Research plan

Research Plan -

Topic:

What is the impact of English education in regional schools?

Big Research Question:

What are the different perceptions of English in the minds of students? ,

How has it affected regional schools while English being considered as a globalised language? ,

What is the scope of growth by learning English and how it can the change the way people think about you?

Secondary Questions:

How is English taught inside the classrooms?

What is the language they use to talk while interacting with their friends, siblings, strangers and parents?

If they have an access to any library?

How do they learn new words?

Are they motivated to learn English?

Is there any fear of learning English?

Number of Interviews

-        With teachers- English teachers,

-        With students – 9^th grade, 10^th grade – 5 students from each grade

-        Others- Principal, Arshia, Parents (if possible, any)

Number of Observations

-        Where – Interviews, Classrooms

Number of Focus Groups

-        Age group- 14-16 years

Other research methods that will be used

Interviews,

Workshops,

Reading sessions,

Classroom observation

My starting research question and initial observation points

Research question:

What do teachers and students understand by the term 'Value Education' and how is it incorporated in the school space?

Significance:

Knowing and understanding the moral and social 'values' that are expected, accepted and appreciated within the schools, will help in revealing more about how teachers and students see themselves and others. Moreover, it will show the relationship of this 'education' (if that is what it is) with the formal academic education, which can give more insights about the nature of hidden curriculum in a learning space.

(I this is just the starting point for me. In the next week or two (with couple of more field visits), I believe I would be able to formulate a cohesive project proposal)

Few Field Notes:

Observation done

VIII A (English Prose Class, 4th period)

Notes

• No strict segregation of girls and boys, though they sat separately, mostly in 3's and 4's with peers in a bench.

• Reading the short story 'The boy who stole wisdom' - an Akbar and Birbal tale

• Teacher talking in English (and clarifying doubts and explaining in Kannada)

• Spellings of words from the story being read out loudly by students while looking at the text book

• Apologized to us (Anuja and I) for the language change. Asked us to correct her if she made a mistake in it.

• Students wait for teacher to explicitly tell them to sit or stand up after answering a question.

• All plates of students kept on the floor. Girls and boys plates kept separately. Each plate had a 3 digit number and standard of class (eg. 233 VIII A)

• At the end of the class, a girl approached us (after being prompted by her friends).  Particularly, she only asked Anuja for her name and who she was (to which Anuja told her her name and that 'we were students').

Quotes

• "Quiet Everyone. You are not in Primary. You are in HIGH SCHOOL."

• "Come in front and talk"

• "I want everyone to participate. Especially girls"

IX A (Physics Class, 5th period)

Notes

• Before the teacher entered the class, a girl student wrote the answer of a physics problem (which was written by the teacher beforehand) and then the teacher explained it to the class.

• The problem was regarding calculating Power, when mass, gravity due to acceleration and height was given.

• Many students came and sat down in front of the teacher's podium. It was unclear whether it was out of punishment or something else, initially. Later, by the behaviour of teacher towards these students, it seemed that they came to see what was written on the board more clearly.

• There was heart shape along with an arrow scratched out on the desk I was sitting on.

• Couple of students in the backbench were hiding some snack and eating it quietly when (they thought) the teacher was not looking.

I shall update more soon. Would love to get feedback on the research questions and observation.

- Anupriy