Teaching English is a global phenomenon. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. People from different countries, age, culture, backgrounds and gender are taking up teaching English as their profession to teach the language to Non-Native English Speakers (NNES).
Initially, Native English Speakers taught English to NNES by using methods and techniques that they had employed in teaching English in their countries or new techniques they had developed, which they thought were more effective (Brown, 2007). At different times different teachers used different methods and approaches, which they preferred. But now all agree that no single approach suits all learners.
An approach needs to be authentic for a particular group of learners and it is now acknowledged that one group of learner is different from another group in more than one way. Thus, English teaching approaches, besides taking into account only the educational background or age of a group, should consider learners’ cultural background, the environment in which they will use English and above all, their first language.
To make teaching of English most effective, EFL/ESL teachers should take into account how a particular language relates with English and how difficult or easy it is to teach L2 learners because of the differences or similarities of L2 with English.
This essay looks at the teaching of English to Native Bengali Speakers (NBS) from Bangladesh. It does not include the Bengali speakers of West Bengal in India because the Bengali language spoken there, including phonology and cultural background of learners, is different.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Background
- Literature survey
- Phonology Bengali Language
- Vowels
- Consonants
- Difficulties faced by NBS in speaking English
- Proposed solutions
- Training of EFL/ESL teachers/trainers for NBS
- Teaching pronunciation to students of EFL/ESL in Bangladesh
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to examine the challenges faced by native Bengali speakers (NBS) in learning spoken English, focusing specifically on pronunciation difficulties stemming from phonological differences between Bengali and English. It reviews existing research on Bengali phonology and its impact on English language acquisition, exploring the motivational factors influencing learning and suggesting pedagogical approaches to improve spoken English proficiency among NBS in Bangladesh.
- Phonological differences between Bengali and English
- Impact of these differences on English pronunciation for NBS
- Motivational factors influencing English language acquisition among NBS
- Effective pedagogical approaches for teaching spoken English to NBS
- The concept of a "neutral accent" in spoken English
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the essay by highlighting the global significance of English language teaching and the diverse learner populations it encompasses. It emphasizes the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all approaches and stresses the importance of considering learners' cultural backgrounds and first languages in developing effective teaching methodologies. The chapter specifically focuses on the challenges faced by native Bengali speakers in Bangladesh when learning English and aims to analyse the issues related to teaching these learners to speak English with a neutral accent.
Background: This section provides context by describing the author's observations of native Bengali speakers who, despite fluency in reading and writing English, struggle with pronunciation and intelligibility due to the influence of their native language. It highlights the prevalence of this issue among university students in Bangladesh, both in public and private institutions, and introduces the central challenge of teaching these speakers to eliminate traces of their native accent. The context of the differing educational systems and standards in Bangladesh are presented as influencing factors.
Literature survey: This chapter reviews existing research on the phonetics and phonology of the Bengali language. It summarizes several key studies, including Mikuetit & Reetz (2007) on voice and aspiration aspects of Bengali stops and affricates, Alam et al. (2008) on acoustic analysis of Bengali consonants, and Barman (2009) on a comparative analysis of English and Bengali phonemic sounds. The chapter also examines research by Rahman (2005) and Quadir (2008) on motivational factors and speaking strategies among Bangladeshi university students, and Maniruzzaman's (2004, 2008, 2008a, 2008b, 2010) work on phonetic aspects of Bengali and difficulties in teaching English pronunciation to NBS. This review sets the foundation for understanding the linguistic underpinnings of the challenges discussed in the subsequent sections.
Phonology Bengali Language: This section likely delves into a detailed description of the Bengali phonological system, providing a comparative analysis with the English phonological system. This analysis would highlight the specific sounds (vowels and consonants) that are present in Bengali but absent in English or vice versa, which is crucial for understanding the difficulties NBS face in achieving accurate English pronunciation. The section would illustrate the differences between the two systems, providing a framework for understanding the pronunciation challenges faced by NBS.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Native Bengali speakers, spoken English, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English as a Second Language (ESL), pronunciation, phonology, Bengali phonology, accent, intelligibility, motivation, teaching methodology, pedagogical approaches, instrumental motivation, integrative motivation, anxiety, speaking strategies, interlanguage transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this essay?
The essay examines the challenges faced by native Bengali speakers (NBS) in learning spoken English, particularly focusing on pronunciation difficulties arising from phonological differences between Bengali and English. It explores the impact of these differences, investigates motivational factors influencing learning, and proposes pedagogical approaches to improve spoken English proficiency among NBS in Bangladesh.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
Key themes include: phonological differences between Bengali and English; the impact of these differences on English pronunciation for NBS; motivational factors influencing English language acquisition among NBS; effective pedagogical approaches for teaching spoken English to NBS; and the concept of a "neutral accent" in spoken English.
What does the essay cover in its introduction?
The introduction sets the context by highlighting the global importance of English language teaching and the need for culturally sensitive methodologies. It emphasizes the challenges faced by NBS in Bangladesh and aims to analyze the issues related to teaching these learners to speak English with a neutral accent.
What background information is provided in the essay?
The background section describes the author's observations of NBS who struggle with pronunciation despite fluency in reading and writing English. It highlights this issue's prevalence among Bangladeshi university students and introduces the central challenge of teaching these speakers to minimize their native accent, considering the influence of differing educational systems and standards in Bangladesh.
What literature is reviewed in the essay?
The literature review summarizes key studies on Bengali phonetics and phonology, including works by Mikuetit & Reetz (2007), Alam et al. (2008), Barman (2009), Rahman (2005), Quadir (2008), and Maniruzzaman (2004, 2008, 2008a, 2008b, 2010). These studies provide a foundation for understanding the linguistic challenges faced by NBS in learning English pronunciation.
What aspects of Bengali phonology are discussed?
The section on Bengali phonology likely provides a detailed comparison of the Bengali and English phonological systems, highlighting specific sounds (vowels and consonants) that differ between the two languages. This comparison is crucial for understanding the pronunciation difficulties experienced by NBS.
What solutions are proposed in the essay?
Proposed solutions focus on teacher training for EFL/ESL instructors working with NBS and on specific pedagogical approaches for teaching pronunciation to NBS students in Bangladesh. The aim is to improve the teaching methodologies to better address the specific challenges faced by this learner group.
What are the key words associated with this essay?
Key words include: Native Bengali speakers, spoken English, EFL, ESL, pronunciation, phonology, Bengali phonology, accent, intelligibility, motivation, teaching methodology, pedagogical approaches, instrumental motivation, integrative motivation, anxiety, speaking strategies, and interlanguage transfer.
What is the overall structure of the essay?
The essay is structured with an introduction, background information, a literature review, a section on Bengali phonology, a discussion of the challenges faced by NBS, proposed solutions, and a conclusion. This structure allows for a systematic examination of the topic from various perspectives.
What is the purpose of the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide a concise overview of the main points covered in each section of the essay, giving readers a quick understanding of the content and its progression.
- Citation du texte
- Amin Rahman (Auteur), 2012, Difficulties of teaching English to native Bengali speakers, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/314089
