Title: English-only Instruction in Tertiary-level L2 Writing: An Exploratory Study with Translingualism
Author(s): Md. Akteruzzaman, Assistant Professor, Department of English, East Delta University, Bangladesh and S. M. Javed Anwar, Lecturer, Department of English, East Delta University, Bangladesh
Publication InformationTitle: English-only Instruction in Tertiary-level L2 Writing: An Exploratory Study with Translingualism
Author(s): Md. Akteruzzaman, Assistant Professor, Department of English, East Delta University, Bangladesh and S. M. Javed Anwar, Lecturer, Department of English, East Delta University, Bangladesh
Journal Title: Palimpsest - East Delta University Journal of English Studies
Volume No: 02, Issue No: 01, Year: 2020, Pages: 32-44
Publisher: Department of English, East Delta University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
Type of Publication: Research Article
Received: 26 November 2020, Accepted: 25 February 2021, Published: 07 December 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46603/pedujes.v2i1.4
Abstract
Since CLT's propagation emphasises teaching English monolingually in an adamant manner, the tide has been set to follow that trend blindly. However, English-only instruction has been under debate recently, particularly in non-native teaching contexts. This paper questions the credibility of English-only instruction in teaching tertiary-level L2 writing in Bangladesh. Through small-scale action research with 36 students studying at a private university, the researchers discover that inconsistent dependency on English as the only medium of instruction has far-reaching effects on academic writing perception in a multilingual setting. The initial findings suggest that students from Bangla-medium background, who are taught following NCTB (National Curriculum and Textbook Board) syllabus, constitute the most considerable portion of the affected community. To address the issue, participants were trained following a translingual action plan. A comparative analysis between their former and subsequent performances projects that application of translingual practices has a constructive influence that can equip the learners with a deeper understanding of academic writing. It also proposes that other than trying to fit the learners into the scaffold of English-only instruction, the novice writers should be taught translingually.
Since CLT's propagation emphasises teaching English monolingually in an adamant manner, the tide has been set to follow that trend blindly. However, English-only instruction has been under debate recently, particularly in non-native teaching contexts. This paper questions the credibility of English-only instruction in teaching tertiary-level L2 writing in Bangladesh. Through small-scale action research with 36 students studying at a private university, the researchers discover that inconsistent dependency on English as the only medium of instruction has far-reaching effects on academic writing perception in a multilingual setting. The initial findings suggest that students from Bangla-medium background, who are taught following NCTB (National Curriculum and Textbook Board) syllabus, constitute the most considerable portion of the affected community. To address the issue, participants were trained following a translingual action plan. A comparative analysis between their former and subsequent performances projects that application of translingual practices has a constructive influence that can equip the learners with a deeper understanding of academic writing. It also proposes that other than trying to fit the learners into the scaffold of English-only instruction, the novice writers should be taught translingually.
Keywords
L2 writing, English-only instruction, translingualism, CLT in Bangladesh, action research
L2 writing, English-only instruction, translingualism, CLT in Bangladesh, action research
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