Primary graduate’s challenges for accruing four skills of English language: the scenario of rural primary school of Chattogram, Bangladesh

Abstract

I have done this study to find the difficulties rural primary school students’ in the Chattogram region of Bangladesh, in the process of learning the fundamental English language competencies that are speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Mainly in light of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, which had introduced since late 1990s within the curriculum of Bangladesh. Students in rural areas still struggle with English competency, particularly in speaking and listening abilities, despite government initiatives to encourage English as a secondary language. To gain insights into the issues faced by learners and educators, I utilized a qualitative research strategy. I conducted focus group discussions (FGD) with primary learners and in-depth interviews with the primary schools’ teachers and education experts. The results showed that there are a lot of obstacles, such as not enough CLT training for teachers, huge class numbers, lack of resources, and the impact of regional dialects on students' ability to understand communicative English that as a result creating fear of speaking the language, inactive participation and rote-based learning among the students. Poverty, inconsistent school attendance, and absent or unsupportive parents are other socioeconomic variables that impede students' ability to learn English following a communicative way. In my study, I suggested initiatives, such as better training for teachers, taking CLT approaches in the classrooms, and creating more resources for practicing communicative English for students from low-income backgrounds, for bringing the improvement in learners' acquisition capacity of learning English. I have also provided important recommendations for educators and policymakers who are working on the policy reformation of English language learning method by shedding light on the systemic problems that affect this field.