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Bijoy Lal Basu

University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Department of English, Faculty Member

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I am researching English teachers' knowledge and beliefs about second language learning and teaching in the context of curriculum reform. I am interested in classroom interaction patterns and dialogic pedagogy as a way of investigating teaching practices and informing teacher education programmes.
Supervisors: Dr Nick Andon and Dr Martin Dewey

less

University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Field Marshal Omar Chan

Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Rukunuddin Ahmed

ASA University Bangladesh

Dr Mahruba T . Mowtushi

Kings College London

Kawser Jahan Nazma

University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Independent University, Bangladesh

Md Aminur Rahman

Independent University, Bangladesh

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Papers by Bijoy Lal Basu

Basu & Rabbani 2022 Impressions of Great Teachers

Shaping Minds and Transforming Lives: Impressions of Great Teachers of the Department of English, 2022

Shaping Minds and Transforming Lives: Impressions of Great Teachers of the Department of English

BUDDHADEVA BOSE’S COSMOPOLITAN CONSCIOUSNESS

by Bijoy Lal Basu and Tusar Talukder

Journal article, 2022

This paper outlines Buddhadeva Bose’s role as a stalwart of cosmopolitanism and humanitarian valu... more This paper outlines Buddhadeva Bose’s role as a stalwart of cosmopolitanism and humanitarian values by illustrating how he sought to establish links with world literature through his writings and activism. It analyzes Buddhadeva Bose’s cosmopolitan views that led him to question the rise of absolute forms of nationalism during the ‘Swadeshi Movement’ in undivided India. It explicates the ways in which he, following in the footsteps of Rabindranath Tagore, promoted the idea of universal humanism over nationalism. It shows how Bose’s cosmopolitan consciousness included the concept of ‘world literature’ instead of a regional one, which in turn helped him develop a transnational identity instead of a national one. Overall, this study explores how Bose developed himself as a truly cosmopolitan scholar while keeping his foot firmly fixed in the soil of his motherland.

Secondary English teachers' implementation of the principles of the pedagogical recommendations of the National Curriculum 2012 in Bangladesh : a qualitative investigation

King's College London, 2020

This thesis investigates the classroom implementation of the principles underlying the pedagogica... more This thesis investigates the classroom implementation of the principles underlying the pedagogical recommendations of the recently introduced National Curriculum in Bangladesh. It examines the recommendations presented in the curriculum documents and the ways in which pedagogic practices align with those recommendations. It also Norrington-Davis, mostly about grammar teaching, were illuminating. I must thank Dr. Chris Tang for telling me, the day before the viva, to "try to enjoy it!" I was fortunate to have Jane Jenvey and Qumrul Hasan Chowdhury, fellow PhD researchers, as companions to discuss and share our experiences throughout all stages of this project. I would like to express special thanks to Prof. Rubina Khan for helping me during my fieldwork by putting me in touch with key people in the ELT field in Bangladesh. I am grateful to three young scholars, Adilur Rahaman, Shuvo Saha and Hillol Sarker, for their help with collecting research materials and transcribing parts of the data. The discussions I had with Adil and Shuvo were illuminatingtheir critical comments on my draft chapters were immensely helpful in improving my analysis.

Transitioning to Online Education in English Departments in Bangladesh: Learner Perspectives

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced in this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported in the data include issues of access and equit...

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19 : Challenges and Suggestions

The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 2020

Ambiguities and Tensions in the Role and Use of English in Bangladesh

Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Banglade... more Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Bangladesh with the government putting a lot of emphasis on the teaching and learning of English. There have been a plethora of initiatives at the macro-level to strengthen English language education in urban as well as rural areas in the country which are to a certain extent complemented by micro-level initiatives at the family level. Parents aspire for their children to master the English language and spend on private tuition according to their abilities to ensure that learners achieve good results in English and other subjects. Young people, on their part, are keen to learn and use English alongside Bangla, sometimes mixing them together in the same breath in ways that appear outrageous and ridiculous to a lot of people holding tenaciously onto rather conservative views about roles and use of language in national identity formation. Although there is a general consensus that Bangladeshis need...

