An investigation into a communicative approach to English language teaching in governmental and nongovernmental primary schools in Bangladesh

In recent years, the government of Bangladesh has worked to implement a language policy to foster a communicative approach to English language teaching (ELT) beginning at the primary level in the Bangladeshi educational system. Since such a top-down decision was made, no studies have been conducted to substantiate the presence of a communicative approach in Bangladeshi English classrooms. The aims of this study are thus (1) to probe to what extent in-class English teaching and learning practices reflect a communicative approach to ELT; more specifically, this thesis motivates "indicators" used in the documentation of "present realities" in governmental and BRAC primary school English classrooms, (2) to assess the communicative ability of Bangladeshi students enrolled in these schools, and (3) to examine the relationship between the aforementioned indicators and students' communicative ability. Results suggest that a communicative approach is not strongly reflected in ELT in governmental and BRAC English classes; that Bangladeshi ELLs enrolled in governmental institutions are better communicators than those enrolled in BRAC ones; and that there appears to be a positive relationship between the presence of communicative approach indicators and students' communicative ability. This study also highlights certain instances of intersection between Western research methods and Bangladeshi (i.e., non-Western) culture---or, more appropriately, problems arising during research due to an outsider epistemic location.