scholarly journals Difficulties Facing English Teachers in Teaching Literary Texts at Higher Secondary Level in Bangladesh

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Khandoker Montasir Hassan
Keyword(s):  
National Curriculum ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Dhaka City ◽  
View Point ◽  
Communicative Approach

The present Study examines the difficulties facing English teachers in teaching literary texts in English for Today (11-12) textbook which has been prescribed by the NCTB (National Curriculum Textbook Board) of Bangladesh from the academic session 2015-2016. Literature has always been an integral part of teaching foreign languages. In the era of CA (Communicative Approach), the aim of reading literature has been changed. From this view point, in July 2015, the NCTB has published a new version of English textbook for classes XI-XII, and included some literary texts in this book. The emphasis of these literary texts is not just on content but on the exploitation of the texts to trigger a variety of language activities. Based on a semi-structured interview with six HSC (Higher Secondary) level English teachers from four colleges of Dhaka city, this study particularly focuses on the newly included literary texts to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the materials; and identifies the difficulties that the teachers may encounter. Finally, some recommendations are drawn by means of valuable opinions of the participants.

scholarly journals Writing Instruction in Secondary Schools: Unraveling Practices and Challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 108-118
Author(s):  
Tirtha Karki
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Observation ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Practical Training ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Product Approach

In a discourse related to teaching writing in second or foreign language classrooms, there is a focus on process writing which seems still new practice in many Nepali classrooms. In this context, this study was conducted to explore secondary level English teachers' practices and challenges of teaching writing. The study adopted qualitative research design. For this, twenty secondary level English teachers from both public and private schools of Sunsari District, Nepal were selected as informants. The data were collected through classroom observation, semi- structured interview and Focused Group Discussion (FGD). First, classroom observation of eight teachers was carried out followed by semi-structured interview. Then, the other twelve teachers were invited for FGD. Analysis of qualitative data uncovered that majority of the teachers adopted product approach to teaching writing with abundant stress on support to students for securing good marks in the final examination. The major challenges revealed behind this situation were large class size, low proficient learners, pressure on course completion, lack of practical training for teachers, and insufficient resources including ICT facility in the classroom contexts.

scholarly journals Evaluating ELT Textbook in Bangladesh: The Case of English for Today (Classes Nine-Ten)

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Muhammed Rukan Uddin
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Instructional Material ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
National Education ◽  
Textbook Series ◽  
National Education Policy ◽  
Academic Year

The paper evaluates the ELT textbook English for Today (Classes Nine–Ten) which is used as a dominant instructional material in secondary level schools and madrasahs in Bangladesh. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) of Bangladesh published the revised edition of the textbook series English for Today in the academic year 2013 incorporating the guidelines proposed in National Education Policy (NEP, 2010) and National Curriculum (NC, 2012). Ever since the introduction of the ELT textbook series, systematic evaluations to examine their pedagogical usefulness and constraints have been found inadequate. The purpose of the study is, therefore, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the textbook which will help the teachers do maximum application of its strengths in the classroom, and make sensible decisions about the weaknesses. This study followed the ‘whilst-use’ evaluation type, and adopted mainly the checklist method. The checklist was designed drawing on suitable criteria from the popular checklist developed by McDonough, Shaw and Masuhara (2013). In addition, a short semi-structured interview was conducted with 10 secondary English teachers in order to explore how the teachers would perceive and evaluate the textbook. Though the evaluation identified the textbook’s rewarding features, it also revealed a number of limitations which require sincere attention of the curriculum and materials developers. The study implies that the textbook requires both internal and external improvements in order to maximize the learning outcomes and meet the curriculum objectives. The paper also makes recommendations for the curriculum experts and textbook writers for consideration during future editions of the textbook.

scholarly journals Mobile Teacher Professional Development (MTPD): Delving into English Teachers’ Beliefs in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 143-160
Author(s):  
Jepri Ali Saiful
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Potential Use

