Language Policy and Practice of EMI: Teachers’ Voices at a Secondary level English Version School in Dhaka

Abstract

This study has explored the current status of English as a medium of instruction at a Secondary level English Version School in Dhaka by narrating the teachers’ experiences, opinions and views regarding its use in teaching. Through this, the study aimed to comment on the discrepancy between the educational policy and current practices of English language teaching in an urban metropolitan school setting and compared it with local research on EMI. Due to the demand for the English language on a global scale, in bilingual countries like Bangladesh, English version schools were introduced not so long ago which raised several challenges for the implementation of language policy and for the stakeholders such as teachers. The study's objectives were to determine to what extent the current policy is being implemented successfully through various means and explore the challenges the teachers are facing while conducting an EMI approach at the secondary level. Initially, it described the Bangladeshi education system highlighting the socio-historical perspective on the English language and the educational policy. Afterward, critically explored the present education policy and practices and ELT teacher’s status. A qualitative framework has been followed to collect and analyze data which revealed few findings regarding the implementation of the current policy and practices. In the end, this study drew conclusions including some recommendations.