STATUS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AT PRIMARY LEVEL IN PUNJAB

Abstract

The study determined to find out the status of English language teaching at primary level by focusing grade 4 in the government primary schools in Punjab, Pakistan, after the introduction of English as a compulsory subject from grade 1 in 2002. To accomplish this, three tools were designed; questionnaire for teachers, a classroom observation checklist and an achievement test for grade 4 students. 5000 students of grade 4 were tested; classroom teaching of 200 teachers teaching English to grade 4 at 200 primary schools was observed, and the questionnaire was administered on the same teachers. In an effort towards providing opportunities to public school students to develop communicative competence in all the four skills of English language in primary years, instead of grade 6, the Punjab government introduced English to be taught from grade 1 and accordingly designed the curriculum in the light of this objective. The study indicates that even after four years of teaching English and the in-service teacher training imparted to the teachers, the teaching methodology is based on the classical approach rather than skills-oriented one, hence the general aims and objectives of English curriculum for enabling primary level students to have communicative competence with respect to their grade level, have not been achieved so far. The students are found lacking in all the language skills in general, listening and speaking skills in particular. It has been also observed that much time is spent on the completion of syllabus which does not allow catering to the language education needs of the learners. English is taught mostly without teaching aids, and teachers despite being academically and professionally qualified do not practise learner-centred teaching. This occurs due to the gap between ivteachers’ theoretical knowledge and the application of their pedagogical skills in the classroom which ultimately results in poor communicative competence of the students. Teachers do not design skills oriented class exercises and tests for assessing the achievement of students in English because they are not effectively motivated to incorporate their updated skills in their instruction. In addition, a bit undue pressure on syllabus covering within the stipulated time and the absence of proper monitoring of teachers in the class after getting training as well as positive reinforcement from the administration came out to be other factors responsible for this not so encouraging status of English language teaching. However, the study reflects that the textbook does provide for the needs related to the grade and age of the learners having sufficient practice exercises for the learning of English language skills. The study concludes with a discussion of possible ways of bringing positive change in the present scenario. The conclusion and recommendations outline more realistic efforts in revising the methods of teaching, having a proper monitoring and evaluation system, and enhancing teachers’ motivation for incorporating appropriate teaching techniques in the teaching of English to have better competence in students’ communication in English language. This further suggests drawing connections between teaching of the textbook and the curriculum aims for practically consistent application of skills oriented teaching of English in government schools at the primary level.