|
Learning Second Language at Basic and Secondary Level Education:
Pedagogical Implications with Special Emphasis on Arabic
-- Tecle Ghebermuse
This paper deals with the main components of language and some approaches and methods that are indispensable to second language acquisition or learning. It gives a brief note on the differences between linguistic, psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic approaches to second language acquisition. Moreover, the five levels of converting input into output according to the views of the psycholinguistic approaches are considered. Some challenges to language education policy, especially the difficulties in learning three or four languages simultaneously, are pointed out. Finally, the implications of introducing a language only as a compulsory subject (without considering it to serve as a medium of education) are pointed out.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
English Language Teaching in the Vernacular Medium
-- S Kumaran
This paper focuses on English language teaching in the vernacular medium classroom and analyzes both the merits of the vernacular medium classroom and the challenges posed to the English language teacher in it. It scrutinizes the imaginary boundary that circumscribes the English language use of vernacular medium students and also reveals the methods that can make them achieve communication competence. Further, the paper explores the advantages of technology in the vernacular medium classroom and lists out the free web resources for teaching and learning English in the vernacular medium classroom. Through the analysis, it is found that the students of vernacular medium are interested in English language learning and are ready to exalt it over others. It is also observed that the teacher of English can easily enhance the language skills of the vernacular medium students through appropriate and reliable methods of teaching. This paper restricts itself to teaching/learning speaking and writing skills and does not investigate in detail, the reading and listening skills.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
English for Students of Technology
-- Varma K Kishore and Devi V Radha
This paper makes an attempt to discuss the growth of English language and analyze its present status, and suggests an acceptable approach for learning English easily. Accordingly, the paper is composed with the thematic framework of providing the conceptual clarity in understanding the language. English, being used in former colonial countries like India, is unquestionably a valuable treasure of British legacy. One can observe that the language is either misunderstood or distorted in many countries due to improper ways of teaching strategies, the mother tongue influence and the conventional methods of training. Therefore, this paper tries to dispel the confusion taking place in knowing the true picture of English language. Simultaneously, it also discusses the evolution of technical English suitable for technology students and tries to present a few innovative techniques for teaching and learning English in an easy way. As a matter of fact, this popular language has become a passport to high society and visa for employability in modern job environment. It is high time the language teachers developed creative methods of teaching English. As the students of engineering colleges and technical institutions tend to think in terms of scientific methods and systematic learning, it is necessary to provide special language learning skills for presenting the concepts in Science and Technology. For this reason, the paper focuses on suggesting better devices for English language teaching and learning.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
ESP Syllabus Design: A Must for EFL Students
-- Fewzia Bedjaoui and Rym Allal
English for Specific Purposes (ESPs) is a learner-centered approach to teaching English as a foreign or second language and designed to meet the needs of most learners who have to learn a foreign language for use in their specific disciplines, such as science, technology, medicine and academic learning. The requirement of an ESP approach to course design would be Needs Analysis (NA), since it involves the awareness of a target situation. When evaluating an ESP course and identifying the language needs of the learners, NA is not the only parameter to be taken into account by the ESP teacher. There are other factors that have to be considered, such as formulation of goals and objectives, besides content and selection, and development of ESP materials. The dominant assumption in the field of ESP has been that if the needs of a group of English language learners can be accurately specified, then this identification can be used to establish the content of a language syllabus that will meet these needs. Yet, in Algerian universities, progressive efforts are made to design comprehensive Language for Specific Purpose syllabus which focuses on learners’ needs. Algerian ESP teachers, among others, should be aware that the syllabus is a valuable document; since it clarifies the different stages the teacher has to go through in order to reach the objectives of the course and allow the learners to be aware of the various stages of the learning process.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Rediscovering the Art of Presentation:
Practical Tips and Suggestions
-- P Suneetha
As a result of increasing globalization, there is a paramount need for acquiring adequate linguistic skills in English. Of the four skills, the speaking skill assumes greater importance in the context of the demands of corporate sector. For going up in the hierarchy of business administration, there is a great need for effective oral presentation, which is truly a performance art. The paper seeks to detail the sub-skills required—proper pronunciation of sounds, adequate pitch, rate of words used at the presentation, body language, eye contact and gestures. As the mode of articulation adopted by the speaker impacts the quality of presentation, proper care should be taken to produce the different sound of English. The speaker must engage the attention of all the members of the audience through judicious use of speech variation. Command over this skill helps the future employee succeed in his professional career.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Literature as a Communicative Ladder
-- Sita and Rekha
The paper focuses on the value of teaching literature to technical students so as to make them proficient in communication skills. Beginning with the emphasis on interdependence of language and literature, it channelizes its way to the use of native literature in the content-based foreign language instruction. Even the study is well supported by an exhaustive questionnaire and a graph to authenticate the use of literature in language learning process. Communication skills do play an important role in deciding one’s career graph; hence possessing effective communication skills is the need of the hour. Acquiring these skills is dependent on the inclusion of literary forms and native literature too. Literary genres can be effectively used to teach a foreign language like English. The purpose of this paper is to find out the essentialities of means and modes which are required to improve the communication skills of engineers.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Value-Based Teaching of English:
A Holistic Approach to Technology and Management Studies
-- S Rukmini
In the recent years, learner-centric approach to English teaching and learning has gained importance and is in practice. The knowledge and skills perspective of teaching of English and learning has neglected the holistic development of a student. Scholars and educationists have called for a value-based education for the holistic development of a student. Recent reports suggest that there is a shift in value system leading to individualism, ragging fellow students and other forms of negative behaviors among college students, mostly in India. Further, there is a general perception that due to mechanical delivery and evaluation, teaching and learning process is becoming less joyful. In the light of these developments, the paper highlights the necessity for value-based teaching of English for technology and management studies. Further, drawing from the rich scope in English language and literature in imparting values, a framework has been discussed.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Dissolved Native/Aboriginal/Dalit Bodies:
A Post-Human Reading of Glocal Epistemology
-- Raja Sekhar Patteti
The very perception of the ‘body’ has undergone a radical change in contemporary times. The body is redefined by the claims of cultural paradigms and in all its cultural functions as naked, clothed, healthy, diseased, diminished, muscular, heroic, sacrificial, cannibalistic, supernatural, heavenly and geometric. It is perceived as an encoding of society’s values. Body is philosophically theorized by Plato, Rene Descartes, Friedrich Nietzsche, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, etc. This is followed by the post-colonial perceptions of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari as ‘deterritorialized body’ and the radicalized versions of Norbert Wiener in Cybernetics, Jaron Lanier’s ‘Virtual Reality’, Bruce Bethke’s ‘Cyberpunk’ and Manfred E Clynes ‘Cyborg’. These propositions have not considered the history of victimization perpetrated unabatedly on dalit/native/aboriginal bodies. A critical examination of the history of victimization of native/dalit/aboriginal bodies will unfurl the history of the victimization and the social and cultural displacement of bodies.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
|
