The Relationship of the classroom teaching with the objectives of the prescribed textbook “English for Today” for classes 9 and 10 in Bangladesh. Submitted by: SYEDA TANJIRA AMIN MA in English Roll no. 607244 Session: 2005-2006 Department of English Eden Mohila College (Under National University) Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
Submitted to: Prof. Md. Akbar Hossain Chairman Department of English Eden Mohila College (Under National University) Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
30 May 2009
Declaration
I confirm that this paper or no part of it has previously been submitted by me for a degree in this or any other university.
Supervisor Signed…………………………… Date…………
Researcher Signed ………………… Date……………….
INDEX
Page
Table of Contents………………………………………………………… Acknowledgement………………………………………………………… Abstract…………………………………………………………………… Chapter One……………………………………………………………… 1-3 1. Introduction 1.1 Statement of the problem 1.2 The Purpose of the study 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Limitation of the study 1.4 Research Questions 1.5 Research Hypotheses Chapter Two………………………………………………………… 4- 12 2. Literature Review : 2.1 Theory of Language in CLT 2.2 Theory of learning in CLT 2.3 Objectives aimed in CLT Curriculum 2.4 Types of learning teaching activates in CLT 2.5 Role of learners in CLT 2.5 Role of teachers in CLT Chapter Three……………………………………………………………… 13-47 3. Methodology 3.1 Sample 3.2 Instrumentation 3.3 Data collection procedure 3.4 Data analysis Chapter Four……………………………………………………………… 48 - 51 5 Findings at a glance 5.1 Discussion 5. 2 Implication 5.3 Recommendations Conclusion…………………………………………………………………… 52 Bibliography Appendices
Acknowledgement I would like to thank all those whose support and encouragement have made this research possible. At first I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Md. Akbar Hossain, Chairman, Department of English, for her stimulating influence, guidance and support all the time for the preparation of this work in many ways. My thanks to my classmates who extended their helping hand to me whenever I sought .In this regard I specially thank my group members Nazrul Islam and Shishir Ahmed for their co-operation and suggestion and help of all types. Appreciation is also extended to the head masters and teachers who helped permitting and providing information for data collection. The students in different schools from where data has been collected deserve thanks for their co-operation providing information. Thanks go to my teachers specially Dr. Kh. Rezaur Rahman who helped me learn many things which constitutes this dissertation all through the course Research Methodology. I also thank the coordinator of the course Dr. Arifa Rahaman for her valuable direction, suggestion and guideline for a successful dissertation .I thank Dr. Syeedur Rahaman for his suggestion and solution of some problems which I faced while working with literature review for this work. Besides, all of my teachers at the Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka have been my source of information and knowledge of doing dissertation. Thanks go to the librarians and stuffs at IML for their help during the study time inside the library for providing books journals etc.
Abstract This study explores the real life situation of English teaching activities at SSC level and their relationship with the objectives of the prescribed text book ‘English for today’ for classes IX and X in Bangladesh. The book has been prepared and published by NCTB (National Curriculum and Textbook Board) in association with ELTIP (ELTIP) with a view to following the communicative approach to teaching and learning English in Bangladesh. It provides learners with a variety of materials such as reading texts, dialogues, pictures, diagrams, tasks and activities. These materials have been incorporated and developed for practice in four basic language skills: listening, speaking reading and writing. So, classes are expected to be interactive with students actively participating in the classroom activities through pair work, group work and individual work. Besides in keeping with the CLT principles, the book includes topics of both national and global context, appropriate and interesting to the learners thematically, culturally and linguistically. Adequate grammar contents have also been integrated with language skills so that elements taught and learned in situations can easily be related to real life situation not just to be memorized as discrete items. But it is found that the book is rarely used (through action research findings) by teachers as well as students. So a wider study is conducted by the researcher. To do the research, the researcher selected 6 schools ( non- govt.) 3 in Dhaka city and 3 in the rural areas in Barisal to observe the classes and to interview teachers and students therein. It should be noted that the researcher also discussed the SSC syllabus and the textbook and testing system. All the data found in the research shows that the tasks and activities as well as methodology suggested in the book are not followed in the classroom. The researcher would like to emphasis that the teachers and students do not follow the prescription made in the textbook for CLT. Rather classes are taken in the traditional Grammar Translation method dominated by the teachers. The researcher has not observed hardly any activity or task that CLT as well as the book advocates. As a result students are not being successful in real life communication. The researcher believes that the phenomena could be changed to a better position if authorities take necessary initiatives to train the teachers and change the testing system which is a bar in teaching communicative English.
Chapter One 1. Introduction The current status of English in Bangladesh is actually the result of the language movement of 1952 and the language policies adopted since 1971. Banu and Sussex (2001) say that after independence both Urdu and English were officially removed from these public roles by the language act of 1987 “Emphasis on Bengali in all spheres’. Thus Bangladesh became a mono lingual country. This has affected the use of English in different domains of Bangladeshi life and culture. As a result, English is now between a foreign and second language in Bangladesh.English does not have any official status in Bangladesh. Yet it is considered as the medium of higher education both in public and private sectors. Students have to pass SSC and HSC before entering into the under graduate program. Therefore, these levels are very important for students. They are expected to be more proficient in English. It should be noted that students have to sit for English test of 200 marks in SSC examination. However students are mostly tested on the writing and to some extent reading skills. The striking thing is that the condition of teaching four skills is for from satisfactory. English is supposed to be taught through CLT approach so that students can use that classroom activities as well as testing system should be based on the same approach. Though the objective of the book was to implement CLT to improve student’s proficiency in English, reality is not the same. Even after studying ten years in SSC level most of the students get bad scores in English in the board exam (SSC). This dissertation is a research on the present state of teaching English in classroom mainly at secondary level. It also investigates into the methods and approaches for teaching adopted in classrooms and the extent to which the students have actually mastered the four skills. Finally it aims to see the connection between classroom teaching and the objectives of the book.
1.1Statement of the problem : During the teaching of English at SSC level the researcher experienced resistance from the students for using English all along in the class. They appealed for using Bangla rather. Then the researcher asked the students about their previous learning system with the former teachers. They expressed that their previous teachers used to talk in Bangla and practise comprehension passage reading from guidebooks and solved model questions from the books so
they were not familiar to the approach of the researcher communicative approach. They never used the textbook in the class room activities. Even the teachers never attempted a single activity that communicative language teaching suggests. The researcher believes that the proper use of the textbook English for today can solve this problem. So he has chosen this area for conducting the dissertation.
1.2 The Purpose of the study: The specific aim of the study is to find out the relationship of the lesson teaching leaning procedure of with the objectives of the book English for Today for classes IX and X. The general aim of the study is to find out how the students and teachers use the book in classroom activities and to what extent these activities correspond to the objectives and method of the book. The study will also explore how both the teachers and students can be encouraged to use the book more defectively for communicative language teaching in Bangladeshi classroom activities at secondary level Bengali maximum schools.
1.3 Significance of the study: This study is very helpful for the application of communicative language teaching in the classroom activities at secondary level. The researcher is a teacher of English at a school in Dhaka. The study will help him very much in conducting the class in CLT approach. The students are now more enthusiastic than ever in the classroom activities. The researcher thinks that the study will make him more efficient in dealing with the class. So it will contribute a lot to the teaching of English at SSC level in Bangladesh.
1.4 Limitation of the study: This study has of course some limitation in spite of the great effort of the researcher .This study has taken a small amount of sample as subject group. It does not represent the target field of the study. Besides, the data has been collected only from chosen schools where the researcher has known persons that means the data has not been randomly collected.
1.4 Research Questions: 1. What are the objectives of the book and what method does it suggest ? 3. How do the teachers and students use the books in the classroom activities ? 3. How far their classroom activities correspond to the objectives and methods of the book ?
