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Research Proposal
Research Proposal
Research Proposal
Topic:
Level:
Researcher:
Supervisor:
Department:
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................3
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM ..........................................................................................5
RESEARCH QUESTION ...................................................................................................5
OBJECTIVES .........................................................................................................................6
DELIMITATION ...................................................................................................................6
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY..................................................................................6
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1.
Introduction
At school level, the educational system of Pakistan is divided into three
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Their difficulties in English language result in their failure in the particular
subject. And since English is a compulsory subject, failure in English
means failure in the entire University examination.3
Due to poor academic results and failure, these students suffer from
financial and economical problems as they cannot get reasonable jobs.
Along with the academic and financial problems, these learners face a lot
of psychological pressures and anxieties. It has been noted that such
learners start assuming the people who are fluent in English as more
intelligent and capable, and thus start undermining their own potential.
The causes of these problems seem to lie deep-rooted as English is not at all a
new language to these vernacular-medium learners. In almost all of the institutions, it is
taught up to the graduation level as a compulsory subject. However, it has been noted that
usually Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) is adopted to teach it. By utilizing the
mother-tongue, national and the regional languages, the grammatical rules as well as
from- and into-English translations are taught to the students hoping that the already
acquired language will support the target language, and by comparing the two languages
the students will be in a better position to understand the English structures.
But many researchers and linguists blame this GTM approach as the flawed
pedagogy4 along with the faulty material design responsible for these problems of the
learners. They argue that GTM usually proves beneficial in the beginning as the students
find it easy to learn by relating to some previous knowledge. But it should not be the only
medium used because in this manner, the mother tongue of the learners seems to interfere
a lot, and the learners always appear pre-occupied in comparing the two languages to
form English sentences which usually results in blunders.
One obvious reason for these difficulties seems to be the unavailability of the
encouraging environment for the use of English in vernacular-medium instruction. In a
country where the literacy rate is just 54%, it is very difficult for a learner to practice a
foreign language in his daily communication. English-medium learners have the
advantage over Vernacular-medium learners in this case. They can practice the language
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in the classroom and develop their confidence and skill; whereas the vernacular-medium
learners lack these opportunities. Moreover, social factors also cause shyness and
hesitation among the learners. English is still regarded as a symbol of Western culture in
Pakistan and the people seems to be in a fear of being alienated in their society.
Thus, there are so many socio-psychological problems and difficulties that hinder
the efficient and proficient learning of English language. These difficulties hinder the
proficient written expression and verbal communication causing so many other
economical and career problems.
As Pakistan is a multi-lingual country where hundreds of vernaculars are spoken,
it would be very difficult to analyse the effects of each and every vernacular. Therefore,
for the sake of convenience, and to resolve the ambiguity, the researcher is going to
consider only the students belonging to Urdu-medium background.
1.1.
Statement of Problem
Research Questions
What are the difficulties faced by an English language learner belonging to the
Urdu-medium instructions? What specially-designed pedagogical strategies can be
applied?
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Objectives
The researcher wants to:
Analyse various social, psychological and pedagogical factors responsible
for the difficulties in the proficient English language communication.
Make the language teachers aware of the important role they have to
perform in such a situation
Suggest some effective remedial pedagogical strategies to cater the needs
of such students.
1.3.
Delimitation
The researcher has delimited her research to the learners of English as a subject
from Urdu-medium background at graduation level of the University of the Punjab.
1.4.
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2.
Literature Review
Medium of instruction is the language that is used in teaching. It may or may not
be the official language of the territory.6 Urdu is the national language of Pakistan that is
the language of instruction in all public sector institutions. Usually Grammar-Translation
method is used for the teaching of foreign language that considers the second or foreign
language learning as a mere provision of the detailed explanation of grammar of the
target language in their native languages, paradigms to memorize, and bilingual
vocabulary lists to learn; and thus to prepare the learners for the regular task of
translating long passages.7 The aim is to enable the learners to understand foreign
literature and to pass standardized exams. 8 9
However, native grammar and syntax interferes in the acquisition of
second language. The students seem to compare the two languages all the time and thus,
they tend to indigenize the language10. Social norms and learning environment also
affects the foreign language learning.11 Psychological factors also play a tremendous role
in the foreign language achievement.12 Most of the learners want to learn English as it is
the language of the elitist domain of power, not only in Pakistan but also
internationally.13 But some detest it being a symbol of west, colonial suppression as well
as a symbol of elite status.14
The researcher is of the view that the learners of English language belonging to
Urdu-medium instructions are under various social, economical and psychological
impediments that hinder in the proficient learning of the language. And these difficulties
can be removed by effective application of the counselling, psychological conditioning
and pedagogical strategies by the teachers.
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Research methodology
3.
3.1.
Research Design
3.2.
Population
The population of this research will be the students of the Government Post
Graduate College for Women, Satellite Town Rawalpindi.
3.3.
Sample
3.4.
Research Tools
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The researcher will use Observation sheets to note down various
changes in the results of pre- and post-tests of the students before
and after her teaching experiment.
3.5.
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4.
Strongly
Agree
Uncertain
Disagree
Strongly
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Agree
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Disagree
%
%
%
%
%
The comparison will be done in the form of progress charts and graphs. For
example, the result of the experimentation will be shown as follows:
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5.
Conclusion
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Endnotes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
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References
1- A.P.R. Howatt. A History of English Language Teaching. (Oxford University Press,
1984)
2- Faiza Amin Mohammed Khalil. Evidence of mother tongue interference in foreign
language acquisition: a case study of Kuwaiti learners. (University College, Cardiff,
1981)
3- James Coady, Thomas N. Huckin. Second Language vocabulary acquisition: a
rationale for pedagogy. (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1997)
4- M. Bhatti. 1976. National Language Policies and the Standard of English in Pakistan.
Journal of Research (Humanities) July 22nd, 1975. University of the Punjab. Lahore,
Pakistan.
5- N. S. Ahmed. 1964. Teaching of English as a Second Language. (The Carwan Book
House, Lahore, Pakistan)
6- Riaz Hassan, 2004. Remaking English in Pakistan. (National University of Modern
Languages, Islamabad)
7- Steven McDonough, 1986. Psychology in Foreign Language Teaching. (George Allen
& Unwin, London)
8- Tariq Rahman. Denizens of alien worlds: a study of education, inequality and
polarization in Pakistan. (Oxford University Press, 2004)
9- Tariq Rahman, Language, Ideology and Power: Language -Learning Among the
Muslims of Pakistan and North India, (Oxford University Press, Karachi, 2002)
10- W.M. Rivers. Teaching Foreign Language Skills (2nd Ed.). (university of Chicago
Press, Chicago, 1981)
11- Cheryl Boyd Zimmerman 1997. Historical Trends in Second Language Vocabulary
Acquisition.