ENGLISH MEDIUM FOR THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF SINDH, PAKISTAN: AN EXPLORATION OF GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES by LIAQUAT ALI CHANNA (Under the Direction of Victoria Hasko) ABSTRACT The National Education Policy (NEP, 2009) of Pakistan mandates that English shall be used as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in Grade 4 and onward in 2014. An English as a compulsory subject policy was launched in 2003. This study explored quantitatively and qualitatively the government primary school teachers’ perceptions regarding seven aspects associated with the English medium policy in Sindh. While a mid-partial immersion model is supposed to occur in the public primary schools of Sindh based upon the proposed language policy in the NEP 2009, the study suggests that the model would not be fruitful. The study found that while the teachers had positive attitudes regarding the current role and impact of English, they believed students would not be able to learn science and math taught in English in Grades 4 and 5. They held that students did not have sound English skills because the English was not adequately taught to them in Grades 1, 2, and 3. The teachers were also not satisfied with their own English skills. They believed they did not have adequate English proficiency for teaching in English. They thought they needed training to be able to teach in English; and, few believed teaching in English could help them improve their English proficiency and teaching skills. The participants associated their motivation for teaching in English with the need for training. While the teachers believed the English medium policy was beneficial in its rationale, they thought the positive impact would occur only if English subject policy initiated in 2003 was effectively taught, the teachers were comprehensively trained, and English proficient teachers were appointed. Moreover, the teachers believed for the success of the English medium policy, parents should be involved, teachers must be trained and committed, and primary education must be standardized. The teachers also held that students must first learn their mother tongue which would help them learn English. The teachers believed the students must not learn English at the cost of losing their native language. The study recommends that the English medium policy be postponed and suggested measures must be taken before the policy is implemented. INDEX WORDS: English Medium, Language Policy and Planning, Language-in- Education Policy, National Education Policy 2009, Content-based Instruction, Bilingual Education, Immersion Education, Sindhi Government Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions, Sindh, Pakistan ENGLISH MEDIUM FOR THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF SINDH, PAKISTAN: AN EXPLORATION OF GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES by LIAQUAT ALI CHANNA M.A. University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan, 2003 M.Ed. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K., 2007 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2014 © 2014 Liaquat Ali Channa All Rights Reserved ENGLISH MEDIUM FOR THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF SINDH, PAKISTAN: AN EXPLORATION OF GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES by LIAQUAT ALI CHANNA Major Professor: Victoria Hasko Committee: Linda Harklau Donna Alvermann Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2014 iv DEDICATION To my Mithri Amma (mother), Pyaro Baba (father), Saiin Khalid, Naimat, Naseem, Shoukat, Zehra, Bhira Nazeer, and Shafqat Kadri. Thank you so much for teaching me, loving me, encouraging me, and trusting in me in various phases of my life. & To the Late Saiin Mohammad Murad Syal. Saiin, while the situation of our home was not financially stable, you helped me get the 9th and 10th Grade examination fees waived. Had you not done that, I would have dropped out of school and could never have travelled thus far. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE!!! v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation study would not have been possible without the wise guidance, unwavering support, and learned tutelage of Professor Victoria Hasko, Professor Donna Alvermann, and Professor Linda Harklau. Professor Victoria, thank you very much for guiding me in my uneven, hard-hitting, and yet very exciting PhD journey! To all my professors, you have remained a genuine source of my inspiration in my PhD journey. THANK YOU!! This dissertation study would also not have been possible without all the teachers who participated in my study and their immediate/relevant officers who helped me during my fieldwork in Sindh. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RESPECTING ME AND TRUSTING IN ME! I am highly indebted to Professor Diane M. Samdahl, Professor Jori Hall, Professor Kathleen deMarrais, Professor Peter Smagorinsky, Prof. Elizabeth Adams St. Pierre, Professor Mark A. Faust, Professor Ruth Harman, Professor Kathryn Roulston, and Professor Mark D. Vagle for helping me grow and see the world through a variety of perspectives at various stages in the journey. I am also grateful to Dr. Karen Braxley, Stephanie Maria Short, Susan Kuzniak Kinnaird, and others for assisting me with my writings at various phases. Many sincere thanks also go to Razaq, Niaz, Ramzan, Waqar, Raheela, Samad, Akram, Mustafa Sahib, Mahmood Sahib, Haseeb, Usman, Fayaz, Sameena, Aslam, Gulnaz, Zeeshan, Nausheen, Mazhar, Jeff, Jason, Daniel, Shelly, and many others for vi their direct or indirect support during my stay in Athens, G.A. A big hug to all of you! THANK YOU!! The Main Library of the University of Georgia played a key role. I am highly thankful to the library for providing to me a wonderful private space where I could weep, smile, talk to my “self”, challenge my “self”, loose my “self”, and find my “self”. MANY THAKS!! Last but not least, I am highly thankful to the United States Educational Foundation of Pakistan (USEF, Pakistan) and the International Institute of Education (IIE, New York) for awarding me a Fulbright Scholarship for pursuing my PhD studies here in the United States. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPERLATIVE SUPPORT BOTH IN PAKISTAN AND HERE IN THE US FROM DAY ONE TO THE LAST! THANK YOU ALL!! vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 IINTRODUCTION ............................................................................................1 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................4 Statement of the Problem and Research Question(s) ...................................5 Scope and Significance ................................................................................8 Organization of the Study ............................................................................8 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................11 English in Pakistan: Social Roles and Status in Public Education ............11 Content-based Instruction (CBI) and Immersion Education Perspectives 34 Language Policy and Planning (LPP) Perspective.....................................46 Acquisition Planning, Local Classroom Teachers, and Gaps ....................50 Attitudes, Opinion, and/or Perception: Analytical Construct ....................57 Summary ....................................................................................................60 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................61 Introduction ................................................................................................61 Research Purposes .....................................................................................61 viii Research Design.........................................................................................63 Data Analysis .............................................................................................84 Limitations .................................................................................................87 Summary ....................................................................................................89 4 RESULTS AND ANALYSES .........................................................................90 Introduction ................................................................................................90 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 1.........................................91 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 2.......................................102 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 3.......................................122 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 4.......................................133 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 5.......................................142 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 6.......................................152 Quantitative and Qualitative Results of RQ # 7.......................................183 Summary ..................................................................................................199 5 CONCLUSION