1.5.Research Hypotheses: The researcher would like to prove two hypotheses through his study. 1. The textbook English for Today for class 9-10 is rarely used by the teachers and students at SSC level in Bangladesh. 2. Teachers take classes fully based on Grammar translation method.
Chapter Two 2. Literature Review : There have been some studies regarding the objectives of course books and their implementation in the classroom activities. Actually CLT textbooks contain a variety of topics, tasks and activities in order to facilitate communication. The teacher in a communicative language teaching classroom plays the role of a presenter (Ur 2003) of the book and students play the role of task performer. Interactions take place then and ultimately communication tales place. At the very beginning of the book the former chairman of NCTB Professor Dillara Hafiz wrote that the method of the book ‘English for today’ for classes 9 and 10 would be communicative language teaching. She wrote, “In keeping with the communicative language teaching (CLT) principles, the book includes topics of both national and global context, appropriate and interesting to the learners thematically, culturally and linguistically”. CLT is widely adapted and lightly accepted approach to language teaching and learning all over the word. This approach originated during 1960 with a dissatisfaction for Situational Language teaching (SLT) and Audio Lingualism in language teaching in which the basic structure of language was taught in meaningful situation based activities and drills Hewitt (1984: 280) viewed that the SLT approach had lost its future and a demand for the closer study of the language itself.. He also pointed out that linguists began to return to the concept that the utterances carried meaning and the intensions of the speaker and listener who produced them. Howatt’s view was partly a response to Chomsky’s ( 1957) criticism of structural linguistic theory. Chomsky viewed that that structural theory failed to account for the fundamental aspects of language-creativity and uniqueness of individual sentences. Later British linguists like Christpher Candlin, Hery Widdoson, John Firth, M.AK Halliday and American sociolinguists like Dell Hymes, John Gumperz Willian labove as well as philosophers John Austin and John Searle emphasized the functional and communicative potential of language. They found the need to focus in language teaching on communicative proficiency rather than mastery over language structures. With this emphasis lots of theories came into being on CLT. Howatt (1984:279 in Richards and Rodgers 2002: 155) proposed strong and weak version of CLT. The weak version stresses on use of communicative purpose and the strong version emphasizes the development of the
language system. He termed the weak version as learning to use English and strong version as using English to learn it Savington (1983 (cited in RR 2002 157) referred to a commentary by Montaigne who wrote “without methods, without a book, without grammar or rules, without a whip and without tars, I had learned a Latin as proper as that of my school master.” Savington here tried to emphasis the learning by doing or the experience approach (Hilgard and Bower 1966) in language teaching .
2.1 Theory of Language in CLT : The CLT approach to language teaching has come of the theory of language as medium of communication. The goal of language teaching is to develop what Hymes (1972) referred to as communicative competence. He derived this term in order to contrast a communicative view of language and Chomsky’s (1965) theory of competence. Chomsky (1965:3 in Richard and Rodgers 2002: 159) wieud that linguistic theory is concerned with the speaker and listener in a homogeneous speech community: “Linguistic theory is primary concerned with an ideal speaker-listener in completely homogenous speech community, who knows its language perfectly and is unaffected by such grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory limitation, distractions, shift of attention and interest, and errors (random or characteristic)in applying his knowledge of the language in actual performance”. Chomsky actually focused on the individual’s abstract abilities to produce grammatically correct sentences in language. But Hymes (1972:281) opposed this view and suggested a linguistic theory incorporating communication and culture. Hymes’ theory of competence was that a kind of knowledge a speaker needs to be communicatively competent in a speech community. In Hymes’ view a person with communicative competence acquires both knowledge and ability to use language with respect to : 1. Whether (and to what degree) something is formally possible 2. Whether (and to what degree) something is feasible in virtue of the means of implementation available 3. Whether (and to what degree) something is appropriate (adequate, happy, successful) in relation to a content in which it is used and evaluated 4. Whether (and to what degree) something is in fact done, actually performed, and
what its doing entails. (Hymes1972:281 in Richard and Rodgers 2002:159) Anther linguistic theory of communications is Halliday’s functional account of language use. Halliday (1970:145 in Richard and Rodgers 2002:159) viewed “linguistics is concerned .. with the description of speech acts or texts, since only through the study of language in use are all the functions of language, and therefore all components of meaning brought into focus.” This functional view of language by Halliday complements Hymes view of communicative competence. Halliday later on presented seven basic functions of language that it performs for children learning their first language: 1. The instrumental function: using language to get things. 2. The regulatory function: using language to control the behavior of others. 3. The interactional function: using language to create interaction with others. 4. The personal function: using language to express personal feelings and meanings. 5. The heuristic function: using language to learn and discover. 6. The imaginative function: using language to create a world of the imagination. 7. The representational function: using language to communicate information (Halliday 1975 : 11-17cited in Richard and Rodgers 2002: 160) These functions for first language were viewed by the proponents of CLT. as helpful ways of acquiring second or foreign language Widddowson (1978) presented a view in which he showed the relationship between linguistics systems and their communicative values in texts and discourse. He tried to on the communicative acts in the ability to use language for different purposes. Canale and Swain (1980) proposed a more advanced view of communicative competence in which four types of competences are presents 1. Grammatical competence 2. Sociolinguistic competence 3. Discourse competence 4. Strategic competence The first one ‘grammatical competence’ is named by Chomsky as “linguistic competence” and Hymes referred to as “formally possible”. Besides sociolinguistic competence refers to social context in which communication takes place and discourse competence refers to the explanation of individual message elements in relation to the
entire discourse or text. The strategic competence refers to the communicator’s strategies they use to initiate, terminate and maintain communication with others. Based on the theories of different competence theories Richards and Rodgers (2002 : 161) Presents some typical characteristics of communicative view of language as follows: 1. Language is a system for the expression of meaning. 2. The primary function of language is to allow interaction and communication. 3. The structures of language reflect its fundamental and communicative uses. 4. The primary units of language are not merely its grammatical and structural features, but categories of functional and communicative meaning as exemplified in discourse. 2.2 Theory of learning in CLT: A little has been talked about learning theory But even after this a number of theories are prevailing and followed in CLT practices. Richards and Rodgers (2002:161) referred to a number of linguists like Johnson Littlewood, Skehan and Krashan who offered different theories of learning adopted in CLT practices. Richards and Rogers (2002:161) proposed 3 principles in learning: 1. Communication principles: activities which involve real life communication promote learning the language. 2. Task principle: activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful task a help learn the language (Johnson 1982). 3. Meaningfulness principle: language that is meaningful to the learners helps the learners to learn the language. So the learning activities are to be selected according to how well they engage learners in meaningful and real language use in place of mere practice of language patterns and structures. These principles were suggested to be inferred from CLT practices (Littlewood 1981, Johnson 1982). They also considered the conditions needed to help second language learning rather than the processes of language acquisition. Skehan (1998) discussed these learning principles in relation to task based language teaching in which different task are used as the core unit of planning and instruction in language teaching.
