The current paper critically reviews the Single Nation Curriculum to verify the claims made by th... more The current paper critically reviews the Single Nation Curriculum to verify the claims made by the document after its launching in 2020 as being the first policy document for educational reformation at the national level after several decades. The analysis compares the document with the National Curriculum (2006) which has been acknowledged as the main reference document in the preparation of the Single Nation Curriculum. The paper analyses various sections of the document, with a focus on English language teaching, to expose that the new curriculum is only an imitation of the previous 2006 curriculum without introducing any significant change in the policy, content, and methodology. The paper hopes to raise awareness among the policymakers and authors of SNC about establishing connections between research and practice, hence augmenting professional development with a focus on improved practices in the area of education and curriculum development.
Two corpora of online conversation on a mobile phone application Whatsapp by two EFL groups were ... more Two corpora of online conversation on a mobile phone application Whatsapp by two EFL groups were analysed to examine the types and quality of online interaction in EFL context. The analysis focused on three main categories, i.e. nature of interaction, quality of interaction and quality of language of interaction, to assess if using the application in classroom setting provided enhanced learning experience with greater support and exposure to target language. We categorised interaction types in the corpora to determine the variety of interaction, and used the numerical data to scaffold descriptive analysis of the quality of interaction as well as language. Analysis of the corpora revealed that the participants preferred using the application more for administrative communication, rather than discussing the subject matter and meta-language, mainly due to unplanned use of the application, and the students therefore missing the opportunity to process the target language in real life. Th...
In this essay, I compare and contrast grammatical model of intonation with discourse intonation m... more In this essay, I compare and contrast grammatical model of intonation with discourse intonation model. I have selected the former model first because grammar and intonation historically have been considered close and inter-related (Coupler_Kohlen: 1986) and are still popular in countries like Pakistan where teaching of pronunciation is in an early transitional phase. Secondly, grammatical model being one of the earliest approaches to intonation seems to be the base for other approaches to intonation. Finally, ELT textbooks still tend to teach intonation from grammatical dimension, especially in Pakistani language classroom that is already heavily influenced with grammar in other aspects. Keeping in view a good number of discussions on various approaches to intonation and the limited scope of this paper, this paper confines the discussion only to grammatical and discourse models of intonation. This paper discusses major aspects of both approaches, followed by comparative discussion o...
This paper investigated the way an English textbook at higher secondary level in Pakistan is bein... more This paper investigated the way an English textbook at higher secondary level in Pakistan is being used in EFL context. The study conducted a questionnaire survey to gauge the level of text comprehension and the expected learning outcome of the textbook in line with the curriculum goals of developing awareness of various cultures as well as critical thinking among learners. The data analysis highlighted that the current pedagogical model of the textbook dis-empowered the participants of the study by imparting either misperceived or incomplete information due to using inappropriate pedagogic approach. The textbook offered superficial comprehension of the texts and restricted independent as well as critical thinking to understand the texts and synthesise new learning with the learners’ existing world knowledge. The findings called for a shift in pedagogic paradigm in order to exploit the textbook effectively to achieve the goals as set in the national curriculum.
Teaching is an ongoing professional activity rather than something that can be mastered once and ... more Teaching is an ongoing professional activity rather than something that can be mastered once and for all through the acquisition of a restricted set of skills. It needs to be refreshed and developed with the passage of time as new ideas and approaches towards teaching and learning are discovered. This emphasises the need of development activities for staff to update and enhance their professional skills. This paper explores the concept of teacher-development giving a comprehensive account of the topic and discusses the teacher appraisal system as its integral part. A review of various approaches is also given to enhance the concept of teacher development. The paper also makes suggestions to implement a teacher development plans taking into account the phases in the successful implementation of change.
