Teacher Preparedness for Multilingual Classrooms and Its Effects on Students: Challenges in Teaching Asaan Urdu and Asaan Sindhi to Non-Native Speakers in Sindh

Abstract

This study investigates teacher preparedness and student learning outcomes in the context of multilingual classrooms in Sindh, Pakistan, where Asaan Urdu and Asaan Sindhi are taught to students as compulsory languages despite not being their mother tongues. The research examines the challenges teachers face in implementing these simplified language curricula and the subsequent effects on student literacy, comprehension, and participation. Using a mixed-methods design, data will be collected through teacher surveys, classroom observations, and student assessments across government and low-fee private schools in Sindh. Findings are expected to reveal gaps in teacher training for multilingual pedagogy, difficulties in bridging linguistic and cultural divides, and the impact of non-mother tongue instruction on students’ learning outcomes. The study will contribute to the understanding of multilingual education in South Asia, offering policy recommendations for teacher training, curriculum development, and mother tongue-based language transition strategies.