Interactive and Collaborative Pedagogical Strategies for Teaching English at Primary Level: Comparing the Single National Curriculum (2020) and National Curriculum (2006)

The current study analyzed interactive and collaborative pedagogical strategies for teaching English at the primary level (grade 5). A comparison of the approaches outlined in the Single National Curriculum (SNC) 2020 and the National Curriculum (NC) 2006 was found. The documents were selected through purposive sampling. Qualitative content analysis and comparative analysis methods were used to analyze the documents and English textbooks connected with both curricula. There were identified twenty strategies from the literature review and their presence was analyzed regarding the textbooks. It was found that the SNC 2020 incorporates a wider range of interactive and collaborative strategies as compared to the NC 2006. In the SNC document, eleven strategies were found, while in the NC, only four were present. In the same way, the textbook based on SNC 2020 uses fifteen of the identified strategies, while the NC 2006 textbook utilizes only six. The SNC highlights analytical skills, critical thinking, and competency development in the English language with grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and oral communication. This research highlights the shift towards more student-centered, interactive approaches in English language teaching at the primary level in Pakistan's education system.