Md. Alamgir Kabir Razzaki :
Often, teachers do not realize the importance of the expectations in their classroom. Teachers, students and administrators have expectations. But are they really important? What role, if any, do they play in the classroom? Expectations are a powerful force, and certainly expectations come with being in the classroom. Expectations can serve as a catalyst for success or failure, both for our students and us. Expectations can increase motivation, increase our student’s effort and maximize their potential.
Now- a- days not only for international purposes but also for national reasons, English is a must. We can easily see how English is necessary in every sphere of our lives. English is frequently used in different job sectors such as teaching, different media, telecommunications, bank job, multinational companies etc. It is very difficult to get a good job without competency in English. English is highly required for any professional purpose. English is badly needed for the students for their higher studies in Bangladesh or abroad. Bangladesh is a nation with a bright future, but lack of proficiency in English often appears to be a key hurdle. So, a nation- wide awareness needs to be established by the government to emphasize the necessity of learning English. Learning of learners is significantly influenced by their expectations of learning. So it is very important to be familiar with learners’ expectation. English is a foreign language in Bangladesh and students face various kinds of problems in learning English. Maximum learning of English is not taking place and learners do not have the proper atmosphere to practice. So in order to learn better learners’ expectations must get due importance. When teaching content, materials and teaching method conform to the expectations of the learners, they will be motivated and enjoy their learning. Then positive learning will take place.
“You see, really and truly, apart from the things anyone can pick up (the dressing and the proper way of speaking and so on); the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated.
I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will, but I know I can be a lady, to you, because you always treat me as a lady, and always will.” With this quotation from George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion, Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conclude their 1968 publication, ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’. Just as the character, Eliza Doolittle, suggests that a person’s place in society is largely a matter of how he or she is treated by others, the Rosenthal/Jacobson study concluded that students’ intellectual development is largely a response to what teachers expect and how those expectations are communicated.
I think this topic is very important especially in Bangladeshi context. Every learner has some expectations. But if traditional education system is followed learners’ will get no opportunity to express their opinions, problems and expectations. Students cannot find any interest in the classroom. As a result, the learners will feel demotivated and positive learning will not take place. So By finding the problems and expectations of the students, the teachers can fulfill the learners demand and able to give a perfect learning.
(The writer is Senior Lecturer, Dept of English, University of Development Alternative (UODA).)
