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Constructing the Foundations of Capacity Building
An Activity Theory Analysis of the English in Action Baseline Studies
Jan Rae and Adrian Kirkwood
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The Goal of English in Action (EiA)
• The goal … is to contribute to the economic growth of Bangladesh by providing English language as a tool for better access to the world economy
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The Purpose of EiA
• The purpose 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
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EiA Baseline Studies
• The baselines captured salient features of the Bangladesh environment in 2008-09
• Over 10,000 individual interviews conducted & 400 English lessons observed in detail
• Formative support for the development of EiA interventions
• Provide a reliable basis from which to measure the extent of change over time
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Baseline Basics - Evidence
• Need to demonstrate the current extent of people’s competence with oral English
• Important to have a demonstrably clear picture of the communicative English environment
• Requires reliable detailed evidence drawn from salient features of the environment
• Fieldwork for data collection– Not national – Dhaka & central Bangladesh– School visits in phases – NGO/GOB/Observations
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The Communicative Environment - support for sustainable practice
Learning to communicate
in English
Benchmark spoken English ability
Determine current classroom practices
Establish extent of available teaching
materials
Detail opportunities for training & development
Contextualise motivations &
aspirations
Comprehend communities of
interest & influence
Understand the key components of the technology environment
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BS 1: English Proficiency
• To investigate the level of competence in the use of spoken English.
• Almost 5,000 brief individual interviews conducted with school students, teachers and adults living near the schools.
• Each interviewee’s spoken English evaluated against the criteria of the 12-point Trinity College English Language scale. [See http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/resource/?id=1487]
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BS 2: Socio-Linguistic Factors
• Study 2a - examined the motivation for learning English and the interviewees’ experiences of using communicative English– Survey of over 2,900 pupils, teachers and adults in the
community• Study 2b - assessed the nature of the demand for
English language in the job market and in higher education in Bangladesh– Interviews with 200 managers in companies and in post-
school education
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BS 3: Pedagogical Practices
• Observation study of current classroom practices in Primary & Secondary sectors
• Over 250 English lessons observed in detail in NGO and Government schools
• Teaching & learning practices identified
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BS 4 & 5: Materials & Training
• BS 4: An audit of existing materials and resources available in Bangladesh to support English language teaching and learning
• BS 5: An audit of existing training arrangements for teaching English in schools and colleges and of vocationally oriented provision for adults
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BS 6: Technology Environment
• Study 6a – desk research to review the current media and technology infrastructure & provision in Bangladesh
• Study 6b – a survey of individuals’ familiarity with and use of technologies – Almost 2,900 school pupils, teachers and adults in
the community interviewed
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BBC Baseline Study of Adults
• What are current perceptions towards English language learning and use – What are the barriers to learning English?
• How connected are Bangladeshis to their wider Diaspora community?
• What are the current levels of access to English language media outputs?
• 6,300 respondents nationwide – media users
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Baselines Contextualised
• Activity Theory analysis can help us to explore and conceptually integrate the key considerations and motivations underpinning the various baseline studies
• This theory explores a range of features in context and explains their contribution to practice
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Activity System TriangleTools / Mediating
Artefacts
Subject
Rules Division of Labour
Community
Object
Outcome
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Subject
• BL 2a examined motivations and experiences with communicative English
• Supporting a differentiated articulation of the aspirations and experiences of individuals in a range of contexts
• School students, Teachers, Adults, Community members, etc. (over 2,900 individuals)
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Tools / Mediating Artefacts
• BL 4, BL 5, BL 6a & 6b demonstrated aspects of the current situation relating to:
• Materials and resources that can be used by teachers and learners of English
• Professional development & training opportunities to support teachers’ practices and learners’ skills
• Mass media and informal contributions
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Object
• BL 1 benchmarked the current levels of competence in spoken English
• To increase the potential to communicate in English
• ‘English for Today’ (National curriculum) – fairly recent – stresses communicative English – compulsory subject
• No formal testing of oral / aural skills
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Rules
• BL 3 & BL 5 enabled us to explore practices • Examining the relationship between the
National curriculum for English and what actually happens in lessons
• Identifying typical approaches in classrooms• Determining what opportunities exist for
students to communicate within English lessons
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Community
• BL 3, BL 5 BL 2b illuminated facets related to the wider context of learning
• Comprehend the many communities of interest & influence – formal & informal – that impact upon learners
• Factors and actors within education institutions, communities, families, the world of work, etc.
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Division of Labour
• BL 3 and BL 5 explored the impact upon the learning experience of different actors
• Understanding the differentiated roles within learning processes
• Who does what? How active or passive are participants?
• Ownership & control – Curriculum designers, examiners, teachers, learners, etc.
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‘Contradictions’
• Conflicts or incongruities between different elements within an activity system
• E.g. Current emphasis in UK higher education upon developing team working skills (Object) but assessment concentrates upon the outputs of individuals (Rules)
• E.g Innovations in teaching tools not reflected in changed curriculum outputs
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Possible Contradictions (1)
• Some teacher’s level of spoken English competence appears to be at a level lower than expected by the higher grade English for Today textbooks
• Some students seem to have a higher level of competence than both their teacher and the textbook for their grade
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Possible Contradictions (2)
• Students can identify which aspects of English language they need to succeed in examinations – Reading and Writing
• ButThey also identify the aspects they will need in their future lives – Speaking and Listening
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Possible Contradictions (3)
• Assessment requirements and ‘teaching for exams’ – grammar emphasised
• Oral communicative English NOT assessed, so there are few opportunities for learners to develop their skills in class
• Predominant pedagogical approach is didactic – gives little opportunity for communicative activity
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Any Questions?