In recent years, mobile phones have been used for teacher professional development (TPD). However, the potential use of smartphones, a current-generation of mobile phones, to develop teachers’ pedagogical, social, personal, and professional competences remains underexplored. This mixed methods study, examining the potential use of smartphones for TPD by delving into English teachers’ beliefs, employed a sequential explanatory approach. A quantitative survey was completed by 81 participants, followed by qualitative interviews with 8 selected participants. All the respondents were English teachers in elementary, junior, and senior high schools in 11 provinces in Indonesia. The survey was tested for validity and reliability, and analysed using the descriptive statistics method, while the semi-structured interview was analysed using the content analysis method. Almost all teachers had very favourable and favourable beliefs about the use of smartphones for TPD, perceiving that a smartphone could facilitate the enhancement of their pedagogical knowledge, communication skills, positive characters and English proficiency. Very few teachers had unfavourable beliefs, but among those who did, they believed traditional face-to-face TPD was more beneficial and that smartphones would only lead to addiction. This study recommends that smartphones be optimally applied by English teachers for TPD activities and that governments facilitate such implementation by constructing smartphone TPD models and applications.

Perceptions, Attitudes and Use of Pharmacy Customers to Medicine Labels

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-70
Author(s):  
Eman Elmahjoubi ◽  
Mufida Yamane
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interview ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Local Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
Interview Technique ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Awareness Programs ◽  
The University

Background. The safe use of medicines largely relies on consumers reading the labeling and packaging carefully and accurately, and being able to comprehend and act on the information presented. We aimed to conduct local study on consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and use of written drug information. Methods. A survey included 200 adults of the public in 13 community pharmacies and one main hospital (the University Hospital) in Tripoli city of Libya, using a structured interview technique. Results. The results showed that 73% of participants read drug labels with variation from always (39.72 %) to rarely (10.95%). About 42.46% of pharmacy customers read the Patients Package Inserts (PPIs) routinely, however; 53.42% of them faced difficulties in understanding the labelling. Foreign languages and small font sizes of written information were the most barriers to participants` comprehensibility (44.69 %, 34%) respectively. The findings indicated that 59 % of the respondents were used to obtain information from pharmacists. Despite the relatively high rate of reading to drug labels among pharmacy customers; more than half of them were unable to interpret information correctly. Conclusion. The study demonstrated the need for the implementation of educational and awareness programs for patients by pharmacists to improve the health literacy of medication labels. Steps must be taken to ensure that medicines in Libyan market are supplied with bilingual and non-technical language labels.

scholarly journals Does Primary Education Hinder Child Development? A Study of Six Selected Primary Schools of Dhaka City in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 334-344
Author(s):  
Shahanaz Akter ◽  
Md. Roknuzzaman Siddiky ◽  
Israt Eshita Haque
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Dhaka City ◽  
Primary Level

The study was intended to explore the effects of primary education on the childhood of the students of Dhaka city. Primary data for this study were collected from 18 students of 6 schools of Dhaka city by using semi-structured interview schedules. The study reveals that several factors pertaining to primary education such as unwillingness to go to school, excessive burden of textbooks, pressure of homework, lack of opportunities to play, frequent number of examinations, parents’ unhealthy competition for good results have adverse effects on child development. The study puts forward that the adverse effects of primary schools including Government primary schools and kindergarten schools have caused adverse physical, psychological, cognitive and personality development among the students and disrupted their joyful and playful childhood and social learning. Unified primary education is a utopia in Bangladesh making disparities among the students of different categories of schools. Children are going to school with a heavy bag loaded with textbooks, notebooks and other needed things. Children are going through mental pressure about their results and good grades which are appreciated with chocolates and their bad results are depreciated with rebuke and punishment. The most important factor of students’ attraction to go to school is the opportunity to play with the friends. Free, joyous, playful and colorful childhood of the primary level students is disappearing in the urban areas of Dhaka due to excessive study pressure in the primary level. However, the study recommends that a unified primary education system should be ensured in Bangladesh as soon as possible which would help the social, emotional and cognitive development of the children protecting their colorful childhood.

scholarly journals Effects of Digital Short Stories on the Development of Listening Skills: An Action Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 65-84
Author(s):  
Zeynep Çetin Köroğlu
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Listening Skills