The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main... more The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main approaches to scientifically investigate issues of life and social sciences. Particularly novice researchers unconsciously tend to fit their studies in one of the framework set up by either of these approaches. This paper develops arguments in the perspective of paradigmatic issues in research to highlight the comparatively young paradigm of critical theory which has not yet gained due projection. The discussion informs on how critical approach to research may gain equally, or even more, valuable insight not only by analyzing and exploring the situation but also by offering a change agenda for reformation. The paper also appraises one of the critical research tools, critical discourse analysis in depth, to elaborate the philosophical and theoretical basis of this research methodology in order to enhance awareness among novice researchers investigating under the umbrella of critical para...
This review of an official document launched by the Ministry of Education of Pakistan reports on ... more This review of an official document launched by the Ministry of Education of Pakistan reports on the goals set for teaching of reading and critical thinking skills at tertiary level. The report reviews the benchmarks and the goals for reading skills, set in the curriculum, in relation with an independent research study conducted to evaluate one of the textbooks being taught to achieve the same goals in Pakistani mainstream state colleges. The report highlights that the curriculum, despite setting appropriate goals for the level, does not provide guidance on the teaching methodologies and teaching materials, which resulted in failure to achieve these goals in classroom. The report also proposes critical pedagogy as a potential approach to be used to fill the gap between the learning goals in the curriculum and the teaching as well as learning straggles.
Morgan (1997:16) observes that any form of education aims to bring about changes in students. It ... more Morgan (1997:16) observes that any form of education aims to bring about changes in students. It must, therefore, have in view both what an educated person should be and the ideal society to whose relationship they will contribute. Such educated individuals will presumably contribute to the betterment of their society insofar as adjustments to their status quo are desirable. In line with Morgan, this study has suggested that disempowered learners in Pakistani higher secondary classroom, by taking the ownership of their learning, can emerge as independent critical thinker with a better perception of the world. This study has explored how conservative pedagogical treatment affects the learners’ understanding of texts by disempowering and having them either misperceived or incomplete information. The study has proposed an alternative route to learning which might ensure a more effective impact on the learning process and the learning outcome. For this purpose, the study critically anal...
A relatively small data of online conversation (7740 words) on a mobile phone application WhatsAp... more A relatively small data of online conversation (7740 words) on a mobile phone application WhatsApp by two EFL groups were analysed to examine the types and quality of online interaction in EFL context. The analysis focused on three main categories, i.e. nature of interaction, quality of interaction and quality of language of interaction, to assess if using the application in classroom setting provided enhanced learning experience with greater support and exposure to target language. We categorised interaction types in the text data to determine the variety of interaction and used the numerical data to scaffold descriptive analysis of the quality of interaction as well as language. Analysis of the data revealed that the participants preferred using the application more for administrative communication, rather than discussing the subject matter and metalanguage, mainly due to unplanned use of the application, and the students therefore missing the opportunity to process the target lan...
This research paper looks at the language use to exploit and propagate certain stereotypes imposi... more This research paper looks at the language use to exploit and propagate certain stereotypes imposing on the parties involved in the institution of marriage. A critical discourse analysis with a field, tenor, mode approach uncovers how bride and bridegroom are deprived of their consents on various issues and are socially forced to accept the assumptions created by prevalent social norms. The study exposes how the use of certain discourses and lexical choices restrict the participants to overlook or discard other options which could be otherwise legally and religiously granted to them. The study emphasizes that the current marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) needs to be thoroughly revised in order to eliminate language exploitation and allow both parties to be well aware and exercise their rights before giving their consent in good faith, predetermined by the social taboos.
This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British n... more This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British newspaper on the same incident. The analysis suggested that both newspapers, in line with van Dijk (1988) and Halmari & Ostmanb (2001), managed to fulfill the expectations of their primary audience and give their own interpretation of reality. The analysis indicated how social and cultural identities played a role in shaping these newspapers' ideologies regarding the incident. Though, Dijk (1988) hypothesized that the Third World Press essentially lacks freedom and independence because it is dominated by Western information and communication policies, the current analysis generally seems to suggest that despite the Pakistani newspapers sought the international (largely western) news agencies for the source of information, and despite the Pakistani government's policies on the issue in question were in alignment with the West, the Pakistani newspaper managed to maintain and reflect its ideological concerns in the news-report.
