URL for project website/blog
What research questions the project addresses, aims & themes
The aim of English in Action (EIA) is to develop communicative English language learning and teaching in Bangladesh. Funded by the UK Government's Department for International Development (DfID) for a 9-year period from May 2008, the goal of the EIA Project is to "contribute to the economic growth of Bangladesh by providing English language as a tool for better access to the world economy". Project interventions involving information and communication technologies (ICT) will impact upon school students, teachers and adults to serve the purpose of the project, which is to "increase significantly the number of people able to communicate in English, to levels that enable them to participate fully in economic and social activities and opportunities". In three sectors - primary schools, secondary schools and adult learning - initiatives will be introduced that exploit ICT in order to
- increase motivation for learning
- improve access to communicative English resources, and
- enhance and extend the necessary learning and teaching practices.
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Activities: To assess the extent to which the EIA Project achieves its 'purpose' and 'goal' a programme of research, monitoring and evaluation (RME) activities was designed - see Kirkwood & Rae (2011) for more detail. The RME activities focus not only upon outputs emanating from the three core sectors (primary, secondary and adult), but also pay attention to issues that are significant across the project as a whole. Change over time needs to be assessed, so it was essential to have a detailed understanding of the situation that existed immediately before the introduction of any interventions. To that end, a set of project-wide baseline studies was planned and carried out within the first year of EIA to provide "an analysis describing the situation prior to a development intervention, against which progress can be assessed or comparisons made".
A number of functions were served by the initial baseline studies. First, they demonstrated the situation at the project's outset relating to the teaching and learning of English 'on the ground' and the contexts for communicative use of English. Second, the studies informed the intervention outputs and activities planned for each sector and the project as a whole. Third, the studies provide a reliable basis for comparison by presenting an appropriate range of base measures against which project outputs and activities can subsequently be evaluated to determine what improvements have occurred.
How the research questions are addressed by the project (methodology and activity/environment)
- Assessment of spoken English competence among school students, teachers and adults in Bangladesh - Brief face-to-face interviews undertaken by experienced assessors for Trinity College, London with 3,820 school students, 454 teachers and 265 adults in dispersed locations. Each interviewee's spoken English was evaluated against the criteria of the 12-point Trinity College English Language scale.
- Socio-linguistic factors - the motivations and experiences of school students, teachers and adults in the community - An interview survey (in Bangla) with 2,174 school students, 453 teachers and 250 adults in the community (2,877 individuals in total) in dispersed locations. The survey looked into the motivation for learning English and the interviewees' experiences of using communicative English.
- The demand for English language in the workplace and in post-school education - 200 interviews with managers in companies, organisations and post-school educational institutions in and around Dhaka to assess the nature of the demand for competence in communicative English.
- The conduct of English lessons in primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh - Observations of whole lessons were undertaken to establish an understanding of the existing methods and practices by which English language is taught in schools. 252 observations were completed in more than 100 schools in dispersed locations.
- An audit of current materials for teaching English in Bangladesh - Visits to institutions, discussions, interviews and a workshop were supported by documentation from government, NGO and private sources. Existing research reports, project documentation, teacher training materials and journal articles were also consulted. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about the materials available for teaching English in the main organisations involved.
- An audit of a range of English language teacher training and adult provision - This study involved examining the existing training arrangements for teaching English in schools and colleges. It also considered the vocationally oriented provision for adults, such as learning within companies and in private 'coaching schools' for migrant workers.
- The technology environment - infrastructure and supply in Bangladesh - Desk research of available sources to provide a review of the media and technology infrastructure and provision at the project's outset.
- The technology environment - access, familiarity and use - An interview survey (in Bangla) undertaken in dispersed locations with 2,159 school students, 457 teachers and 266 adults in the community (2,882 individuals in total). This study sought to assess the levels of access to technologies and the familiarity with their use among people within Bangladesh.
Findings and outputs
English in Action, 2009a. An assessment of spoken English competence among school students, teachers and adults in Bangladesh (Baseline Study 1 Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-1.pdf
English in Action, 2009b. Socio-linguistic factors - the motivations and experiences of school students, teachers and adults in the community (Baseline Study 2a Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-2-A-B.pdf
English in Action, 2009c. The demand for English language in the workplace and in post-school education (Baseline Study 2b Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-2-A-B.pdf
English in Action, 2009d. An observation study of English lessons in primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh (Baseline Study 3 Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-3.pdf
English in Action, 2009e. An audit of current materials for teaching English in Bangladesh (Baseline Study 4 Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-4.pdf
English in Action, 2009f. An audit of a range of English language teacher training and adult provision (Baseline Study 5 Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-5.pdf
English in Action, 2009g. The technology environment - infrastructure and supply in Bangladesh(Baseline Study 6a Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-6-A-B.pdf
English in Action, 2009h. The technology environment - access, familiarity and use (Baseline Study 6b Research Report). Dhaka, English in Action. Available online from: http://www.eiabd.com/eia/baseline/Baseline%20Study-6-A-B.pdf
Project impact
The Open University's research, monitoring and evaluation work on the programme received the top rating in DfID reviews of the EIA Project.
Publications
Kirkwood, A. & Rae, J. (2011). 'A framework for evaluating qualitative changes in learners' experience and engagement: developing communicative English teaching and learning in Bangladesh'. Evaluation & Research in Education, 24 (3), 203-216. http://oro.open.ac.uk/29637/
Rae, J. & Kirkwood, A. (2009).Constructing the foundations of capacity building: Conducting baseline studies for English in Action, Bangladesh. Paper presented at the 8 th International Language & Development Conference, Dhaka (June). http://oro.open.ac.uk/23872/
Shohel, M. & Kirkwood, A. (In Press). 'Using technology for enhancing teaching and learning in Bangladesh: challenges and consequences'.Learning, Media and Technology. http://oro.open.ac.uk/23872/ and http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2012.671177
Keywords
Baseline studies, Evaluation, International development
People involved
Adrian Kirkwood
[Jan Rae]
Project partners and links
BBC Media Action: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/where_we_work/asia/bangladesh/bbcjanala.html
Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs - Bangladesh: http://www.ucepbd.org/
Funder(s)
UKaid - Department for International Development (DfID): http://www.dfid.gov.uk/
Start Date and duration
March 2008 to July 2010 [EIA Project continues until 2017]