Literary texts can be used to improve language learners' skills such as reading, writing, speaking and listening because these texts contain rich vocabulary, complex grammar structures, interesting plot and most importantly imagination of the author. However, using literature for language teaching purposes is a controversial issue among scholars. While some researchers think positively, others have negative views on the subject. Learners' needs and way of using literary texts are the main concerns of literature use in language pedagogy. In this context, the present research aimed to find out whether digital short stories can improve language learners' listening skills. The purpose of this study was to figure out student teachers' perceptions of digital short stories’ implementation into language classrooms. Specifically, the current research aimed to investigate whether digital short stories are useful to develop language learners' listening skills in English. The research is action research in design. The study used pre-test and post-test, a written structured interview to collect data and it included both quantitative and qualitative components. The interview consisted of six open-ended questions. Achievement tests and t-test were used to analyze quantitative data. On the other hand, content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The data were collected in 2016-2017 academic years, Bayburt University. Participants were prep class students of English language teaching department of Bayburt University. In the treatment process, digital short stories were used for eight weeks, which were written by various famous American authors and voice recorded by various American natives. Additionally, weekly worksheets and handouts were prepared by the researcher. Results showed that digital short stories provide satisfactory content, supports vocabulary learning, improves language learners’ listening skills, helps participants to gain familiarity with complex grammar structures and makes students more familiar with different cultures. Furthermore, participants are satisfied with digital short stories and they think these digital stories are useful to improve their listening skills.

scholarly journals Analisis Deskriptif Soal Ujian Nasional dan Cambridge Checkpoint Pelajaran Matematika Tingkat Sekolah Menengah Pertama Tahun Ajaran 2014/2015 Berdasarkan Tipe Penyajian Soal dan Ruang Lingkup Materi

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainal Abidin
Keyword(s):  
National Curriculum ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Short Answer ◽  
National Examination ◽  
Analysis Question ◽  
Short Answer Question ◽  
Mathematics Examination

National Examination and Cambridge Checkpoint are the instrument for evaluating the standard competence ofstudent which organized in Secondary Level. National Examination’s questions based on the National Curriculum ofIndonesia but Cambridge Checkpoint’s questions taken based on Cambridge Curriculum. The aims of this researchis analyzing the type of each question and distribution of each strands in the National Mathematics Examination 2015and Mathematics of Cambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015. This type of research is a descriptive studywith a qualitative approach. National Mathematics Examination 2015 has one paper only but Mathematics ofCambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015 has 2 papers for the test. It can be concluded that all question’stype of the National Mathematics Examination for Secondary Level 2015 are multiple choice questions. OnMathematics of Cambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015, there are various types of questions which consistof 11,43% short-answer question; 68,57% analysis question; 8,57% completing question; and 11,43% match questionfor paper 1, but 22,22% short-answer question; 58,33% analysis question; 11,11% completing question; 2,78% matchquestion; 2,78% multiple choice question; and 2,78% yes/no question for paper 2. Based on strands analyzing result,It can be determined that National Mathematics Examination for Secondary Level 2015 contain of 22,25% number;27,5 algebra; 40% geometry and measurement; 10% statistic and probability. On Mathematics of CambridgeCheckpoint for Secondary Level 2015, It can be explained that 45,72% number; 20% algebra; 17,14% geometry andmeasurement; and 17,14% statistic and probability for paper 1, and 33,33% number; 19,45% algebra; 25% geometryand measurement; and 22,22% statistic and probability for paper 2.

Disparity between Boys and Girls

2016 ◽  
pp. 157-174
Author(s):  
Afsana Islam
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Gender Stereotyping ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Dhaka City ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Masculinity And Femininity

Gender inequality is the most eminent issue that happens to women in many ways. Perceiving gender inequality and discriminatory treatment towards women has inspired and derived to do this study. The objectives of this study were to examine the interrelation between and among gender inequality, gender stereotyping, perception - support of parents and teachers for girls' sports in the secondary level academic institutions in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have been implied in conducting this study. Findings are such that the socio-bio- cultural constrains influence the facilities, perceptions and participation of girls in sports. Education so as Sports is powerful agents of socialization and plays influential roles in the construction of masculinity and femininity also an influential factor of empowerment.

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