A few days ago, a few students walked into my cabin, as they had an issue with their class presentation. I said the presentation was all right and the root of the problem lay in their English speaking skills ( which were limited )
The real issue is that, youngsters, congregate around people ( friends ) from their own region and so get little opportunity to speak English......and improve, which reminded me of the following story.
France, under Gen.Charles De Gaulle was, tenaciously holding on to their Algerian colony, amidst growing violence and opposition. The Governor General, in Algeria, Jacques Soltes, bitterly complained to De Gaulle, that his friends criticized him for following the General's policies.
De Gaulle, an impatient man, replied with a terse one liner ' Changez vos amis'.
Change you friends.It is the solution to many problems.I could not come up with better advise!
2 comments:
Sir,
Calling a spade a spade, I acquiesce halfheartedly with your blog.
With reference to learning a language,a language is best learnt when listened with rapt attention and spoken invariably and habitually. No language can be picked up, let alone mastering it, if it is dealt with by fits and starts and without a zeal to learn the language.
In the context of groups in educational institutions and organisations or elsewhere, we often observe people mingling up with those who hail from the same place or speak the same language as them.This is a common human inclination to bind with those with whom they share a common sentiment be it -emotional,intellectual or geographical.
What language do youngsters use when they are in a group which share the same ethnicity and region? Do they talk only in their regional language and use their indigenous lingo? Do they tend to ignore the English language which is the cornerstone for success in any field in today's world? Is their ENGLISH getting affected just because they are in the same group speaking their mother tongue?
If my analytical reasoning serves me logical wisdom, i would say that it is not the group alone which can influence an individual's learning, rather it is the individual himself who influences his own learning process and decision making.Just by swapping groups and becoming a part of diverse group won't serve the purpose.Individual effort and singular focus to achieve what one yearns for has to be there.A heterogeneous group will certainly be an augmentation to an individual's learning, provided he shows a fervent desire to learn and execute what he has learnt.
On the whole a person's individual effort plays a pivotal role in learning a language or for that matter anything and is the root of his intellectual growth.
cheers.
Kuldeep,
Well said, but your arguement, lacks a little depth.
Consider, South India as a test case. The Government in Delhi, has been trying since donkey's days to teach South Indian's Hindi at huge cost and much acrimony.
Had theyleft the job to Bollywood and Priyanka Chopra, we would have seen better and more sustainable results.
Individual learning is fine, but it has been seen that peer group learning is faster and more sustainable.
Also understand that courses are of limited duration, post which one is into the big bad world, where efficacy in speaking the English language is much valued.
People who speak the language well, may wonder what all the fuss is about, but it is an issue for those who don't and you learn best when in a diverse cosmopolitan crowd rather than a homogenous crowd not open to experience.
I was trying to convey the focus required and sense of purpose in bridging gaps!If your friends have to be letgo in this pursuit, then so be it!!!!!!
Post a Comment