UNIT 1 Nature, Need and Objectives of English as a Second

Language

Structure

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Objectives

1.3 English Learning Teaching Situation in India

1.3.1 Diversity and Disparity

1.3.2 Multilingualism and Language Education

1.4 The Status and Nature of English Language Teaching in India

1.4.1 The Status of English within the Formal Instructional System

1.5 The Needs and Objectives of Teaching English

1.5.1 Objectives of Teaching English

1.5.2 Why do we Teaching English?

1.6 Let Us Sum Up

1.7 Key Words

1.8 Answers to Check Your Progress

1.9 Suggested Readings

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1.1 INTRODUCTION

The nature of teaching-learning of any language in the world will always remain deeply
connected to the needs and motivations of the learners who acquire that language. For
example:

i) A Bengali child in Hyderabad is likely to pick up Telegu because that is the

language spoken by his peers. The childs need to communicate with his peers
motivates him to learn the language.

ii) A child who has Hindi as his mother tongue (MT) may learn English because it
is a compulsory part of her school curriculum.

iii) A street vendor, selling handicrafts on the pavement may pick up enough
English to be able to sell his wares to foreign tourists.

The last two decades have witnessed an increase in demand of the English language for
upward mobility.

In this Unit, we will attempt to examine the link between the needs and motivations of
learning English in our country and its influence on the objectives and nature of English
language teaching in India in formal settings such as schools, colleges and other English
language teaching institutes.

Language is a means of discovery: discovery of the self and of the world. The human
urge to share with others or express ones thoughts and desires drives the learning of a
language.

Talking about the functions of language, F. Newmeyer (1983) says:

Obviously, communication is a function of language perhaps, according to

some plausible but still in devised scale, the most important function. But
communication does not appear to be the only function of language. Language
is used for thought, for problem solving, for play, for dreaming, for displays of

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 group solidarity, for deception, for certain specialised literary modes such as
represented speech ...., and possibly to fulfill an instinctive need for symbolic
behaviour...

As language teachers, it is important for us to remember the natural functions of

language. In order to let this functionality remain intact in formal language learning
situations, opportunities to communicate or use the language must form the core of
any language learning programme. It is, thus, that teaching of English in India is
becoming increasingly skill based in its attempts to make the learner acquire the four
language skills (speaking, reading, listening and writing) to enable the learner to
become an effective and autonomous communicator.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

This unit will enable you to:

assess the status of English language both within the formal educational set up
(in your State/city) as well as outside the classroom;

understand the interrelationship between the status of English within the

classroom and the status of English outside the classroom; and

get some insight into the role of the teacher in teaching English in situations
where access to the language is very limited.

1.3 ENGLISH LEARNING TEACHING SITUATION IN INDIA

1.3.1 Diversity and Disparity

English learning education is marked by diversity and disparity in terms of provision

and resources for teaching of English as a second language and as well as medium of
instruction in school education. There are varieties of school systems that exist in the
country today the State runs schools where the medium of instruction is the State
language or the vernacular, the English medium schools, the private schools where the
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medium of instruction is often English, the Kendriya Vidyalayas where the children of
Central Government employees study and a special category of schools known as the
Navodaya Vidyalayas set up as a follow up to the National Policy of Education (1986)
for nurturing rural talents. These last two categories of schools follow a mixed medium
of instruction in quite a number of their schools. Children learn Science and
Mathematics in English medium and Social Sciences through Indian languages/regional
medium. There are also state-run schools where one section in each class is English
medium. This presents a huge linguistic gap for students who have attended vernacular
medium schools (Anderson, 2012). Here learning English often becomes a burden for
students as they are forced to learn the language on their own (Sheorey, 2006: 70). In all
the categories of schools and the systems of school education, English is a second
language, irrespective of its standard of teaching and availability of English in the
ambience and exposure and access to the language.

