Analysing perceptions of English in rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Drawing on research analysing perceptions of English in rural Bangladesh, the paper explores the ideological and practical issues involved in the promotion of English in this context, with respect to the language's former and current associations with colonial and imperialist agendas, and the politico‐cultural situation of present‐day Bangladeshi society. The analysis – which is underpinned by a blending of world Englishes and postcolonial theory – reveals how dominant discourses of English as a language of global opportunity persist in these rural communities, despite the limited opportunities for using the language or developing proficiency in it. By representing these ‘subaltern’ views on English in what is an under‐researched context, the paper offers critical insights into the impact of English‐language education on rural Bangladeshis’ social prospects, communities and cultural identities.

An Ethnographic Exploration of the Presence of English and Its Roles in the Socio-Economic Development in the Rural Context in Bangladesh

“…Erling et al ( 2012) carried out a study in two rural areas of Bangladesh, which found positive attitude towards the role of English as a tool of economic development. Seargeant et al (2017) also examined the impact of English-language education on the social, economic and cultural identities and found that "English as a language of global opportunity persists in these rural communities, despite the limited opportunities for using the language or developing proficiency in it" (p. 631).…”

“…An ethnographic study in EFL or ELT is so rare in Bangladesh that a single and very short ethnographic study of fewer than two weeks, funded by the British Council at the beginning of the 2010s, was used in several publications which were published from 2011 to 2017 by some leading international publishers and top-ranking journals including Springer, Cambridge University Press, Multilingual Matters, Wiley, British Council, UK, etc. (Erling, 2017;Erling, Seargeant, & Solly, 2014;Erling et al, 2012;Hamid & Erling, 2016;Seargeant & Erling, 2011;Seargeant, & Erling, 2013;Seargeant, Erling, Solly, Chowdhury, & Rahman, 2017). As it is tough to carry out ethnographic research in a rural area due to lack of funding, leave from the job, and expertise; the questionnaire-based and interview-based abundant studies are found in ELT and EFL in Bangladesh.…”

Language planning, English language education and development aid in Bangladesh

“…Bangladesh provides a particularly fruitful site of analysis because language planning in this country has been uniquely influenced by colonial histories, national priorities and development initiatives. As explored in depth elsewhere (Hamid & Erling, 2016;Seargeant, Erling, Solly, Chowdhury & Rahman, 2016), the emergence of the country is essentially the result of a language planning problem and the intensity of feeling around the national language is reflected in the name of the country, which literally means 'Country of Bangla'.…”

“…Finally, a small-scale qualitative study conducted in two rural communities in Bangladesh, conducted independently of EIA, is presented, providing further insight into the needs and perceived value of English at the local level (see further Erling, Seargeant, Solly, Chowdhury & Rahman, 2012;Erling, Seargeant & Solly, 2014;Seargeant et al, 2016).…”

“…As an example, I present my own small-scale qualitative study 'Attitudes to English as a language for international development in rural Bangladesh'. This study involved participants in a rural area of Bangladesh who do not necessarily have access to the elite jobs surveyed for the EIA studies mentioned above, and investigated how language skills might contribute to developing the capabilities of individuals (see further Erling, et al, 2012;Seargeant et al, 2016).…”