ABSTRACT

This article reports the results of the investigation about the problems in
Pakistan that English Teachers face while teaching students from the rural
backgrounds. So it turns out that most of the teachers fail to perform this
difficult task excellently. Further this paper intends to present the causes and
solutions of these problems. Importance of teaching of English as a foreign
language is also discussed.

INTRODUCTION

In Pakistan English medium schools situated in urban areas, have some

students from rural background. They are different to some extent in their
characteristics as compared to students living in urban areas. English language
teachers find it a difficult task to teach them English language. There are so
many problems in this respect. But we can say that English teachers are largely
responsible for the behavior, social and academic attitude and performance of
students in their classes. So the path of an English teacher is beset with great
difficulties. In order to meet them successfully he has to face them
courageously and tactfully.

IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE IN PAKISTAN

English has won a place of pride in our curriculum for the following reasons:
1. English is a means of international communication since it has
assumed, more or less, the role of a world language. We cannot
afford to shut ourselves up in isolation.
2. It is a store- house of world- knowledge and is expanding every day
at a rapid pace. It is inadvisable to cut ourselves from the main
stream of world-knowledge.
3. It contains the standard terminology of science and technology.

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 4. It is useful for commercial relations with the other countries. Our
industrialists can learn the latest methods of production and
distribution.
5. With the knowledge of English our diplomats can make their
contribution to the deliberations of international forums like the
U.N.O.
6. Technical know-how provided by English is essential for our
technicians and researchers.
7. It is essential for the members of all professions to keep abreast of
modern developments in their respective fields.
8. It is an effective instrument for promoting international under-
standing and good will.
9. It opens prospects for employment at home and abroad. It has high
market value.
10. It has thrust its way into the heart of our life.
11. Higher education and research mainly draws upon the hospitality of
English.
12. Its study helps us in understanding the secret of the success of
Western people in the realm of commerce and industry because of
their standards of integrity.

METHODOLOGY

In the majority of countries, throughout the world English language is spoken

as their second or first language. On account of this dominant position it is a
store house of world knowledge and is expanding every day at a rapid pace. It
is inadvisable to cut ourselves from the main stream of world knowledge.
So the importance of teaching English cannot be ignored. In Pakistan teaching
English to the students having rural background is not on easy task. English
teachers face many problems in this respect. What are these Problems? What
are their causes? Can some remedies solve these problems. To answer these

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questions, an interview was taken from some English teachers having the
experience of teaching the students from rural background. Then through some
class observations many problems were pointed out related to the teaching of
English to such students. Causes of these problems and then their solutions
were also figured out.

CLASS OBSERVATION

After observation of some classes some points are pointed out:

There were small sized class-rooms and the classes were very crowded.
There was no English speaking atmosphere which is required for teaching of
English as a foreign language.
Teachers were using Grammar Translation Method.
Teacher’s pronunciation was not correct.
Teachers were not using any A.V aids in language class rooms.
The students from rural background were not showing confidence in the class.

PROBLEMS

In Pakistan English teachers face so many problems while teaching English to

the Students from the rural back ground.
1. The students from rural background have no speaking skill which is
required in class room discussions.
2. The students cannot understand the lecture delivered by the English
teacher.
3. They show careless attitude towards their studies.
4. They have a fear in their minds about English language.
5. They mispronounce most of the words of English language.
6. They have a little confidence. They cannot express anything they want
to say.

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 7. They have lack of vocabulary and they are not in the position to use
their limited vocabulary.

CAUSES

Through some class observations, some causes of the failure of the English
teachers in teaching to the students from rural background have been pointed
out.
They are as the follows:
1. Teachers have non-rural background.
2. Teachers are not highly qualified.
3. Parents of those students are not qualified and are not aware of the
importance of hard work.
4. Those students’ previous educational experiences are not suitable to
learn English properly.
5. The students from rural background have interests and motivations
which are not helpful in learning English as a second language.
6. The methodology of ELT in these schools where they accomplished
their primary classes, is bilingual or translation methods.
7. Those students completely depend on their teacher and devoid of the
practice of speaking skill resulting the students to be tongue tied
during their spoken communicative production.

REMEDIES

Some remedies of the problems are pointed out through observation of some
classes.
1. Seminars should be provided for the teachers so that they can be aware
of the requirements of the students from rural background.
2. Teacher training courses relating to these problems should be
introduced.

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 3. There is a need to inculcate curiosity among the students on account of
their improper brought up.
4. To tackle with the problem of lack of vocabulary in the students,
productive and receptive use of words should be kept in mind. The
students should be made to learn simple words. This will help in
inculcating a habit of learning new words in them. Their newly learnt
words will become a part of their own vocabulary and they will be in
position to use them.
5. To solve all the problems a systematic approach should be followed.
The teachers should aim out teaching primarily not knowledge but
skill, the different skills required for good listening, speaking,
reading and writing. The teachers should find some way of helping
the students from rural background to enjoy their language activities
and of building their confidence.

CONCLUSION

As a practical matter we can never completely match students and teachers by

their demographic characteristics. We can say that if our main concern is that
students from rural background should be able to learn English language like
non-rural students, we should worry as much or more about measuring the
dimension of quality of classroom practice as we do about measuring the
demography of the work place.

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 APPENDIX

Ar-Rehman Public School Multan

Problems in teaching the students from rural background

For the following question, please choose the answer that best fits you.

Very Good Good Satisfactory Poor

1) How do you feel about the English Speaking

skill of those students?
O O O O
2) How do you feel about the English listening
skill of the students?
O O O O
3) What is your opinion about their attitude
towards studies?
O O O O
4) What is the level of confidence of those
students in learning English?
O O O O
5) What do you say about their ability of
English pronunciation?
O O O O
6) What is the depth of knowledge in English
vocabulary of those students?
O O O O
7) What is the standard of qualification of
English teachers in Pakistan?
O O O O
8) What is the educational background of the
parents of those students?
O O O O
9) How have been the previous educational
experiences of those students?
O O O O
10) To what extent their interests and motivations
are helpful in learning English?
O O O O

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Ahmad, N. (1973). Teaching of English as a Second language, 4th Edition; Ch.

Abdul Hamid, Caravan Press, Lahore.

 Hashmi, A. (1991). Teaching of English, Multan Kitab Ghar, and Multan.

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