teacher trainees’ perceptions on the levels and fileteacher trainees’ perceptions on the levels...
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TEACHER TRAINEES’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE LEVELS AND
CAUSES OF STRESS DURING TEACHING PRACTICE
RAIHANA BINTI ROMLY
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
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TEACHER TRAINEES’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE LEVELS AND
CAUSES OF STRESS DURING TEACHING PRACTICE
RAIHANA BINTI ROMLY
A report submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of
Bachelor of Science with Education (TESL)
Faculty of Education
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
April 2008
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“I
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to identify the levels and the causes of stress
among TESL teacher trainees in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. 32 teacher trainees
from 3 SPL (TESL) for 07/08 session have been chosen as the respondents. The
factors that have been predetermined are school’s regulation, teaching workload,
interpersonal relationships and problems with the students at school. The instrument
of this study is a set of questionnaire taken and adapted from Ahmad Syakri (1998).
The reliability of the instrument is 0.848. The data was analyzed using Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 14.0. Descriptive analysis in terms of
mean and frequency is used to analyze the level of stress. Results showed that the
level of stress among TESL teacher trainees is at the moderate level. The results also
showed that there were no significant relationship between the level of stress with
gender, SPM result and teaching experience of the respondents. However, there were
significant relationships between age and MUET results with the level of stress
among the teacher trainees.
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ABSTRAK
Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti tahap dan punca stres di kalangan
guru pelatih TESL di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Seramai 32 orang guru pelatih
dari 3 SPL (TESL) sesi 07/08 telah dipilih sebagai responden untuk kajian ini.
Faktor-faktor yang telah dikenalpasti ialah peraturan sekolah, beban tugas, hubungan
interpersonal dan masalah pelajar di sekolah. Kajian ini menggunakan soal selidik
yang diambil dan diubah suai daripada Ahmad Syakri (1998). Kebolehpercayaan soal
selidik ini adalah 0.848. Data telah dianalisis menggunakan Statistical Package for
Social Science (SPSS) versi 14.0. Analisis secara deskriptif menggunakan min dan
frekuensi digunakan bagi menganalisis tahap stres responden. Keputusan
menunjukkan tahap stres guru pelatih adalah pada tahap sederhana. Keputusan juga
menunjukkan tidak terdapat sebarang hubungan di antara tahap stres dengan jantina,
keputusan SPM dan pengalaman mengajar. Tetapi, terdapat hubungan di antara umur
dan keputusan MUET dengan tahap stres di kalangan guru pelatih.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
DECLARATION OF STATUS OF THESIS
SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION
TITLE PAGE i
RESEARCHER’S DECLARATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
ABSTRACT v
ABSTRAK vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF TABLES xi
LIST OF FIGURES xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xiv
LIST OF APPENDICES xv
1 INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the Study 3
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Purposes of the Study 5
1.4 Objectives of the Study 6
1.5 Research Questions 6
1.6 Significance of the Study 6
1.7 Scope of the Study 7
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CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction 8
2.1 Definitions of stress 8
2.2 Effects of Stress on Teachers 10
2.2.1 Effect of Stress on Teachers’ Health 10
2.2.2 Effect of Stress on Teachers’ Work 12
2.3 Teacher’s Stress 13
2.3.1 Levels of Stress 13
2.3.2 Causes of Stress 17
2.4 Relationship Between Demographic Factors 20
with The Levels of Stress.
3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 24
3.2 Respondents of the Study 24
3.3 Research Instruments Used 25
3.4 Research Instrument Reliability 28
3.5 Research Procedure 28
3.6 Data Analysis 29
4 RESULTS AND FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction 31
4.2 Descriptive Analysis of The Respondents 32
4.2.1 Age 33
4.2.2. Gender 34
4.2.3 MUET Results 35
4.2.4 SPM Results 36
4.2.5 Teaching Experience 37
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CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
4.3 Descriptive Analysis on The Level of Stress Among 38
TESL Teacher Trainee
4.4 Descriptive Analysis On The Causes of Stress Among 39
TESL Teacher Trainee
4.4.1 Item Analysis on The Level of Stress Among 41
TESL Teacher Trainee
4.4.1.1 The Level Of Stress With School’s 41
Regulation Aspects
4.4.1.2 The Level Of Stress With Teaching 43
Workload Aspect
4.4.1.3 The Level Of Stress With Interpersonal 44
Relationships Aspect
4.4.1.4 The Level of Stress In Relation to 46
Problem with the Students Aspect
4.5 Descriptive Analysis on The Level of Stress 48
Based on Demographic Details
4.5.1 The Relationship Between The Level of 48
Stress with Age
4.5.2 The Relationship between the Level of 50
Stress with Gender
4.5.3 The Relationship Between The Level of 51
Stress with MUET Result
4.5.4 The Relationship Between The Level of 52
Stress with SPM Result
4.5.5 The Relationship Between The Level of 53
Stress with Teaching Experience
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CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
5 DISCUSSION, LIMITATIONS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction 55
5.2 Discussion 55
5.2.1 Demographic Details of The Respondents 56
5.2.2 The Level of Stress Among TESL Teacher 57