Ambiguities and tensions in the role and use of English in Bangladesh

This article was published in the BRAC University Journal [© 2016 Published by BRAC University]

The Global Spread of English, “Linguistic Imperialism”, and the “Politics” of English Language Teaching: A Reassessment of the Role of English in the World Today

The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many par... more The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many parts of the world have been termed as "Linguistic imperialism" by Phillipson (1992). According to his theory, English has been cleverly promoted around the world by the British and American agencies with the sole intention of increased profit and continued domination of third world countries. This view also holds that this spread is detrimental to the local languages and cultures. Many other scholars and academics from all over the world have joined the debate bringing to the fore issues such as nature of domination, ways of resistance, cultural and linguistic hybridity and pluralization, identity politics, representation and appropriation of English, etc. The reactions to Phillipson's top-down structural view of domination have thus been marked by competing narratives and interpretations. In this paper I review the debates and make an attempt to characterize the opposing positions pertaining to the global spread and role of English today.

Transitioning to Online Education in English Departments in Bangladesh: Learner Perspectives

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation, which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching-learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced with this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported include issues of access and equity, inadeq...

TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE EDUCATION IN ENGLISH DEPARTMENTS IN BANGLADESH: LEARNER PERSPECTIVES

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation, which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching-learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced with this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported include issues of access and equity, inadequate logistic support and poor infrastructure. Concerns related to curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and psychological issues were also highlighted. In addition, lack of prior experience and inadequate training were identified as serious obstacles. Major suggestions from the participants include ensuring access and equity, providing training opportunities and digital devices to students, and engaging in curriculum and assessment reforms.

Online Instruction during COVID-19 at Public Universities in Bangladesh

TESL-EJ, 2021

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted face-to-face teaching globally, educatio... more In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted face-to-face teaching globally, educational institutions in Bangladesh adopted online instruction as the best available alternative. Since teachers and students were not quite familiar with remote teaching, it was deemed necessary to gauge their level of preparedness for online instruction. This study investigated the perceptions of teachers and students of public universities, and examined their views of online pedagogy, assessment and the major challenges faced. Data were collected from 158 teachers and 1468 students through survey questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. Results indicate that participants had favourable attitudes towards online classes, but they expressed concern for students who they thought were marginalized due to lack of digital devices and poor internet connectivity. Inadequate teacher preparation, lack of familiarity with online pedagogy, limited know-how of online assessment and issues of affordability and equity were reported to be the major threats. Initial insights highlight the need for supporting the disadvantaged students as well as training teachers to employ appropriate tools and techniques for teaching and assessing online.

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Challenges and Suggestions

by Ahmed Bashir, Bijoy Lal Basu, and Md. Elias Uddin

The Journal of Asia TEFL, 2020

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Challenges and Suggestions

by Bijoy Lal Basu, Bijoy Lal Basu, and Md. Elias Uddin

The Journal of Asia TEFL, 2020

AMBIGUITIES AND TENSIONS IN THE ROLE AND USE OF ENGLISH IN BANGLADESH

Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Banglade... more Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Bangladesh with the government putting a lot of emphasis on the teaching and learning of English. There have been a plethora of initiatives at the macro-level to strengthen English language education in urban as well as rural areas in the country which are to a certain extent complemented by micro-level initiatives at the family level. Parents aspire for their children to master the English language and spend on private tuition according to their abilities to ensure that learners achieve good results in English and other subjects. Young people, on their part, are keen to learn and use English alongside Bangla, sometimes mixing them together in the same breath in ways that appear outrageous and ridiculous to a lot of people holding tenaciously onto rather conservative views about roles and use of language in national identity formation. Although there is a general consensus that Bangladeshis need English to move ahead in the context of globalization, how English should be used, where and to what extent are issues that are far from being resolved. English is viewed both as an essential lingua franca and a threat to the vitality of Bangla. English is also often blamed for the perceived corruption of Bangla in the media. This paper focuses on the ambiguities and tensions surrounding the roles and use of English vis-à-vis Bangla in Bangladesh.