Savington (1983) conducted study and founded second language acquisition research as a source for learning theories and considered the role of linguistic, social, Cognitive and individual variations in language acquisition. Krashen saw acquisition as the basic process involved in developing language proficiency. His Monitor Model (1981,1982, 1985) has widely been discussed. He talked about 5 hypotheses: 1. Acquisition – Learning hypothesis 2. The Monitor Hypothesis 3. The Natural Order Hypothesis 4. The Input Hypothesis 5. The Affective Filter Hypothesis Krashen viewed that these Hypotheses have implication for communicative language learning. Besides Krashan ( in Mclaughlin 1987:20-24) said that adult second language learners have two distinct and independent ways of developing competence in second language. (1) Acquisition which is an unconscious way of acquiring language. (2) Learning is the conscious formal achievement of language His monitor hypothesis tells about monitor which gave researchers ways to think about the role of monitor or knowledge of the language learning systems in second language learning. At the same time his Input Hypothesis, Natural Order Hypothesis – all are considered to be relevant in second or foreign language learning. Johnson (1981) and Littlewood (1984) also proposed learning theories that they considered helpful in learning language in CLT- a skill learning model of learning. According to the theory the acquisition of communicative competence in a language is an example of developing different skills. They suggest that this skill development involves both a cognitive and behavioral aspect of language learning. The cognitive aspect includes internalization plans for creating appropriate behavior. The plans include language systems like grammatical rules, vocabulary , social norm governing speech. etc The behavioral aspects include the operation of the plans to convert them into performance in real life situation. This occurs while practicing and converting the plans into performance. Thus the theory implies practice of the language as a way of developing communicative skills.
2.3 Objectives aimed in CLT Curriculum: As regards to the objectives of a CLT curriculum Piepho (1981) offers the following levels of objectives in a communicative approach: 1. an integrative and content level (language as a means of expression) 2. a linguistic and instrumental level (language as a semiotic system and an object of learning. 3. an affective level of interpersonal relationships and conduct (language as a means of expressing values and judgments about oneself and others) 4. a level of individual learning needs (remedial learning based on error analysis) 5. a general educational level of extra-linguistic goals (language learning within the school curriculum) He proposed these levels of objectives applicable to any teaching situation including CLT. 2.4 Types of learning teaching activates in CLT: Richards and Rodgers (2002) attempts to incorporate a lot of activates of different types for CLT classroom. They view that the exercise types and activities compatible with a CLT approach is unlimited, provided that such exercises enable learners to attain the communicative objectives of the curriculum, engage learners in communication and require the use of such communicative processes as information sharing, negotiation of meaning and interaction classroom activities are often designed to focus on completing tasks (Numan 2000) that are mediated through language or involve learners in negotiation of information and information sharing. Johnson (1982:151) presented different forms of activities like Wright’s (1976) out of focus slides which students attempt to identify, Byrne’s (1978) incomplete plans and diagrams to be completed by students asking for information etc. Besides Allwright (1977) proposed to place a screen between students and get one to place objects in a certain pattern: the patter would then be communicated to students behind the screen. Geddes and Strtidge (1979) suggested “Jigsaw” listening in which learners listen to different taped materials and communicate their contents to others in the class. Johnson emphasized that there activities provide much help to engage learners in communication process. Littlewood (1981)came up with a distinction between two types of activities : 1. Functional communication activities : they include tasks in which
(a) learners comparing set of pictures and noticing similarities and differences (b) discovering mussing features in a map or picture. (c) one learner communicating behind a screen to another learner and giving instructions on how to draw something following the directions. (d) learners solving problems from shared ....... 2. Social interaction activities : (a) Conversation and discussion sessions (b) dialogues (c) role plays (d) simulations (e) skits (f) improvisations (g) debates. 2.5 Role of learners in CLT: The learners in CLT have different roles to play. Richards and Rodgers (2002:166) referred to Breen and Candlin (1980:110) Who described learners role in CLT as negotiator between (i) The self (ii) the learning process (iii) and the object of learning They also said that the learners have to emerge from and interact with the role of joint negotiator within the group and within the classroom procedures and activities. Richard and Rodgers (2002:166) wrote that in CLT class often learners are expected to interact with each other rather than with the teacher and the correction of errors are to be absent or infrequent. They presented that CLT methodologists recommended that learners learn to see that failed communication is a joint responsibility and not the fault of speaker or listener. Again successful communication is an accomplishment jointly achieved and acknowledged.
2.6 Teacher roles in CLT: A number of roles are assumed for teacher in a CLT classroom (Breen and Cadlin 1980:99 in Richards and Rodgers (2002:167) describe teacher’s roles as: ‘’The teacher has two main roles: the first role is to facilitate the communication process between all participants in the classroom and between these participants and the various activities and text. The second role is to act as an independent participant within the learning -teaching group Richards and Rodgers (2002:167) teacher’s vole as the needs annalist of the learners, counselor in the classroom activity and the group process manager: 2.7 Role of instructional materials in CLT: A variety of materials are used to support CLT approaches. CLT proponents view materials as a way of influencing the quality of classroom interaction and use of language. Richards and Rodgers (2002:168) proposed 3 kinds of materials for promoting CLT: 1. Text-based materials 2. Task –based materials 3. Realia 2.8 Classroom Procedure in CLT: Various kinds of activities may be used in a CLT classroom. Savingon (1983) discussed techniques and classroom management procedures applicable for CLT classroom. He suggested activities like plays, interviews, information gap, games language exchanges, surveys and pair work. Besides the following procedures may be summarized according to Finoccgiaro and Brumfit (1983:107-108) (cited in Richards and Rodgers 2002:170-171)
1. Presentation a brief dialogue preceded by a motivational discussion of the function and situation. 2. Oral practice of each utterance of the dialogue segment 3. Question and answers based on the dialogue topics and situation. 4. Questions and answers related to the students personal experience.
5. Studying basic communicative expressions in the dialogue or structure that exemplifies certain function. 6. Learner discovery o the generalizations or rules underlying the functional expression or structure. 7. Oral recognition and interpretative activities. 8. Oral production activities, proceeding from guided to freer communication. To conduct these procedure in a CLT class Littlewood (1981:86) suggested a sequence of activities as follows: Quasi-communicative actives Pre communication activates
⌊
Structural activities
Communicative activities ⌊
Functional communicative activities Social interactional activities
To sum up it can be said that CLT refers to a diverse communicative view that can be used to conduct a wide variety of classroom activities the theories and issues discussed above are relevant to the present study. The researcher thinks that the literatures will help find out the present conditions of the CLT Classroom activities prevailing at SSC level in Bangladesh and compared with the real activities CLT advocates.
Chapter Three 3. Methodology This chapter describes the methodology that has been used to explore the use of the described textbook English for today for classes IX and X in Bangladesh . It has been organized into the following sections. Sample instrumentation,data collection procedures and data analysis. 3.1 Sample: The data for the investigation were gathered from 30 students both male and female from 6 schools 3 non government schools in the rural area off Muladi under Barisal district and 3 non government secondary schools in Dhaka an 3 non government secondary schools in Dhaka city. All these are non government schools and enlisted in monthly payment or order (MPO) regulation. The 30 students from 6 schools (5 from each school ) and 6 teachers (one from each school ) teaching classes 9 and 10 were selected as subject group. Though the students were both male and female, the teachers were all aged male having experience in teaching. 3.2 Instrumentation: The instruments which were used in collecting data were classroom observation schedule , questionnaire for both students and teachers , structured interview of the teachers. 3.3 Data collection procedure: The permission was taken from the heads of the schools showing the letter issued from the institute of Modern language, University of Dhaka signed by the course – coordinator Prof. Dr Arifa Rahaman. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and the classes were observed and the teachers were requested to fill up the questionnaire and letter on the teacher were interviewed and the interview was noted down in a different sheet later the 5 students from each school were given the questionnaire to fill up. They were helped by the researcher to understand the questions. Some of their ideas and answers were made easy translated into English by the researcher. Thus the researcher gathered data through field work.
3.4 Data analysis :
The gathered data were presented through tables ( table no.1.1-1.13 students’ and 2.12.13 teachers’ questionnaire) showing them both in number and percentage. The information were teased out to shorten the length. The classroom schedules were presented with a grading system based on the teachers’ performance in the classroom activities Based on the presented data the researcher analyzed the situation and described the situation of the classroom and the role of students and teachers. In this way the research findings were found through triangulation.
