Learning English

 

We know that we read English in our school as a subject. Or we can say that it is included in our syllabus from class 1 in our schools. But have we ever thought why we read English. Generally if we ask this question most people respond that ‘it is a global language’, ‘it is spoken all over the world’ like this. No one wants to go in deep. But as I have understood it opens the world’s window before us. We can explore the world with the English only. And exploring the world has nothing to do with personal achievement or success.

As an English teacher it’s a Himalayan task before us to popularize English among our students. And most of us are teaching in a rural area, that’s why it becomes more difficult for us. In the rural area people don’t feel any urgency or need to learn English. We are failing continuously to make our students interested in learning English.

In the classroom we generally teach English as a subject, not as a language. And that is the point where problem starts. In schools we use bilingual method of teaching. Many scholars also support this. They have the idea that if we use complete English then our students will not understand. Let me ask them a simple question, “what comes first? Learning or understanding?”.

Let’s begin from the beginning. How does our child start learning a language? Whenever we are speaking a particular language before them, do they understand anything? But we continue to speak. And one day we find that they have complete mastery over a language. We must know that understanding is totally different from learning. If we translate anything from English to Hindi they will definitely understand, but actually they are not learning anything.

So, teach English as a language, not as a subject. Give students opportunities to use the language. Let them to make mistake. A big change comes only by a small beginning.

Happy reading!