Repositioning of CLT from Curriculum to Classroom: A Review of the English Language Instructions at Bangladeshi Secondary Schools

Md Zulfeqar Haider,Takad Ahmed Chowdhury

doi:10.5539/ijel.v2n4p12

Md Zulfeqar Haider, Takad Ahmed Chowdhury

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v2n4p12

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Abstract

This paper attempts a study of the present state of teaching and learning English at the secondary schools in Bangladesh. It offers an analysis of the current English curriculum and textbooks for the secondary grades and explores the current classroom practices through classroom observation and teachers’ interview. The classroom observations were conducted to identify the features of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach prescribed by the curriculum and syllabus document of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) as the desired approach for teaching English at secondary level schools in Bangladesh. The paper also attempts to identify connections between the curriculum objectives and the classroom realities faced by the teachers and seeks suggestions for achieving the stated objectives. Some of the key recommendations include - strengthening of the teacher development initiatives, redefining the entry and exit levels of the learners, providing alternative and supplementary instructional materials and reforming the assessment system.

Highlights

The English curriculum for secondary schools of Bangladesh was revised by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) in the 1990s as an attempt to address the growing concern about the continuing deterioration of the standard of English language teaching in the country
The classroom observations were conducted to identify the features of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach prescribed by the curriculum and syllabus document of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) as the desired approach for teaching English at secondary level schools in Bangladesh
Despite the introduction of a communicative syllabus, NCTB had the realization that a syllabus alone could not ensure the implementation of communicative language teaching and learning in the classroom, it could only provide a set of criteria for a change

Summary

Introduction

The English curriculum for secondary schools of Bangladesh (grades 6 to 10) was revised by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) in the 1990s as an attempt to address the growing concern about the continuing deterioration of the standard of English language teaching in the country. In 1995 NCTB revised the English curriculum with a move to introduce “Communicative Language Teaching” (CLT). The CLT approach was introduced with the hope of developing a workforce with “communicative competence” in English that should, strengthen the human resource development initiatives of the country (Hamid & Baldauf, 2008). Despite the introduction of a communicative syllabus, NCTB had the realization that a syllabus alone could not ensure the implementation of communicative language teaching and learning in the classroom, it could only provide a set of criteria for a change.

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