Trainee
5.2.3 The Causes of Stress Among TESL Teacher 58
Trainee
5.2.4 The Level of Stress Based on Demographic 60
Factors
5.3 Limitations of the Research 62
5.3.1 Respondents 62
5.3.2 Instrument Used 62
5.3.3 Cause of Stress 63
5.4 Recommendations 63
5.4.1 Faculty of Education 63
5.4.2 Supervisor 64
5.4.3 Teacher Trainee 64
5.5 Future Research 64
5.6 Conclusion 65
REFERENCES 67
APPENDICES A-B 76
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LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE
3.1 List of Likert Scale for Section B 26
3.2 How The Scores are Calculated 27
3.3 List of Likert Scale for Section C 37
3.4 Distribution of Items in The Questionnaire 30
4.1 Distribution of Respondents by Age 33
4.2 Distribution of Respondents by Gender 34
4.3 Distribution of Respondents by Gender and Age 34
4.4 Distribution of Respondents by MUET Results 35
4.5 Distribution of Respondents by SPM Results 36
4.6 Distribution Of Respondents By Teaching Experience 37
Before Attending Teaching Practice
4.7 Level of Stress with School’s Regulation Aspects 41
4.8 Level of Stress with Teaching Workload Aspect 43
4.9 Level of Stress with Interpersonal Relationships Aspects 44
4.10 Level of Stress In Relation to Problem with 46
the Students Aspect
4.11 Relationship between the Level of Stress with Age 49
4.12 Relationship between the Levels of Stress with Gender 50
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TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE
4.13 Relationship between the Level of Stress with 51
MUET Result
4.14 Relationship Between The Level of Stress with 52
SPM Result
4.15 The Relationship Between The Level of Stress with 53
Teaching Experience
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LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE
2.1 Occupational Stress Model by Greenberg 11
4.1 Distribution of Respondents by Age 33
4.2 Distribution of Respondents by MUET Results 35
4.3 Distribution of Respondents by SPM Results 36
4.4 The Levels of Stress among TESL Teacher Trainee 38
4.5 The Causes of Stress among TESL Teacher Trainee 39
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
MUET Malaysian University English Test
SPM Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia
TESL Teaching English as a Second Language
UTM Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX TITLE PAGE
A QUESTIONNAIRE (BAHASA MALAYSIA) 72
B QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH) 81
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
We now lived in a fast-paced nature of the world that needs us to react
immediately to our surroundings and at the same time followed the norms and value
that have been predetermined. But sometimes we cannot cope with the situations
that occurred around us. As a result, we will feel tense and cannot work efficiently.
This situation may lead to stress that will affect our daily performances. As stated by
Laughlin (1984:18) on the definition of stress;
"... the degree of tension, anxiety and/or pressure experienced by you. Stress can
be related to apprehension, agitation, irritation, annoyance, fear, mental
discomfort, nervous upset, inability to cope, frustration, unhappiness etc."
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Living from day to day, without we noticing it existences, stress has become a
part of our life. However, stress will have an effect on our living, family and health
if we let it conquer our life. Up to 80 percent of all illnesses may well be stress-
related. Stress is an important component of heart disease, cancer, respiratory
disorders, ulcers, alcoholism, accidents and drugs abuse-indeed, all leading causes of
death in the West. (Smith, 1993).
The experience of stress applies to everybody regardless of gender, races,
incomes or occupations. The word stress itself is always associated with the
conditions at the workplace. The stress in the workplace is known as work stress that
triggers negative impacts to the workers such as they cannot perform up to their
levels, which lead to depression and health problems. According to Okebukola and
Jegede (1989), work stress is a condition of mental and physical exertion brought
about as a result of harassing events or dissatisfying elements or general features of
the working environment.
Teacher also encountered with work stress at schools. Sometimes, the job as
an educator may become very stressful because they not only have to handle the
students, but they also have followed the order from administrator, handling parents
or conflict with colleagues. Moreover, the work of teachers at the present time is not
only involved with the act of teaching but also include other things such as helping
the administrators in handling certain occasions or functions and activities in schools.
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1.1 Background of the Study
Nowadays, teachers are facing tremendous stress. Based on earlier research
done by many researchers has proven that the teacher actually have to deal with
stress in carrying out their job as an educator. This is stated by Kyriacou (1997:156)
regarding the issue of teacher and stress:
" ... the experience by a teacher of unpleasant emotions, such as tension,
frustration, anxiety anger and depression resulting from aspects of his work as a
teacher"
The stress sometimes can jeopardize the teachers’ work because it will give
negative effects to the teachers emotionally and physically. The teacher that is under
stress will have some symptoms in common, such as irritability and moodiness and
can trigger physical or physiological response within the body, which leads to the
types of symptoms for instance headaches, diarrhea, fatigue, high blood pressure and
skin rashes (Brecht,1996). This is beyond doubt that stress will lead to negative
effects on the students, the schools and for the teachers themselves.
