कार्यमूलक अनुसन्धान : नमुना नौ

• Action Research
• 4 Years, 6 Months ago
• 6428

कार्यमूलक अनुसन्धान : नमुना नौ

Prepared By: Hiranya Lal Lamsal

Topic: Classroom Teaching in English Medium

 

1. Background of  the Study

 

Teaching English as a medium of instruction is popular in recent days in schools and colleges in Nepal. Subjects except language subject(s) are taught in English with regard to making students capable of understanding and communicating in English in many schools. These days, people’s attraction towards learning English has increased a lot. To create such environment English medium schools especially the institutional schools have played significant role. Compared to the community school graduates, institutional school graduates have higher capacity of grasping knowledge in English. It is thought that the products of institutional schools in Nepal have no difficulty in understanding, responding and interacting with their colleagues in English and so all the subjects except language subjects are taught in English.

Teacher believes that students especially in school feel comfortable in learning in their mother tongue. In this context, UNESCO (2011) focuses on children learning better and in an easy way in their mother tongue. Language is one of the most contested issues in education especially in a multilingual country like Nepal where children from different indigenous, tribal and minority groups represent. But the concern here is to discuss about English as a medium of instruction in school level of education. It is believed that all subjects excluding language subjects must be taught in English in school level. All subjects except language subject(s) are taught in English in the schools of Nepal. Syllabus and curriculum are designed and developed in English. So, class notes are also provided in English.

However, at the initial stage of teaching it was felt that this technique was not        that effective as a majority of students were not interacting in the class. They did not respond to the questions that were asked in the mass. Even though, particular students were pointed out for response only few of them responded. Most of the students were yawning and paying no attention in the class. The expectation that the teaching would be efficient and effective was just the reverse. Students were away from their eagerness to learn. Realizing such a situation, a decision was taken to do an action research in order to make students motivated in the classroom.

2. Significance of the Study

Generally, most of the students in Government –based school don’t like to speak in English. What I have seen in the class that during English period students hesitate to talk in English language. While giving the answer orally, they mix up Nepali language. Students are often inhibited about trying to say things in an English language. They are worried about making mistakes fearful of criticism or losing face or simply shy of the attention that their speech attracts. In the classroom, students share a common mother tongue. They often tend to use it for a communication purpose. They feel unnatural to speak to one another in an English language .Students simply think that using the mother tongue is a safer and easier way for them.

 

The action research was conducted with the students of grade eight at shree Kerwani Secondary School. The total number of research participants (students) was 35, out of which eighteen were boys. They belonged to different ethnic groups. As an English teacher I carried out this research  in order to find out the ways to create English speaking environment in the classroom.The problem may lie with the teaching process or with the students or with the teaching material itself. The degree of difficulty often differs according to the situation and the background of the letters.

 

3. Objectives of the study

The present research focuses on classroom teaching in English medium.                 The main objectives of this research are as follow:

1. i) To identify the classroom situation, existing problems in teaching and learning
2. ii) To find out possible solutions of classroom teaching in English medium.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Review of Related Literature

A number research studies have done under Action research such as:

Dahal (2004) carried out an action research to find out the students’ proficiency in expressing commucative functions.He concluded that students’ proficiency was not found satisfactory.

Paneru (2009) carried out an action research  to find out the use of computer for teaching grammar.He found that teaching English grammar in the computer was more fruitful than teaching without it.

Lamsal (2010)carried out an action research on Application of communicative language testing. He concluded that testing language skills communicatively was far better than testing without it.

Although a number of attempts have been made, none of the studies deals with “Classroom Teaching in English Medium” so far. Therefore, I carried out this research.

 

5. Research Methodology

Methodology is an important phase in any kind of study .In absence of it ,   the research remain incomplete The data gathering process is divided into three phases. In first phase, there is interaction with students about their problem and possible solutions. The second phase is guided by the structured guidelines for interaction that was developed in first interaction. Third phase is the stage where look their performance, think for solution and implement the solution that explored with the close interaction with students.To accomplish the intended goals,I used both  primary and secondary sources of data collection.The primary sources of data of the study were elicited from the students of grade eight at Shree Kerwani Secondary School in Rupandehi district. Various books ,reports,journals and articles(i.e. names are given in the references) were used as secondary sources of data.

6. Research Period

I began to carry out the present research from 4^th Poush ,2077 and ended on 5^th Magh,2077.

 

7. Research Method

The present research is performed under the qualitataive research. It focuses on explanatory aspect.

 

8. Identification of the problems

 

Teaching in English medium is not an easy task. The problem may lie with the teaching process or with the students or with the material itself .The degree of difficulty often differs according to the situation and the background of the students. During my teaching period in the classrooms at grade eight,I have found the following major problems with Classroom Teaching in English Medium:

 

1. i) Students’ inhibition about talking in an English language classroom.
2. ii) Students are low or uneven participation in the classroom discussion.

iii)  Unmanageable classroom size prevents students from speaking practice.

1. iv) Less amount of exposure to English language.
2. v) Students’ tendency to use mother tongue excessively.
3. vi) Underestimation of speaking skill by the examination system.

vii)   Pronunciation problem due to mother tongue interference.

viii)  Unavailability of authentic teaching materials.