The English language teaching situation within and across the school systems present a
mixed picture in terms of teacher proficiency (TP) and the exposure of pupils to the
language in and outside school, i.e. the availability of English in the environment of
language acquisition (EE) (NCERT 2005). Kurien (1997) identifies four types of
schools as given below:

a. TP,EE (e.g. English-medium private / government-aided elite schools):

Proficient teachers; varying degrees of English in the environment, including as
a home or first language.

b. TP, EE (e.g. New English-medium private schools, many of which use both
English and other Indian languages): Teachers with limited proficiency; children
with little or no background in English; parents aspire upward mobility for their
children through English.

c. TP,EE (e.g. Government-aided regional-medium schools): Schools with a

tradition of English education along with regional languages, established by
educational societies, with children from a variety of background.

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d. TP, EE (e.g. Government regional-medium schools run by district and
municipal education authorities): They enroll the largest number of elementary
school children in rural India. They are also the only choice for the urban poor
(who, however, have some options of access to English in the environment).
Their teachers may be the least proficient in English of these four types of
schools. (Position Paper Teaching of English- NCF - 2005- NCERT) (p 2)

The difference in the teaching-learning situation, learners exposure to the language

outside the schools and parental support further divides each category of student. The
teaching situation decides where a school stands. Most rural schools in India today fall
under the fourth category where we have children with almost no exposure to the
language, teachers language proficiency is in question and the parents who cannot
support their wards in learning the language.

1.3.2 Multilingualism and Language Education

Indias linguistics diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity in schooling. It is a

challenge as the language-in-education policy could not, accommodate (all) the
languages of the children in the curriculum and is a merit and opportunity in terms of
availability of languages in a typical Indian classroom where employing
multilingualism as a strategy for teaching-learning of languages as well as the content
subject is possible and necessary. The language-in-education policy attempts to
accommodate at least three languages within ten years of schooling. However, many
tribal and minor languages are yet to find a place in the school curriculum.

Activity 1

1) Visit at least three schools in your neighbourhood and find the difference in the
English language proficiency of learners and teachers, languages known/spoken
by learners, and languages used inside and outside the classroom in the school.

2) Try and recall how you learnt English language inside school and outside
school. What were the opportunities for learning of English in your childhood
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 and school days? Write your language learning autobiography giving instances
which supported or hampered language learning.

Discussion

The diverse nature of schooling discussed above is also manifested in the curricular
practices which includes methodology of teaching, teaching-learning materials and
assessment. A national or state level curriculum may advocate sound pedagogical
practices based on contemporary belief and research evidences but this does not
necessarily mean the teacher and the school is equipped with the practice of the same.
This leads to what Michael Swan (1985:77) asserts, Defective language learning is
often attributed to defective syllabus design, the student does not learn the language
properly because we do not teach the right things or because we recognize what we
teach is the wrong way. This dissatisfaction with the way language education,
particularly English language education is practiced has been widely researched and
discussed. No particular philosophy of education or philosophy has given ready
answers. Perhaps an informed eclectic approach is the most useful. Eclecticism
suggests to move beyond methods and device methods and strategies which work in the
context of each classroom. The Position Paper on Teaching of English (NCERT, 2005)
suggests varied strategies suitable for different stages of schooling. An informed
teacher is expected to have knowledge of salient aspects of various approaches and
methods of language teaching and adopt and adapt what works in her classroom to
create an engaging environment for language learning.

Multilingualism is a natural phenomenon which relates positively to cognitive

flexibility and scholastic achievement. Several recent studies have effectively
demonstrated the positive relationship of bilingualism with cognitive growth and
scholastic achievement. There is a highly positive relationship between bilingualism,
cognitive flexibility and scholastic achievement. Bilingual children not only have
control over several different languages but are also academically more creative and
socially more tolerant. The wide range of linguistic skills that they control equips them
to negotiate different social situations more efficiently. There is also substantial
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 evidence to show that bilingual children excel in divergent thinking. Since, we also
know of the positive relationship between multilingualism, cognitive growth and
educational achievement, there is every need to promote multilingual education in
schools.

Check Your Progress 1

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below:

b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the Unit.

1) What is Multilingualism? Do you have children in your classroom who speak

different languages? Which are these languages?

