Secondary School Teachers Attitude Toward Teaching English as a Second Language: A Comparative Study

The study explores the comparative analysis of secondary school teachers’ attitude toward teaching English as a second language. The major objective of the study was; to find out secondary school teachers’ attitude toward teaching English related to different demographics. The researcher used quantitative research method that was descriptive in nature. The population of the study comprised all the male and female teachers at Secondary level in province of Punjab, Pak istan. The researchers selected the secon dary school teachers in districts: Lahore, Multan, Sialk ot and Vehari as the sample of the study. Questionnaire was used as a research tool for the study. The researchers distributed the questionnaire among the respondents of the study and collected data. For data analysis, researcher used the statistical techniques of mean score, t-test and ANOVA. The findings of the study informed that difference in mean scores of male and female teachers was not significant, t-value = -.075, p=.634>0.05. It was found that there was a significant difference in teachers’ attitude towards teaching English as second language having professional qualification of B.Ed. and M.Ed. at secondary school level, t-value = .521, p=.047<0.05. It was concluded that male and female respondents have almost same type of attitude of teaching English as second language.

The Turkish Model of a Modern Muslim State: A Case Study 2002-2014

The term ‘Turkish model’ first appeared in the academic and media discourse during the post - cold war days, in order to show a direction to the newly independent Central Asian states, searching for a new identity for themselves under new circumstances. Turkey, as a secular Muslim state having old ties with Central Asian region was presented as a model for the region. Later, the post 9/11 global scenario once again brought the idea of the Turkish model in the limelight. At a time when the global war on terror was seen as an evidence of an inevitable clash between Islam and the West, the idea of the Turkish model showed the possibility of reconciliation between the two. Turkish model as a bridge across Islam and the West generated further academic interest as a new conservative democratic party AKP came to power in Turkey. The new party had Islamist roots, yet it advocated a liberal democratic agenda. The phenomenal economic success of Turkey in the following years enhanced the academic and media interest in the case of Turkey. Later, as the Arab Spring revolutionized the political context of the Middle East, Turkish model became a popular idea amongst the Arab masses protesting in the streets. The popularity of the idea however, sharply declined in the following years due to rising political instability in and outside Turkey. The current study examines the case of the idea of the Turkish model through the theoretical lens provided by the clash of civilizations narrative. It makes an extensive examination of the historical context of the idea. Then it undertakes a cross sectional, comparative discourse analysis of the idea of the Turkish model as constructed by academics from the West, the Muslim world and Turkey. The study also includes a longitudinal analysis of the academic construction of the idea of the Turkish model during 2002-2014. The study finds that contrary to the clash of civilizations narrative, the academic discourse from the West, the Muslim world and Turkey tend to present similar ideas on and around the Turkish model. It is compatibility rather than a clash of ideas which emerges as a dominant trend in the academic discourse across civilizations.