Bridging the Communicative Gap: An Empirical Investigation into the English Speaking and Listening Vulnerabilities of Vernacular-Medium Students in the Bharatpur District
Author(s): Chandra Shekhar Mishra
Publication #: 2605048
Date of Publication: 13.03.2023
Country: India
Pages: 1-7
Published In: Volume 9 Issue 2 March-2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62970/IJIRCT.v9.i2.2605048
Abstract
This study examines the listening and speaking difficulties faced by vernacular-medium undergraduate and senior secondary students in the Bharatpur district of Eastern Rajasthan. Guided by the theories of Noam Chomsky, Stephen Krashen, and Dell Hymes, the research investigates the factors limiting communicative competence among rural learners. A stratified sample of 300 students from six Government Senior Secondary Schools in Rarah, Sewar, Chiksana, Bacchamadi, Peepla, and Jhagina was assessed through speech tests, oral interviews, listening exercises, phonetic analysis, and classroom observations. Three null hypotheses were formulated to examine the impact of medium of instruction, gender, and socioeconomic background on language performance.
The findings reject all three null hypotheses and identify the medium of instruction as the strongest factor affecting communicative ability. Students from vernacular backgrounds showed high language anxiety, weak listening discrimination, and dependence on first-language translation. Low parental income and limited home literacy support further restricted language development, while gender differences remained minimal within similar social settings. The study recommends a task-based communicative approach that reduces classroom anxiety, moves beyond grammar-translation methods, and promotes practical speaking and listening skills.
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