Teaching English! Students can be a teacher, really!

“Sir, how is it possible? She never speaks even a single word in English in the class. But within three days, she is taking English class in English way! Oh my God! Is it possible?”------- This is an expression of a rural secondary English teacher in Bangladesh.

The scenario of teaching and learning English in Bangladesh is very miserable. Teachers teach English following traditional ways, students fear English like Royal Bengal Tiger. So, there is a great distance between teachers teaching and students receiving English. As a result, every year a lot of students are failing in the exam only for English.

I am really shocked at the sight of the teacher centered English teaching in secondary School in Bangladesh. I never support this way because it not an interesting way for the absence of education supportive environment. There is no personal engagement, thinking, creating and enjoying in a teacher centered class. So, I and some of my colleagues think the above lines and try to find another way of teaching and learning English. We start a six days school program as piloting. We give the name of this program as “English Week”.

Firstly we select a secondary school. We go there and speak with the students to make them free. We divided our six days program into two parts. In the first three days in a school we take the students from the classes 9- 10. Now, from the students we select (by the help of their teacher) 15-20 students for making them core trainer and the rest of the students become assistant trainer of the core trainers. However, we give them the Training of Trainer (TOT). After receiving three days training we divide those 15- 20 groups. In every group there is a core trainer with 5-8 assistant trainers. Beside this, we also take 18 students for arranging a short play on English. We take them separate place and train them about the drama and at the last day they perform in the drama that is really exciting

Now, in the second three days we take the students from classes 6-8. With the help of their teacher we make 15-20 mix groups. Then every core trainer (with assistant trainer) takes the charge of a group (students from 6-8). They sit in the school field and the core trainers (with the help of assistant trainers) conduct the class. The whole school seems an English fair. Everywhere there is nothing but “English Sound”. Students’ trainers take the class; sometimes they play games, sing songs and dance also. Thus students learn English what is called really English learning.

I start my writing with the expression of a secondary school teacher whose school we select for ‘English Week’. He becomes surprised at the great changes on English of the whole students of his school within six days.

So, dear, we are doing this in our country. If you think, you can do this in your country. For doing so anyway if I can help you, I will be much pleased.

All the best

Md. Nurunnabi

Core Trainer

English in Action Project

BMB Mott MacDonald Bangladesh