Exploring the Role of Dialogic Teaching in Improving Learners’ Spoken English at Intermediate Level in District Bannu

The study aims to explore the role of dialogic teaching, derived from Bakhtin's 'Dialogism', at an intermediate level in the English language teaching-learning process in District Bannu. An experimental research design was used in the study. Pre and post-tests were used for data collection. A 12th Grade Class of a public sector college was selected for the conduction of the experimental study. In this design, two groups namely, the control group and treatment group were administered pre and post-tests. Only the treatment group was given the treatment. The pre-test was designed to assess the oral proficiency of the treatment group. A paired sample t-test was used for the analysis of data. After the analyses of the data results were drawn. Data revealed that monologic teaching was prevalent in most of the classrooms, with no or very little space for the students to interact in the English language. Dialogic pedagogy proved very effective in finding out a solution to a real-world problem. Being dialogic, the pedagogy improved the oral proficiency of the students of the treatment group considerably.</jats:p

Analysis of Correlation between Hyper-Uricemia and Renal Resistivity Index in Normoglycemic Normotensive Patients

Introduction: Hyperuricemia is associated strongly with the development of renal disease and progression. Medical therapy decreases serum uric acid levels by inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase. Objective of the study: To evaluate correlation of mean uric acid level and Renal Resistive Index in normoglycemic and normotensive adult subjects. Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in THQ Hospital Fort Abbas during 31-10-2018 to 30-04-2019. One hundred (n=100) non-diabetic, non-hypertensive, recently diagnosed hyperuricemic otherwise healthy subjects irrespective of gender between age 20-40 years were included in the study. After complete history taking and full physical examination laboratory testing including: serum uric acid, serum creatinine to exclude renal decompensation patients, fasting blood sugar and 2 h post prandial were advised. Results: 55.0% (n=55) of patients were males with the mean age of 33.40 years ± 3.85 SD and 45.0% (n=45) of patients were females with mean age of 34.67 years ± 3.33 SD. Cumulative mean age was 33.97 years ± 3.66 SD. The mean value of the RI of the renal arterial vasculature was 0.765 ± 0.0155 SD. The maximum, minimum and range values of the RI were 0.79, 0.74, and 0.04 respectively. The mean serum uric acid value found to be 10.947±0.562 SD. The maximum, minimum and range values of the RI were 0.79, 0.74 and 0.05 respectively. Correlation between the serum uric acid and renal arterial RI prior to the medical therapy and 3 weeks after therapy. A positive correlation was found between both values with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.103 and p-value 0.308. Conclusions: It is concluded that that medical treatment of hyperuricemia results in lowering of serum uric acid which correlates with the decrease in renal resistive index.</jats:p

Effect of Dialogic Teaching on Pedagogy at Intermediate Level in District Bannu

This study aims at finding the effect of dialogic teaching on pedagogy. Dialogic teaching is based on Bakhtin’s concept of ‘Dialogism’. Data were obtained from an experimental study that was conducted on 12th- grade students of a public sector college in District Bannu. The researcher reflected back on the interaction with the students, whose philosophies brought major changes in language pedagogy, that is why Coia and Taylor’s (2009) “Self-study method of Co/autoethnography” was referred to as the reference in the study. Data revealed that valuable addition was made to the researcher’s language pedagogy by engaging in a philosophical dialogue with the students. Being dialogic, the teaching method not only can improve learners’ efficiency to communicate effectively in the target language, but also prove that the learners are co-creators of knowledge in the classroom; in the light of which teachers may re-shape their language pedagogy.</jats:p

The Efficacy of the Application of Mother Tongues Education in Pakistan

No doubt, the importance of English cannot be denied, but at the same time, mother tongue has also due importance concerning one's culture and understanding basic concepts at schools at primary level. This paper is an attempt to prove the importance of mother tongue as a medium of instruction at the primary level in District Bannu. The data were collected from students’ focal groups of fifty classrooms from ten schools. Two questions were asked in each subject from the focus groups to check their concept of the subject. Similarly, among the teachers, thirty respondents were interviewed in the Parents-Teachers Meeting (PTM) to find out their views about the efficacy of mother tongue instructions at the primary level. In this connection, parents were also interviewed. The results showed that among the students whose concept was clear, eighty percent of students were those who were taught in their mother tongue whereas twenty percent of students were those who were taught in English. Again, among the thirty teachers, eighty-five percent felt comfortable with teaching in the mother tongue whereas fifteen percent of teachers showed positive inclination towards teaching in a second language. Lastly, parents also felt at ease with the mother tongue instructions as they conveyed that their children go to school with zeal. Thus, mother tongue instruction proved helpful at the primary level. This study will also prove helpful to other researchers in the future for conducting similar studies in other districts.</jats:p

Stylistic Analysis of Shadab Zeest Hashmi’s Poem “You are chained”

This paper aims at analyzing Shadad Zeest Hashmi’s poem ‘You are chained’ with a special focus on the foreground. The tools of foregrounding i.e. parallelism and deviation are surfaced that attract the attention of the reader for hidden messages related to the socio-political scenario of Pakistan, Kashmir, and India. Thus the miserable plight of the Kashmiris is encompassed through stylistic devices which are peculiar to Hashmi’s poetry. Foregrounding is the tool through which one can analyze a piece of literature having so many deviations and code-switching. The main aim of the study is to bring to the fore the local poets writing in English. The research is based on this intention to strike the attention of new researchers to criticize as well as to appreciate our local poets for their encouragement. On the other hand, research on Pakistani literature in English is an emerging area of investigation that is why, it is hoped, that this paper will prove to be an encouraging step ahead for future scholars.</jats:p

Impact of Demographic Factors on Consumer’s Purchasing Decision: A Study on the University Students of Peshawar Region

This research report is based on the factors affecting the purchasing decision of the students (consumers) of various public and private sector universities in Peshawar (Pakistan). The main objective of this study was to find out the impact of demographic factors such as gender, age and income on consumers purchasing decision. In this study the population was students of various private and public sector universities of Peshawar region. A sample of 250 students was drawn from population through proportionate random sampling technique. A questionnaire was designed and personally distributed among the subjects of sample. Independent samples T-test and ANOVA were used for data analysis. The findings lead to the conclusion that there is no significant relationship between consumers’ gender and age with purchasing decision while income of consumers significantly affects their purchasing decision.</jats:p