Besides that, stress can reduce productivity, creativity, and the ability to
enjoy oneself (Smith, 1993). So, the teacher will always be under pressure and at the
same time the students may become the victims in this situation. They may not get
proper lesson from this teacher and cause result in low academic achievements
among the students. This will not help our nation in achieving the educational vision
of expanding human capital with first class mind.
The arising of stress endured by the teacher will affect the atmosphere of the
schools. The condition in school is no longer conducive and conflict will always
occur because the teachers cannot control their own emotions. If this happened, it
will ruin the educational institutions especially in Malaysia.
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1.2 Statement of the Problem
Stress can also arise because of the changes of our surroundings; this is stated
by Cornelli as cited in Brecht, (1996:7):
“Stress can be defined as wear and tear on the body and mind caused by life’s
many changes and demands. It is affected by both environment and the make-
up of the individual in the environment.”
The teacher trainees may encounter this during the early stage when they
have to start to teach in schools. They may deal with the problems to fit themselves
with the system at school. If they cannot handle the problems, they will become
tense and this lead to stress. These teacher trainees possibly cannot identify their
own problems that lead to stress and also the levels of stress that they have suffered.
Stress may not be something new to the teacher trainees because they do not
only have to step in the real school environment for the first time, they also had a lot
of responsibility towards their students, cooperative teacher, supervisor and school.
Thus, this study is designed to determine the levels of stress among the teacher
trainees so that several considerations and actions can be taken if it is proven that the
teacher trainees deal with a high level of stress during their teaching practice.
The teacher trainees that suffered high level of stress during their teaching
practice may choose to leave the field because they cannot bear the pressure.
Particularly for those who have bad experience during practical teaching. Moreover,
teaching is a difficult profession and stress has continued to plagues classroom
teachers. Current estimates are more than 20% of the public school teachers leave
their positions within three years and 9.3% quit before finishing their first year
(Weiss & Weiss, 1999 as cited in Cushing 2001). If they choose not to be a teacher
after they graduated, they will waste the government’s money that has provided
facility and loan for them. Besides, the government intention to provide quality labor
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force for educational system will fail because the teacher trainees feel deterred to
teach in school again due to stress that they have suffered during teaching practice.
Therefore, this research to investigate the levels of stress should not only be
designed for the teachers that have worked for years but also for the teacher trainees
who just stepped in the world of education since they do not have much experience
in teaching and still looking for direction in the educational world. This is to ensure
our nation will not run out of quality teachers who will teach our future generations.
1.3 Purposes of the Study
The primary purpose of this study is to assess perceptions of stress among the
TESL teacher trainees in UTM during their practical teaching. Their experiences
during teaching practice are taken into consideration because the study is focused on
the levels and causes of stress that they have encountered within the period.
Moreover, this study is designed to determine whether demographic factors
also contribute to stress among the teacher trainees. This is to determine whether the
internal factors also lead to stress among the teacher trainees other than the
surroundings at the school.
If by the end of this study, it is proven that the teacher trainees is very
stressful during their practical teaching, several actions should be taken to overcome
this problems.
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1.4 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the research are:
i) to find out the levels of stress among TESL teacher trainees in UTM.
ii) to identify the relation between demographic factors with the levels of
stress among TESL teacher trainees in UTM.
iii) to determine the real cause of stress among TESL teacher trainees in
UTM
1.5 Research Questions
This study aims to seek answers to the following questions:
i) What are the levels of stress among TESL teacher trainees in UTM?
ii) Is there any relation between demographic factors with the levels of
stress among TESL teacher trainees in UTM?
iii) What is the cause of stress among TESL teacher trainees in UTM?
1.6 Significance of the Study
Stress can extremely affect the performance of a particular person. For the
teacher trainees who have just been exposed to the world of education, stress can be
a barrier for them to fit themselves in the system. So, this study is to investigate the
levels and causes of stress among the teacher trainees so they will be aware about
their emotional condition and seek for help if their condition is getting worse.
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This study is also significant to the Faculty of Education because it provides
information about the levels of stress among the teacher trainees during teaching
practice. The teacher trainee can be envisage as a new born baby in a world of
education which is very challenging nowadays. So, the teacher trainee should not be
left out there without any guidance or surveillance during their teaching practice. By
investigating the levels of stress among the teacher trainees during teaching practice,
this study can be used by the faculty as a guideline to generate appropriate actions
that can be taken to help the teacher trainees during their teaching practice.
Besides, this study may provide a framework to the schools on how to handle
the teacher trainees that may have a high stress level. This study will try to seek the
real cause of stress among the teacher trainees and from here the schools can play
their roles in helping the teacher trainees to overcome the problems.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of the study is the group of 32 third year SPL students intake
2005/2009 from Faculty of Education in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor. This
group of students just completed their teaching practice from July till October 2007.
This group is selected because the respondents need to answers all the
questions in the questionnaires based on their experience during practical teaching.
So this group is chosen since they had just completed their teaching practice and can
still remember their experience in schools especially on problems and difficulties that
they had encountered during their recent practical teaching experience.