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Updated: July 28, 2013 18:34 IST
English as second language
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- The Hindu Communication: Students from rural backgrounds tend to stick to minority language groups. Photo: S.S. Kumar
- The Hindu Janet Orr, Director, Teaching English as an Additional Language (TEAL) Services
A workshop on language testing and training for English teachers was conducted recently at Anna University — one of the many initiatives aimed at improving the communication skills of students.
Fluency in English or the lack of it, more or less impacts how students get placed in companies.
Even more so, during college years it touches the raw nerve as many
students from rural backgrounds find it difficult to cope with the city
atmosphere —poor English further accentuating this crisis of identity.
Asha Dinesh, counsellor, says, “Students from rural backgrounds find it
difficult to mix freely with other students and have a tendency to cling
to minority language groups.”
“Nevertheless, students need to know that communication is not limited
to being fluent in English. Body language plays an important role — it’s
about developing confidence. You can even use simple English words to
express yourself,” adds Dinesh.
A number of initiatives have been undertaken at Anna University to help students improve their communication skills.
One of the recent initiatives had U.S.-based Janet Orr, director,
Teaching English as an Additional Language (TEAL) Services, come over to
Anna University for a workshop in language testing and training for
English language teachers.
Challenges
Orr observed that teachers face a challenge in separating teaching from
assessment. “Teachers should know the difference between what is good
for teaching on the one hand and testing on the other. The test paper
should be prepared keeping the diversity of students in mind, and not a
situation where one student has an advantage over the other. All
students should be able to understand the test.
For example, multiple choice questions should have options which are
distinct from the rest, so that students can make a clear choice,” she
says.
Sujatha Priyadarshini, one of the professors who attended Orr’s
workshop, says, “It is important for students to understand what is
being taught in class, which is reflected by how they perform during
exams. These tests help us identify the key problems faced by students.
Based on this, we will hold remedial classes for students who
underperform.”Classes in English language are held to help them brush up
their communication skills. These classes are imparted for two
semesters in the first year and for a single semester in the third year
during the four-year engineering degree at Anna University. So, to what
extent do these sessions really help students from the Tamil medium
schools?
“Special classes on soft skills development, which include communication
skills and questions frequently asked at job interviews, are
periodically organised for the students. In addition, the alumni are
invited to train the students for group discussions,” says T.
Thyagarajan, director Centre for University Industry Collaboration.
On the other hand, for many of the rural students English is a second
language. Therefore, instruction in English makes it only worse for
these students. “Teachers find it difficult to cater to the needs of
these students — while these students expect the teachers to teach the
course subjects in Tamil, they are familiar with the technical concepts
only in English. Teachers, therefore, find it difficult to instruct in
two languages simultaneously,” says Veena Selvam, Assistant Professor of
English.
Orr speak
Life experiences make a lot of difference in learning. According to
research I did at the University of Atlanta, I found that when students
from rural backgrounds come to study in a university located in a city,
they perform better compared to secondary school because of the exposure
they get from activities they were deprived of earlier. The fundamental
idea is to give students a lot of opportunities. For example, ask them
to watch a movie and write a review based on that. Encourage them to
visit a museum or go for sporting activities.
You could visit http://www.americanenglish.state.gov/ for material on improving your English.
Keywords: english workshop, Anna university
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