Providing an input-rich communicational environment is a promising way through which English language learning can be improved in schools. This is outlined in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, says Rob lynes
The importance of English as an international language continues to grow. In India, there is a strong demand for English across age groups, geographies and socio-economic segments. Students, parents and policy makers pin their hopes on English to help provide access to education, career opportunities and social mobility.
Given the significance attached to English, many a times the question has been asked by policy makers in education that: “How well is English being taught and learnt in India, particularly in the rural areasIJ”
There is a growing demand for English medium education across India, as borne out by the steady growth in English medium schools. What parents essentially want is a high-quality education for their children — a curriculum that is appropriate to a modern global society. That ideal curriculum is highly likely to include English as a component.
According to British Council and Pratham-ASER centre’s English Impact report, 2013, there is an existence of a strong positive relationship between the language of school instruction reading performance, very likely to be the home or mother tongue in most cases and the English language performance. This means that as levels of reading proficiency in language of school instruction increase, so do levels of English performance.
The report points out, not surprisingly, that in the same classroom, elder children in the same grade are able to learn English better. This inference presents a clear case for teachers making optimal use of elder children in the class for increased classroom interaction through group and pair work, as well as utilising approaches such as peer guidance support, and groupings based across capability and ages. This finding is also important in the context of multi-grade classrooms, which is a reality in many parts of rural India.
Multilinguist teaching in schools
There is no empirical evidence to support the view that asking children to learn multiple languages can lead to confusion. On the contrary, learning two or more languages in early years of education provides many benefits. Being multilingual has been shown to have considerable social benefits through better intercultural understanding. Early multilingualism sharpens certain cognitive functions, such as the ability to suppress irrelevant information and working memory. These benefits are useful for later language learning and information processing. Recent research also reveals that early multilingual acquisition co-relates with later onset of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
There were significant contributions from the English and Foreign languages University, Hyderabad and the University of Reading’s Centre for literacy and Multilingualism, which is an example of close collaboration between Indian and UK institutions of higher education.
Improving English Teaching and learning
In India, English should be seen as a key language in the repertoire of multilingual learners, without detracting from the importance of other languages. We need not insulate English from the other languages in the classroom. Within the school system, the KendriyaVidyalayas have emerged as successful models of bilingual (Hindi-English) school education.
There needs to be more focus on improving the quality of teacher education. Teachers need to know what education learning outcomes are, how they link to language acquisition and how they can best develop their learners’ skills in their own classroom contexts. What can we do to make a difference in English language learning outcomes in IndiaIJ and extend the solutions to education learning outcomes more broadly.
Teacher education programmes should also be need-based, and these needs linked to teachers but ultimately that of the learners. The 12th Five Year Plan clearly stresses the need for improving the quality of learning outcomes at all stages of education and this is something which organisations are committed to doing in partnership with State Governments.
Providing an input-rich communicational environment is one promising way through which English language learning can be improved in the schools and is outlined in the National Curriculum Framework 2005 (NCF 2005). The NCF 2005 also stresses the importance of developing ‘communicative competence’ and argues that teaching should aim to develop the student’s ability to use English in a variety of contexts spontaneously and appropriately.
The teaching of English in Indian schools needs an Indian approach in terms of methodology and pedagogy.
(The writer is Director, British Council India.)