This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British n... more This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British newspaper on the same incident. The analysis suggested that both newspapers, in line with van Dijk (1988) and Halmari & Ostmanb (2001), managed to fulfill the expectations of their primary audience and give their own interpretation of reality. The analysis indicated how social and cultural identities played a role in shaping these newspapers' ideologies regarding the incident. Though, Dijk (1988) hypothesized that the Third World Press essentially lacks freedom and independence because it is dominated by Western information and communication policies, the current analysis generally seems to suggest that despite the Pakistani newspapers sought the international (largely western) news agencies for the source of information, and despite the Pakistani government's policies on the issue in question were in alignment with the West, the Pakistani newspaper managed to maintain and reflect its ideological concerns in the news-report.
ABSTRACT The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as... more ABSTRACT The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main approaches to scientifically investigate issues of life and social sciences. Particularly novice researchers unconsciously tend to fit their studies in one of the framework set up by either of these approaches. This paper develops arguments in the perspective of paradigmatic issues in research to highlight the comparatively young paradigm of critical theory which has not yet gained due projection. The discussion informs on how critical approach to research may gain equally, or even more, valuable insight not only by analyzing and exploring the situation but also by offering a change agenda for reformation. The paper also appraises one of the critical research tools, critical discourse analysis in depth, to elaborate the philosophical and theoretical basis of this research methodology in order to enhance awareness among novice researchers investigating under the umbrella of critical paradigm.
This study examined the effectiveness of the Annual Faculty Evaluations Process at an English lan... more This study examined the effectiveness of the Annual Faculty Evaluations Process at an English language centre in the Middle Eastern context. It sought to determine to what extent this evaluation process helped the English language teachers improve their teaching practice. A mixed-method design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The data were collected via teacher questionnaire & teacher interviews and triangulated via cross examination of the documents pertaining to the teacher evaluation policy and procedures used by the language centre. The findings of this case study revealed that the teachers believe that the process of annual faculty evaluation (AFE) has had a very positive impact on their professional development. However, the AFE process is quite rigid and does not take cultural diversity of the teachers into account. The report makes various recommendation in terms of teacher autonomy as well as participation in the evaluation process and using the three-track evaluation system (Danielson and McGreal, 2000) by the administration.
Gender representation in textbooks has been a significant issue for academicians. It is possible ... more Gender representation in textbooks has been a significant issue for academicians. It is possible to give equal representation to both genders and still exploit either of the genders through language use. In this paper I analyse the way males and females were portrayed in a textbook taught at higher secondary level in Pakistan. The analysis shows how apparently strong female actors are imperceptibly subdued by male actors. The paper intends to increase awareness regarding fair language use without disadvantaging any of the genders involved. The paper also encourages learners and teachers to treat texts with a critical focus in order to identify unnecessary dis/empowerment of individuals and groups through language.
“The danger of being in the teaching profession for too long (especially without much or any INSE... more “The danger of being in the teaching profession for too long (especially without much or any INSET) is that one’s teaching can end up being based on one’s own uncritical subjective principles.”(Lanseley 1993:54). This is what exactly happening in the educational system of Pakistan. This research work introduces a plan for teacher development programme for a public high school in Pakistan. Specifically designed programmes focusing on professional development, and followed by an appraisal process are innovative to the context. Literature review in Chapter 2 defines the term, discussing the aims and the whole process of teacher development as well as teacher appraisal. It also discusses and evaluates some important approaches to the topic in the context of the institute in question. The research study is based on questionnaires, administered to twenty-five Pakistani teachers of the institute. A questionnaire method combined with interview method would have been ideal for this kind of s...