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2) How will you as a teacher use the languages of learners for teaching-learning of
English?

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3) How will you support English language learning of learners who has less
exposure to the language?

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1.4 THE STATUS AND NATURE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TEACHING IN INDIA

According to the Constitution of India, Hindi is the official language of India and
English is the associate official language. But what is the situation in fact?

Activity 2

Think about how English is used in your State. Does it have the status of a second
language or a foreign language?

Educators define a foreign language as one which is studied for the insight it affords
into the life of another nation, and a second language, as one which is studied for more
utilitarian purposes, because of its direct value to the speaker or writer as a citizen of
her/his own country. This is by no means an absolute distinction (Pride, 1971, 22-23).

To answer the above question you should think about the purposes for which you and
the people you know use English. You may begin with how many languages you know?

1. What language is most commonly used in offices?

2. What percentage of people (approximately) read newspapers (a) in English and

(b) in the regional language/MT (Mother tongue)?

3. Which language do people generally use in restaurants, at railway booking

counters, when shopping, etc.?

4. When people meet people from other States do they use English/Hindi/some
other language?

5. What is the language you find used most often in advertisements and hoardings
in (a) towns and (b) in cities?

6. What are some of the most popular TV Programmes? Which language(s) are
they in? If people watch programmes in English, do they have any difficulty in
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 understanding the language?

7. To what extent does the man in the street use and understand English? For
example, if you asked an auto rickshaw driver or a shopkeeper in your town a
question in English would he be able to understand it easily/with difficulty/not at
all? Would he be able to answer in English? Generally/occasionally/not at all?

8. What are the languages spoken by students of your class?

An answer to these questions will help you to build a picture of what the status of
English is in your State, its importance, and the extent to which its development is
possible.

The question of the status of English in India is important because your language
teaching-learning situation cannot be separated from the language learning environment
outside the classroom. We need to consider the language environment if we are
desirous of making a change in the classroom.

Discussion

Be realistic about the general English learning environment of your learners, and then
you will find your teaching of English will be much more effective. You should think
of using all your resources, and supplementing these resources, if necessary.

For example, you may make effective use of newspaper clippings, magazine
advertisements, official forms (rail reservation form, money order form, and so on),
billboard messages to motivate the learners to use English in authentic/real life
situations.

The nature of English language teaching in India is an outcome of the status of English
within the formal learning curriculum as well as its presence in the real world outside.
Though English does not have a uniform status in various parts of our country, the
following are some of the common roles or functional capacities in which English is
present in India:
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English is the associate official language in our country. It is taught as a part of school
curriculum for 6 to 12 years, either as a subject or both as a subject and a medium of
instruction. Out of the 35 States and Union Territories, 26 States introduce English
from Class one as a language (NCERT, 2007).

In context of a global society and Indias participation in it, competence in the use of
English has become the passport not only to higher educational opportunities but also to
better economic gains. As a library language it wields considerable presence in the
arena of higher education. It is, thus, that in school the emphasis has shifted from
learning the content of the English lessons to trying to acquire the language skills which
will enable the learners to use the language.

1.4.1 The Status of English within the Formal Instructional System

In Activity 2, you examined the status of English in your State; now let us examine the
status of English language which is set within a formal instruction system. However,
before examining a formal language learning situation, let us attempt to look at an
informal language learning situation. An informal language learning situation is one
where a child picks up the language in the environment for communication. For
example, a young child learns to use language functionally, i.e., to get things done or to
express himself/herself. This expression could be transactional or self-expressive in
nature. Through play, chat and observations which constitute easy, spontaneous use of
language, the child develops language skills. Thus, by using language, the child
develops language skills, i.e., he/she learns to speak, read, listen, write effectively and
independently.

The formal instructional system is, however, very different. Here, we are referring to
organised learning on a large scale, with the instructional system providing certification
at the end of a learning programme.

We must examine carefully the differences in the teaching and learning of languages in
formal and informal situations. Early language learning involves learning of the mother
tongue (MT) or first language (L1). Learning English for most Indians is learning a
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 second language (L2).

