2. Embryonic Conversational Skills among Engineering Students-Dr S D Sasi Kiran

Embryonic Conversational Skills among Engineering Students

Dr. Mrs. S.D.Sasi Kiran

Associate Professor of English

S&H Dept, Vignan University, Vadlamudi, Guntur

9963945606

sasikiran2@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper presents the discussion to the methods of developing conversational skill among students in engineering colleges. The focus is, however, on the process of developing conversational competency of LSRW skills with special attention to Engineering students.

Key words: Conversational, LSRW, Student, faculty, developing

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1.0 Introduction

Due to globalization English has become a world language in each and every field such that speaking English has become every day and every one need based state of affairs. Spoken English varies from region to region in accordance with cultural and native language differences. Resulting to the number of the people who use English as a means of communication exceeds much more than the number of the people who speak it as their mother tongue. In case of English in India, more than two centuries, India has been directly or indirectly had the influence on all the fields, such as Education, Business, Medical Science, etc … English tends to be a default world language for the present.

2.0 Engineering and English language

Engineering is treated as the heart of all technological fields. It covers the whole physical development areas like aeronautics, medical, electronics, automobile, computer, mechanical, civil and etc… In order to master the engineering knowledge and skills better, engineering students should own the English language competence. After completion of their engineering graduation, in order to understand and coordinate with their colleagues and accomplish their projects fluently, engineers have to speak good English. The importance of English also lies in the selling of engineers' sketches.

The present engineering aspirants are not giving ample significance to the English language skills; rather they give much precedence to their technical subjects. Due to this they lack English language competence which results to the breakdown in their interviews. So there is a need to the development of language skills for engineering students’ especially spoken skills. Now the engineering colleges and the universities have recognized the demand for these language skills and merged them as a part of their curriculum.

In this paper I had done observation on I year B. Tech students and yielded the results. The engineering students of I year B. Tech come from diverse backgrounds and most of the students are from the rural background. The selection process into the Engineering is only through the rank that they obtained in EAMCET (Engineering and Medical Common Entrance Test) and language proficiency is not a criterion. Before entering to the engineering they studied English for 12 years only as a second language and they were not at all opened to any kind of language exposures.

3.0 Literature Review

Despite the fact that speaking can be considered as one of the primary motivational resources, and students learning English mostly desire to master English speaking skill among the four major language skills (e.g. Kaçar & Zengin, 2009; Kim, 1999; Songsiri, 2007), speaking ability is underestimated in foreign language learning contexts and taught with old-fashioned teacher-centered approaches. Teachers taught speaking with the audio-lingual method by forcing students to memorize and repeat conversations from the textbooks for many years. What they did not realize was that the textbook conversations were not realistic and not similar to everyday English in conversations. When educators realized the importance of interaction between speakers in language learning, they turned their views to more modern approaches such as the communicative language teaching method and created content-, task- based teaching methods and activities in the classroom (Nunan, 2003). In spite of the modernization and change in teaching speaking, because of the dominance of traditional approaches in language learning and problems stemming from educational settings especially in EFL contexts, many learners are far away from using language at an adequate communication level.

4.0 The problem of Exposure

The approaches may vary from traditional to modern but the situation faced by English teachers in English classrooms is similar. Relaxed, perplexed, reluctant, passive or partially active, incurious student groups less interact, less participate and even less dynamic on stage/before podium. They hear rather than listen; Listen rather than speak! Less exposure to English language demography can be considered as the problem to be erased. By conducting activities, while imparting LSRW skills, this is quite possible. I consider here my own experience as a live example and showcase exposure to English language happens through activities undertaken by the facilitator as students start really talking and walking. ‘Talk & walk’ is student centric where as ‘Chalk & talk’ is teacher centric. Accordingly, activities undertaken in English classroom are student centric and hence advocated.

5.0 Background

I year B. Tech students are not at all interested to be exposed to language activity in their introductory classes. They were asked to give their self details and welcomed on to the dais. But they weren't moved even an inch. Later some of them felt at ease when asked to tell the details by standing at their own position (place). Their language was not good however they managed with some rules of language that they learned in their schooling. But the others hadn’t done even this.

