Improving English oral communication skills of grades-6 students in public school Karachi, Pakistan
Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (M. Ed.)
Department
Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
Abstract
English is taught as compulsory subject in all Pakistani public schools. It is taught in most schools for the sake of passing examination. As a result, students’ basic skills such as listening and speaking are not developed and they remain silent, shy and de-motivated. So far, listening and speaking (Oral Communication Skills) are not assessed in annual examination system. The only focus is on reading and writing skills. This has become a basic problem in most of the schools that is how to improve students’ OCS, since without it other skills become meaningless. The purpose of this study is similar to what Carr and Kemmis (1996, p.220) stated, “A reflective inquiry”, and it is undertaken by researchers in order to improve their own practices, their understanding of these practices and the situation in which these practices are carried out. Therefore, my aim was to improve oral communication skills (OCS) of Grade-6 in a lower secondary public school Karachi, Pakistan, as well as my own teaching practices through action research. Thus, the study explores the ways and means of developing OCS with integration English Language National Curriculum (ELNC). ELNC 2006 is well-documented but it has not been implemented in Pakistani public schools. All the lessons are made according to the ‘students’ learning outcome’ (SLO) of ELNC 2006. The study has great significance as it is the first which was done with integrating ELNC and all lessons have been compiled in a manual form which can be used as a guiding tool in teaching English by English language teachers (ELT). The study was done in public school in Karachi, Pakistan, in Grade-6 where only four participants’ performance was assessed using a checklist, focus group discussion and pre-post intervention test. The findings revealed that children’s OCS can be improved if a teacher gives students the opportunities to practice oral language, provides conducive learning environment and uses new teaching strategies such as role plays, discussions and group work. It also encourages that ELNC has potential to improve OCS of students if it is integrated with activities and students’ needs and level. Thus, this study recommends that ELT should be equipped and trained in English language teaching with new teaching strategies. Students should be provided opportunities to practice English in classroom and they should be encouraged to make mistakes and errors.
Recommended Citation
Alam, Q. (2012). Improving English oral communication skills of grades-6 students in public school Karachi, Pakistan (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.