Mili Saha
Jagannath University, Bangladesh
About
I am an Associate Professor at the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Jagannath University (Dhaka), and have taught at different private and public universities in Bangladesh. Also, I have been conducting and publishing research in a variety of contexts including Bangladesh, the Middle East, the UK, and Canada. I have had a professional Master's degree in Education (Curriculum Studies & Teacher Development) from the University of Toronto apart from B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in English (Language) from the University of Dhaka. My research interests include Critical Applied Linguistics, Language Minority Issues, and Marginalized Teacher Preparation.Sessions
Asynchronous (Session) Teacher Attitudes towards Marginalized Learners: English Education in Rural Settings more
Sun, Nov 7, 10:30-10:50 Asia/Seoul
The research addresses English teachers’ attitudes towards the socioeconomically diverse ELLs affecting their academic practices in rural Bangladesh. The study explores five elementary and high school English teachers’ perceptions about the diverse student population's skills, aptitudes, and achievements. Primary data on teacher beliefs were obtained from interviewing the EFL teachers working in northern Bangladesh using semi-structured forms. Later, the author observed some of their recorded online lectures to understand how teachers’ beliefs and attitudes influenced their strategic preferences and teaching practices. Results show teachers’ attitudes are powerful predictors of pedagogical choices and actions. Insufficient resources, technology, and learner motivation affect teachers' beliefs and ideologies about diverse students. These non-native teachers need better training to teach a foreign language effectively and indiscriminately to the rural poor learners. Therefore, the research calls for rethinking the local teacher preparation programs to address teachers' negative attitudes towards ELLs in non-Anglophone contexts, including Bangladesh and Korea. MYSTERY EASTER EGG