Exploring the integration of Islamic values in the teaching of elementary English : a case study of selected teachers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is the third largest Muslim populated country in the world where English is taught as a foreign language with great emphasis from Grades One to Eleven. The relationship between language and culture is deeply rooted. So, learning English language involves the learning of English culture. The objectives of teaching English in Bangladesh contradict with the ultimate aim of Islamic education because of the focus on foreign culture without any filter against un-Islamic elements or their inculcation. As a result, the young generation of Bangladeshi Muslims are gradually influenced by Western culture. According to great Muslim scholars, such as Al-Attas and Al-Faruqi, one of the major roots of the socioeconomic and political problems among Muslims lies in its educational system that has been secularized. This has led to confusion of values and the loss of ‘adab’ among its leaders and people. Thus, the study aimed at investigating English language teachers’ perceptions and their practices in integrating Islamic values in the teaching of English. It also sought to examine the usefulness of the textbooks for this purpose by reviewing elementary English texts for Grades 1, 3 and 5. The study employed a qualitative research design, namely the case study method, that employed interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The subjects of the study were purposively selected and consisted of six primary school English teachers from three different schools in Dhaka. The findings of the study revealed that while the goal of teaching English in Bangladesh is to enhance competency in the language, there has been little, if any, emphasis on inculcating Islamic values. Even among the teachers who attempted to promote Islamic values, they rarely used Islamic sources as references. Similarly the textbooks and teaching materials were found to lack Islamic values. The study gave some recommendations for improvements such as having special training programs and seminars for teachers and educational administrators about the concept of Islamic value integration and its necessity, as well as effective integration strategies in ESL classrooms.