Teaching of English has been a subject of debate for many centuries. From methods to the materials, learners are in a state of shock, trying to produce chunks of native-like language from their early school years. Several unsuccessful attempts have made curriculum planners frustrated and now their only hope is the learner. “Keep it or leave it” is understood between both teachers and learners.
From the Grammar Translation method of the early nineteenth century till communicative Language Teaching and suggestopedia of the twenty -first century, language learning is revolving around four basic skills of a language. Though teaching reading and writing is more in practice as compared to the instructions of listening and speaking, results of language production among south Asian students are the same. Academic talks, research studies and policies have not affected production levels. To some extent this seems to be a never ending failure both on the part of teachers and their students.
Local and online shops have a wide range of materials and one can find materials appropriate for all budgets and socio-economic needs. Low-cost books from provincial Text-book boards, local publishers and school-branded books are also available in eye-catching showrooms of bookshops in each corner of the market. This abundance has made the choice simple for the school curriculum planners and they are authorized to decide whether they will get their students buy from the market or develop their own books out of the materials available in abundance over the web. At times this web-transferred material acts like a teacher-saver. Most of the time these scattered materials lack progression of concepts and systematic language instruction. They leave their users from teachers and students confused and depressed.
In conclusion, materials and methods are two dimensions that are crucial for each other. Teaching and learning can be successful if both methods and materials are aligned with each other. Failure of one is a compromise for another that can further develop a base for reading and writing problems.
