Bijoy Lal Basu (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Abstract
The Ministry of Education in Bangladesh has recently introduced a new national curriculum emphasizing inclusion and diversity in the curriculum framework. English language textbooks include texts and tasks to ensure inclusive practices and diversity. However, the apparent promotion of secular values, the coverage of LGBTQ communities, and the perceived lack of focus on Islamic values have met with dissent and resistance. While the Ministry has exerted power by promoting secular humanitarian values, community members and groups have used various media to voice their dissent and force policymakers and coursebook writers to revise the texts, images, and activities. Drawing on data collected through interviews with English coursebook writers, Ministry officials, teachers and other stakeholders, I will show how the authors, under pressure from various forces, negotiated with different demands and made compromises on representing diverse values as they wrote and rewrote the materials.
Research (Video, 25 minutes)
Materials/Course/Curriculum Design
General Interest
About the Presenter
Dr. Bijoy Lal Basu is a professor in the Department of English at the University of Dhaka. He has co-edited Local Research and Glocal Perspectives in English Language Teaching: Teaching in Changing Times (Springer, 2022). His areas of interest include TESOL curriculum and pedagogy, pragmatics, intercultural communication, and teacher education.
