Learner-centred instruction in a second/foreign language fosters learner autonomy, enhances metacognitive skills, and develops learners’ communicative competence, and is in consonance with the communicative language teaching approach to teaching English as a foreign language in Bangladesh. However, the current scenario of English education in the Bangladesh setting shaped by the age-old practice of the grammar-translation method and teacher-domination hardly exhibits learner-centredness. This paper then firstly tries to explicate learner autonomy, metacognition, and learner-centred second/foreign language classrooms, and secondly explores the Bangladesh context.
Table of Contents
1. Learner autonomy
2. Metacognition
3. Learner-centered S/FL classrooms
4. The Bangladesh context
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper examines the theoretical foundations of learner-centred instruction, specifically focusing on how learner autonomy and metacognition can be integrated into second/foreign language classrooms to improve communicative competence, particularly within the challenging educational context of Bangladesh.
- The significance of fostering learner autonomy in language education.
- The role of metacognitive knowledge and experiences in self-directed learning.
- Comparison between instructivist (teacher-centred) and constructivist (learner-centred) classroom environments.
- The challenges and constraints of implementing communicative language teaching in the Bangladeshi education system.
- Practical strategies for scaffolding student participation through effective elicitation techniques.
Excerpt from the Book
Learner-centered S/FL classrooms
It is currently evident that interaction between the teacher and students as well as between the students themselves in the classroom is crucial to the success of SL/FL teaching and learning since it is in the heart of communication (Brown, 1994) established and executed through negotiation of meaning in various contexts. However, if we examine a traditional instructivist S/FL classroom, we find that it is entirely teacher-dominated and mechanical as the teacher controls everything, releases skills and knowledge through lectures, and talks all the time while the learners almost mutely listen to what he/she preaches, watch what he/she does, and act as he/she orders. Thus, the environment of such a classroom is in consonance with the theory and practice of the grammar-translation and audio-lingual methods (Richards & Rogers, 2001), and evidently encourages teacher domination, and discourages learner autonomy, involvement and creativity.
In an instructivist classroom, the seating arrangement is usually non-specialized such as the militaristic one (Figure1) which promotes one-way communication from the teacher to the students, and is suitable for listening to the teacher’s lectures, drilling and testing, but excessively rigid and fragmentary especially for the mixed-ability group with its need for flexibility, interaction and variety.
Chapter Summaries
1. Learner autonomy: Defines learner autonomy as the ability to take charge of one's own learning process through reflection and responsibility, highlighting its link to metacognition and student motivation.
2. Metacognition: Explores the mental activities involved in higher-order thinking, detailing how metacognitive knowledge and experiences are essential for self-regulation and language acquisition.
3. Learner-centered S/FL classrooms: Contrasts the traditional instructivist, teacher-dominated classroom with the constructivist model, advocating for an interactive environment that facilitates communicative competence.
4. The Bangladesh context: Analyzes the implementation challenges of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Bangladesh, where traditional grammar-translation methods still dominate despite educational reforms.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the necessity of adopting learner-centred approaches to empower students for 21st-century demands, emphasizing the teacher's role as a facilitator rather than a transmitter of information.
Keywords
Learner-centred instruction, Learner autonomy, Metacognition, Communicative language teaching, S/FL classrooms, Bangladesh context, Constructivism, Teacher-centredness, Grammar-translation method, Language acquisition, Student interaction, Pedagogical strategies, Educational reform, Metacognitive training, Learner empowerment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the necessity of moving from traditional, teacher-centred language instruction to learner-centred approaches in English as a second or foreign language.
What are the core pillars of learner-centred instruction described here?
The core pillars are fostering learner autonomy, developing metacognitive skills, and creating interactive, constructivist classroom environments.
What is the main research problem addressed?
The research addresses the failure of current English language education in Bangladesh to implement communicative practices effectively, due to the lingering influence of teacher-dominated, grammar-translation methods.
Which teaching methods does the author contrast?
The author contrasts the traditional instructivist model, which relies on teacher-led lectures and rigid seating, with the constructivist model that prioritizes learner interaction, collaboration, and meaning-making.
What role does metacognition play in language learning according to the text?
Metacognition allows learners to monitor, regulate, and control their cognitive processes, which is essential for becoming self-directed and autonomous learners.
How does the author propose teachers should change their role?
The author argues that teachers must transition from being "tellers" of information to "facilitators" who guide students and create opportunities for active, democratic participation.
Why is the "Bangladesh context" specifically analyzed?
The context is used to demonstrate the challenges of systemic change where large class sizes, rigid assessment systems, and a lack of teacher training hinder the adoption of modern communicative approaches.
What does the author mean by "harmful washback" in the context of Bangladeshi exams?
It refers to the negative impact that traditional, summative paper-and-pencil examinations have on classroom teaching, forcing teachers to "teach to the test" rather than fostering genuine communicative skills.
Are there specific classroom management strategies recommended?
Yes, the paper suggests using flexible group work, pair work, and diverse elicitation techniques (choice, product, process, and metaprocess) to scaffold learner thinking and participation.
- Quote paper
- Prof. Dr. M Maniruzzaman (Author), 2014, Learner-centred instruction in English as a foreign language: The Bangladesh context, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/285920