Informal Language Formal Language

Learning Learning

1. Language taught MT, L1 L2, L3, etc. from Class I

(English Medium)

2. Age From birth onwards, in From Class III, IV, V, VI

informal situations of (vernacular language
language learning. medium)

3. Use of Language Functional More formal language

descriptions, formal
grammar learnt.

4. Treatment of errors Parents repeat, encourage Teacher may comment,

and correct. focus on errors or
sometimes reprimand.

5. Exposure Oral Predominantly in the

written form.

However, these characteristics of formal and informal language learning situations

should not be seen as exclusive to each other. Languages are acquired both informal
and more naturally in informal contexts.

Activity 3

What is the status of English in your State in formal language situations? Answer some
of the questions below and see if you can get a picture.

a) What is the pass mark in your school/college? Is English medium compulsory at

college?

b) Are other subjects taught in English? If not, in which class does English
instruction begin?
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c) What does the language examination assess, competence of language skills
(reading, speaking writing, listening) or content of the text (If so, in what
percentage)?

d) What do you teach while teaching a language? Grammar or the use of language
or something else?

e) Do you let your students make errors? How do you deal with their errors?

f) What percentage of your learners shows interest in using English within/outside

the classroom?

g) What percentage of students in your class has access to English in the speech
communities of their home?

h) Is there a demand for English medium in your State?

Discussion

Answer these questions one by one. These answers will give you a picture about the
needs and objectives of teaching English within your classroom. If you gear your
teaching to the actual needs of your learners, they would be far more motivated to learn
the language. A need assessment of your learners may be undertaken by finding out
where and when your learners use/would like to use English. Questionnaire I given at
the end of this Unit can help you undertake this activity. This kind of assessment will
not only help you utilise all possible resources to facilitate language learning but also
enable you to pitch your classroom activities at the appropriate level, keeping in mind
the English language competence of your learners and the role that it plays in their lives.

It has been very often seen that grammar teaching or even knowing grammar rules need
not lead to correct language use. This is so because an average Indian learner does not
get enough exposure to English to internalise its rules as a native speaker would.

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 In this kind of language learning environment where exposure to the target language is
very limited (Acquisition-poor environment) the language class needs to provide
opportunities to the learners to use/experiment with the language. The learners should
not be spoon-fed answers to exercises at the end of each lesson. They should be allowed
to struggle to express themselves, so that they learn to use the language. They should
be encouraged to speak to each other in anxiety free situations so that the sense of
hesitation and stress that they feel in using the language gradually disappears. Each and
every error of the learner need not be corrected. The habit of peer or self-correction
should be inculcated so that the learners can monitor and help each other correct their
use of English.

Check Your Progress 2

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below:

b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the Unit.

4) Does the language teacher need to assess the need(s) of the language learners to
learn the language? Give reasons for your answer.

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1.5 THE NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES OF TEACHING ENGLISH

In a vast and heterogeneous society like ours, the needs of the learners for learning
English will not be uniform.

As teachers we should be able to identify the requirements of various groups of students

and try to provide for each such group the type of courses which will be relevant to their
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needs.

Assessment of the English language needs of the learners when translated into the
goals/objectives of the language programme would make the language learning
situation sensitive and responsive to the differences in the speech communities of the
learners. This would facilitate language learning by ensuring sustained learner interest
and a high degree of motivation.

Despite the heterogeneity of English language learning situations, the English learning
environment may be classified into two categories.

a) Acquisition-rich environments are language learning environments where

besides the formal language learning in the classroom, the learner has access to English
in the speech community of his/her home and immediate neighbourhood especially peer
group.

For example for a young child in an urban, educated upper middle class home, the
preferred language of communication at home with parents and siblings may be
English. In this environment, the chances that the child acquires fluent command over
English are far higher because the learning of English is not restricted to the
classroom/school. Opportunities for viewing various TV programmes and movies in
English are also a part of acquisition-rich environments.

