Teaching English Language Skills to the Slow Learners at Primary Level in Bangladesh

Abstract

English as a widely used global language has a considerable impact on the national education policy and the curriculum in Bangladesh. The expectations for primary level students are to develop competencies in the basic skills of the English language to use the language in different contexts and serve their purposes. This study was conducted to investigate the strategies used and challenges faced while teaching reading and writing skills to slow learners in the regular classroom. The study used qualitative methods of data collection such as classroom observation, teachers’ interview, focus group discussion and interviews with experts. Data were collected from the 6 government primary schools located both in rural and urban areas in the Netrokona district of Bangladesh. Data were analyzed through the thematic analysis process. The major findings reveal that some of the teachers had less concern to use differentiated planning and instructions in the classroom. Besides, during interviews, the teachers stated the limited uses of additional strategies for the slow learners while teaching reading and writing skills of English language in the classroom. The findings also describe many challenges that are faced by the teachers and the slow learners in this regard. Based on the challenges found from the study, educational experts suggested some strategies on how to support slow learners to develop their proficiencies in reading and writing skills. Therefore, the recommendations from the study might have a positive impact on using differentiated planning, providing additional support to slow learners and reviewing national education policy and the primary curriculum to address the needs of students with varied educational needs.