The current paper critically reviews the Single Nation Curriculum to verify the claims made by th... more The current paper critically reviews the Single Nation Curriculum to verify the claims made by the document after its launching in 2020 as being the first policy document for educational reformation at the national level after several decades. The analysis compares the document with the National Curriculum (2006) which has been acknowledged as the main reference document in the preparation of the Single Nation Curriculum. The paper analyses various sections of the document, with a focus on English language teaching, to expose that the new curriculum is only an imitation of the previous 2006 curriculum without introducing any significant change in the policy, content, and methodology. The paper hopes to raise awareness among the policymakers and authors of SNC about establishing connections between research and practice, hence augmenting professional development with a focus on improved practices in the area of education and curriculum development.
Two corpora of online conversation on a mobile phone application Whatsapp by two EFL groups were ... more Two corpora of online conversation on a mobile phone application Whatsapp by two EFL groups were analysed to examine the types and quality of online interaction in EFL context. The analysis focused on three main categories, i.e. nature of interaction, quality of interaction and quality of language of interaction, to assess if using the application in classroom setting provided enhanced learning experience with greater support and exposure to target language. We categorised interaction types in the corpora to determine the variety of interaction, and used the numerical data to scaffold descriptive analysis of the quality of interaction as well as language. Analysis of the corpora revealed that the participants preferred using the application more for administrative communication, rather than discussing the subject matter and meta-language, mainly due to unplanned use of the application, and the students therefore missing the opportunity to process the target language in real life. Th...
In this essay, I compare and contrast grammatical model of intonation with discourse intonation m... more In this essay, I compare and contrast grammatical model of intonation with discourse intonation model. I have selected the former model first because grammar and intonation historically have been considered close and inter-related (Coupler_Kohlen: 1986) and are still popular in countries like Pakistan where teaching of pronunciation is in an early transitional phase. Secondly, grammatical model being one of the earliest approaches to intonation seems to be the base for other approaches to intonation. Finally, ELT textbooks still tend to teach intonation from grammatical dimension, especially in Pakistani language classroom that is already heavily influenced with grammar in other aspects. Keeping in view a good number of discussions on various approaches to intonation and the limited scope of this paper, this paper confines the discussion only to grammatical and discourse models of intonation. This paper discusses major aspects of both approaches, followed by comparative discussion o...
This paper investigated the way an English textbook at higher secondary level in Pakistan is bein... more This paper investigated the way an English textbook at higher secondary level in Pakistan is being used in EFL context. The study conducted a questionnaire survey to gauge the level of text comprehension and the expected learning outcome of the textbook in line with the curriculum goals of developing awareness of various cultures as well as critical thinking among learners. The data analysis highlighted that the current pedagogical model of the textbook dis-empowered the participants of the study by imparting either misperceived or incomplete information due to using inappropriate pedagogic approach. The textbook offered superficial comprehension of the texts and restricted independent as well as critical thinking to understand the texts and synthesise new learning with the learners’ existing world knowledge. The findings called for a shift in pedagogic paradigm in order to exploit the textbook effectively to achieve the goals as set in the national curriculum.
Teaching is an ongoing professional activity rather than something that can be mastered once and ... more Teaching is an ongoing professional activity rather than something that can be mastered once and for all through the acquisition of a restricted set of skills. It needs to be refreshed and developed with the passage of time as new ideas and approaches towards teaching and learning are discovered. This emphasises the need of development activities for staff to update and enhance their professional skills. This paper explores the concept of teacher-development giving a comprehensive account of the topic and discusses the teacher appraisal system as its integral part. A review of various approaches is also given to enhance the concept of teacher development. The paper also makes suggestions to implement a teacher development plans taking into account the phases in the successful implementation of change.
