CLT based English Language Teaching and Learning in Secondary Education in Bangladesh: Expectations and reality. Teachers’ and students’ perspectives

Abstract

This study is concerned with the real scenario of CLT based English language teaching and learning in secondary level education in Bangladesh. It aims to explore that the expectations from implementation of CLT in secondary level of education for English language teaching and learning meets the reality or not. It emphasizes on secondary level of education because this level works as a fundamental base for learners’ further higher studies. In spite of giving sufficient amount of time and attention towards policy making, methods and material reformation, English language teaching in secondary level education in Bangladesh fails to achieve desired outcomes due to mismatches between policy, planning and execution. Moreover, learners fail to achieve satisfactory proficiency level in English. Therefore, this study intends to explore the ground level situation of ELT in secondary level of education. This study will guide further researchers and practitioners to get ideas about the CLT based English learning-teaching situation in secondary level education in Bangladesh. The study qualitative in nature uses interviews (semi-structured) to collect required data. Interviews (semi-structured) represent detailed picture of English language teaching in secondary level of education based on teachers’ and students’ perspectives. The final result of the study suggests, lack of proper training, desynchronized training and practice field, impracticable classroom size, shortage of time, lack of technological support, inappropriate teaching and learning environment, lack of authentic materials, non- cooperative students, unskilled teachers, written exam based education system, pressure of institutions and higher authorities, guardians’ expectation limit the unimpeded practice of CLT approach. The practitioners of ELT in Secondary Level Education in Bangladesh believe that, this is high time to take these problems in account and rethink about the reestablishment of the Communicative Language Learning and Teaching method.