English
as a Global Language:
Language is the primary
source of communication. Of all the languages, English is spoken so widely
throughout the world. It has been often referred to as a “world language”, the
lingua franca of the modern era. India, though a linguistic paradise, English
plays an important role in the country. Though English is a foreign tongue, it
has become a part and parcel of common man’s life. India has the largest number
of second language speakers of English and also our country has more people who
speak or understand English than any other country.
Ideology
of Teaching English in Indian Classrooms:
In
the first half of the nineteenth century), English assumed a dominating
position in the sub-continent (India, Pakistan, Ceylon and Burma.); and this it
could obtain the position of lingua franca of the multi-lingual Indian
communities. But in 1935, with the re-introduction of the vernaculars, English
lost its prime significance. Today, English does not occupy a privileged
position on the school curriculum and it is also losing much of its social
value. It is taught either as a second language or as a third language.
Learning
of English is now exclusively a formal affair. It is the responsibility of the
school where teaching of foreign language is taken up with definite objectives,
where expert teachers make use of up-to-date material and methods with accuracy
and economy in order to achieve the desired goals without causing much strain
to the pupils.
The
teaching of English in India goes back to the Dispatch of 1854 (drafted, it is
said by J.S.Mill), which is often described as the Magna Carta of English
education in India. The aim of teaching English in India is to enable students
to acquire an ability to use English effectively. In our country, teaching of
English is carried on at three stages of the school years:
1) In some schools, e.g..: Public Schools, Convent
Schools, Montessori and K.G. schools, English is taught from class I, or even
earlier. The pupils in these schools study English for a longer period and
naturally the standard of English is high. But the number of such schools is
very less.
2) In some states there are certain schools where
children begin to learn English from class III. Again the number of such
schools is very less.
3) The third type of schools is mostly aided schools
where pupils begin to learn English in sixth class, immediately after primary
education.
Teaching
of English at the High School Level:
The
major instructional objectives for this stage are:
to
make pupils use simple sentences in English to express their ideas
to
speak short conversational sentences and spell English words correctly
to
understand spoken English and realize the use of English in social situations
The following materials
are to be used for realizing the above objectives:
Structures:
The
first three years should be devoted to the teaching of basic structures of
English.
Vocabulary:
The
advocates of Basic English had believed that a vocabulary of minimum 850 words
is enough to give a command to use the language.
Grammar:
No
attempts should be made to teach formal grammar during these years. First
language, then grammar should be the rule followed in teaching of any language.
Composition:
Composition means to compose ideas in a language, putting one’s thought or
thoughts together with a certain end in view. The ability to put many thoughts
together in a logical, coherent and interrelated manner is acquired gradually
with systematic efforts from the very beginning.
Methods
to be followed at this stage are:
Selection: By selection we mean what and how much of
the language is to be taught.
Grading: The
order in which the matter is presented is called grading.
Presentation: It refers to the manner in which the
matter is presented.
Teaching
of English at the Higher Secondary Level:
In our country,
the patterns of Higher Secondary Education are of two types:
From
class IX to XI, with public examination
at the end of the XI year
From
class IX to XII, with two public examinations at the end of X and XII grades
respectively
If English is taught
scientifically at the Junior High School Stage, the learner should acquire all
the basic terms of structures during these three years. He should be able to
use those structures in speaking and writing. Now, at the Higher Secondary
Level he should have opportunities for learning complicated patterns. The
junior stage is the stage for laying foundation, for making firm and healthy
linguistic habits. The secondary stage is the stage for raising the structure
of language and literature.
The linguistic aims of
teaching English at this stage are same as that of the initial stage. The
literary aim, to develop a taste for English Literature –its various forms, e.g.:
prose, poetry, short story, drama etc. is included in this stage. The important
instructional objectives of teaching English at this stage are to help pupil
acquire a vocabulary of about 2,500 words at the end of this stage, to make
them acquire a rational outlook regarding the system of English language
knowledge of English Grammar). By the end of this stage, he should compare the
structures of English with those of his mother-tongue and should speak English
with acceptable pronunciation, proper stress and intonation. The following
materials are to be used for realizing the above objectives:
Text books: Good
course books with variety of materials, useful questions and exercises should
be used.
Grammar:
Grammar
courses should be in continuation with what has been learnt in class VIII. They
should be taught functional grammar proceeding from simple to complex
sentences. Grammar should help the pupils to explain the features of the
language.
Composition:
At
the second stage compositional work should have many varieties-writing and
speaking, discussions, conversations, précis-writing, theme-writing,
translation work, letter writing, describing and producing long answers to
questions.
Items
of Structure and Vocabulary: At secondary level,
more complex and compound structures are introduced to make pupils learn
increased vocabulary, new idioms and phrases.
Methods
to be followed at this stage are:
The techniques of presentation: Teaching of English
language involves the presentation of both meaning and form and their fusion
into language habits.
The teaching technique: The teaching technique of
the individual teacher differs and it depends on the efficiency.
The extent of presentation: The extent of
presentation should depend on the meaning and form. Objects, models and
pictures can be used.
Learner
Sensibilities and Learner Abilities in Language Abilities:
When
it comes to language learning, learner factor is of great importance. Learner
factors such as age, aptitude, attitude, motivation and personality traits mean
a lot in learning a language. It is said that only after the first language has
been acquired thoroughly should the learning of a new language be promoted.
Aptitude
or sensitivity is the ability of a learner that helps him to acquire a new
language. A positive attitude is desirable for learning the language. The
teacher should act as a motivator or inspirer.
Developing
Communicative Competence:
The
true goal of a language course is to make the learner communicate properly in
that language. The focus of second language teaching has moved from purely
teaching grammar and vocabulary, to providing the skills for effective
communication. In linguistics terminology, a language course should not only
have “linguistic competence” as its goal, but “communicative competence” in
general.
Communicative
competence is a term coined by Dell
Hymes in1966 in reaction to Noam Chomsky’s notion of “linguistic
competence”. Four components of communicative competence are:
Linguistic competence:
It is the knowledge of the language code, i.e., its grammar and vocabulary. It
also includes phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
Sociolinguistic competence:
Second language learners must learn how to produce and understand language in
different sociolinguistic contexts, taking into consideration such factors are
the stats of participants, the purpose of interactions, and the norms or
conventions of interactions.
Discourse competence:
Discourse competence is the knowledge of how to produce and comprehend oral or
written texts in the models of speaking, writing, listening, reading
respectively.
Strategic competency:
It is the ability to recognize and repair communication breakdowns before,
during, or after they occur.
