Challenges in ESL Teaching in Pakistan

Professional Doctorate

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SELF ASSESMENT........................................................................................................................3
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.........................................................................................13
Identify the broad topic area you wish to research ..................................................................13
Show how your research relates to your career to date.............................................................13
Show how it will help you develop as a reflective practitioner................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
ESL is mainly termed as traditional term which simply specifies that this language is
learned or studied by the person who does not have native relation or belongingness with it. The
respected term is also popular with “L2” worldwide. In the following project detailed description
will be made on the personal experience of the ESL teacher and associated issues faced by them
while executing their respective job responsibility in Pakistan (Sung, 2016). The present report is
mainly divided into two sections that is self assessment and the initial personal development
plan. Both the sections are explained below in detailed manner effectively.
SELF ASSESMENT
As being, the practitioner as well as teacher of ESL in Pakistan, I have gone through
range of experiences. Few among them are related to the issues as well as barriers that have been
faced by me while delivering lectures in Pakistan. I also found that learning and teaching
situation within Pakistan are not all good as it does not develops sense of learning for students
and does provide required tools to teachers by which teachers can easily teach L2 to students. I
have realised that majority of population in Pakistan belongs to rural areas which simply means
that non development of the areas does not provides effective environment to learners where they
can easily develop their understanding over English and enhance their command over it so that it
can be easily used by them in the near future in effective manner. Along with this, it has been
further analysed that educational facilities within the rural areas does not satisfies the required
level of learning L2. By analysing overall learning situation of rural areas of Pakistan teacher as
well as other educators are concerned about the growth of Pakistan as its localise people
especially to the one belonging to rural area are not able to use or speak English fluently
(Richards, 2015). After analysing overall situation they have also determined that present
condition or situation of the nation is not at all satisfactory. Furthermore, I have also realised that
English holds a significant role in Pakistan as it is determined as the common language which
will used as the main communication language for individuals whose native language is not

same. English has been specified as the Lingua Franca within Pakistan after Urdu. After
analysing requirement of L2, Pakistan have ensured that every school as well as college will
have English as the compulsory subject where teachers and other respective faculty will teach
English to students. This initiative was mainly taken in rural areas as students belonging to this
region requires it at highest level. This is so because these students are not able to speak this
language fluently thus by incorporating English classes at school as well as college students will
be able to enhance their familiarity with this language and can easily use it properly without
facing any kind of hesitance over it.
Apart from this, I have also realised that English is also determined as L3 in some rural
region of Pakistan too. This is so because, in these areas regional languages are seen as L1, Urdu
is taken as L2 and due to this English comes at third number which is termed as L3 (Freeman,
2016). Students belonging to these region mainly makes use of regional languages as well as
Urdu at the time of communicating with one another. Because of higher influence of other
languages these students are not able to use English at regular basis which directly does not
provide chance to them to practice this language. Along with this, lacking familiarity with
English directly reduces command of students towards English at four different zones that is
listening, writing, speaking and reading. In order to enhance command over L2 it is essential for
teachers to approach students in such a manner that will directly improve their proficiency over
basic skills associated with English that is reading, writing, listening and speaking. In addition to
this, it is also highly important for the ESL teachers like me to proper required guidance to the
students about the uses of English in day to day life and how they can effectively enhance their
fluency over it in terms of speaking (Murray and Christison, 2019). As being ESL teacher I have
also realised that students are able to communicate in English within the classroom but when
they are moving outside the classroom they are not able to use it effectively. This is because,
students are not getting appropriate training within the classroom which ultimately creates
difficulty for them to use English while communicating with others outside the classroom.
From my overall experience as a ESL teacher in Pakistan I have realised that EFL
teaching practices are not performed effectively in Pakistan which ultimately places influence
over fluency of students while speaking this language. All of the stated issues have been
explored by me at the time of studying TESOL in UK. I have completed by education in UK and
wanted to continue my career as the ESL teacher. The main motive behind this is to support L2