Chapter Four
4.
Presentation , analysis of the data and findings
4.1Questionnaire for the students : After observing classes some 5 students of that class were given the questionnaire to fill up. These are presented here with interpretations: Question
Yes
Number 1. Do you have a personal copy of the book “English 25 for Today� for classes IX & X ?
Table 1.1:
No % 83.33
Number 5
% 16.6
Possession of the book
This question aimed at finding out how many of the students have a copy of the book published by NCTBC (National Curriculum and Textbook Board). 25 (83.33%) of 30 students informed that they have the book but when I asked how many of you carry the book to school, only a few students could show me their book. Most of them informed that they kept the book in their collection but do not use. Only 5 (16.66%) said that they did not have the book at all. As part of buying books many students buy the book but a little is used. Some of them said that their book was still new as they did not touch it even. Thus we see that most of the students possess the books but little is used. Always % 5 16.66
No.
2. Does your teacher bring the book in the class ?
Usually % 2 6.66
No.
Sometimes No. % 8 26.66
Rarely No.
5
% 16.66
Never % 10 33.33
No.
Table 1.2 : If the teacher brings the book in the class The students informed that the teacher brings the book in the class with a varied frequency. From the above table it is found that 10 (33.33%) students informed that their teachers never brings the book in the class. Rest of their teacher sometimes 8(26.66%) brings the book in the class. 2 of the students said that their teachers always brings the book in the class. This is the picture of the classroom where the teacher is trained. On the other hand. Those who do not have training on education or CLT do not dare to use the book in the classroom.
Question 4. Does your teacher engage you in any activity according to the book ?
Always No. % 5 16.66
Usually No. % 5 16.66
Sometimes No. % 10 33.33
Rarely No.
7
% 23.33
Never No. % 3 10
Table 1.3 If the teacher engages in any activity in the classroom according to the text book This question shows how often the teacher engages the learners in classroom activities. Only 3 (10%) students said that their teacher never engage them in classroom activities. Actually their teacher engages them in oral activities on the topic of the lesson. Besides all the 27 (90%) students informal that their teachers involve them in classroom activities in a varied frequency. The activities mainly include individual activity like writing answer of the teacher’s question, answering any question orally etc. Question
Always % 12 40%
No.
3. Does your teacher follow the book in classroom activities ?
Usually % 1 33.33
No.
Sometimes No. % 6 20%
Rarely No.
4
% 13.33
Never % 7 23.33
No.
Table 1.4 Either the teacher follows the books in classroom activities In respect of following the book the students informed that the book is followed with a varied frequency. We see in the table that 12 out of 30 (40%) teachers. always follow the book in their classroom activities. On the other hand 7 out of 30 i.e(23.33) students said that their teacher never use the book in the classroom activities. Again 20%(6) students answer shows that their teacher sometimes uses the book while 13.33% (4) said that their teacher rarely use the book in the classroom activities. Only one student informed that his teacher usually uses the book in the classroom activities. So it can be said that the book is not fully used in the classroom activities through CLT is in action now at secondary level. Question
Always %
No.
5. Does your teacher divide you in groups for any activities ?
Usually % 4 13.33
No.
Sometimes No. % 9 30
Rarely No.
00
% 00
Never % 17 56.66
No.
Table 1.5 Dividing students in groups This question shows that 17 students (56.66%) said that their teacher never divide them in groups for class activity the rest of the students are grouped in the class room activity where 9 (30%) are grouped usually grouped for activities. This is a very poor picture of CLT at secondary level. If the students are not allowed to work in groups their interest may not be elicited and paid on the lesson.
Question
Individual % 30 100
No.
6. Which of the activities does your teacher make you do in the class room ?
Par work % 10 33.33
No.
Group work No. % 3 10
Others No.
00
% 00
Table 1.6 Types of Classroom activities This table shows the types of activity the teacher allows in the class 30(100%) students answered that they are involved in individual work while 10(33.33%) more of them said that they are engaged in pair work in addition to individual work only 3 (10%) answered that they are involved in group work which is very poor in quantity but necessary for CLT class and the book also suggests it. However we can look at the quantity of individual work which may also contribute to learning if the teacher can dictate well nut it becomes tough for students part to work individually. Again the situation where both individual work and pair work coexist helps learner learning the language well.
Question 7. What does your teacher do with the his hastening activates in the book ?
Doesn’t do them at all No. % 26 86.66
Does sometimes No. % 2 6.66
Always does No.
2
% 6.66
Table 1.7 Listening activities This chart shows that the 26 (86.66%) students said that the listening activities in the book are not done at all. Only 2 ( 6.66%) answered that their teacher always does the listening activity according to the book. While other 2(6.66%) never does the listing activities. So this skill is ignored and the students fail to produce correct language for want of listening exposure. Question
Always % 1 3.33
No.
8. Does your teacher take any special class on speaking ?
Usually %
No.
Sometimes No. % 20 66.66
Rarely No.
%
Never % 9 30%
No.
Table 1.8 Taking special class on speaking This answer indicates the picture of speaking in the classroom teaching. The majority (20) (66.66%) students said that their teacher sometimes take special class on speaking while 9(30%) informed that they never practice speaking . So the speaking ability of the students are not improved. Only. (3.33%) students informed that their teacher always inspires and takes special class on speaking . This is real picture of practice of speaking in our school at secondary specially SSC level.
9 .
What do you practice in the classroom ? essay
No.
5
% 16.66
Paragraph % 10 33.33
No.
letter No.
No.
00
00
application % % 10 33.33
poster No.
00
% 00
summary % 5 11.66
No.
others % 5 16.66
No.
Table 1.9 Writing Practice This is the question which aimed at finding out what type of writing items they practice in the class. Most of the students informed that they practise paragraph, essays and application in the classroom. No students practise poster, letter, summary writing in the classes. Question
Boring %
No.
Intersecting No. %
Satisfactory No. %
confusing No. %
Difficult %
No.
10. What is your opinion of the English 1st paper class ?
00
00
15
50%
5
16.66
3
10%
7
23.33
Table 1.10 Attitude to the class Most of the students (%0%) informal that they find the English first paper class interesting while a few observed the class satisfactory. It is because the teacher engages them less in any activity rather he talks and does more than the students. This is the case of the traditional class where teacher talks and does most of the activity like lecturing only and the students listen to the teacher. Some of them ask some question if something is not clean to him/ her. But most of the students specially weak students and girls do not usually ask any question. So the aim of the book is not fulfilled as the CLT method is not followed in the class.
11.What do you like about your English 1st paper class? Quiz test Class test No. % 5 16.66
Reading No.
3
% 10
Nothing No.
%
3
10
Teacher’s humor No % 5 16.66
Story telling Number by by teacher the teacher No. No. % % 3 10 6 20%
No comment No.
5
% 16.66
Table 1.11 Likings about the class A variety of things came out with this questions. 5 students (16.66%) informed that they have no comments on it. Actually they avoided telling the real thing avoided telling the real thing about the class Perhaps they clip not want to express something against their teacher. Infract in our society still student respect teachers and do not show or say anything which may dishearten any teacher. On the other hand some students said that they like qui test or class test while others say that they like the humorous stories and anecdotes the teacher tells the students in the class . A few of them also told about reading passage. This is the case for good students who are ready to read in the class. Thus different thing came out What students like in their English first & paper class. 12. What do you dislike about your English 1st paper class? Beating
No.
2
% 6.66
Rebuking
Poor numbering
No.
No.
%
5
16.66
3
% 10
Time killing m group work No % 2 6.66
Grammar
No.
