LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:10 October 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

HOME PAGE

Click Here for Back Issues of Language in India - From 2001




BOOKS FOR YOU TO READ AND DOWNLOAD FREE!


REFERENCE MATERIALS

BACK ISSUES


  • E-mail your articles and book-length reports in Microsoft Word to languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.
  • PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES GIVEN IN HOME PAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LIST OF CONTENTS.
  • Your articles and book-length reports should be written following the APA, MLA, LSA, or IJDL Stylesheet.
  • The Editorial Board has the right to accept, reject, or suggest modifications to the articles submitted for publication, and to make suitable stylistic adjustments. High quality, academic integrity, ethics and morals are expected from the authors and discussants.

Copyright © 2014
M. S. Thirumalai


Custom Search

Lack of Confidence –
A Psychological Factor Affecting Spoken English of University
Level Adult Learners in Bangladesh

Marium Jamila, M.A. in Applied Linguistics & ELT


Abstract

English is taught as a foreign language in Bangladesh from primary level to higher level education where among all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), speaking- a productive skill is often treated as the most convoluted part for the teachers to teach as well as for the learners to perform. There are some distinctive social and psychological factors that frequently set obstacles before the abilities of learners speaking English both in classrooms and outside the classrooms. So, this study focuses on a specific psychological factor namely ‘Lack of confidence’ which has been found as one of the greatest barriers that affects the oral performance of the university level adult learners mostly. The purpose of the study is to find out some possible solutions dealing with the causes and effects of the very topic with an aim to help students overcome their lack of confidence for ensuring better oral communication being the members of the global community.

Keywords: Importance of Spoken English, less confident learners in Bangladesh, causes and effects of lack of confidence, suggestions to overcome the barrier, teachers’ roles, students’ roles

Introduction

To most people, mastering the art of speaking is the single most important aspect of learning a second or foreign language, and success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the language (Nunan, 1991, p. 39). Whereas, ‘Spoken language production, learning to talk in the foreign language is often considered to be one of the most difficult aspects of language learning for the teacher to help the students with’ (Brown and Yule, 1983, p. 25).

While teaching English at the university level for years, frequently I have found learners less active in spoken classrooms unlike in the classrooms of other three skills (reading, writing and listening) where they are more likely to pass the class time in silent mode which, in real world, must be perfectly opposite. In our country, English is taught compulsorily as a foreign language from primary to higher level education and ‘... the importance of English communication proficiency has been recognized not only in academic sectors but also in job markets…In order to respond to the demand of communication proficiency prevailing in society, most of the universities in Bangladesh have initiated basic English communication courses besides major subjects’ (Quadir, 2006, p. 51-52). But unfortunately, the condition of our learners is more or less similar to that of Hong Kong where ‘Due to the weak foundation of English Language, inadequate training in primary schools and personalities, they are shy and unwilling to speak English in class even though they are forced by teachers’ (Fan, 2001, p. 1).

Krashen (2002) finds that learners with high motivation, self-confidence and a good self-image, and with a low level of anxiety are well equipped for success in second language acquisition. On the other hand, learners with low motivation, little self-confidence and with a high level of anxiety hold high filters and ultimately, they become unsuccessful. So, to be good speakers overcoming the lack of confidence, learners should hold ‘low affective filter’ as it supports to receive more input confidently and at the same time ‘Instead of expecting the teacher to make all decision, learners need to develop initiative and willingness to take on the part of responsibilities’ (Dubin and Olshtain, 1986, p. 79). Here teachers’ concerns should also be for the development of students’ abilities to make sure successful oral communication e.g. while designing speaking activities the teacher should keep in mind that, ‘it is also necessary to recognize the very different functions speaking performs in daily communication and the different purposes for which our students need speaking skills’(Richard, 2008, p.20).


This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.


Marium Jamila, M.A. in Applied Linguistics and ELT
Assistant Professor of English
Department of Languages
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
Bangladesh
jamila_nub@yahoo.com


Custom Search


  • Click Here to Go to Creative Writing Section

  • Send your articles
    as an attachment
    to your e-mail to
    languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.
  • Please ensure that your name, academic degrees, institutional affiliation and institutional address, and your e-mail address are all given in the first page of your article. Also include a declaration that your article or work submitted for publication in LANGUAGE IN INDIA is an original work by you and that you have duly acknowledged the work or works of others you used in writing your articles, etc. Remember that by maintaining academic integrity we not only do the right thing but also help the growth, development and recognition of Indian/South Asian scholarship.