The aduent of technology has reuolutioniqed langaage devnption and anafisis. Deuelopnent of clrpz... more The aduent of technology has reuolutioniqed langaage devnption and anafisis. Deuelopnent of clrpzrd of natura@-occarring speech has reuealed manl features of speech which haue come to be known as 'spoken grammar'. There haue a/read1 been ca//s to incorporate thosefeatures in clatsroom teachingalthoagh questions remain ouerthe suitabilit6 appropriatenus,feasibili4t and duirabili4t of that. Maryt recent textbooks haue alread1 begun to expand tbe representailon of real-tinue speecb b1 adding nore featuru of spoken granmar in then. In this paper, I prouide an anal1sis of rpoken grammar and argue for tbe inclusion of that in EFL coarse books. Also, I sarueJt a textbook to inuutigate the extent to which theJeatares occur in contenporaryt EFL coursebooks in Bangladesh and sugut classroom tasks and actiuities for the rueptiue as well as prodactiue use of spoken grdmmar.

The Global Spread of English

The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many par... more The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many parts of the world have been termed as "Linguistic imperialism" by . According to his theory, English has been cleverly promoted around the world by the British and American agencies with the sole intention of increased profit and continued domination of third world countries. This view also holds that this spread is detrimental to the local languages and cultures. Many other scholars and academics from all over the world have joined the debate bringing to the fore issues such as nature of domination, ways of resistance, cultural and linguistic hybridity and pluralization, identity politics, representation and appropriation of English, etc. The reactions to Phillipson's top-down structural view of domination have thus been marked by competing narratives and interpretations. In this paper I review the debates and make an attempt to characterize the opposing positions pertaining to the global spread and role of English today.

Critical Pedagogy and Appropriation of English

IATEFL

Attitudes and Resistance to Language Variation and Style

Basu & Rabbani 2022 Impressions of Great Teachers

Shaping Minds and Transforming Lives: Impressions of Great Teachers of the Department of English, 2022

Shaping Minds and Transforming Lives: Impressions of Great Teachers of the Department of English

BUDDHADEVA BOSE’S COSMOPOLITAN CONSCIOUSNESS

by Bijoy Lal Basu and Tusar Talukder

Journal article, 2022

This paper outlines Buddhadeva Bose’s role as a stalwart of cosmopolitanism and humanitarian valu... more This paper outlines Buddhadeva Bose’s role as a stalwart of cosmopolitanism and humanitarian values by illustrating how he sought to establish links with world literature through his writings and activism. It analyzes Buddhadeva Bose’s cosmopolitan views that led him to question the rise of absolute forms of nationalism during the ‘Swadeshi Movement’ in undivided India. It explicates the ways in which he, following in the footsteps of Rabindranath Tagore, promoted the idea of universal humanism over nationalism. It shows how Bose’s cosmopolitan consciousness included the concept of ‘world literature’ instead of a regional one, which in turn helped him develop a transnational identity instead of a national one. Overall, this study explores how Bose developed himself as a truly cosmopolitan scholar while keeping his foot firmly fixed in the soil of his motherland.

Secondary English teachers' implementation of the principles of the pedagogical recommendations of the National Curriculum 2012 in Bangladesh : a qualitative investigation

King's College London, 2020

This thesis investigates the classroom implementation of the principles underlying the pedagogica... more This thesis investigates the classroom implementation of the principles underlying the pedagogical recommendations of the recently introduced National Curriculum in Bangladesh. It examines the recommendations presented in the curriculum documents and the ways in which pedagogic practices align with those recommendations. It also Norrington-Davis, mostly about grammar teaching, were illuminating. I must thank Dr. Chris Tang for telling me, the day before the viva, to "try to enjoy it!" I was fortunate to have Jane Jenvey and Qumrul Hasan Chowdhury, fellow PhD researchers, as companions to discuss and share our experiences throughout all stages of this project. I would like to express special thanks to Prof. Rubina Khan for helping me during my fieldwork by putting me in touch with key people in the ELT field in Bangladesh. I am grateful to three young scholars, Adilur Rahaman, Shuvo Saha and Hillol Sarker, for their help with collecting research materials and transcribing parts of the data. The discussions I had with Adil and Shuvo were illuminatingtheir critical comments on my draft chapters were immensely helpful in improving my analysis.

