PLEASURE READING IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE IMPARTS COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT AUGMENTING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Abstract

             In this rapidly growing world, the significance of English language to be taken as “Lingua-Franca” has been irrefutable as well as inevitable. Like several other progressing nations, Pakistan has also been facing challenges in educational field regarding the selection of a national curriculum, its implementation and integration. In Pakistan, English language is being taught as a compulsory subject up to school, college and university levels. But there are serious problems of communication faced by the teachers along with students in teaching-learning ESL. They are not confident enough and encounter mental blockage while communicating in the target language. It raises questions on the appropriateness of the curriculum of English language teaching generally and different methods of teaching in particular. In order to study and address this issue, the researcher has gone through a number of theories of SLA and found Stephen Krashen (1980) the most suitable for the current research. So, in this perspective the researcher has conducted a collective case study of 5 English language teachers at University- level in Punjab, Pakistan in the light of Krashens’ SLA Theory. These teachers are teaching English language in the public, private and elite class Institutions. They are reportedly imparting their knowledge through GTM, DM or the fusion of these two methods. These are the prevalent approaches of teaching English language in the selected Institutions. The researcher has applied triangulation technique comprising oral interview, direct and participatory observations and qualitative questionnaire. After conducting an initial brief oral interview of twenty five English language Instructors in the public and private sectors, the researcher selected 5 Instructors who showed their interest and willingness to be part of this project. After collecting the data through the triangulation technique, it is analyzed by the researcher in the light of  Krashens’ SLA Theory to draw final conclusion and give recommendations. It is revealed as an outcome of this research that English language teaching system as witnessed in case of four out of five Instructors by the researcher is tilted towards the traditional approach of learning second language. The emphasis is largely on learning rather than acquisition of second language. It is not providing the comprehensible input i.e., meaningful communication by sticking to the TL (target language) amongst learners such as proposed by Stephen Krashen. On the other hand, the natural approach of teaching English language as witnessed in case of T2 by the researcher is the most appropriate in achieving the CC (communicative competence) in the TL. Thus in view of the findings of this research, it is the need of the hour to switch the current system of teaching English language in Punjab, Pakistan from learning onto acquisition for the purpose of augmenting undergraduate pupils’ critical thinking and communicative competence. Furthermore, the researcher pointed out salient features regarding comprehensible input including the classroom environment, teachers’ re-defined role, audio/ visual tools and appropriate curriculum as suggested by Krashen.