Bangladeshi students often fail in English due to a lack of proper language education and resources, limited exposure to the language outside of the classroom, and cultural and linguistic differences between Bangla and English.
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Bangladeshi students often struggle with English language proficiency, which can lead to poor academic performance and limited career prospects. This is due to a variety of factors, including inadequate language education and resources, limited exposure to English outside of the classroom, and cultural and linguistic differences between English and Bangla.
According to Dr. Zillur Rahman, a former professor of Linguistics at Dhaka University, “English is not our first language, and it’s not a part of our culture. We have to learn it as a second language, and that requires a lot of effort and resources.” Many schools in Bangladesh lack well-trained English teachers and up-to-date learning materials, which hinders students’ language acquisition.
Additionally, Bangladeshi students often have limited exposure to English outside of the classroom, which is crucial for language acquisition. Many families do not have the resources to send their children to private language schools, and students may not have access to English-language books, television shows, or other media.
Furthermore, the differences between Bangla and English can pose unique challenges for Bangladeshi students. For example, Bangla does not have articles (like “a” and “the”), which can lead to errors in English usage. The word order is also different in Bangla, which can cause confusion for English learners.
To combat these challenges, the Bangladeshi government has implemented various initiatives to improve English language education in the country. For example, the English Access Microscholarship Program provides English-language courses for economically disadvantaged students. The government has also made efforts to increase the number of trained English teachers in schools.
Table: Comparison of English and Bangla grammar features
Feature
English
Bangla
Articles
“a”, “an”, and “the”
No equivalent
Verb structure
Subject-verb-object
Object-verb-subject
Tense system
12 tenses available
6 tenses available
Verb to be
Multiple uses
Limited use
Prepositions
150+ in common use
Fewer than 20 in common use
Interesting facts:
English is the official language of Bangladesh, but only about 10% of the population speaks it fluently.
Bangladesh has been ranked as one of the lowest-performing countries in English proficiency by the EF English Proficiency Index.
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for English language training in Bangladesh, as more companies require English proficiency for employment.
Video answer
This video discusses the causes of students’ failure in English in Bangladesh and how to bounce back from it. The speaker notes that negative attitudes towards learning English from childhood, emphasis on memorization without understanding, and the faulty educational system are among the reasons for this failure. The common belief that memorizing more will result in better grades is incorrect and that mastering the meaning and use of English is crucial for success. The importance of learning English in the current era of globalization is emphasized, as failure to do so is seen as a barrier to the development of Bangladesh.
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What are the problems of the learners of English in Bangladesh?
lack of practice: But the four skills are not given equal importance. Reading and writing skills are only emphasized. Examinations are taken on reading and writing skills only. Listening and speaking skills remain neglected to the teachers and learners.
Why most of the students fear English in Bangladesh?
The answer is: Many students in Bangladesh mainly those who are weak in this subject due to their poor background knowledge very often find it difficult to use this language and for this reason, they have developed an English phobia or fear of English even though they have a good command of the discipline they studied in the
What problems do Bangladeshi speakers face in speaking English?
Bangladeshi learners have most problems in pronouncing the fricatives, affricates, diphthongs and vowels. They cannot speak English with proper accent and many aspects of connected speech are also absent in their speech.
Are there a good number of reasons why students in Bangladesh fail in English?
The reply will be: Our country/ In Bangladesh, students fail in English for many reasons. Firstly, they are not motivated to learn this foreign language. Secondly, the textbooks are unsuitable and teaching method is difficult. Thirdly, the quota system is faulty.
Is English language education a problem in Bangladesh?
Considering the fact that Bangladesh is one of the largest English learning populations of the world, it is significant to study problems associated with English language education in the country (Chowdhury & Kabir, 2014; Hamid, 2016 ). This article discussed the key issues linked with ELT in Bangladesh by reviewing relevant concurrent literature.
Why do students fail in English in our country?
Answer to this: There are many reasons for it. Certainly, there are many causes of students’ failure in English in our country. Firstly, the boys and girls from their childhood hold a negative attitude towards learning English. Most of the students in our country are not interested in learning English.
Can Bangladesh achieve self-reliance in English language teaching?
As an answer to this: Apparently, Bangladesh has remained unsuccessful in attaining self-reliance in English language teaching. Although the problem is reported widely in popular opinion and empirical studies, policymakers are often reluctant in admitting the problem. MoE should acknowledge the complication created by their inconsistent policy formulation.
Why is English important in Bangladesh?
English in Bangladesh is significant in many ways. In order to supply the global demand of skilled workforce, English language proficiency is imperative. However, for the achievement of enhanced English language proficiency, an exclusionary approach such as scrapping Bangla and other ethnic languages from language planning is never desirable.
Is Bangladesh's English language education good or bad?
As a response to this: Even given the generally low level of educational standards in Bangladesh (Islam, 2015), the standard of English language teaching and learning has decreased alarmingly in recent years (Hamid, 2011). English language education in Bangladesh has always been problematic, despite various attempts to initiate curriculum reform.
Why do students fail in English in our country?
There are many reasons for it. Certainly, there are many causes of students’ failure in English in our country. Firstly, the boys and girls from their childhood hold a negative attitude towards learning English. Most of the students in our country are not interested in learning English.
Can Bangladesh achieve self-reliance in English language teaching?
Response will be: Apparently, Bangladesh has remained unsuccessful in attaining self-reliance in English language teaching. Although the problem is reported widely in popular opinion and empirical studies, policymakers are often reluctant in admitting the problem. MoE should acknowledge the complication created by their inconsistent policy formulation.
Is there a gap between policy and language practice in Bangladesh?
As a result, a gap between policy and language practice exists in Bangladesh. The newly adopted language in education policies explicitly indicated the significance of English in Bangladesh and language proficiency for its people.
