To Focus the Importance of English Language in a Developing Country

Abstract:

The main focuses of this review paper is to focus the importance of English language in a developing country, the capacity of English language teacher, de jure and de facto language policies in Bangladesh. However, from the main article of M. Obaidul Hamid, this paper will highlight some important points regarding this issue.

Introduction:

It is known by all that English language is the basic pillar of participating in the global economy for any country. In Bangladesh it is playing a major part of our economy as well as global economy. Through this paper we are going to get the ideas of the adoption of more and earlier English policies as well as policy implement issues. Also we will find the scenario of English teacher training and education in Bangladesh and also some projects which are implemented in this country as well.

Findings:

First of all, it is essential to figure out the language policy of a country. According to Kaplan and Baldauf’s language-in-education policy framework consists a number of policy components. They are-

• Access policy.
• Personnel policy.
• Methods and materials policy.
• Resourcing policy.
• Evaluation policy.

However, the main article is focusing on access, personnel, methods and materials and resourcing policies, that is why this review paper will also focus on those points.

Through formal education, access policy can take place where a particular language is made available to a language learning people. In the developing world, it refers to the status of English in their curriculum. On the other hand, personnel policy is related to the allocation of human resources which are required for transforming language policies into pedagogic action. Besides, methods and materials policy refers to language teaching approaches and methodologies as well as teaching and learning resources. Finally, resourcing policy refers to the allocation of financial resources and infrastructure for organizing teaching and learning activities schools. Resources, personnel, method and materials policies are very much important for implementing language access policy.

However, in Bangladesh access policy has ensured a broad access to all the people of the country and it can be called an ‘EFE’(English for Everyone). The main problem is maximum people of our country do not know about English language. As it is the main key of a nation progress, everyone should know the language of English. So this policy is to make people literate about English language. As this policy is for everyone, it does not matter the socio economic condition of people. The access policy provides considerable learner exposure to English through instruction. It has been made compulsory from grade 1 and continues until grade 12.

In the case of resourcing policy, the budgetary allocation given to education is usually spent on teacher salaries and school infrastructure. Those schools who have not any additional funds, the budget is used to purchase teaching and learning aids, resources and library facilities. In Bangladesh, rural area schools are not in a good condition. Poor classroom environment, broken benches and furniture, poor library and a low laboratory facility are seen in our rural area schools. Besides, maximum schools of our country don not have the access to electricity. Computer uses in rural area schools are very much rare. These kinds of limited resources bring poor quality of teaching and learning of English. That is why rural area people are not eager to get educated but those who got good economic condition, they depend on fee-paying private tuitions for English.

In 1992, the government introduced a contemporary based curriculum at the primary level identifying 53 competencies to be achieved at the end of primary education. Again in 2002, a revised list of 50 competencies was produced. From that point of view, CLT (Communicative language teaching) was offered as the official approach to teach the four major skills of English language- listening, speaking, reading and writing. Previously GTM (Grammar translation method) was followed to teach English in the schools. After adopting CLT approach, it was assumed that it will revitalize English teaching and learning and it will raise the proficiency level English and also to develop learners’ communicative competence in English which is very much important. But in reality, our school teachers still follow the GTM method in their classrooms to teach English language. It is happening because most of them do not know the ideology of CLT approach. Moreover they have a lack of proficiency in oral English. Besides, Bangladesh government has preferred locally produced text books for all subjects including English. So the government is also responsible for this issue as the use local expertise to make a textbook.