Research Proposal | 1

CHAPTER 01

1.1 INTRODUCTION

According to the educational psychology, learning is a cognitive process of

acquiring new skills, values, preferences or understanding. It depends upon learner’s
experience that leads him to long-term changes in his behavioural potential. As the
learners’ experience varies, the development of cognitive abilities and the learning
achievements among the learners also differ. These variations not only provide diversity
in a classroom where the teacher has to be aware of different learners’ specific needs, but
also create problems for the learners. Especially in a foreign language classroom having
multi-lingual and multi-cultural learners, the learners develop certain psychological
barriers against learning a particular language in response to various cultural, social and
racial differences. The researcher has noticed this phenomenon in the classrooms of
Government College Shakargarh, where the learners from rural background feel much
difficulty in learning English language as compared to urban learners.

Shakargarh, the headquarters of Shakargarh Tehsil, is a city in the north-east of

Pakistan in Narowal District of Punjab province. It is situated at the west bank of the
Ravi River. According to the 1998 census, its only 12.11% population is urban1.
Moreover, the Tehsil has only one Government College for boys, yet it is known for the
highest literacy rate of all Pakistan tehsils i.e., 52.65%2. However, the researcher noticed
that in spite of studying English as a subject up to the graduation level, these learners feel
hesitant and shy in using English for communication. Even if their language structure is
good and they are competent in written expression of English, they cannot speak and
comprehend the language. They usually stammer, mumble and even commit syntactic
blunders while speaking, and feel totally blank when listening to English speech. They
seem to be in awe of the English language that seems to be the result of the psychological
pressures they feel while learning and using it.
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The researcher wants to identify the psychological factors that are erecting these
barriers in the way of effective English language learning among the rural learners of
Shakargarh.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The learners of the government college Shakargarh, who come from the rural
areas and suburbs, cannot learn and produce the English language effectively. They
hesitate and stammer, and face problem in expressing themselves as well as in
understanding others.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

Why do the rural learners feel difficulty in communicating in English? Is there

any psychological factor involved which might cause these problems?

1.4 DELIMITATION

The researcher has delimited his research to the psychological problems faced by
the rural learners of Shakargarh while speaking English.

1.5 OBJECTIVES

The researcher wants to:

1. Find out the psychological problems faced by the learners of English

language who come from the rural area of Shakargarh
2. To point out the causes of these psychological problems
3. To recommend certain beneficial or remedial pedagogic strategies for
language teachers dealing with such students
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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Almost 67.5 %3 population of Pakistan lives in villages and rural areas where they
do not have ample opportunities to learn English. Due to this, many students encounter
problems when they move to an urban setting for the purpose of getting higher education
or jobs, and thus they turn to avail some language courses to improve their English.
However, it is not an easy task for them to overcome their deep rooted inhibitions and
insecurities which cause further psychological problems for them. This research will help
the language teachers to understand the difficulties faced by such learners. In this way,
the teachers will be able to take certain effective measures to eradicate the setbacks in
language learning by helping their students from rural background in overcoming their
psychological problems.
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END NOTES

1. http://www.statpak.gov.pk/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakargarh
3. http://www.statpak.gov.pk/
 Research Proposal | 5

CHAPTER 02

LITERATURE REVIEW

Second language learning is not a simple fete. It can be very stressful at times.
The psychological impacts of positive or negative attitudes from the surrounding society
can be critical. That is why it requires constant and conscious effort on the part of the
learner to overcome various psychological hindrances.

One important aspect among these negative feelings is the fear of being wrong
and ridiculed. As according to Dr. Riaz Hassan,

“Perhaps nothing inhibited non-native speakers from using

English or generated resentment for the language more than
the fear of being corrected or ridiculed every time they
open their mouth.”

This fear is actually a result of the “psychological dislocations generated by

imperialism”. He further says that

“The anxiety generated by this neurosis is the prime

inhibitor, first, of attempts to learn English language, and
second, of attempts to use it in a natural meaningful way as
a vehicle of thought. The ‘how’ of an utterance is forever
interfering with its ‘what’.”

The researcher thinks that learning disequilibrium in the second language learners
is created due to various socio-cultural influences. As a result, they face different
psychological problems in both written and spoken language. These problems may
include hesitation, escapism, lack of confidence, stammering, mumbling, tongue slips,
spelling mistakes, syntactic errors etc.
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END NOTES

1. Dr. Riaz Hassan. 2004. Remaking English in Pakistan. (National University of

Modern Languages Press, Islamabad) pp.05
2. Ibid., pp.06
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CHAPTER 03

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The researcher is foreseeing to adopt a combination of qualitative and quantitative

model of research which can provide with the basic findings as well as its applications.

1.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

Qualitative and a quantitative research paradigm are selected for the purpose of
this research.

1.2 POPULATION
The population of this research will be the teachers and students of the
Government Degree College, Shakargarh; Railway Road.

1.3 SAMPLE
The sample of this research will be 10 teachers and 30 students of under
graduation level.

1.4 RESEARCH TOOLS

The researcher will use the following research tools:

A. Survey Tools:
a. The researcher will use Semi-structured Interview for 15 teachers
as it will be convenient and fruitful to know of their point of views
in detail.
b. The researcher will use Closed-ended Questionnaire for the
students to get statistical data for analysis.
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1.5 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

 Data will be collected through various survey and field-
study tools as mentioned above.
 The analysis will be presented in the form of tabular charts
and percentage graphs.
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CHAPTER 04

4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS

For the presentation of data and data analysis, tabular charts will be used.

Key Strongly Agree Uncertain Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
Question 1 % % % % %
Question 2 % % % % %
Question 3 % % % % %
Question 4 % % % % %
Question 5 % % % % %
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CHAPTER 05

CONCLUSION
By the end of this research the researcher hopes to bring to find out various
psychological problems which learners of English who come from the area of Shakargarh
face when they come to urban areas for improving their English as well as getting higher
education or jobs; and also to make some suggestions for the language teachers dealing
with such students which will improve the teaching/learning environment in the language
classroom and at the same time help these students to overcome their complexes and
insecurities.
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