6
% 20
Rough behavior No.
2
% 6.66
No comment
No.
10
% 33.33
Table 1.12 What students dislike in English class This question explores what they dislike in their English 1 st paper class some of them informed that the dislike beating, rebuking, poor class test numbering, grammar rules while 10 (33.33:9) informed that don’t want to comment because they have something which cannot be expressed. Thus we see a lot of things they dislike and these disturb or hinder learning very much.
Question
Always % 2 6.66
No.
13. How often do you miss the English 1st paper class ?
Usually % 2 6.66
No.
Sometimes No. % 1 3.33
Rarely No.
5
% 16.66
Never % 20 66.66
No.
Table 1.13 How often students miss the class This is the picture which shows the students absence in the English 1 st paper class. Majority (20)(66. 66%) students attend the class and never miss it. Only 2 (6.66) miss the class while other rarely or usually miss. However there is an indication that students come to the English 1st paper class but they don’t get enough from the class. The students questionnaire clearly shows that the classes are not conducted in CLT method and the book is not properly used. Rather the classroom situation is much like traditional teacher centered classroom where students are rarely involved and so learning takes place a little. So the classroom situation needs to be changed training the teachers on CLT approach to get the best effect.
4.2 Questionnaire for teachers After observing classes the teachers of that classes were given the questionnaire to fill up. These are presented here with interpretations:
1.Which of the following do you use in the class ? Next books
Guide books
books
News books
News paper
Pictures
others
No.
3
% 50%
No.
3
% 50%
No.
6
No. 100%
% 00
No.
% 00
No.
% 00
00
% 00
00
No.
00
% 00
Table 2.1 Teachers’ use of materials It is found from this table that 50% of the teachers uses text books and the others use guide books in their classroom. Whose Who use textbooks have training on CLT method from teachers training colleges. One of them has both bed and med and he utilizes the book in a very systematic way from where the students get the best learning opportunities. On the country those who do not have training but simple masters use the guide books instead of the text. They practice model questions ( see appendix) in the classroom and thus help students only to get good scores in the final exam. these model question in the guide books resemble the board question types (see appendix). The students are also interested to solve the model questions as they are motivated to get good scores in both terminal and final exam.
Question
Text books % 3 50%
No.
2. Which of the materials in the list do you prefer ?
Guide books % 3 50%
No.
Note books No. % 00 00
Board No.
6
% 1%00
Table 2.2 Teacher’s Preferred materials The half of the teachers prefer guide book and the other half prefers text book. The teachers who use textbook get less students in their class as it is not directly related to exams. The exam question is a different pattern and is not available in the text book . So sometimes the teacher fall in a fix to answer the students question “ sir it what you teach will not be set in our exam. They actually mean the listening and speaking activity . It shows that most of the students are instrumentally motivated. If they were interactively motivated the would prefer the textbook. On the country a very pathetic picture is formed in the classroom where teacher deal with the model questions. they only practise a model passage and some questions are solved only written. There i no spoken a listening practice other the a little reading and writing.
21 Question
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
No.
3. How often do you use the textbook English for today in your class ?
% 16.66
1
No.
2
% 33.33
No.
%
No.
%
No.
3
% 50
Table 2.3 The use of English textbook English for today by the teacher
The half of the 6 teachers never use the book in their classroom activities. The other 3 teachers use the book in a varied frequency of the three one uses the book always. He is a teacher of a renowned school in Dhaka. The other two usually use the book in addition to other books. Thus we see the use of the textbook in the classroom activities. So the aim of the textbook is followed partially in the city schools where the final result of SSC is good and the students are more fluent and motivated than the village schools where the text book is not used at all. Question
Yes Number 0
4. Do you teach listening ?
No % 0
Number 6
% 100
Table 2.4 Teaching listening The listening activity is never practised in the classroom though there are many listening activities in the textbook which were aimed at to be conducted by the exposing them to the students by the teacher in the classroom But even the highly trained teacher does not do this activity let alone others who do not have any training on CLT. Besides listening is not tested in the board final exam also. So the teacher cannot motivate the students to do the activity thus this skill is fully ignored in various ways.
Question 5. Do you teach speaking ?
Yes Number 3
Table 2.5 Teaching Speaking
No % 50
Number 3
% 50
The speaking practice in English in the classroom does not take place as expected in CLT. The 3(50%) teachers try to take special class on speaking where as the other 3 (50%) never try or inspire spoken English in their classes Besides their use of English is also less and Bangla is prevailing. So it provides a little exposure to students. On the other hand there is no spoken English test in the final exam. This is why teacher do not or cannot practice spoken English. Hence the proficiency of students in English does not develop at all. Question
Yes Number 6
6. Do you teach reading ?
No % 100
Number 0
% 0
Table 2.6 Teaching Reading Reading is the only skill which is dealt with in the class. This has got a few reasons. Reading is tested in the final exam and school exam. Even in the classroom this is practiced. The teachers let the student read a passage from both text book or a guide book and them solve communicative questions like MCQ, true/ false, short open ended question; filling in the gaps etc. All the 6 teachers do these activities. But CLT reading proposes pre – reading during reading and post reading activities which are not followed properly. Teachers in most cases prefer model test books and practice from there without implementing CLT activities. Thus though students get good scores in comprehension test, they do not follow the reading strategies and techniques . Actually they themselves follow a different technique to get good scores not to learn how to read properly any text for different purposes.
Question 7. Do you teach writing ?
Yes Number 5
No % 83.33
Number 1
% 16.66
Table 2.7 Teaching writing Writing is another skill which is practiced a little in the classroom activities. Students are let write any genre like essay paragraph application etc without telling the writing techniques (83.33%) teachers out of 6 suggest their students learn any genre by heart and write them in the class though there are systems of writing in CLT like schema building, teaching how schema building, teaching how to develop and include the main ideas, how to use linkers or connectives etc. No teacher follows any of the system rather the prefer their students read the topic, memorize and then write. Then they provide written feed back in which they show them some grammatical mistakes only. Do writing is practiced and taught in different way other than What CLT suggests. It is because SSC exams tests writing skills and students prefer memorizing to creative writing which they are not exposed to.
Question
Yes Number 6
8. Do you teach grammar ?
No % 100%
Number 0
% 0
Table 2.8 Teaching Grammar Grammar is a topic which is practiced and taught by al teachers. The teachers prefer teaching grammar mainly because they are from Grammar Translation Method and they frequently take classes on grammar. The SSC exam also tests grammatical items like voice, narration, articles, preposition, completing sentences, transformation of sentences etc. Even the teacher who take first paper class discusses grammar though it is mainly focused in the 2nd paper. They teach grammar deductively which they expressed saying that the introduce the rules first and later give examples based on the rules though the book offers inductive grammar practice
Question
Yes
Number 8. Do you teach grammar from the text book English 3 for today for classes 9 and 10
No % 50
Number 3
% 50
Table 2.9 Teaching Grammar from the book English for today The teacher teach grammar mainly based on the grammar books written by Bangladeshi writers. Only one (16. 66) them use the grammar books of foreign writers. 3 of them (50%) think that it is possible to teach grammar from the text book but they do not actually follow the book for grammar activity or practice. The other 3 (50%) do not agree that it is possible to teach grammar from the text book. Question
Yes
9. Do you think it is possible to teach grammar from the book English for today?
Number 3
No % 50
Number 3
% 50
Table 2.10 Possibility of teaching grammar from the textbook The textbook is designed for communicative language teaching. So the lessons contain implicit grammatical items which has been given in the book map at the beginning of the book. Most of the teacher from the book. At the same time 3 teachers (50%). Who do not know about the CLT approach said that it is not possible to teach grammar from that book. However they also lack inductive grammar teaching. On the other hand the CLT trained teachers freely and nicely use and practice grammar from the book. Actually the teachers who do not use the book, view that the book has nothing to do with CLT. Their attitude to the book debars them from looking at it and so they cannot realize how the book is designed and What it contains. Question
Always % 00 00
No.