This, however, is an exception and not the normal situation in the context of English
language learning in India.

b) Acquisition-poor environments are those language learning environments

where exposure of the target language (here English) is limited to the classroom and the
language is absent in the speech community of the learners home or his immediate
neighbourhood especially peer group. In such an environment, opportunities of learning
the language are severely limited and occur only in the formal educational setting. For
example, for a child from a lower middle class background in our country, exposure to
English is restricted to the English textbook and the English teacher. This makes the
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learning of the language far more difficult. The majority of English learning situations
in India are of this kind. In these situations, the teacher needs to be especially sensitive
to the motivation/needs of the learners for learning the language so that he/she may
adapt the materials and organise the learning environment to fulfill the learners needs.

To cite an example, for a learner enrolled in an English language programme at the

University, the motivation for learning English will be much higher if the course
concentrates on the teaching of study skills, reading comprehension techniques, note-
making, writing term-papers, etc., because these are the skills that a university graduate
requires. But these skills are rarely taught to the students.

In a country like ours where the learners differ considerably with reference to their
needs for learning English as well as their competence in the language, an omnibus (i.e.
broad-based inclusive) curriculum cannot be relevant. There is a need not only to
develop different English learning modules keeping in mind the vast variety of learner
needs, but also to train the language teacher to adapt the given material. The teacher
should also attempt to use the socio-cultural milieu of the learner as a storehouse of
materials and utilize it optimally for language learning. For example:

a) to practice adjectives the teacher may ask the learners to gather familiar objects
around their houses bring them to class and describe them.

b) learners may be taught how to give direction by drawing a map from school to
their homes and telling their peers how to get there.

c) familiar and simple cooking recipes may be utilised to develop the skill of
giving instructions.

d) Learners may be told stories in English and in the mother tongues.

1.5.1 Why do we teach English?

Activity 4

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1. Do we teach English so that students can pass examinations based upon the
content of the textbook(s)?

2. Do we view English as a medium for mastering language skills?

Discussion

Any meaningful language programme must prepare the learners to use the language as a
medium for communication and not as a content based subject.

In our country too, we can see a shift from content-based teaching to skill-based
teaching in schools where interactive learning materials are in use. These materials
focus on developing various language skills in English. However, these efforts need to
be stepped-up. They should also be extended to the lower levels, i.e. the elementary, and
the primary level.

1.5.2 Objectives of Teaching English

It is believed that teaching of a language means teaching what has been traditionally
known as LSRW skills as the objectives of language teaching. However, these are not
discrete skills but have to be learnt in an integrated manner. We now make a case for
holistic language development in children. When we speak, we also listen
simultaneously. When we write we are also reading. This engagement with language
enables us to internalize the underlying grammaticality of the language. This leads to
language learning. Our classroom should attempt to promote language learning
adopting such processes where learners get time to get engaged with the language by
using for real life purposes in order to manipulate and think about the linguistic aspects.
Learners learn the second or foreign language by using it for pragmatic purposes which
includes not only social use of language but also for academic purposes. Cummins and
Swain in their book Bilingualism in Education (Longman, London, 1986) make a very
fundamental distinction between Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and
Cognitive Advance Language Proficiency (CALP). The language ability that is
associated with BICS largely involves the skills to perform effectively in situations that
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are rich in context and undemanding at the level of cognition. The language of here and
now and that of peer group social interaction belongs to the domain of BICS. CALP
refers to language use in academic spheres and includes abstract thinking. An effective
language course in school should aim at promoting BICS and CALP. Objectives of
language teaching should enable the learners at the end of ten-year schooling to develop
skills and competencies to use the language for real life purpose in a social situation as
well as to use the language for academic or higher order thinking purposes. The
National Curriculum Framework 2005 proposes the following objectives for language
teaching-learning for high school:

(a) The competence to understand what she hears: A learner must be able to
understand various verbal and non-verbal clues coming from the speaker for
comprehending what has been said. She should also be skilled at listening and
understanding in a non-linear fashion by making connections and drawing
inferences. It is also important to appreciate that the sounds that are fundamental
to the growth of children are not just individual language sounds; connected
real-life speech with all its hesitation, pauses and silences is most important.

