Andragogy in ELT : A Study of the Private Universities in Bangladesh

Andragogy is one of the dominant theories of adult education. One of the key principles of andragogy is that as children and adults differ from each other in many respects, the learning and teaching processes should also be different for both the groups. Research shows that andragogical approach is more appropriate and more effective than the pedagogical approach for teaching adult learners. This study investigated tertiary learners' and teachers' beliefs and views about the use of andragogical approach, and particularly teachers' practices and the extent to which these are congruent with andragogical process principles and students' perceptions about English language teaching and learning at the undergraduate level in Bangladesh context. The study reveals that though teachers use andragogy in their classes, they do many things, such as they decide materials and activities, set learning objectives and evaluate acquired learning for learners, which are contrary to andragogical process principles. The study emphasizes the need for adopting andragogical approach to teaching English to the adult learners.