Reasons Why We Lag Behind: Qualms of Teaching English Writing in Secondary Levels of Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Writing is one of the noteworthy factors of four major language skills. However, teaching English writing is a difficult and troublesome task for the teachers in the village areas of Bangladesh albeit to the maximum preference was given to writing modules in rural secondary schools. The present study aimed at looking into issues that hinder the advancement and effectiveness of teaching English writing at secondary school levels in rural Bangladesh. It was also investigated if the methods, materials, environments, curricula, and class sizes were congenial to the effective learning and teaching. The researcher used a mixed method approach. Both qualitative and quantitative methodology by analyzing documents, observing and interviewing of secondary school teachers and learners from different rural schools were used to conduct the study. It was observed that learners had almost no opportunity to practice critical writing in classroom settings. Seldom were they taught the writing strategies including pre-writing, brainstorming, and branching. Most often students were reluctant to the strategy of idea generation—drafting—revising. Among many obstacles, the study reveals the followings: low salary of teachers, learners’ inertia; obscurity in foreign language policies, qualms in curricula, dearth of resources and training facilities. Results from this study found plenty of incongruity between teachers’ perception and practice in writing classes. The authenticity of this paper is not marginalized to the context of a particular institution in remote Bangladesh, but is hoped to reach further to regional institutions which are facing similar problems.