(b) Ability to read with comprehension, and not merely decode: She should
develop the habit of reading in a non-linear manner using various syntactic,
semantic and graphophonemic cues. She must be able to construct meaning by
drawing inferences and relating to the text with her previous knowledge. She
must also develop the confidence of reading the text with a critical eye and
posing questions while reading. The ultimate test of reading ability is a critical
appreciation of an unseen text that is at least one stage above the cognitive level
of the reader.

(c) Effortless expression: She should be able to employ her communicative skills in
a variety of situations. Her repertoire must have a range of styles. She must be
able to engage in a discussion in a logical, analytical and creative manner. All
this will inevitably involve an integration of all the skills.

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(d) Coherent writing: Writing is not a mechanical skill; it involves a rich control on
grammar, vocabulary, content, punctuation as well as abilities to organise
thoughts coherently often using a variety of cohesive devices such as linkers and
lexical manipulation through synonymy, etc. A learner should develop the
confidence to express her thoughts effortlessly and in an organised manner. The
student must be encouraged and trained to choose her own topic, organise her
ideas and write with a sense of audience. This is possible only if her writings are
seen as a process and not as a product. She should be able to use writing for a
variety of purposes and in a variety of situations ranging from informal to very
formal.

(e) Control over different registers: Language is never used in a uniform fashion. It
has innumerable varieties, shades and colours which surface in different
domains and in different situations. These variations, known as registers, should
form part of a students repertoire. Besides the register of school subjects, a
student must be able to understand and use the variety of language being used in
other domains such as music, sports, films, gardening, construction work,
cookery, etc.

(f) Scientific study of language: In a language class, the teaching approaches

adopted and the tasks undertaken should be such that they lead a child to go
through the whole scientific process of collecting data, observing the data,
classifying it according to its similarities and differences, making hypotheses,
etc. Thus, linguistic tools can and must play a significant role in developing a
childs cognitive abilities. This would be much better than teaching normative
rules of grammar. Moreover, this approach is particularly effective in
multilingual classrooms.

(g) Creativity: In a language classroom, a student should get ample space to develop
her imagination and creativity. Classroom ethos and healthy teacher-student
relationship build confidence enable the student to use her creativity
uninhibitedly for text transaction and in other appropriate activities.
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(h) Sensitivity: Language classrooms can be an excellent reference point for
familiarising students with our rich culture, heritage and aspects of our
contemporary life. Language classroom and texts have a lot of scope to make
students sensitive towards surroundings, people and the nation.

(Syllabus for Secondary Stage, NCERT 2005, Languages, pp.6-8)

Activity 3

1) Refer to the objectives of English language teaching-learning of the syllabus of

your State and compare the same with the National level Syllabus.

2) Look at the textbook you are using in your classroom and say how the objectives
of language learning are realized in the book?

1.6 LET US SUM UP

The nature of English language teaching in India is an outcome of the status of English
within the formal learning curriculum as well as its presence and role in the real world
outside. The following are some of the common functional capacities in which English
is present in India:

as an associate official language;

as a library language;

as a passport to higher educational opportunities and better economic gains; and

as a part of the school curriculum for 6 to 12 years.

Language teaching programmes must be oriented towards catering to the needs of the
learners so that in an acquisition poor environment, the learning of English is facilitated
by the intrinsic motivation and interest of the learners. Any language programme must
aim at making the learner an autonomous and efficient user of the language. The
teaching can facilitate this process by providing opportunities for active language use to
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 the learners.

1.7 KEY WORDS

Foreign language : A foreign language is one which is studied for the

insight it affords into the life of another nation (Pride,
1971).

