SOCIO-LINGUISTIC PROS AND CONS OF VIRTUAL ESL TEACHING AND LEARNING DURING COVID-19.

Abstract

The article highlights one of the doctoral study aspects; the socio-linguistic pros and cons of virtual teaching and learning of English as a second language (ESL) at undergrad level during COVID-19 in the province of the Punjab, by keeping in view the role of technology in adult education and the use of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989), by comparing virtual and face to face teaching and learning of English as second language (ESL) to know the status of communicative competence of the undergrads with major in English. A pilot study was conducted on fifty students and ten teachers engaged in learning and teaching of English as second language during Covid-19 virtually. The researchers administered questionnaires on the subjects containing 55 and 40 items of the questionnaire in two phases.  The alpha reliability of the questionnaires was 0.723 and 0.764 (containing 55 items each) for students and teachers whereas after deleting and adding some question items was is 0.886 and 0.887 (containing 40 items each) respectively and the collected data was analyzed qualitatively to draw conclusion in light of the findings. It concludes though virtually learning and teaching of English is less time consuming, accessible and cost effective but for the undergrads of the public sector universities this has not proved an effective mode of learning and teaching English as a second language as the respondents find many linguistic and social inadequacies generated by virtual mode of teaching and learning of English at undergrad level found after COVID-19 during face to face classroom proceedings.