The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main... more The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main approaches to scientifically investigate issues of life and social sciences. Particularly novice researchers unconsciously tend to fit their studies in one of the framework set up by either of these approaches. This paper develops arguments in the perspective of paradigmatic issues in research to highlight the comparatively young paradigm of critical theory which has not yet gained due projection. The discussion informs on how critical approach to research may gain equally, or even more, valuable insight not only by analyzing and exploring the situation but also by offering a change agenda for reformation. The paper also appraises one of the critical research tools, critical discourse analysis in depth, to elaborate the philosophical and theoretical basis of this research methodology in order to enhance awareness among novice researchers investigating under the umbrella of critical para...
This review of an official document launched by the Ministry of Education of Pakistan reports on ... more This review of an official document launched by the Ministry of Education of Pakistan reports on the goals set for teaching of reading and critical thinking skills at tertiary level. The report reviews the benchmarks and the goals for reading skills, set in the curriculum, in relation with an independent research study conducted to evaluate one of the textbooks being taught to achieve the same goals in Pakistani mainstream state colleges. The report highlights that the curriculum, despite setting appropriate goals for the level, does not provide guidance on the teaching methodologies and teaching materials, which resulted in failure to achieve these goals in classroom. The report also proposes critical pedagogy as a potential approach to be used to fill the gap between the learning goals in the curriculum and the teaching as well as learning straggles.
Morgan (1997:16) observes that any form of education aims to bring about changes in students. It ... more Morgan (1997:16) observes that any form of education aims to bring about changes in students. It must, therefore, have in view both what an educated person should be and the ideal society to whose relationship they will contribute. Such educated individuals will presumably contribute to the betterment of their society insofar as adjustments to their status quo are desirable. In line with Morgan, this study has suggested that disempowered learners in Pakistani higher secondary classroom, by taking the ownership of their learning, can emerge as independent critical thinker with a better perception of the world. This study has explored how conservative pedagogical treatment affects the learners’ understanding of texts by disempowering and having them either misperceived or incomplete information. The study has proposed an alternative route to learning which might ensure a more effective impact on the learning process and the learning outcome. For this purpose, the study critically anal...
A relatively small data of online conversation (7740 words) on a mobile phone application WhatsAp... more A relatively small data of online conversation (7740 words) on a mobile phone application WhatsApp by two EFL groups were analysed to examine the types and quality of online interaction in EFL context. The analysis focused on three main categories, i.e. nature of interaction, quality of interaction and quality of language of interaction, to assess if using the application in classroom setting provided enhanced learning experience with greater support and exposure to target language. We categorised interaction types in the text data to determine the variety of interaction and used the numerical data to scaffold descriptive analysis of the quality of interaction as well as language. Analysis of the data revealed that the participants preferred using the application more for administrative communication, rather than discussing the subject matter and metalanguage, mainly due to unplanned use of the application, and the students therefore missing the opportunity to process the target lan...
This research paper looks at the language use to exploit and propagate certain stereotypes imposi... more This research paper looks at the language use to exploit and propagate certain stereotypes imposing on the parties involved in the institution of marriage. A critical discourse analysis with a field, tenor, mode approach uncovers how bride and bridegroom are deprived of their consents on various issues and are socially forced to accept the assumptions created by prevalent social norms. The study exposes how the use of certain discourses and lexical choices restrict the participants to overlook or discard other options which could be otherwise legally and religiously granted to them. The study emphasizes that the current marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) needs to be thoroughly revised in order to eliminate language exploitation and allow both parties to be well aware and exercise their rights before giving their consent in good faith, predetermined by the social taboos.
This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British n... more This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British newspaper on the same incident. The analysis suggested that both newspapers, in line with van Dijk (1988) and Halmari & Ostmanb (2001), managed to fulfill the expectations of their primary audience and give their own interpretation of reality. The analysis indicated how social and cultural identities played a role in shaping these newspapers' ideologies regarding the incident. Though, Dijk (1988) hypothesized that the Third World Press essentially lacks freedom and independence because it is dominated by Western information and communication policies, the current analysis generally seems to suggest that despite the Pakistani newspapers sought the international (largely western) news agencies for the source of information, and despite the Pakistani government's policies on the issue in question were in alignment with the West, the Pakistani newspaper managed to maintain and reflect its ideological concerns in the news-report.