10. How often do you speaking in English in the classroom ?
Usually % 00 00
No.
Sometimes No. % 3 50
Rarely No.
2
% 33.33
Never % 1 16.66
No.
Table 2.11 Speaking English in the classroom by the teacher Majority of the teacher sometimes speak English in the Classroom while two (33.33%) teachers rarely talk in English and one teacher never talk to the class in English. This is very sad that English teacher do not use English with the learners.
Those who sometimes use do not make the students aware of the use of language in day to day life
Question
Always % 3 50
No.
11. Do you tell the objectives of the lesson while you teach ?
Usually % 00 00
No.
Sometimes No. % 1 16.66
Rarely No.
%
Never % 2 33.33
No.
Table 2.12 Telling the objectives of the lesson while teaching The presented data shows that 50$ of the teachers always tell the class the objectives of the lesson which help build the schema among the students before they go through the lesson But 2 teachers (33.33%) never tell the students the objectives of the lesson which keeps the learners in vogue and they do not or cannot realize what they are doing and why they are doing the class. Question
Like No.
12. Do you the book English for today
1
% 16.66
Dislike No.
%
1
16.66
Find satisfactory No. % 2 33.33
Find causeless No. % 2 33.33
No.
%
Table 2.13 Teacher opinion about the book Only two teachers (33.33%) find the book satisfactorily contributing to the learning English while another two find it useless. Again one dislikes and one likes which means they have prejudice against and likeness to the book. The teacher Who has likeness to the book uses it in the classroom effectively and who dislikes does not use it at all. The teachers Who find the book useless do not consider the books structure, contents and unity. On the other hand those who find it satisfactory suggest that the book is ok but needs an audio visual aid to support the listening and spoken tasks and activities. Thus we see from the analysis of teacher questionnaire that they have mixed view about the book. The teachers who have training on CLT use the book satisfactory and those who do not have any training find the book useless.
4.3 Presentation of the Classroom Observation Tutor’s name Place of observation
School -1 ,Dhaka
Level of class
Elementary Secondary Tertiary 14
Average age
Extra information about the school Non-govt.
Secondary
No. of students Well decorated classroom
Lesson objective
Personal Teacher
Quality
of
Practising Model question the Grade 1-5
37 Located in populous area
Personality-‘presence’ general 3 style Ability to establish rapport 2 Voice-audibility, ability to project 2
Command of Language
Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 0 Correctness of vocabulary 0 Correctness of Register 0 General intelligibility including 3 adequacy of pronunciation Fluency 0 Sensitivity to student’ level of 3 language
Preparation for Lesson
Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of 0 activities; timing Clarity, limitation and specification 0 of aim Suitability of Materials and methods 2 for level and type of class
Execution
Grade 1-5 3
Techniques of class management Progress throw the lesson; changes in 2 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, motivated contextualized, appropriately 2 staged Questioning; graded ,directed ,appropriate 1 Controlled practice choral/individual
1
Ability to foster genuine language use 1 Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board Use of other tools/equipments
3 3 2
Maintenance of interest
2
Maintenance of interest 2 Involvement and encouragement of learners 1 Achievement of learning objective 2 Ability to adapt and extemporize 2 Summarizing Comments: A traditional class where teacher is all in all and directing students to do something and giving only a little feedback on written work of the students.
From the observation schedule I we see the picture of the class observed. The school is situated in a very populous area and surrounded by so many buildings and one primary school. But the school building is a modern one with enough light and air. On that day of observed the class and saw that the teacher had no particular lesson plan but dealt with reading comprehension from one model test book and doing some exercises like MCQ, true / false and fill in the blanks. The teacher’s personal qualities like presence, establishing rapport and voice quality were of medium quality. He was meaningful to the students what he wanted to deal with. The teacher’s command of language could not be identified as he used only Bangla language all along. He had no lesson plan and I got it asking him that he was practising model questions. The classroom management was overall a traditional teacher fronted where the teacher only instructed what to do and how to do. Students presented written work and the teacher looked over some of the scripts giving written feedback on their written production. Thus the class came to an end for that day. So an overall rubric for this class may be average one.
Tutor’s name Place of observation Level of class
Average age
Extra information about the school Lesson objective
School- 2 ,Dhaka Elementary Secondary Secondary Tertiary No. of 15 students 60 Non-govt.
Renowne d Reading and Writing
Personal Quality of the Teacher
Grade 1-5 Personality-‘presence’ general style 4 Ability to establish rapport 4 Voice-audibility, ability to project 4 Command of Language Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 3 Correctness of vocabulary 4 Correctness of Register 0 General intelligibility including 4 adequacy of pronunciation Fluency Sensitivity to student’ level of language
3 3 Preparation for Lesson Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of activities; 0 timing Clarity, limitation and specification of aim 3 Suitability of Materials and methods for 4 level and type of class
Execution Techniques of class management
Grade 1-5 4
Located in C/A
Progress throw the lesson; changes in 2 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, 4 motivated contextualized, appropriately staged Questioning; graded ,directed ,appropriate 3 Controlled practice choral/individual Ability to foster genuine language use
1 3
Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board Use of other tools/equipments Maintenance of interest
3 4 0 3
Involvement and encouragement of learners 3 Achievement of learning objective Ability to adapt and extemporize
3 4
Summarizing Comments: A CLT class where teacher is dictating and directing students how to take part in class activities and giving feedback on both oral written work of the students according to the textbook English for Today for classes 9and 10 and an excellent interaction between teacher and students..
This school is one of the best and renowned schools of Bangladesh. The observer is also a teacher of that school. It is a large specious area. The classrooms are large enough for 70 students. The teacher there was with both B.ed and M.ed with an M.A in English. He started the class with a very nice greeting. Then he told the class that they were going to discuss a lesson “Schools of the World” Davenport High School for Girls”.
The presence of the teacher started with the declaration of the objectives of the lesson. ‘Reading and writing’. At the first he discussed the text orally to build up schema about a school with both academic and co-curricular activities. Then he let the students discuss in pairs about 4 pictures on the first page. Orally he took students’ ideas about the pictures. Then he let then read the three texts about the Devonport High School for Girls and its features and then compare those features with their own school and write them down. Thus the teacher engaged the learners to produce the features of their own school comparing those of the school of the topic of that of the topic of that lesson. The students enjoyed the class and joined the competition who can produce more features of their school. The command of language was of course fine. He had an oral plan of the lesson which he followed accurately within the scheduled 30 minutes of the class. His classroom management was also very good which has been marked in the schedule. The overall rubric for his class may be very good.
Tutor’s name Place of observation Level of class
School -3, Dhaka Elementary Secondary
Secondary Tertiary Average age
15
No. of 45 students Extra information about the school MPO listed Well Located in a very established under developed area Lesson objective No particular objective .Model Question Personal Teacher
Quality
of
the Grade 1-5 general 3
Personality-‘presence’ style Ability to establish rapport Voice-audibility, ability to project
3 3 Command of Language Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 2 Correctness of vocabulary 2 Correctness of Register 0 General intelligibility including 3 adequacy of pronunciation Fluency 2 Sensitivity to student’ level of 2 language
Preparation for Lesson
Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of 0 activities; timing Clarity, limitation and specification of 2 aim Suitability of Materials and methods 1 for level and type of class
Execution
Grade 1-5 Techniques of class management 3 Progress throw the lesson; changes in 2 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, 3 motivated contextualized, appropriately staged
Questioning; graded ,directed ,appropriate 2 Controlled practice choral/individual 2 Ability to foster genuine language use 1 Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board Use of other tools/equipments
3 3 2
Maintenance of interest
3
Involvement and encouragement of learners 2 Achievement of learning objective Ability to adapt and extemporize
2 2
Summarizing Comments: A traditional class where teacher is all in all and directing students to do exercises from guide book and giving only a little feedback on written work of the students and there is a little interaction between students and teacher.