 

After identifying those problems, I move forward to apply some techniques or strategies in order to teach English as medium of instruction in the classroom.

 

 

9. Stepwise Strategic Attempts\ Work cycle

 As a researcher I have undertaken stepwise strategic attempts in order to teach English as medium of instruction s in the classroom in the following way:

• First Step

planning:

  Doing interaction programme /asking students introduce him or herself.

Action:

  I entered in the class with a big smile .I told the students to chat in English and focus on creating English speaking environment.Then,I asked every students introduce along with their parents’ names and places. I just made friendly environment in the class speaking all the time in English. I motivate students keep on speaking in English.

Observation:

  I observed the students after the interaction/introduce programme about what kind of changes have been developed among the students regarding speaking in English.

Reflection:

There has occurred some changes after the interaction programme.Students  looked a little bit comfortable in talking English.I didn’t get satisfied with this result .so I move forward for another step.

 9.2. Second Step

Planning:

 Pair work/ group work/role play techniques can be used.

Action:

After entering into the class, I divided students into different groups.I handed different kinds of tasks based on speaking such as;strip story , story telling,cliffhanger,describing pictures/charts, prepared talks etc.

 

Observation:

  After that, I just observed the kind of changes among the students regarding speaking in English language.

 

Reflection:

 After the application of the techniques of enhancing speaking skill, I have found that students avoid their shy and inhibition. Students looked very interested in speaking while involving in group and pairs works. With the division of groups, class looked very manageable.

 Then, I intervened the step that I have carried by giving much exposure to English language.

 

10.Work Plan

The work plan is presented in the following table:

 

11.Findings of the Research

 After the action research it could be said that in today’s educational system students are more attracted towards learning in a joyful manner. Instead of using only the traditional method i.e., lecture method there is the need of involving students in different activities. There is no doubt that English language is important and necessary for school level of education the medium of instruction should be English. After doing an action research on “Classroom Teaching in English Medium” the following findings have been found:

1. Group work helps students to speak among themselves without any inhibition.
2. Verbal feedback like ‘yeah’, ‘well done’, ‘keep on going’etc encourages the  

• Students prepare for a speech to be delivered in the class.

1. Students are actively engaged in a task employing the language (spoken   form).
2. Avoid immediate correction.
3. Students interested in speaking English in group work and pair work.

• Classroom seemed very manageable.
• Learner centered technique is much more preferred.

1. Rewarded and reinforced students look very comfortable to speak in the English language.

 

12.Conclusion\Recommendation

Classroom interaction is crucial to the classroom atmosphere. Usually in an interesting, relaxing and fun class, students are more likely to speak more and better. Problems always occur in classroom teaching as students prefer new techniques that make their learning easier and interesting.

 

Various techniques/activities play crucial role while creating English environment in the classroom such as Pair work/ group work/role play, strip story, story telling,cliffhanger,describing pictures/charts, prepared talks etc.similarly, Verbal feedback like ‘yeah’, ‘well done’, ‘keep on going’ encourages the students.The most important thing is that teacher should go through learner centered technique and remains himself as a  rapporter /facilitator .Thus, teachers can follow the following techniques to encourage their students use English language in the class room:

1. Only respond  to the English Use.
2. Keep students reminding on the use of English language again and

• Teachers themselves should speak English almost all times with the use of listening materials and video (if possible).

1. Encourage the students to use dictionary and take help from it when required.
2. Talk to the students about the issues by using English in the English language classroom.
3. Teachers can employ the following several techniques to encourage the use of target language in the classroom :

• Pair interviews
• Guessing games
• Role play
• Stripe stories
• Drama
• Group work
• Dialogues
• Oral practice
• Different types of drill
• Describing experiences
• Picture\map description
• Information gap activities
• Scrambled sentence exercises

vii)    Students should be rewarded and reinforced for their attempt to speak.

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

Agnihotri, R. K. (2001), English Indian education. Language education in                      multilingual India. C. J. Daswani (Ed.). New Delhi: UNESCO.

Byrne, D.(1976). Teaching oral English. London: Longman.

Dahal, R.P.(2004). Students’ Proficiency in expressing Communicative function.  

                          Unpublished Thesis of  M.Ed, T.U, Kirtipur.

Lamsal, H. L. (2010). Application  of Communicative Language Testing.

                       Unpublished Thesis of  M.Ed, T.U, Kirtipur.

Larsen Freeman, D.(2000). Techniques and principles in language teaching       

                         Oxford:   OUP.

Paneru, D.R. (2009). Use of  Computer for teaching English Grammar.

                           Unpublished Thesis of  M.Ed, T.U, Kirtipur.

Richards, J.C. and  Rodgers, T.S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language

                         teaching. Cambridge: CUP.

Ur, p. (1996). A Course in Language Teaching  practice and Theory. Cambridge:

                        CUP.

Woodward, T. (2001). Planning lesson and courses. Cambridge: CUP.

Yinger, R.    (1980). A study of teacher planning. Elementary School Journal,     

                  80(3),107-127.

 

Note : यो कार्यमूलक अनुसन्धान हामीलाई Hiranya Lal Lamsal सरले पठाउनु भएको हो । तपाई पनि जुनसुकै तह र विषयको Action रिसर्च Share गर्न चाहनुहुन्छ भने siknethalo@gmail.com मा email गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ ।