Pedagogical Practices in English Language Classrooms in Bangladesh During COVID -19: A Narrative Inquiry

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed the global educational system. This dissertation delves into the pedagogical practices employed by English language teachers throughout the pandemic, offering a detailed examination of the unique challenges they encountered and the opportunities that arose during the transition to remote teaching. By analyzing their experiences, the study aims to shed light on how educators adapted their methods to effectively engage students in an unprecedented learning environment. The study is based on an interpretive research paradigm, which utilizes qualitative methods to gain insights into teachers’ experiences. The study tries to reveal the pedagogical approaches, the impact of digital tools, and the educational policies during COVID-19 that shaped the experiences of higher secondary level teachers in Bangladesh through semi-structured interviews. This dissertation employs narrative enquiry as its research methodology with a view to exploring the research participants’ stories. The study includes interviews with English teachers teaching at higher secondary who shared their pandemic-time teaching experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to allow participants to share their narratives freely. This approach helps to understand the teachers' experiences, which aligns with the interpretive paradigm of research. The findings of the study reveal that teachers face challenges in continuing their pedagogical practices during the pandemic. Their challenges include the abrupt switching to an online mode of teaching, a lack of proper training, and limited access to digital tools. It has also been noticed that there exists a digital divide between village and city areas. Despite these challenges, the teachers continue to deliver their lessons virtually by adapting themselves to the online mode of teaching. This capacity of adaptation shows teachers' resilience in the case of crisis and their determination to guarantee the persistence of educational activities amidst critical situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this dissertation are significant for all the stakeholders in the education sector, including policymakers, researchers, teachers, students, and guardians. Understanding the experience of English teachers during COVID-19 tells us about the implications of online education. This dissertation examines the pedagogical practices of English teachers in English language classrooms at the higher secondary level during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. It portrays the challenges faced by the teachers and their proactive strategies to ensure effective teaching and learning during this global crisis. Moreover, it also recommends investing in teacher training and developing digital infrastructure to ensure quality English language teaching and preparing teachers for future challenges.