From the observation schedule 3 we see the performance of the teacher which has been presented through marking with grading point. The teacher entered the class and started the class with the direction to the students to open a model question from a guide book (Advanced). The students opened model question in which there was a passage and some questions. The teacher read aloud the passage first interpreting the meaning in Bangla. Then he ordered the students to write down the answers of the questions. The questions includes MCQ, true / false. fill in the gaps, and short open ended question. The students began to work out and the teacher sat down on his seat. After 20 minutes one of the students said that he had completed 3 question- answers and asked if the teacher would check his script. The teacher told that he world check it later. One student asked for the meaning of a word ‘strategies’ and the teacher orally explained the meaning in Bangla. The teacher then stood up and rounded once from front to back of the class. Meanwhile 3 other students stood up with their work. Then the teacher checked 2 scripts and showed the students some spelling mistakes and one sentence which has a tense mistake. Then he wanted to check other students scripts but none of them could complete all the answers and so were reluctant to show their scripts. Thus the class ended. The presence of the teacher in the class was not so good as many students were not paying attention and were gossiping and laughing at the back. The command of language could not be identified as his language was falls in Bangla. He had no lesson plan and while asked he told that he never plans his lesson. His classroom management was not at all a good one because most of the time he passed his time sitting down on his seat. Thus we see that this class is neither teacher centered no a student centered one. Rather it seems very much like a traditional classroom where the activities are not conducted to teach communicative English.
Tutor’s name Place of observation Level of class
School-4,Village,Muladi Elementary Secondary Tertiary
Secondary
15
No. of 38 students MPO Center place
Average age
Extra information about the school
Nongovt.
Lesson objective
Model question Personal Quality of the Teacher Grade 1-5 Personality-‘presence’ general style 3 Ability to establish rapport 3 Voice-audibility, ability to project 3 Command of Language Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 1 Correctness of vocabulary 1 Correctness of Register 1 General intelligibility including adequacy of 3 pronunciation Fluency Sensitivity to student’ level of language
2 3 Preparation for Lesson Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of activities; 0 timing Clarity, limitation and specification of aim 2 Suitability of Materials and methods for level 2 and type of class
Execution Techniques of class management
Grade 1-5 4
Progress throw the lesson; changes in 3 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, motivated contextualized, appropriately 3 staged Questioning; graded ,directed ,appropriate 2 Controlled practice choral/individual 1 Ability to foster genuine language use 2 Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board Use of other tools/equipments
2 3 0
Maintenance of interest 3 Involvement and encouragement of learners 3 Achievement of learning objective Ability to adapt and extemporize
3 2
Summarizing Comments: A traditional class where teacher is all in all and directing students to do something and giving only a little feedback on written work of the students but students are happy practicing model question as it is directly related to their exam.
This school is situated in a rural area. But as it is under MPO, it is well established and the classroom has enough light and air and space for 37 students. The objective of the lesson was to practice a model question from the book Advanced Learners’ Communicative English. The model question was on exam strategy. The teacher
abruptly told the students to open the book and work on the model question no 28. He ordered them to read the passage and work the exercises out. As per the teachers’ order the students read the passage and wrote down the exercises MCQ and true / false and then the bell rang. The presence of the teacher was very active for his controlling voice. The command over language could not be marked for use of Bangla only. There was no lesson plan for the class. When I asked the teacher he emphasized that as many model questions can be practised, they will be well prepared for any exam either school exam or final exam.
Tutor’s name Place of observation Level of class
School -5,Village, Muladi Elementary Secondary Secondary Tertiary
Average age
No. of 15 students Extra information about the school Non-govt. MPO Lesson objective Model question Personal Teacher
Quality
of
the Grade 1-5 general 3
Personality-‘presence’ style Ability to establish rapport Voice-audibility, ability to project
2 3 Command of Language Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 1 Correctness of vocabulary 1 Correctness of Register 0 General intelligibility including 3 adequacy of pronunciation Fluency 1 Sensitivity to student’ level of 3 language
Preparation for Lesson
Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of 0 activities; timing Clarity, limitation and specification of 2 aim Suitability of Materials and methods 2 for level and type of class
Execution
Grade 1-5 3
Techniques of class management Progress throw the lesson; changes in 2 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, motivated contextualized, 2 appropriately staged
36 Rural area
Questioning; ,appropriate
graded
,directed 2
Controlled practice choral/individual Ability to foster genuine language use
2 1
Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board Use of other tools/equipments
3 3 0
Maintenance of interest 3 Involvement and encouragement of 3 learners Achievement of learning objective 3 Ability to adapt and extemporize 3 Summarizing comment: A very traditional class where model question is practiced only for exams.
This is the central school of the then thana. It the oldest school of that locality and enlisted in MPO. The building is a well decorated are and the classroom has enough room for 36 students and proper light and air. The teacher started the class abruptly. The lesson was again the model questions practice. This was a class in class X. The teacher introduced the title of the lesson “Buildings and Monuments� The National Memorial. He read the text told the students work out the exercises followed. The
students worked out MCQ true / false and short open ended questions. The teacher often helped the students if any word meaning was necessary thus the class ended.
Place of observation
Schoo-6, Remote village
Level of class
Elementary Secondary Tertiary
Secondary
Average age Extra information about the school Lesson objective
34 15 Non-govt.
Model question Grade 1-5 Personality-‘presence’ general style 2 Ability to establish rapport 3 Voice-audibility, ability to project 3 Command of Language Grade 1-5 Correctness of structure 0 Correctness of vocabulary 0 Correctness of Register 0 General intelligibility including adequacy 3 Personal Quality of the Teacher
of pronunciation Fluency Sensitivity to student’ level of language
0 3 Preparation for Lesson Grade 1-5 Lesson plan; balance variety of activities; 0 timing Clarity, limitation and specification of aim 2 Suitability of Materials and methods for 2 level and type of class
No. of students MPO
Remote char area
Execution
Grade 1-5 3
Techniques of class management Progress throw the lesson; changes in 1 activity, pace, etc. Presentation of material; meaningful, 2 motivated contextualized, appropriately staged Questioning; graded ,directed ,appropriate 2 Controlled practice choral/individual 2 Ability to foster genuine language use 1 Awareness and correction of errors Use of black board and white board
3 3
Use of other tools/equipments
0
Maintenance of interest
3
Involvement and encouragement of learners 3 Achievement of learning objective
2
Ability to adapt and extemporize
2
Summarizing Comments: A traditional class where teacher helps question as it is directly related to their exam.
practicing model
This school is also situated at in a rural are. It is summered by natural setting and has enough natural air and light but the classroom are not a building. It’s a tin roofed house. The member of started were 34. The teacher came to the class with a book called Janani Communicative English Model Test with key. Students also had some copies. He started the class with a declaration that he will discuss today a passage called Pahela Baishakh. At first he read the passage with meaning and let the students read the passage two times. Then he let the students write the summary of the passage within five sentences. This was the class for that day. The teacher had no declared lesson objective but later he said it was lesson objective summary writing.
