Post-method pedagogy: a survey of the English medium schools in Dhaka

Abstract

This study explores the implementation of postmethod pedagogy focusing on the secondary level of various English medium schools in Dhaka. Over the years, dissatisfaction has been expressed with using methods in the teaching/learning context. It is seen that with a prescriptive set of guideline, traditional methods bear serious limitations that restricted effective teaching/ learning. In this postmethod era, the traditional methods are considered dead. And, a method is only feasible when it is associated with a given context. The concept of postmethod not only aims to go beyond the limitations of the conventional methods but encourages a more democratic approach to both teaching and learning. In the light of this concept the study broadly examines: (a) the parameters of postmethod pedagogy, (b) indicators of postmethod pedagogy; and (c) postmethod strategic framework. For empirical research, the study surveyed both teachers and students through questionnaires and researcher’s own observation of the classes using a checklist that contained similar information as the questionnaire. The findings of the show that most teachers teaching in secondary level Dhaka-based schools have started to make conscious efforts to contextualizing features of this newly emerged phenomenon into their approaches; but have failed to establish exclusively the characteristics and strategies associated with it in their classrooms.