This paper attempts a study of the present state of teaching and learning English at the secondary schools in Bangladesh. It offers an analysis of the current English curriculum and textbooks for the secondary grades and explores the current classroom practices through classroom observation and teachers' interview. The classroom observations were conducted to identify the features of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach prescribed by the curriculum and syllabus document of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) as the desired approach for teaching English at secondary level schools in Bangladesh. The paper also attempts to identify connections between the curriculum objectives and the classroom realities faced by the teachers and seeks suggestions for achieving the stated objectives. Some of the key recommendations include -strengthening of the teacher development initiatives, redefining the entry and exit levels of the learners, providing alternative and supplementary instructional materials and reforming the assessment system.

With the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of the education systems worldwide, private universities in Bangladesh transitioned to online classes to ensure continuity of education. Therefore, it was important to investigate the private university teachers’ and students’ perceptions regarding various dimensions of accessing online instruction and coping strategies used by teachers. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data from 208 teachers and 674 students through questionnaires and focus group discussions. The findings indicate that teachers and students encountered several barriers, including unstable internet connection, costly internet packages, minimal support for teachers, issues with online assessment, and an unsuitable home environment. To combat existing problems related to assessment and to increase interaction in the classroom, teachers used a small range of coping strategies. Measures are suggested to ensure access to stable internet connectivity, financial support to students and teacher training on online pedagogy and assessment.

The quality and effectiveness of EAP courses offered to the students aspiring to study in the private universities in Bangladesh is a matter of increasing concern for the teachers and students alike. All the 56 private universities emerged in the country within a span of not more than two decades, use English as their medium of instruction. Students of most of these universities are sorely aware of the difficulties to carry on their studies due to limited proficiency and study skills in English. Although every university in Bangladesh offers English courses which are supposed to meet the required language needs of the students of various disciplines, it is time to raise question about the efficiency of these courses and the extent they actually address the needs of the students. This study focuses on the efficacy of the EAP courses offered to the students of pharmacy discipline at the University of Asia Pacific (UAP), a private university in Bangladesh. The study examines the content and structure of the EAP courses and explores the academic as well as work-related needs of the potential pharmacy professionals to formulate strategies that may reinforce the overall effectiveness of such English language programs. The study was based on a needs-analysis survey of 40 undergraduate level students of Department of Pharmacy and four teachers who teach the EAP courses at the same university. It is found from the study that the current EAP courses have major drawbacks in meeting learners' expectations and replicating the acquired language skills for both academic and professional purposes. It is recommended that the EAP courses could be further improved by incorporating materials relevant to the core subject and by putting more emphasis on writing and speaking skills, the two productive skills that are considered most important and difficult by the students concerned.Keywords: EAP, needs analysis, tertiary education, professional needs, pharmacy students, Bangladesh, UAP Introduction Introduction to the ProblemAll the private universities in Bangladesh offer at least two semesters of English language teaching. Most offer a foundation course in the first semester covering the basic components of the language, and more advanced courses in the second semester covering topics like advanced writing, English composition, English communication skills, presentation and public speaking skills, report writing etc. Most of these courses can be classified as English for Academic Purposes (EAP).EAP has been described as first, a move away from an emphasis on the literature and culture of English speakers towards a more practical command of the language; and, second, a move towards a view that the teaching of the language should be matched to the needs and purposes of the language learners. The English language courses taught at the tertiary level are usually EAP courses, since the objectives of these courses are not only to give students a practical command of English but also to enable them to use the language in the study ...

Extensive reading is being practiced in many EFL and ESL classrooms as an effective means for developing learners’ reading as well as other related skills. This paper is based on a small-scale study that explores the current practices and future possibilities of using extensive reading in the EFL classrooms at the junior secondary schools in Bangladesh. The study reports the responses of 100 secondary English teachers on different aspects of using extensive reading tasks in the EFL classrooms of Bangladeshi schools. It is found that though the teachers of Bangladesh express positive beliefs about the benefits of extensive reading, the techniques they follow in their classrooms at present mostly encourage intensive reading. It is also evident that teachers who deal with extensive reading do not often follow the best practices in the classrooms. It is suggested in this study that extensive reading needs to be promoted in the Bangladeshi schools through coordinated efforts of all the stakeholders in the secondary education system. It is stressed that a combination of initiatives such as teacher training, awareness raising, curriculum reform and changing existing assessment format can promote the practices of extensive reading activities among the young learners.

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