Embedding Soft Skills within Classroom Practice among English Graduates

Robiul Islam*, Happy Kumar Das**
*-** University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
Periodicity:April - June'2023
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.20.1.19858

Abstract

This study explored the views of teachers' and English graduates' on the reflection of soft skills for employability in English literature. Also, the study discovers how soft skills can be embedded within classroom practice among English graduates. A qualitative study methodology and interpretive paradigm were used to make sense of the complicated social phenomenon of soft skills for graduate employability. The heads, teachers, and fourth-year English majors from nine tertiary colleges in the Bangladeshi districts of Pabna, Rajshahi, and Bogura have been purposefully chosen to participate. There were nine student FGDs and 18 teacher in-depth interviews from the English department. The study discloses that while soft skills are prevalent in English literature, they are not in a form that can be passed on. However, motivations and ideas connected to soft skills are widely present in English literature. The results point to several critical topics that should be further examined, including teaching strategies, classroom management, question settings, teacher preparation, assessment systems, soft skills instruction, mentorship, and counseling.

Keywords

Soft Skills, Employability, English Literature, Curriculum, English Graduates, Qualitative Study.

How to Cite this Article?

Islam, R., and Das, H. K. (2023). Embedding Soft Skills within Classroom Practice among English Graduates. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 20(1), 20-35. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.20.1.19858

References

[1]. Adair, J. E. (2007). Develop Your Leadership Skills. Kogan Page Publishers.
[2]. Agrawal, V., & Dasgupta, S. (2018). Identifying the key employability skills: Evidence from literature review. IOSR Journal of Business and Management (pp. 85-90).
[4]. Amabile, T. M. (1996). Creativity and Innovation in Organizations (Vol. 5). Harvard Business School, Boston.
[5]. Bailey, J. M. (2009). Reading Poetry for Improved Adolescent Oral Fluency, Comprehension, and SelfPerception (Doctoral dissertation, Wichita State University).
[7]. Beveridge, A. (2009). The benefits of reading literature. Mindreadings: Literature and Psychiatry (pp. 1-14).
[9]. Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional Intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart.
[11]. Cemaloğlu, N., & Filiz, S. (2010). The relation between time management skills and academic achievement of potential teachers. Educational Research Quarterly, 33(4), 3-23.
[12]. Devereux, J. A. (1982). The meaning of delight in Sidney's defence of poesy. Studies in the Literary Imagination, 15(1), 85.
[15]. Dodson, S. L. (2000). FAQs: Learning languages through drama. Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education, 5(1), 129-141.
[21]. Greene, M. (2000). Releasing the Imagination: Essays on Education, the Arts, and Social Change. John Wiley & Sons.
[22]. Gruba, P., & Al-Mahmood, R. (2004, January). Strategies for communication skills development. In Proceedings of the Sixth Australasian Conference on Computing Education, 30, 101-107.
[23]. Hardjati, S., & Febrianita, R. (2019). The power of interpersonal communication skill in enhancing service provision. Journal of Social Science Research, 14, 3192-3199.
[25]. Hişmanoğlu, M. (2005). Teaching English through literature. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 1(1), 53-66.
[27]. Huggan, G., & Tiffin, H. (2015). Postcolonial Ecocriticism: Literature, Animals, Environment. Routledge.
[29]. Islam, M. R., Karmaker, P. R., & Paul, A. K. (2019). Instructional leadership as head of the department at tertiary colleges in Bangladesh: Challenges and solutions. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSRJHSS), 24(2), 1-8.
[32]. Kardash, C. A. M., & Wright, L. (1987). Does creative drama benefit elementary school students: A metaanalysis. Youth Theatre Journal, 1(3), 11-18.
[33]. Kazilan, F., Hamzah, R., & Bakar, A. R. (2009). Employability skills among the students of technical and vocational training centers in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, 9(1), 147-160.
[40]. Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Pearson's Research Reports, 6(1), 40-41.
[44]. Majid, S., Eapen, C. M., Aung, E. M., & Oo, K. T. (2019). The importance of soft skills for employability and career development: Students and employers' perspectives. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 13(4), 7-39.
[45]. Mallett, M. (2010). Choosing and Using Fiction and Non-Fiction 3-11: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers and Student Teachers. Routledge.
[51]. McWHIR, A. (1991). Purity and disgust: The limits of Wordsworth's primitivism. Mosaic: A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, 24(2), 43-58.
[52]. Mourtos, N. J., Okamoto, N. D., & Rhee, J. (2004, February). Defining, teaching, and assessing problem solving skills. In 7th UICEE Annual Conference on Engineering Education (pp. 1-5).
[57]. Nakata, S., Chowdhury, A. R., Nagashima, Y., Rahman, M. M., Rahman, T., Rahman, M. A., & Asia, S. (2019). Graduate Employability of Affiliated Colleges New Evidence from Bangladesh. World Bank, Dhaka.
[58]. Nilsson, S. K. (2014). The specific benefits of reading fiction. Focus group discussions among young adults. In IGEL International Society for the Empirical Study of Literature and Media.
[59]. Noah, J. B., & Aziz, A. B. A. (2020). A case study on the development of soft skills among TESL graduates in a University. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(10), 4610-4617.
[61]. Patterson, M. G., West, M. A., Lawthom, R., & Nickell, S. (1997). Impact of People Management Practices on Business Performance. Institute of Personnel and Development, London.
[62]. Paul, R., & Elder, L. (1990). Critical Thinking. Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park.
[63]. Perfect, K. A. (1999). Rhyme and reason: Poetry for the heart and head. The Reading Teacher, 52(7), 728-737.
[64]. Piirto, J. (2011). Creativity for 21st Century Skills. Sense Publishers.
[65]. Prodan, S. R. (2014). Michelangelo's Christian Mysticism: Spirituality, Poetry and Art in Sixteenth-Century Italy. Cambridge University Press.
[66]. Rahman, T., Nakata, S., Nagashima, Y., Rahman, M., Sharma, U., & Rahman, M. A. (2019). Bangladesh Tertiary Education Sector Review: Skills and Innovation for Growth. World Bank.
[70]. Salovey, P., Brackett, M. A., & Mayer, J. D. (Eds.). (2004). Emotional Intelligence. Dude Publishing.
[72]. Seale, T. (2015). Why teach poetry? English Journal, 104(4), 12-14.
[75]. Skinner, K. L., Hyde, S. J., McPherson, K., & Simpson, M. D. (2016). Improving students' interpersonal skills through experiential small group learning. Journal of Learning Design, 9(1), 21-36.
[77]. Subedi, N. B. (2018). Soft skills as employability skills: Fundamental requirement for entry-level jobs. KMC Research Journal, 2(2), 133-142.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Online 15 15

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.