Attitude Of Teachers Towards Teaching English Through Discourse-Oriented Pedagogy

Abstract

English Language Education is a concept relating to the use of English in the teaching-learning process. It encompasses pedagogy of English Language Teaching (ELT); and the development of various skills relating to English language learning. When the teacher provides teaching-learning experiences to his pupils, his teaching may be termed as ‘Discourse-Oriented Teaching’ or ‘Discourse-Oriented Pedagogy’. A discourse is a mode of communicating certain ideas meaningfully in a particular context. The present study is an attempt to explore the attitude of secondary school teachers towards teaching English through Discourse-Oriented Pedagogy. The researchers used a well prepared and standardized questionnaire as the tool for collection of data from a sample of 500 teachers (200 Headmasters and 300 School Assistants in English) selected from 200 secondary schools located in the three north coastal districts, viz., Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh using Stratified Random Sampling technique. The data were analyzed using Percentage Analysis. The profiles of teachers with a high positive attitude have been prepared.   The preferences of teachers on components under different dimensions have been identified. The findings of the study revealed that teachers working in secondary schools have a high positive attitude towards teaching English through Discourse-Oriented Pedagogy with regard to the dimension, ‘Language acquisition’ (45.45%) followed by the other dimensions, ‘The classroom processes’ (44.44%); and ‘The role of the Teacher and the Learner’ (42.86%).   The study suggested the administration to organize a number of orientation programmes to the teachers on the use of Discourse-Oriented Pedagogy in teaching English for the benefit of the students of secondary schools.