Assignment Paper No.12
Paper No.12
Name: Ravji Jalondhara
Roll No. 28
Enrollment No.
Paper No.12 (ELT)
Assignment Topic:
Batch: 2017-19
Email Id: ravjijalandhara@gmail.com
Words: 1658
Submitted to: Department of English MKBU
English teaching as a second language.
• Introduction:
The spread of the English language is rampant all over the world. English language has been widely used and considered as the universal language. English is very powerful that it has been used when negotiating with very prominent personalities. With regards to worldwide meeting, the language of English is officially the language being spoken. The language of English is also known as the first language of the countries of Australia, Canada, the Commonwealth Caribbean, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom as well as the United States of America; and the second language of the Commonwealth countries like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa as well as the other international organizations.
The modern English is quite described as global lingua franca, and it is the major communication tool for science events, business, aviation, entertainment and diplomacy. The Indian software engineers created the global computer and IT revolution, which has now spread over the whole world. In doing so a happy synthesis has taken place between the American English and English as spoken in India. The Indian English has got worldwide acceptability in all walks of life, particularly in business, finance and in the field of science and technology.
• Position and Role of English in India:
English through a foreign language has always occupied a unique position in the educational system in India. Despite of the fact that it received a great setback after independence, it continues to be a major language having a prestigious position in our society. After independence, it received a hostile treatment not only at the hands of our political leaders but also some eminent scholars.
• Aims of learning and teaching in English:
Developing competence in language is important to the pupil both as an individual and as an active member of society. With this aim in mind, good English courses are constructed so as to ensure that pupils engage regularly and at suitable levels in worthwhile language activities which have four dimensions.
They use, learn and practice the skills of language, they experience and reflect on imaginative works, and they build up knowledge of important concepts in language and literature; in so doing they acquire attitudes of interest and concern for meaning in language. These skills, experiences, concepts and attitudes constitute the basic objectives of learning and teaching in English.
• The Translation Method:-
The translation method that is known as Grammar-translation method or the classical method of teaching English came to India with the Englishmen who wished to originate an English knowing class of people to manage administration. Even the learned teachers of classical language like Persian, Sakskrit, Latin, German, French, English, etc.
Have also been taught by this method. In this method, the purpose is to teach the pupils grammar, translation, meaning of new words, phrases and sentences. The teacher explains the meaning of each new word by translating them into mother-tongue.
At the same time, he indicates the grammatical rules and forms. So it lays emphasis upon reading. Mother tongue predominates over the teaching. It is profitable that when English words, phrases and sentences are translated into the student's mother-tongue, his comprehension becomes better and quicker. The working knowledge of mother-tongue assists them in learning the grammar of a foreign language.
It does not require any material aid except textbooks. It can be employed even in over crowded classes. Students 34 studying in Hindi medium schools find it easier to learn English through translation method. But now English has so many variety of use, this method is not considered as effective and workable as it was.
• Problems and Probable Solutions:-
Language is a product of a particular culture that is formed by its geographical situation, nature, climate and human beings, their manners of living, their habits and conduct etc. In return language explains all these. Everybody knows that the two cultures/races can never be the same. There is no perfect language which can explain all cultures and every environment. The idioms, phrases and vocabulary, which are evolved in the culture and surroundings of a particular country, hardly get matching equivalents in any other language.
The English words like field, drawing room, ice, etc. have no equivalents in Hindi or other Indian languages. So, word-for-word translation is really impossible. For instance, 'a' and 'the' in 'a book' and 'the book' can not be translated into Hindi. Prepositions in English make a wealth of phrases for which equivalents can not be searched in Hindi, for example 'on' in.
• The Direct Method:-
The direct method (natural method) that was first introduced in France in 1901 came into practice as a reaction due to the limitations of translation method. The motives of the method came from Germany and were made popular by the International Phonetic Association of French teachers founded in 1886. The exponents of the natural method presumed too much of likeness in learning the mother tongue and the foreign language.
That is to say, the maximum exposure of the learner to the target language without interpositions from the mother-tongue in the smallest degree would empower the learner to learn the language, we should create the atmosphere or chances more for learning the English language in the school atmosphere than they are learning the mother-tongue in the home atmosphere.
In the direct method new words associated with real objects are introduced at systematic intervals. They are orderly and prudently chosen for forming sentences. The teacher employs typical tools in the classroom which are known as his techniques. He presents new sentences, words, phrases, idioms, etc., then he helps the students to speak them in discussion. Frequent use of 'see and speak' technique is employed for assisting them to read. The students observe the activities and see the black-board while taking part in the discussions. The teacher promotes the natural expression in the target language without giving a chance to think of native language.
The direct method succeeded in replacing the translation method, because it has certain advantages. It is an instinctive method of teaching because English is taught as mother-tongue is taught. As it emphasizes spoken English, students get fluency of speech. They frame their thoughts directly in English without the improper interference of the mother tongue. They become sharp in understanding spoken English. They also possess nice pronunciation.
• Problems and Probable Solutions:
Though, the several educationists consider the direct method as a perfect method for teaching English as a second language, yet we can not ignore the difficulties related to it. This signifies that the meaning of the new phraseology of an alien language tends to make the student think and express in his own mother tongue. According to D.H. Scott "The clever youngster thrives on the direct method by defeating it".
Second, this method lays emphasis on aural-oral appeal; but the spoken sounds of it may be profitable for some pupils but not for all. There are many pupils who benefit more by visual appeal. Visual presentation is more fruitful for them than merely vocal. This method is not productive for such students because it ignores reading and writing work. The students may suffer from defects in reading and writing if this problem is not cured by employing other methods.
Third, grammar that is essential is not taught in a systematic manner. According to this method grammar should be taught inductively and indirectly, but such text-books in which grammar and reading material are closely related are not in the syllabus. Fourth, this method demands an environment of English and that environment is almost impossible to create in such rural and remote schools. It is essential for providing practice in oral work that classes should be of the little strength as well as of 43 the same kind.
This is not suitable for overcrowding classrooms. The conditions become more serious in some schools where enough materials and devices are not furnished. The managing system of them is very bad. So it can not be called a perfect method.
• The Bilingual Method:-
This method is a special method, as it is an intermediate path between two commonly rejected methods, namely the translation method and the direct method. It has the positive qualities of both the translation method and the direct method. It lays stress on conditioning situations but not completely like the direct method. Situations are created simply, by providing the mother-tongue equivalents of English words in this method. Sentence is the unit of teaching and a lot of practice is done in sentence structures. It allows the use of mother-tongue, but not like the translation method.
It utilizes the mother-tongue by using it in a confined way. It is used to make the sense of new words, phrases, idioms, sentences and grammatical rules clear. Word-for-word translation is always avoided. The teacher is the only person who can use the mothertongue and not the students and it is merely used during beginning stages. It is dropped as pupils proceed in learning English.
• Conclusion:
Well, what is most needed is a positive change in our attitudes towards the teaching of English. The main and simple aim of teaching English is to enable the students to acquire an ability to use English effectively. In order to achieve this aim we will have to introduce change in our syllabi, methodologies of language teaching, materials (including audio and video materials), training programmes, attitude to students and system of evaluation. We may need to change the school/college - its physical structure, its atmosphere, its functions, its facilities, its roles and responsibilities.
So teaching of English in Indian classrooms along with its curriculum, written materials, teaching system, etc. do not help the students to meet the new requirements of today.
Works Cited:
Upadhyay, A. English teaching as second language. 2014. 2 november 2018 <http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/21589/1/thesis%20(ankur%20upadhya).pdf>.
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