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Abstract
The teaching of English as a compulsory subject at the university level in India has undergone considerable changes over the last few decades. The Functional approach has taken over the structural approach. The focal point has shifted from the teacher-centric classes to learner-oriented teaching. A course in Compulsory English is designed to enable the average student to understand, speak, read and write skillfully and effectively. All the same, there remains an area of tribulations, which may be, due to the constraints of either the pedagogic set up or the non-academic factors that block the students’ way to achieve the set goals. This paper first discusses the possible constraints in the light of a compulsory course in English and makes an attempt to draw round strategic intervention within the limits of the academic freedom.
Keywords: Compulsory English, constraints, language skills, motivation, group cohesiveness, workouts, Strategic intervention
English language teaching in India is one of the largest enterprises in the world. English is taught, practically, from the 1st standard to the master degree level. English, since its introduction in the Indian education system has undergone many changes and it is likely to continue with the same. We have moved from the Grammar Translation method to more communicative approaches to the teaching and learning of English in India. There is a realization that ‘Teacher-directed, and dominated classrooms cannot, by their nature be interactive classrooms…’ (Rivers: 1987, P.9), therefore, we are moving to the learner-oriented approaches. At the university level the Literary English textbooks have been replaced by Practical English framework in many universities. The compulsory courses in English are aimed at enabling students to use English effectively and skillfully in practical situations. However, there are many factors that create a gap between the objectives and methods to achieve them. Therefore, it becomes essential to address these problems and find feasible solutions. This paper first discusses the problems faced in the teaching of English as a compulsory subject at the university level and then makes an attempt to provide a support system not only to tackle these problems but also temperate the process of learning.
The hitch while you teach
With an exception of a few institutes, it is found that the majority of colleges and the teachers of English are used to teaching English as Compulsory course as it is prescribed by the respective university. The syllabus, textbook, examination pattern and objectives are set by the board of studies keeping the ‘majority’ in mind. Hence, the role of the teacher remains restricted to following the set pattern. The following diagram shows the factors that a teacher and a learner cannot have control over.
Figure 1: Factors beyond control in Teaching and Learning of English
How does this affect teaching and learning?
A Compulsory English course is designed keeping certain assumptions, for instance, in B.A. First/ Second year course, it is assumed that the students have learned basics of grammar, have adequate vocabulary and are good at basic speaking skills. Secondly, the course is supposed to practically provide students with training in certain skills whereas there are more than 100 students in the classroom. Hence, when the teacher goes to the class with these assumptions and begins teaching according to the prescribed syllabus and the text, he/she is disappointed to see that the students are not able to construct even a couple of sentences properly or read and understand supposedly simple passages in English. The ‘practical’ sense of the course is lost in a large classroom. This certainly signifies that there is a gap between the assumed condition and the existing condition. Therefore, merely following the syllabus may not prove to be realistic and useful. If students are weak at the level of linguistic competence, it is difficult to lead them to communicative competence. Moreover, ‘linguistic competence and communicative competence contain the goals laid down in course syllabi and the objective. But without personal competence the first two do not yield success.’ (Stevick, 1982, p.18) Some students, because of rigid formal training, have no experience in taking initiative and participating imaginatively in task-oriented, purposeful learning or cooperative learning. Therefore, the personal competence also becomes important in the process of learning. The following diagram is suggestive of the same.
Figure 2: Tripartite Model of Competence based on Stevick’s notion
Need for a Strategic Intervention
It is here, that the creativity, skills and knowledge of a teacher is called for. This, I call strategic intervention. Even though the teacher is mainly an administrator of the syllabus, s/he does have a certain degree of freedom to approach the problem in his/her own way. The following diagram shows the factors that are within the control of a teacher.
Figure 3: Factors within the Control of Teacher
Figure 3 clearly indicates that even if the Target Situation analysis is not in control, the Present Situation analysis of the students is available to the individual teacher. The teacher by way of observation or a class assignment/test can find out strengths and weaknesses of his/her students. Secondly, s/he has the freedom to utilize the time allotted and use the classroom exploiting all the best possibilities. ‘Teachers are individuals who teach and interact most effectively when what they are doing conforms to what they feel most comfortable doing.’ (Rivers 1987, P. 5) So, though apparently a teacher has to be a follower, there is room for her/him to do what s/he feels necessary and useful for her/his students.