Second Language : a second language is a language other than ones first

language. It is learnt for utilitarian reasons because of
its direct value to the speaker or writer as a citizen of
his own country (Pride, 1971).

acquisition-poor : a language learning environment were access to the

environment language is restricted to the classroom, thus making
acquisition of a specific language difficult.

acquisition-rich : a language learning environment, where besides

environment formal language learning in the classroom, the learner
has access to the target language in the speech
community of his home, making acquisition easier.

content-based teaching : a language learning programme where the learners are

taught and examined on the content of the
textbooks(s).

skill-based teaching : a language learning programme where the learners are

given opportunity to develop their language skills
(reading, writing, speaking and listening) and
examined in terms of their competence in these skills.

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1.8 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress 1

1. Attempt the question yourself.

2.

3.

Check Your Progress 2

4. The language teacher not only needs to assess the need of the language learners
to learn the language but also needs to evaluate their existing competence in the
target language in order to be able to organize the language learning activities
and materials to fulfil these needs. If these needs are catered to the learners will
be extremely motivated to learn the language.

5. The objectives of a language learning programme should emerge out of the

need(s) to learn that language. For example, a senior secondary learner from a
vernacular medium school, who plans to enroll in an English medium bachelors
degree programme in Commerce will need to be familiar with the English terms
used in Commerce. He/she will also need to be trained to acquire study skills
like note-making, reading comprehension techniques, etc.

If a learner needs to learn English only because it is a compulsory part of the school
curriculum and if the evaluation pattern in a school concentrates primarily on writing
and reading, the teaching of these skills will gain importance over the other two
(especially speaking). So the learner may not make sustained effort to speak the
language.

Questionnaires 1

Name : .....................................................................

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 Age : .....................................................................

Class : .....................................................................

Address : .....................................................................

Mothers Profession : .....................................................................

Fathers Profession : .....................................................................

A. When do you use English? Tick mark in the appropriate column:

1. In the Classroom: Many Times Sometimes Never

a) When talking to friends.

b) When talking to the teacher

c) During the English period

2. At Home:

a) When talking to your brother or

sister.

b) When talking to friends.

c) When talking to guests.

d) When talking to your mother.

e) When talking to your father.

f) When talking to neighbours.

3. When talking to the shopkeeper.

4. When asking for information at the

Bank or Post Office, etc.

B. Can you read, speak or write any other language besides Hindi and English?

Answer: .....................................................................

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C. Which language do you use the most?

i) At home : .....................................................................

ii) In School : .....................................................................

iii) With friends: .....................................................................

D. Which books and magazines do you read?

i) in Hindi ii) In English

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

E. Which newspaper(s) do you read?

Tick mark in the appropriate column:

................................................... Many Times Sometimes Never

...................................................

...................................................

F. Which T.V. Programmes do you watch?

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 i) in Hindi ii) In English

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ...................................................

1.9 SUGGESTED READINGS

Anderson, N.J. (2012), Metacognition: Awareness in Language Learning in Mereer,

S., Ryan, S., & Williams, M. (Eds.), Psychology for language learning : Insights from
research, theory and pedagogy (pp. 169-187), Basingstoke, UK : Palgrave.

NCERT. (2005a), National Curriculum Framework 2005, New Delhi, India.

NCERT. (2005b), National Focus Group Position Paper on Teaching of English, New
Delhi, India.

NCERT. (2005c), National Focus Group Position Paper on Teaching of English, New
Delhi, India.

Kurrien, John. (1997) Notes for the Meeting of the National Focus Group on Teaching
of English, and Notes on Introduction of English as the primary stage, Ms. NFG,
English-Position Paper on Teaching of English (India).

Sheorey, Ravi. (2006), Learning and Teaching English in India, New Delhi : Sage
Publications.

Swan, Miachael. (1985). A Critical Look at the Communicative Approach (2), ELT
Journal, 9/2 : 76-87.

Nadkarni, M.V. (1978): Cultural Pluralism as a National Resource: Strategies for

Language Education, in Arthur 4 (ed.) Language Education in Multilingual Societies,
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SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

Verma, S.K. (1994): Teaching English as a Second Language in India, in R.K.

Agnihotri and A.L. Khanna (eds.), Second Language Acquisition, New Delhi.

Methods of Teaching English, Block-I (1996), (PGCTE), Central Institute of English

and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad.

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