This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British n... more This paper critically analyses the discourses of a news report of one Pakistani and one British newspaper on the same incident. The analysis suggested that both newspapers, in line with van Dijk (1988) and Halmari & Ostmanb (2001), managed to fulfill the expectations of their primary audience and give their own interpretation of reality. The analysis indicated how social and cultural identities played a role in shaping these newspapers' ideologies regarding the incident. Though, Dijk (1988) hypothesized that the Third World Press essentially lacks freedom and independence because it is dominated by Western information and communication policies, the current analysis generally seems to suggest that despite the Pakistani newspapers sought the international (largely western) news agencies for the source of information, and despite the Pakistani government's policies on the issue in question were in alignment with the West, the Pakistani newspaper managed to maintain and reflect its ideological concerns in the news-report.
ABSTRACT The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as... more ABSTRACT The positive and constructive paradigms have typically been popular among researchers as two main approaches to scientifically investigate issues of life and social sciences. Particularly novice researchers unconsciously tend to fit their studies in one of the framework set up by either of these approaches. This paper develops arguments in the perspective of paradigmatic issues in research to highlight the comparatively young paradigm of critical theory which has not yet gained due projection. The discussion informs on how critical approach to research may gain equally, or even more, valuable insight not only by analyzing and exploring the situation but also by offering a change agenda for reformation. The paper also appraises one of the critical research tools, critical discourse analysis in depth, to elaborate the philosophical and theoretical basis of this research methodology in order to enhance awareness among novice researchers investigating under the umbrella of critical paradigm.
This study examined the effectiveness of the Annual Faculty Evaluations Process at an English lan... more This study examined the effectiveness of the Annual Faculty Evaluations Process at an English language centre in the Middle Eastern context. It sought to determine to what extent this evaluation process helped the English language teachers improve their teaching practice. A mixed-method design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The data were collected via teacher questionnaire & teacher interviews and triangulated via cross examination of the documents pertaining to the teacher evaluation policy and procedures used by the language centre. The findings of this case study revealed that the teachers believe that the process of annual faculty evaluation (AFE) has had a very positive impact on their professional development. However, the AFE process is quite rigid and does not take cultural diversity of the teachers into account. The report makes various recommendation in terms of teacher autonomy as well as participation in the evaluation process and using the three-track evaluation system (Danielson and McGreal, 2000) by the administration.
Gender representation in textbooks has been a significant issue for academicians. It is possible ... more Gender representation in textbooks has been a significant issue for academicians. It is possible to give equal representation to both genders and still exploit either of the genders through language use. In this paper I analyse the way males and females were portrayed in a textbook taught at higher secondary level in Pakistan. The analysis shows how apparently strong female actors are imperceptibly subdued by male actors. The paper intends to increase awareness regarding fair language use without disadvantaging any of the genders involved. The paper also encourages learners and teachers to treat texts with a critical focus in order to identify unnecessary dis/empowerment of individuals and groups through language.
“The danger of being in the teaching profession for too long (especially without much or any INSE... more “The danger of being in the teaching profession for too long (especially without much or any INSET) is that one’s teaching can end up being based on one’s own uncritical subjective principles.”(Lanseley 1993:54). This is what exactly happening in the educational system of Pakistan. This research work introduces a plan for teacher development programme for a public high school in Pakistan. Specifically designed programmes focusing on professional development, and followed by an appraisal process are innovative to the context. Literature review in Chapter 2 defines the term, discussing the aims and the whole process of teacher development as well as teacher appraisal. It also discusses and evaluates some important approaches to the topic in the context of the institute in question. The research study is based on questionnaires, administered to twenty-five Pakistani teachers of the institute. A questionnaire method combined with interview method would have been ideal for this kind of s...
Uploads
Papers by Jabreel Asghar