Interest towards professional responsibility: a study based on teachers who teach Tamil as first language

Abstract

This study explores the interest in the professional responsibility of teachers who teach Tamil is the first language. As first language teaching influences the achievement of other subjects as well, it was expected that these teachers should have a professional responsibility. However, a lack of this interest was reported in some forums. A mixed-method approach was used in this study to explore the situation. The study sample comprised of 181 Tamil teachers who teach Tamil as first language and 25 principals. Five In-Service-Advisors (ISAs), and five Additional Directors (ADs) are also selected as convenient sampling representing all five Educational zones. Quantitative data collected with the questionnaires are analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, with the facilitation of the SPSS software. Significant differences in the interest of teachers towards professional responsibility are shown among the factors such as type of school, qualification, type of degree (internal or external), and Tamil as subject for degree. The factors gender, age group, civil status, teaching experience, residential place and mode of travelling have variation in the interest. Among the three levels of interest, namely high, middle and low, considering teacher-related, school-related and student-related factors, the interest of many teachers towards professional responsibility are spread over the middle range. Accordingly, 5 influential factors are identified. Department-related factors and peer teacher-related factors are more influential than other factors. Teacher-related factors, student-related factors and school-related factors are influential in the medium level. Peer teacher-related factors have high influence. Student- related factors are of low influence.