An exploration of instructional practices, problems, and alternatives in general English courses in Madras (Chennai) University, India

Discontinuity between the preparation of professors teaching General English at Madras University, India, and their students' academic and linguistic background produces frustration for these educators, and failure for the students. To explore instructional alternatives that might alleviate the situation, a questionnaire was prepared to secure quantitative (close-ended items) and qualitative (comments) data on three questions: (1) What are the current instructional practices of college instructors? (2) What are their instructional problems? (3) What are potential ways of improving instruction?; The first two queries sought descriptive data on the setting—Madras University—and the sample population—one hundred General English professors; the last evaluated the subjects' receptivity to research proposed instructional alternatives. The instrument was administered on site by a professional surveyor and returned to the researcher with a 100% completion rate.; Quantitative data analysis revealed the subjects' tendency to perpetuate traditional teaching practices, while showing significant receptivity to instructional innovations. Qualitative data analysis confirmed their desire for change, but one initiated in the university system and the antecedents of at-risk students, not in their own instructional practices. Clearly, the respondents (99 out of 100) had not internalized the alternative strategies listed in the questionnaire (or in previous workshops). However, their openness to these suggestions pointed to potential benefits in field-testing a comprehensive training program on instructional alternatives, to determine their effect on student learning. Meanwhile, it was concluded that General English instructors needed to take charge of their own professional development in order to equalize educational opportunities for disadvantaged students.