A Critical Analysis of English Language Learning Guidebooks in Bangladesh

Authors

  • Shuvo Saha East West University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10336

Keywords:

English Language Learning Guidebook, English Language Teaching material, Critical Discourse Analysis, Business, Product approach oriented traditional education

Abstract

The English language learning guidebooks (ELLGs), among many other available materials for learning English in Bangladesh, seems to be unique as well as worthy of investigation for they claim to teach English in 30 days. In fact, they are marketed with such discourse that these guidebooks are panacea for learning English without even the assistance of any teacher, text book, or other means. One major point to be marked here is these ELLGs mainly (often solely) focus on the speaking skill and tend to claim that learning the spoken aspect of a language is equivalent to learning the language. Being moved by such anomalous discourses and facts, this qualitative study critically looks at the discourses of ELLGs available in Bangladesh to unveil their actual purpose as well as to be informed about their educational philosophy. The findings suggest that the ELLGs are utterly business oriented products (rather than ELT materials), which instrumentally promote the ‘product approach based traditional form of education’ (Dewey, 1938).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10336

Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 133-147

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Author Biography

Shuvo Saha, East West University

Shuvo Saha is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at East West University, Bangladesh. He presented the research paper “Jawmadar or Cleaner¯ Who Serves Best? Ethnolinguistic Resistance in Old Dhaka’s Shankhari Community” in the 6th BELTA International Conference, 2013. His area of reading and writing range across ELT, CDA, Minority language, Post colonial studies, Linguistic anthropology, Orientalism, and relevant interdisciplinary domains. 

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Published

2014-05-02

How to Cite

Saha, S. (2014). A Critical Analysis of English Language Learning Guidebooks in Bangladesh. Journal of NELTA, 18(1-2), 133–147. https://doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10336

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Section

Articles