A lot depends on the student-teacher relationship as well. The teacher can surely understand the attitude and motivation of her/his student. Knowing this is necessary as attitude and motivation are usually related to language achievement independent of aptitude and intelligence (See Rivers, 1983; Dornyei, 2001). It is needless to say that a good teacher is never short of innovative techniques. Her/his understanding and innovative techniques can help a teacher build a support system within the constraints of a set course to make it more useful for the students.
Strategic intervention in Compulsory English Classroom
Course in compulsory English for the B.A./B.Com/B.Sc 1st/2nd/3rd year are divided mainly in three parts, namely, Reading Skills, Writings Skills and Oral Communication Skills. These classes, as mentioned earlier, generally consist of 100 and more students. It certainly is impractical to teach practical skills just by delivering lectures. At the same, it is impossible to give practice to each individual. It is, at this point that the teacher needs to use her/ his management skills.
Promoting the development of group cohesiveness
It is very practical that we make groups of 5 to 6 students each. Further, the students with better English can be made the group leaders. Peer learning is beneficial in this condition. ‘Facts we learn about language are “inert ideas” until they are tossed about, recombined in original ways, and tested for their communicative potential in the natural give and take of interaction between individuals in dynamic interchange within groups.’ (Rivers 1983, P. 77) Therefore, in most of the activities the students’ interacting within groups may help them to communicate better. These activities include pair-work, role-play, project work, problem-solving activity, filling in worksheet etc. Dornyei (2001) suggests intra-group competition and group legends can be very motivating.
Workouts
‘Workouts are language learning and language using activities which enhance the learners’ overall acquisition process, providing planners and teachers with a variety of ways through which to make this process engaging and rewarding.’ (Dubin & Olshtain, 1986, p. 96). These workouts can help in closing the gap between the textbook and the student’s knowledge of English. Moreover, these workouts will also motivate students.
[Based on Dubin and Olshtain’s (1986) description of workouts]
To make sure that the workouts are motivating enough, include challenging, interesting, novel, exotic and personal elements in the task contents.
Using Authentic Material
From the students’ point of view their time in the classroom is devoted to the enforced attempts to meet externally imposed demands (Brophy, 1998, Dornyei, 2001). This is one of the most de-motivating factors for the students. Many experts are on the opinion that authentic material may bring in some positive changes. Hence while getting the students to read, the teacher just needs to go a step ahead and collect the authentic material according to the levels of comprehension, liking and interests. A tourist’s guide to the place the students already know or the map of the city or local English newspaper.
Publication
A task with a tangible outcome is always motivating. It requires learners to create some kind of finished product as the outcome. A term collection, monthly class bulletin, a poster, or an information brochure of the groups of students, along with interesting interviews, adds to the enthusiasm of the class. Murphey (1998) found in his experiment that printing students’ comments in the class newsletter was highly inspirational. The finished product can be circulated in the classroom. In this way, writing can be seen as a means of communicating one’s thoughts freely.
Competition
One of the most motivating factors in group-dynamics is the competitive spirit. A good teacher should never fail to exploit this factor in a large classroom. A quiz, debate, staging of a play, project work, extempore etc are some competitions that enable students use language practically and effectively. Hence, these should be included whenever and wherever possible.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be argued that in spite of the constraints, it is quite possible for a teacher to provide an internal support system that not only bridges the gap between the assumed proficiency level of the students and their actual proficiency level but also helps learn English for practical purposes easily. The strategies that have been suggested in this paper are only that of exemplary nature. It is ultimately the immediate context of teaching situation that will determine the choice of material and strategies. However, one needs to keep in mind that this is only a support system and it in no way should overlook the set course for which this system is introduced.
References
Bruphy, J. E. 1998. Motivating students to learn. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Dornyei, Z. 2001. Motivation strategies in the language classroom. CLT Library. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dubin, F. & Olshtain, E. 1986. Course design: developing programs and materials for language learning. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press.
Murphey, T. 1998. Motivating with near peer role models. In B. Visalis (Ed.) on JALT’97: Trends and transitions. Tokyo. JALT (pp.205-209)
Rivers, W. M. 1983. Communicating naturally in a second language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
___________ 1987. Interactive language teaching. CLT Library. London: Cambridge University Press.
Stevick, E. V. 1982. Teaching and learning languages. London: Cambridge University Press.
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