Chetan Yadav
Independent Researcher
Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract
This study delves deeply into the perceptions and dispositions of government school teachers in Andhra Pradesh regarding the implementation of bilingual instruction within their classrooms. Rooted in India’s rich linguistic plurality and guided by the transformative vision of the National Education Policy (2020), bilingual education has been posited as a vehicle to bridge comprehension gaps, strengthen cognitive development, and foster inclusive learning environments. The research employs a convergent mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative survey data from 150 teachers across five representative districts with qualitative insights drawn from in-depth interviews of 20 participants. The survey instrument, rigorously piloted and validated (Cronbach’s α = .89), measured teacher attitudes across four key domains: perceived instructional effectiveness, self-efficacy in bilingual lesson planning, adequacy of bilingual resources, and clarity of policy support. Quantitative analysis revealed a generally favorable outlook, with a mean attitude score of 3.72 out of 5.0, yet highlighted critical areas requiring intervention—most notably, only 54% of teachers reported confidence in designing and delivering bilingual lessons, and less than half (48%) had reliable access to dual-language instructional materials. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts surfaced five core themes: an unwavering commitment to student learning, acute needs for sustained professional development, chronic resource constraints, misalignment between curriculum design and bilingual pedagogy, and a strong desire for collaborative planning networks. Correlational and ANOVA tests further indicated that teaching experience significantly influenced self-efficacy, with veteran educators exhibiting greater confidence than their less-experienced counterparts. These convergent findings underscore the necessity of multi-pronged policy measures: ongoing, practical teacher training workshops; timely provision of bilingual textbooks and teaching aids; curricular revisions to embed bilingual strategies; and the creation of professional learning communities. By foregrounding teacher voices, this study offers actionable recommendations to strengthen bilingual instruction in Andhra Pradesh’s government schools, thereby contributing to more equitable and effective multilingual education.
Key words
Bilingual Instruction, Teacher Attitudes, Andhra Pradesh, Government Schools, Multilingual Education
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