Constructing the Foundations of Capacity Building

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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
  peoples 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
Benchmark spoken English ability
Contextualise motivations aspirations
Determine current classroom practices
Learning to communicate in English
Establish extent of available teaching materials
Comprehend communities of interest influence
Detail opportunities for training development
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 interviewees spoken English evaluated
  against the criteria of the 12-point Trinity
  College English Language scale. See
  http//www.trinitycollege.co.uk/resource/?id1487

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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 Triangle
Tools / Mediating Artefacts
Object
Subject
Outcome
Rules
Division of Labour
Community
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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 teachers 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?