4.4 Interview analysis 1. Do you use the book in your class ? Almost all teachers are of the opinion that the book is not useful for the classroom activity. 2. Why do you think the book is not useful ? 5 out of 6 opened that though the book suggests CLT method, the context (classroom situation) does not support its use. You (researcher) see ours is a result oriented education system and only reading and writing is tested. Two important skill speaking and listening are never tested. This has been a bar in practicing CLT in the class room. Only one opined that if the teacher himself is interested and industrious he can practise the CLT in the classroom. 3. What do you mean by bar ? The 5 express almost same opinion. They want to use the tangs like testing system, motivation for good scores only in the final exam, large classroom, lack of training and teachers attitude to CLT as bars against praising CLT based on the book. 4. Have you tried to use the book ?
The one always tries and uses the book successfully specially reading writing and speaking in addition to other practices like model questions, grammar etc. The other to 5 have not tried it much. Their opinion seems to be ‘do not like’ CLT. As they do not have CLT background and training on it they are not interested in doing it. On the other hand there is no obligation to implement the book or follow CLT in the class room. Their only target is good result in the exam. It is a popular belief the more the A+ at the final exam(SSC),THe more the reputation that the school is famous.
5. What other books do you use in your classroom ? Advanced Communicative English............ Choudhury & Hossain
Potential
Potential Publishers
Janani Pangery
Janani Publishers Pangery Publishers
Popy
Popy Publishers
Lecture
Lecture Publishers
Nabadut
Nabadut Publishers
Samsad
Samsad Publishers
Book point
Book point Publishers
Sure success
Sure success Publishers
All these are most frequently used by the 5 teachers but they could not mention the name of the writers. Only one teacher uses the text book in addition to A Practical English Grammar by Wren & Martin and High School English Grammar & Composition by Thomson & Martinet. He also practises model questions sometimes from the book a Potential
guide to Communicative English for SSC students by Khaliullah. Thus five extra information about the use of the book from the teachers and the data show that most of the teachers never use the prescribed textbook English for Today for classes 9 and 10 in Bangladesh.
Chapter Five
5. Finding at a glance The findings have been presented below each questions according to the questionnaire. Now those findings are presented here at a glance: 1. The book is rarely used at the secondary level in class 9 and 10 by the students (table no. 1.3 , 2.1 and 2.3). 2. Almost all the teachers are not interested to use the book( table no.2.3) 3. Most of them use grammar book of Bangladeshi writers’ books on grammar. (interview question no.5). 4. The teachers attitude to the book is that as they dislike it (table no. 2.2 and 2.13). they do not use it in the classroom activities (table no 1.4 ). 5. The teachers’ method of taking class is not CLT approach rather it somewhat links to traditional Grammar Translation method (through observation) 6. Most of the teachers do not have idea and training on CLT. So they are not aware of the objectives of the book specially about following the CLT approach. 7. As they do not try students are also ignorant of CLT approach and they do not use the book of their own accord. 8. Only one teacher who has CLT training (B.ed. and M.ed.)uses the book in addition to other grammar books and implements the CLT approach in the classroom for reading and writing and to some extent speaking skills. 9. Listening is fully ignored everywhere (table no. 2.4 and 1.7) 10. Their classroom activities do not correspond to the objectives of the book.
5.1 Discussion: The book is rarely used by both teachers and students. Most of the teachers I observed and interviewed are only with simple MA degree and they are from Grammar Translation Method(their study) background . They do not have any training on CLT . For this reason they are not interested in following CLT approach in the classroom. But the book has been produced by NCTB to facilitate CLT at secondary level (the book’s preface). It has been designed to practise four skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing. It contains the topics of day to day life (appendix) like visiting families, performing different jobs in real life. But it requires trained teacher to manage the activities and tasks. The tasks activities and contents of the book bear the objectives of the curriculum and these are supposed to be implemented in the classroom by the teachers engaging students in many ways. From (table 1.1) we see that the teachers and students at secondary level do not possess the book always and so do not satisfactorily use it in classroom activity. In the curriculum it is said that this book is one of the specimen of materials to be used to support CLT approach. But the materials found in the classroom used by the teachers and students ( table 2.1 and 2.2) do not show that they may support CLT approach as these materials do not have any activity and task that CLT supports or suggests but contains only reading passages which are practised in a different way other than the ways CLT includes. Students are let read a passage of their own ways CLT suggests. Students are let read a passage of their own without ant type of introduction to the topic or theme without building schema, and without the knowledge about processes of meaning etc. They simply read and try to answer the questions followed by the passage. Thus reading is practised with a mixture of only writing and no oral practice takes place. The CLT classroom is supposed to have a lot of activities both individually, in pairs or in groups. But the observed classes show and the questionnaire present a picture that only teacher directed individual activities take place and no pair or group work. Individual work is also only on writing different genre learning by heart and not creative writing. The teaching of four skills in the classroom is supposed to take place But both teacher’s questionnaire, students’ questionnaire and interview show that two activities (listening and speaking skills)are fully ignored and are not practised while two of
these activities9reading and writing) are practised without maintaining any particular method like CLT. Listening is a receptive skill but this is fully ignored and never practised. This skill enables a learner to receive the input from different source the input from different source like teacher’s speech, listening content from recorded materials which help learners listen to real life situations. Besides listening makes a person careful of listening to other person while talking to others and interacts. Thus listening contributes to one day to day life. Keeping this fact i n mind CLT has been introduced and a lot of listening activities have been incorporated in the book. but never those activities are practiced for listening and the collected data shows (table 2.4) this very real picture. Regarding speaking skill there are also activities and tasks like describing, narrating, making dialogues on different topics through pair work ,group work etc.. But some teachers say that they initiate some speaking activities and half of them (table 2.5) say that they never initiate any activity which may help speaking skill. Even almost all the teacher speak in Bangla in the class ( observation schedule check lists) .Their classes i are taken in Bangla and some teachers who said that the teach speaking were asked how they teach speaking, they answered that they make their students aware of spoken English i.e. its importance and let them speak about day to day happenings, about themselves or to narrate any event they have participated. These teachers’ students said that (table 1.8) their teachers sometimes takes special classes on speaking but they themselves speak Bangla in the classroom all along and their little English is also very poor ( i.e. there pronunciation mistakes. stress and intonation are not there in their speech etc.). Thus we see the practice of spoken English also does not take place and whatever takes place a little is poor. This skill is also ignored as the tasks and activities are not done at all. The reading skill is a bit practiced as the book contains a lot of reading passages with pictures, diagrams, tables etc. But they are not practised (table 2.6)according to the ways CLT suggests or reading strategies suggest. The teachers simply let the student read the passage and tell them the meaning of the passage as a whole and then the students are asked to solve the questions in a model question in written from. Most of the time the class time is over before the students can complete the work and get the feedback from their teachers in the class. Thus we see reading is not fully and systematically practised in the classroom activities.
Writing is a skill which is practised (table 2.7) frequently but it is limited within the memorization. Both the students and teachers admitted that this skill is practised only by memorizing different writing genres like essay, application ,paragraph, summary, etc .( table (1,9) Thus we also find the practice of writing skill which is done but not according to the book.
Conclusion : At this stage of discussion we see that the book is not always used and at the same time the tasks activities and other contents of the book are ignored. However, the four skills are not practised satisfactorily. The researcher comes to the point that he hypothesized that the book is rarely used and this hypothesis is true. Again the other hypothesis that if the book is used properly in the classroom activities the objectives of the book would be implemented and CLT would work according to the objective of the curriculum But these are absent from the classroom activities at present at secondary level specially in classes 9 and 10 in Bangladesh. Thus the researcher concludes that the two hypotheses he presented at the outset of their work have been proved true and the research findings support and bear the proof of his hypotheses. At the same time his 3 research questions have been answered that the book has particular as well as general aims and objectives and it is not used but the students and teachers at secondary level and whatever used doesn’t correspond to the objectives of the book.
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