The Role of English Teachers in Drawing Schools and the Factors Affecting Attention asb Perceived by Teachers Students' Attention in Salfit District

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways English teachers followed in Salfit District schools to draw their students' attention in class and to identify the factors that affect students' attention from teachers' point of view. It also examined the impact of gender, qualification, experience, and stage of teaching variables on drawing students' attention. The study addressed the following questions: 1) What are the teachers' ways of drawing attention to the lesson content? 2) Is there any difference in the students’ level of attention to lesson content due to gender, qualification, experience and stage of teaching variables? 3) Is there any difference between gender, qualification, experience and stage of teaching and factors affecting students' level of attention in Salfit District? 4) Is there a difference among factors affecting attention due to gender,qualifications, experience and stage of teaching? The population of the study comprised all Salfit District English teachers at government schools in the academic year 2002-2003. The subjects of the study were 113 teachers (56 females and 46 males) who responded to a 40-item questionnaire. Of these, 25 measured the ways teachers used in drawing students' attention, and 15 measured the factors affecting attention. Findings of the study: 1- The teachers' most ways of getting students’ attention depended on (1) Teacher’s methods, procedures and skills, (2) Reinforcement, (3) Teaching aids and (4) Punishment. 2- There was a difference in the students' level of attention to lesson content according to gender variable in favor of males. 3- There was a difference in the students' attention to lesson content according to qualification in favor of diploma holders. 4- There was a difference in the students' attention to lesson content according to experience in favor of those with more than 10 years of experience. 5- There was a difference in the students' attention to lesson content according to stage of teaching in favor of elementary stage. 6- There was a difference between gender and factors affecting attention in favor of females. 7- There was a difference between qualification and factors affecting attention in favor of both diploma and bachelor's degree holders. 8- There was a difference between experience and factors affecting attention in favor of those with more than 10 years of experience. 9- There wasn’t a difference between stage of teaching and factors affecting attention. In the light of the study findings, the researcher recommends holding training courses and workshops for teachers to enrich their experiences on how to draw students’ attention in class. The researcher also suggests that further studies be conducted on other stages.