Abstract
This paper evaluates the scope and relative unfeasibility of communicative language teaching (CLT) that was introduced at higher secondary level in Bangladesh to innovate English language teaching (ELT) by replacing grammar translation method (GTM). To substantiate the evaluation, a survey intended to determine the feasibility and relative drawbacks of CLT was made. A total of 100 teachers and 100 students participated in the survey of 10 different colleges of Dhaka and Khulna metropolitan cities of Bangladesh and two different questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from randomly selected teachers and students. The study reveals that most of the EFL students in Bangladesh could not succeed in learning English language through CLT in spite of studying it for twelve years at their secondary and higher secondary levels. The paper also examines multifaceted problems affecting English language teaching and learning through CLT such as most of the classrooms of Bengali medium colleges are not well-furnished with modern language teaching equipment, lack of training and teaching materials, student’s lack of background knowledge, motivation etc. Therefore, the real outcome of CLT in Bangladesh could not meet the initial dream and promise with which it was introduced and eventually became inappropriate and ineffective.This article critically evaluates CLT focusing on multiple barriers and factors instrumental for the failure of the approach at higher secondary level in Bangladesh. Finally, the study concludes with several recommendations to promote English language teaching at higher secondary level in Bangladesh.
Highlights
Before the introduction of communicative language teaching (CLT), English proficiency of a student was tested in terms of his knowledge in grammar, translations, and writing question-answer etc. at higher secondary level in Bangladesh
This paper evaluates the scope and relative unfeasibility of communicative language teaching (CLT) that was introduced at higher secondary level in Bangladesh to innovate English language teaching (ELT) by replacing grammar translation method (GTM)
This paper examines the existing status of CLT in the curricula and its problems and limitations during the past years, which gradually turn it into a relative failure at higher secondary level (HSC) in Bangladesh
Summary
Before the introduction of CLT, English proficiency of a student was tested in terms of his knowledge in grammar, translations, and writing question-answer etc. at higher secondary level in Bangladesh. As this system could not bring fruitful results to improve English language proficiency of EFL students for ages, it was required to reform the curriculum, methodology, course materials, and testing and evaluation procedures to enhance the development of English language learning and teaching in the country. To ensure English language proficiency, the ministry of education (MoE) replaced traditional GTM and introduced CLT theories and practices in the curricula for EFL students at secondary and higher secondary levels in Bangladesh in the mid-nineties with lot of promises and expectation. Bangladesh is a monolingual country of 160 million people and of the total population, 98% people use Bangla as their first language. Having a psychological point of view, Ellis, (1985) says that there is never a peaceful co-existence between two language systems in the learner, but rather constant warfare, and that warfare is not limited to the moment of cognition, but continues during the period of storing newly learnt ideas in memory
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