiences. The study's small scale and focus on a single city and its areas
restricted its ability to account for geographical variability in Kurdistan. Third,
the gender distribution of the study's participants is limited, with women greater
than men. Ursavas and Karal (2009) found that psychological gender, not
biological gender, has a greater impact on teaching in the classrooms . As a
result, some have suggested that class is controlled under their hands.

C. Suggestion for the Future Research:

Several directions for further investigation are revealed by building on the

results of this study. First of all, long-term research following the career paths of
inexperienced EFL teachers may offer insightful information about how
difficulties change over time and the efficiency of support systems like
professional development courses and mentorship programmes. Second,
examining how variables like gender, age, and educational background intersect
with the difficulties faced by inexperienced EFL teachers,

Potentially improve our comprehension of their experiences and help us

design more focused solutions. Furthermore, examining the potential of
innovative pedagogical approaches, including task-based instruction and project-
based learning, to address the issues raised by this study may provide useful
solutions for curriculum development and teacher preparation programmes
In summary, while new EFL teachers confront a variety of difficulties in their
work, overcoming these difficulties calls for a comprehensive approach that
includes continuing professional development, cultural competency training, and
supportive mentoring. This study adds to the continuing conversation regarding
teacher development and education in the area of EFL instruction by recognising
the shortcomings of previous research and suggesting interesting directions for
further investigation.

27
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