Transitioning to Online Education in English Departments in Bangladesh: Learner Perspectives

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced in this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported in the data include issues of access and equit...

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19 : Challenges and Suggestions

The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 2020

Ambiguities and Tensions in the Role and Use of English in Bangladesh

Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Banglade... more Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Bangladesh with the government putting a lot of emphasis on the teaching and learning of English. There have been a plethora of initiatives at the macro-level to strengthen English language education in urban as well as rural areas in the country which are to a certain extent complemented by micro-level initiatives at the family level. Parents aspire for their children to master the English language and spend on private tuition according to their abilities to ensure that learners achieve good results in English and other subjects. Young people, on their part, are keen to learn and use English alongside Bangla, sometimes mixing them together in the same breath in ways that appear outrageous and ridiculous to a lot of people holding tenaciously onto rather conservative views about roles and use of language in national identity formation. Although there is a general consensus that Bangladeshis need...

Ambiguities and tensions in the role and use of English in Bangladesh

This article was published in the BRAC University Journal [© 2016 Published by BRAC University]

The Global Spread of English, “Linguistic Imperialism”, and the “Politics” of English Language Teaching: A Reassessment of the Role of English in the World Today

The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many par... more The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many parts of the world have been termed as "Linguistic imperialism" by Phillipson (1992). According to his theory, English has been cleverly promoted around the world by the British and American agencies with the sole intention of increased profit and continued domination of third world countries. This view also holds that this spread is detrimental to the local languages and cultures. Many other scholars and academics from all over the world have joined the debate bringing to the fore issues such as nature of domination, ways of resistance, cultural and linguistic hybridity and pluralization, identity politics, representation and appropriation of English, etc. The reactions to Phillipson's top-down structural view of domination have thus been marked by competing narratives and interpretations. In this paper I review the debates and make an attempt to characterize the opposing positions pertaining to the global spread and role of English today.

Transitioning to Online Education in English Departments in Bangladesh: Learner Perspectives

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation, which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching-learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced with this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported include issues of access and equity, inadeq...

TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE EDUCATION IN ENGLISH DEPARTMENTS IN BANGLADESH: LEARNER PERSPECTIVES

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021

During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in ... more During the brief coronavirus-induced hiatus in March and April 2020, educational institutions in Bangladesh including public universities began preparations for online classes. By the end of June, almost all private universities and a few public universities had started online classes with limited or no preparation, which was met with appreciation as well as censure from different stakeholders. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted with a view to examining the online teaching-learning scenario at Bangladeshi public universities from the perspective of one important stakeholder, the students, with a specific focus on the challenges they faced with this new mode of instruction. Suggestions were also sought from them regarding how the barriers to online instruction could be overcome. Data were collected from 26 students of English Departments of 11 public universities through semi-structured interviews. The major challenges reported include issues of access and equity, inadequate logistic support and poor infrastructure. Concerns related to curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and psychological issues were also highlighted. In addition, lack of prior experience and inadequate training were identified as serious obstacles. Major suggestions from the participants include ensuring access and equity, providing training opportunities and digital devices to students, and engaging in curriculum and assessment reforms.

