TEACHER-CENTERED AND LEARNER-CENTERED PRACTICES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING:AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

The present study attempts to investigate how English is taught at Government Degree College (GDC) Takht-e-Nasrati, Karak, Pakistan, with particular emphasis on the use of teacher-centered and learner-centered instructional approaches. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study employs classroom observations of undergraduate English classes conducted by the researcher, along with semi-structured interviews with both teachers and students to gain a comprehensive understanding of prevailing teaching practices. The findings reveal that English language teaching at the college is predominantly characterized by traditional, lecture-based methods, resulting in limited student participation and a largely passive learning role. Nevertheless, the data also indicate that both teachers and students express a strong interest in more interactive, learner-centered pedagogical practices that encourage engagement and communicative competence. Based on these findings, the study recommends targeted teacher training initiatives and a balanced integration of teacher-centered and learner-centered approaches to enhance the effectiveness of English language instruction in similar public-sector college contexts.