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Research Proposal

M.A ELTL (Morning)

Session 2016-18

Topic: Difficulties Faced by the Urdu-Medium Learners of English at Graduation

Level

Submitted to: Dr. Muhammad Islam

Submitted by: Humaira Yousaf (2016-1305)

Mariam Sheikh (2016-1319)

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 3
Statement of Problem ..................................................................................................... 5

Research Question ............................................................................................................ 5

Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 5

Delimitation ......................................................................................................................... 6

Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 6

2. Literature Review ................................................................................... 7
3. Research methodology ............................................................................ 7
Research Design ................................................................................................................ 8

Population ............................................................................................................................. 8
Sample .................................................................................................................................... 8

Research Tools ................................................................................................................... 8

Data collection and Analysis ....................................................................................... 9

4. Data Presentation and Analysis ............................................................. 9

5. Conclusion ............................................................................................... 9
End Notes .................................................................................................................... 10

References ................................................................................................................... 11
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1. Introduction

At school level, the educational system of Pakistan is divided into three

major categories on the basis of the medium of instruction:

1. The government vernacular-medium schools which use Urdu, and the

regional languages as Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi, Pashto, etc as their
medium of instruction for teaching almost all the subjects.
2. English medium schools (private elitist; state-influenced public
schools and cadet colleges; and non-elitist private English-medium
schools) which teach all subjects in English except Islamiat and Urdu
compulsory.
3. Religious seminaries (madreassas of the two major sects of Islam
Sunni and Shia) which mostly uses vernaculars for teaching.1

However, at higher education level (colleges and universities), there is only one
medium of instruction: that is English. Thus there are two streams of students
entering from the schools into our higher education institutions:

a. Students from Urdu- or vernacular-medium background

b. Students from English-medium background2.

As far as English medium students are concerned, they do not feel much
difficulty in coping with the environment as well as the advance study; whereas,
the vernacular-medium students face a lot of problems in competing them:

 These students cannot comprehend the lectures and books which are
mostly in English
 They have to face so many hurdles in explaining their points of view
due to the lack of verbal competency.
 Their academic results suffer a lot as they usually secure low grades
due to their inability to write proper English sentences.
 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
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 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
pedagogy”4 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 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
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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 analyze 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

The English language learners belonging to the Urdu-medium instructions

face hurdles in the way of efficient and proficient linguistic activity (written and
verbal communication), after reaching a higher level of education as graduation.

1.2. 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?

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.
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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. Significance of the Study

As only a small number of institutions5 are using English as medium of instructions, most of the
learners of English language belong to Urdu and regional-medium instructions. This research
will provide an overview of the difficulties faced by most of the students of English from such
backgrounds. The results of the research may help the teachers to be aware of these problems
and adopt certain suitable strategies to remedy them. The research can be applied to a wide range
of the learners even above the graduation level and in fields other than arts.
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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 counseling,
psychological conditioning and pedagogical strategies by the teachers.

3. Research methodology

The researcher is foreseeing to adopt an experimental methodology so that to find

out the practical solutions of the problems.
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3.1. Research Design

The researcher will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative paradigm of

research.

3.2. Population

The population of this research will be the students of the Government Islamia
College for Women, Lahore Cantt.

3.3. Sample

The sample of this research will be 30 students of English (compulsory subject)

class from the same college who will be selected on the basis of their Urdu-
medium educational background.

3.4. Research Tools

The researcher is going to use the following research tools:

A. Survey Tools

The researcher will use a Questionnaire (having 12 questions)

to get statistical data from the students.

B. Field-Study Tools

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.
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3.5. Data collection and Analysis

The data will be collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observation

sheets as well as pre- and post-tests. The presentation will be in the form of tabular
charts and graphs, and the analysis will be done in the form of the comparison of
the percentages of the two groups of the students.

4. Data Presentation and Analysis

For the presentation of data, tabular charts will be used. For example, the
questionnaire data will be presented and analyzed in the following manners:

key Strongly Agree Uncertain Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
Question 1 % % % % %
Question 2 % % % % %
Question 3 % % % % %
Question 4 % % % % %
Question 5 % % % % %

5. Conclusion

As Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, almost every Pakistani knows it other
than his or her mother tongue. Therefore, the researcher is feeling quite positive
about the outcomes of this research. She thinks that by pointing out and analyzing
the major difficulties of the learners belonging to vernacular-medium of
instruction, she will be able to recommend certain useful pedagogical strategies
and techniques to the English language teachers and the teachers of English as a
compulsory subject. This will contribute to the betterment of English language
proficiency among the students of Urdu-medium educational background and will
help them to perform better in their academic as well as professional life.
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Endnotes
1. Tariq Rahman. Denizens of alien worlds: a study of education, inequality and
polarization in Pakistan. (Oxford University Press, 2004)
2. Sabiha Mansoor. Language Planning in Higher Education: A Case Study of Pakistan.
(Oxford University Press, 2005)
3. Abbas, S. 1998 Socio-political Dimensions in Language: English in Context in Pakistan.
Journal of Applied Language Studies 23, 42
4. Abbas, S. 1998 Socio-political Dimensions in Language: English in Context in Pakistan.
Journal of Applied Language Studies 23, 42
5. Only 5 to 10 % according to A Study to Review Policies and Classroom Practices
Pertaining to Katchi Class by Institute of Education and Research from
http://www.gepsp.moe.gov.pk/upload/publication/IER_Policy_Study_Summary_07.pdf
(retrieved on 20-01-2010)
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_of_instruction (retrieved on 24-01-2010)
7. Cheryl Boyd Zimmerman 1997. Historical Trends in Second Language Vocabulary
Acquisition.
8. A.P.R. Howatt. A History of English Language Teaching. (Oxford University Press, 1984)
9. W.M. Rivers. Teaching Foreign Language Skills (2nd Ed.). (University of Chicago Press,
Chicago, 1981)
10. Riaz Hassan, 2004. Remaking English in Pakistan. (National University of Modern
Languages, Islamabad)
11. Dennis M. McInerney, Shawn Van Etten 2004. Research on Sociocultural Influences on
Motivation and Learning, Volume 1. Information Age Publishing: Greenwich
12. Steven McDonough, 1986. Psychology in Foreign Language Teaching. (George Allen &
Unwin, London)
13. Tariq Rahman, Language, Ideology and Power: Language -Learning Among the Muslims
of Pakistan and North India, (Oxford University Press, Karachi, 2002)
14. Tariq Rahman. Denizens of alien worlds: a study of education, inequality and
polarization in Pakistan. (Oxford University Press, 2004)
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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.