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Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10361/10766

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Reforming a community to serve the underserved: ESP modules for midwifery course at BRAC University
(@ 2015 ULAB, 2015-12) Islam, Mohammad Aminul; Mohiuddin, Mohammad Golam; BRAC Institutes of Languages
This paper examines the impact of an ESP course designed by BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL) for midwives to develop their English language skills, and to develop them professionally. The course is expected to reform midwives, to empower them with English language skills and professional development by taking part in global development. The community then will be able to reduce the maternal as well as newborn mortality in order to increase coverage of quality maternal and neonatal health services. The course is being offered by BRAC Institute of Global Health (BIGH) with the financial support from the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). The paper shows to what extent an English language course can help midwives in their profession where they sometimes need to interact in English with foreign doctors, write prescriptions, and other official documents in English. The study is carried out among the course teachers with almost the same experiences, exposure, and education, and among course participants with Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) backgrounds. The data and information have been deduced from a questionnaire, focus group discussions with students, and observation of their performance. The paper shows that most of the participants, having limited English language proficiency, have been able to improve their basic English communication skills. It also shows that almost all students can maintain patients’ portfolio, write prescriptions, reports, discharge certificates, and so on in English. They even feel relaxed enough to speak in English when necessary. It is suggested that ESP modules should concentrate on needs assessment to make it more productive and target oriented.
MOOC mania: implications and collaboration for english language teachers
(@ 2015 ULAB, 2015-12) Miraj, Asek Amin; Islam, Mohammad Aminul; BRAC Institutes of Languages
In today's Internet ridden world e-learning is one of the crucial parts of modern education. This way of learning is surprisingly diverse but shares a predictable common denominator. Technology’s transformative power enables learning interactions that might otherwise be impossible for students and teachers alike. Coursera.com is a fast growing MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provider empowering students and educators, and enables learners to create an interactive platform. In this study, we will discuss the course “Shaping the Way we Teach English” which has brought enthusiasm among passionate English teachers. This paper will highlight how the flexibility of this course paves the way for collaborating with the online and offline teaching and learning community with the experience of digital learning. Furthermore, it also examines how the learners are adapting to the digital platform, the challenges they face, and how they are overcoming the obstacles.
Journal writing: a silent kit for writing skills
(@ 2011 Horizon, Department of English, University of Chittagong, 2011) Chowdhury, Samina Nasrin; Islam, Mohammad Aminul; BRAC Institutes of Languages
This article explores how dialogue journals can be used as a silent kit to improve writing skill. Sixty-five primary school teachers with limited English proficiency wrote dialogue journals in a teachers-training course during nine weeks. Data was gathered from their journal entries and post-study questionnaires. Dialogue journal was found effective to foster the development of descriptive writing, usage of correct syntax & vocabulary, critical thinking and finally to raise learners’ confidence in writing English. This article presents findings with necessary literature review and concludes with a number of recommendations on how EFL practitioners can use journals effectively to promote writing fluency of their students.
Teaching english through mobile phone: bridging teachers and students in distance learning
(@ 2014 International Asia TEFL Conference., 2014-08-30) Miraj, Asek Amin; Islam, Mohammad Aminul; BRAC Institutes of Languages
Managing English classes in Bangladesh like many other developing countries is difficult because most of the classrooms are overcrowded. So many learners lag behind as their teachers cannot monitor their progress along with the competencies. To overcome this gap, the privileged groups of students take many other extra supports where as the learners from the underprivileged areas suffer a lot due to the scarcity of the supports outside the classroom. According to the recent report of education ministryon the result of the public exams,the students of rural areas are always far behind the students of urban area. Additional help or private coaching is one of the reasons which make this difference when quality English teacher is a dire need and teaching turns to commercial service rather than professional. Teaching English through mobile can be a supplementary method to first generation learners in remote area who are excluded from regular services of mainstream education. ‘mEducation’ is an intervention of BRAC and BRAC Institute of Languages( BIL) to address of this problem. This study reflects the voices of the beneficiaries and stakeholders of a project that aims to ensure the access and cater the services for inclusion of the outreach children and teachers which is almost free. This study also shows how mEducation includes the excluded community through a very simple feature phone with intellectual minds creating substantial learning network and knowledge transfer.

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