Online Instruction during COVID-19 at Public Universities in Bangladesh

TESL-EJ, 2021

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted face-to-face teaching globally, educatio... more In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted face-to-face teaching globally, educational institutions in Bangladesh adopted online instruction as the best available alternative. Since teachers and students were not quite familiar with remote teaching, it was deemed necessary to gauge their level of preparedness for online instruction. This study investigated the perceptions of teachers and students of public universities, and examined their views of online pedagogy, assessment and the major challenges faced. Data were collected from 158 teachers and 1468 students through survey questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. Results indicate that participants had favourable attitudes towards online classes, but they expressed concern for students who they thought were marginalized due to lack of digital devices and poor internet connectivity. Inadequate teacher preparation, lack of familiarity with online pedagogy, limited know-how of online assessment and issues of affordability and equity were reported to be the major threats. Initial insights highlight the need for supporting the disadvantaged students as well as training teachers to employ appropriate tools and techniques for teaching and assessing online.

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Challenges and Suggestions

by Ahmed Bashir, Bijoy Lal Basu, and Md. Elias Uddin

The Journal of Asia TEFL, 2020

Emergency Online Instruction at Higher Education in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Challenges and Suggestions

by Bijoy Lal Basu, Bijoy Lal Basu, and Md. Elias Uddin

The Journal of Asia TEFL, 2020

AMBIGUITIES AND TENSIONS IN THE ROLE AND USE OF ENGLISH IN BANGLADESH

Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Banglade... more Over the past few years, there has been a revival of interest in the English language in Bangladesh with the government putting a lot of emphasis on the teaching and learning of English. There have been a plethora of initiatives at the macro-level to strengthen English language education in urban as well as rural areas in the country which are to a certain extent complemented by micro-level initiatives at the family level. Parents aspire for their children to master the English language and spend on private tuition according to their abilities to ensure that learners achieve good results in English and other subjects. Young people, on their part, are keen to learn and use English alongside Bangla, sometimes mixing them together in the same breath in ways that appear outrageous and ridiculous to a lot of people holding tenaciously onto rather conservative views about roles and use of language in national identity formation. Although there is a general consensus that Bangladeshis need English to move ahead in the context of globalization, how English should be used, where and to what extent are issues that are far from being resolved. English is viewed both as an essential lingua franca and a threat to the vitality of Bangla. English is also often blamed for the perceived corruption of Bangla in the media. This paper focuses on the ambiguities and tensions surrounding the roles and use of English vis-à-vis Bangla in Bangladesh.

The aduent of technology has reuolutioniqed langaage devnption and anafisis. Deuelopnent of clrpz... more The aduent of technology has reuolutioniqed langaage devnption and anafisis. Deuelopnent of clrpzrd of natura@-occarring speech has reuealed manl features of speech which haue come to be known as 'spoken grammar'. There haue a/read1 been ca//s to incorporate thosefeatures in clatsroom teachingalthoagh questions remain ouerthe suitabilit6 appropriatenus,feasibili4t and duirabili4t of that. Maryt recent textbooks haue alread1 begun to expand tbe representailon of real-tinue speecb b1 adding nore featuru of spoken granmar in then. In this paper, I prouide an anal1sis of rpoken grammar and argue for tbe inclusion of that in EFL coarse books. Also, I sarueJt a textbook to inuutigate the extent to which theJeatares occur in contenporaryt EFL coursebooks in Bangladesh and sugut classroom tasks and actiuities for the rueptiue as well as prodactiue use of spoken grdmmar.

The Global Spread of English

The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many par... more The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many parts of the world have been termed as "Linguistic imperialism" by . According to his theory, English has been cleverly promoted around the world by the British and American agencies with the sole intention of increased profit and continued domination of third world countries. This view also holds that this spread is detrimental to the local languages and cultures. Many other scholars and academics from all over the world have joined the debate bringing to the fore issues such as nature of domination, ways of resistance, cultural and linguistic hybridity and pluralization, identity politics, representation and appropriation of English, etc. The reactions to Phillipson's top-down structural view of domination have thus been marked by competing narratives and interpretations. In this paper I review the debates and make an attempt to characterize the opposing positions pertaining to the global spread and role of English today.

Critical Pedagogy and Appropriation of English

IATEFL

Attitudes and Resistance to Language Variation and Style