6.0 Writing skills-Spoken skills

After two or three weeks the first year students were adjusted to the college environment and started concentrating in their language classes. They showed less exposure in speaking. Speaking Skills are part of their curriculum for Language Proficiency Lab and they started somewhat doing the written exercises but the same students hesitated to speak. They were able to construct the sentence after they had gained the knowledge of grammar. ‘English Proficiency course’ (EPC) is introduced with two facilitators present in the allotted 5 slots a week throughout the year. A course layout was designed. Materials were developed and photocopies of each lesson were distributed session wise and the programme was rolled out yielding the desired results. Finally, a mock PET test (Cambridge assessment Test) followed by PET test to assess LSRW skills of the students of first year were done. After declaration of results, feedback was also given. In order to develop the natural conversational skills of the final year students, I introduced the interactive topics like Presentation Skills, Group Discussions, Debate and Reading Comprehension. These sessions had given an upbeat and instant result with the help of ice breaking activities. At first the topics were explained thoroughly and divided them into groups. This gave a constructive result as they worked together and hunted to gain more marks than the other group. Even they were instructed to speak in English only. They enjoyed it a lot. Later onwards they started speaking with their friends in English and participated some of the activities, which helped them to the right exposure.

7.0 Activities in sessions

The below are some of the activities I had employed in order to bring out the natural conversational skills of the students.

1. Partner game:

In this game every two members have to be formed as a pair and one has to make an introduction of oneself to the other. This ice-breaker gets people to interact with one new person and helps everyone feel comfortable and part of the session. It also shows how observant we really are.

2. Birth order session:

After placing the following signs in each corner of the room: Only Child, Oldest Child, Youngest Child, Middle Child I asked the students assembled to use English only. The participants have to go to the appropriate corner of the room based on their own birth order position. When everyone is assembled, they are asked to discuss what special characteristics their birth order has and how it is reflected in their choice of course at engineering level. A recorder based on some criteria (i.e., person who was born only child, person who has been youngest or even who is the tallest, etc.) to bring data of their joining into a course is assigned. The groups have to report back. This activity gets students moving and interacting within the group and with all other groups.

3. Team Brainstorming

Teams are asked to list: things that are round, things associated with a holiday, things that are red, things make out of waste material etc. At this level, no discussion but just listing items is enough. The team with the most wins. This activity helps everyone feel equal and sets the stage for activities on the course topics.

4. Three Questions Game:

Everyone in the group writes down 3 unique questions they would like to ask others in the group. Not the normal “what’s you name” type questions but something like, "Where is the most interesting place you have ever traveled" or "Name a topic you feel absolutely passionate about". Time is allotted to mingle, and to ask three different people in the group one of their three questions. They go back and give their name when turn comes. As they say their name, the group is asked to tell what they know about this person.

5. The Artist Game

Every student is given a piece of paper and a pencil. In 5 minutes they must draw a picture that conveys who they are without writing any words or numbers. At the end of 5 minutes the sheets with drawings were shown one at a time asking them to try to guess who drew it. After this allow each of the artists to introduce themselves and explain how their work clearly conveys who they are.

8.0 Conclusion

The above enlisted activities have given a positive result and today the students are able to give presentations in the classroom in an effective manner. Today’s engineering students should master vocabulary, spoken skills and the usage of grammar so that they can compete with the technological world. We can’t see just from the students’ point of view, even we have to contemplate on teachers. We can’t change students without changing the methodology and the techniques of teaching.

References

• Dinçer, A., Yeşilyurt, S., & Göksu, A.. Promoting speaking accuracy and fluency in foreign language classrooms: A closer look at English speaking classrooms. Erzincan University Journal of Erzincan Facultyof Education, 14(1), 97-108, 2012.
• Noels, K. A. Learning Spanish as a second language: Learners’ orientations and perceptions of their teachers’ communication style. Language Learning, 51(1), 107-144 2001.
• Cummins, J. Linguistic interdependence and the educational development of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research. 49, 222-25, 1979.

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