Enhancing ESL Classroom Management and Language Proficiency: A Gamification Approach in Pakistani Universities

  The integration of gamification principles into English as a Second Language (ESL) courses within Pakistani universities is transforming the landscape of classroom management. This qualitative research explores the innovative and engaging use of gamified techniques to enhance ESL classroom management, fostering student motivation, participation, and language proficiency. Within the context of Pakistani higher education, this study investigates the potential of gamification to create a dynamic and immersive learning environment. Through interviews with thirty (30) ESL instructors, it uncovers valuable insights into the effectiveness of gamified approaches in the Pakistani educational landscape. Pakistani universities should utilize gamification to create vibrant, motivating, and highly effective ESL learning environments, thus enhancing language acquisition outcomes, promoting student engagement and participation, and enriching the educational experience for students. By offering evidence-based recommendations, this study empowers ESL instructors and educational policy-makers to leverage gamification as a potent tool for ESL classroom management. Keywords: Gamification, Classroom management, ESL Courses, Pakistani Universities, student motivation, language proficiency

Exploring Marxist Perspective Amidst Exploitation and False Consciousness in Hosain’s The Old Man

History has witnessed the exploitation of working class at the hands of ruling class since the very beginning of mankind. This exploitation has always led the poor to the state of false consciousness. Karl Marx has pointed out this social injustice in his theory. This research is an attempt to find Marxist elements of exploitation and false consciousness in the short story The Old Man by Attia Hosain, which is written in the context of subcontinent. Current study has incorporated the textual method of analysis through the lens of the proposition of Karl Marx about the behaviour of the bourgeoisie towards the proletariat. The study is qualitative in nature where descriptive method of textual analysis is utilized to look for and examine the instances of exploitation and false consciousness. The major finding of research depicts that the upper class has always exploited the poor and the poor who have false consciousness bear all inhumane behaviour without any resistance. Thus, it is the view that exploitation and false consciousness pose difficulties and hardships for the poor class

Interference of L1 (Urdu) in L2 (English) in Pakistan: Teaching English as a Second Language

Under the shadow of the inescapable fact that learning L2 (Second or Foreign Language) especially English in this global village is mandatory for academia in developing countries, thereupon, Pakistan faces akin conditions where learners are exposed to Urdu as National Language and English as Academic and Official Language besides L1 (First Language, Mother Tongue, Primary Language or Native Language). Within this confused sequential multilingualism, few achieve native-like accuracy or fluency or both, while others fall a prey to influence of L1 in L2. The current study extends to explore the different types of interferences Pakistani Urdu (L1) speakers face while learning English as Second Language (ESL) (L2). A random sample of thirty students of first semester BS (Hons.) program students with Urdu as L1 from eleven Pakistani universities were interviewed online and were examined utilizing qualitative approach for the investigation of syntactic interferences which were theoretically evaluated employing the Contrastive Analysis technique proposed by Ellis (1985). Findings unfolded four types of syntactic errors owing to interferences of L1 (Urdu) in the usage of L2 (English): Articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement and direct implications of Urdu (L1) words which were posing hurdles for Urdu as L1 speakers of Pakistan in learning ESL as L2

Norfloxacin loaded lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles for oral administration: Fabrication, characterization, in silico modelling and toxicity evaluation

Norfloxacin (NOR), widely employed as an anti-bacterial drug, has poor oral bioavailability. Nano based drug delivery systems are widely used to overcome the existing oral bioavailability challenges. Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles (LPHNs) exhibit the distinctive advantages of both polymeric and liposomes nanoparticles, while excluding some of their disadvantages. In the current study, NOR loaded LPHNs were prepared, and were solid amorphous in nature, followed by in vitro and in vivo evaluation. The optimized process conditions resulted in LPHNs with the acceptable particle size 121.27 nm, Polydispersity Index (PDI) of 0.214 and zeta potential of −32 mv. The addition of a helper lipid, oleic acid, and polymers, ethyl cellulose, substantially increased the encapsulation efficiency (EE%) (65% to 97%). In vitro study showed a sustained drug release profile (75% within 12 h) for NOR LPHNs. The optimized NOR LPHNs showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in bioavailability compared to the commercial product. From the acute toxicity study, the LD50 value was found to be greater than 1600 mg/kg. The molecular modelling studies substantiated the experimental results with the best combination of polymers and surfactants that produced highly stable LPHNs. Therefore, LPHNs proved to be a promising system for the delivery of NOR, as well as for other antibiotics and hydrophobic drugs.Acknowledgments: We are thankful to King Saud University KSA and University of Malakand for providing us the financial and lab resources for concluding this project.Scopu