English is the language of instruction at institutions of higher learning in India, much to the discomfort of students who complete their schooling in regional languages. Pranil Naik (37), founder of LeapForWord, a not-for-profit, found this disturbing and began to look for solutions. “I realised that to learn any language one essentially requires an environment that speaks the language, a peer network that converses in the language, a language expert who can teach in a structured manner, and technology with which we can learn the language on our own,” he says.
Some years ago, Mr. Naik, an Ashoka fellow, started teaching Maths to underprivileged youths for free at an orphanage in Andheri and a night school in Goregaon. However, he realised that job prospects in this country centred around using a computer and English-speaking skills, which many of us take for granted. “Since computer education required a bigger investment, I felt teaching English was more feasible.”
Along with six of his batchmates from his MBA course, savings of ₹20 lakh, funds from EdelGive (around ₹70 lakh till date) and competition prize money of ₹12 lakh from UnLtd India, Mr. Naik founded LeapForWord in 2009 with an aim to improve the English reading skills and employability of 27 night college students. They invited English language experts, who taught the students for free, charging only for travel. But, Mr. Naik soon realised the larger gap lay in the students’ fundamental knowledge of English and spent time individually with each student to understand their problems.
Eventually, Mr. Naik and his team launched their school reading programme in Mumbai and Shirpur in Dhule district, based on a curriculum and methodology that works in spite of infrastructural and resource constraints. They started teaching as well as training teachers in English in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s schools in K (East) ward. Between 2009 and 2011, they taught in around 20 BMC schools.
‘Cheapest learning solution’
This programme is aimed at enabling the rural school teacher to effectively teach English through a unique translation algorithm using English and any regional language originating from Sanskrit. English assumes a rule-based structure, like in Mathematics, by being broken down into a series of concepts. The teachers teach these in sections and in the mother tongue. “Our solution can be delivered in any local language by a person who need not know how to speak English,” says Ameya Ambulkar, a senior member in LeapForWord. “Because of this, English is no longer treated as a language but rather as a subject which means it can be taught in any language that is common to the teacher and the student,” he adds.
All the content is digitised and delivered through Micro SD data cards which play even on low-end mobile phones. “The multi-lingual programme (currently available in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati) is not only measurable but is also arguably the cheapest classroom learning solution in the country,” says Aarun Fulara, a senior member.
Teacher entrepreneurs
Educated unemployed youth are trained and certified to become “teacher entrepreneurs”. They are assisted in starting English learning centres where they can teach children for a small fee. Martin Joseph, another member, says: “These teachers charge a fee equivalent to ₹1 or ₹2 per learning day. For two hours of teaching every day, they reach out to almost 50 kids and in the process earn almost ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per month.”
Till date, LeapForWord has reached out to more than 20,000 students through 2,000 teachers. It has so far worked across six districts in Maharashtra (Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Dhule, Nandurbar and Pune). “Our solution, which till recently was available only in the physical form [in-person training, books, classroom teaching aids] is now digitised in partnership with EkStep Foundation. This has given us the strength to target 1,00,000 regional language school teachers over the next two years,” says Mr. Naik.
The organisation runs the Word Power Championship to celebrate the achievement of students who participate in the literacy programme and to applaud the efforts of their teachers. This vocabulary-based competition is exclusively for students of regional language schools.
The dream
In January, 2015 LeapForWord conducted Teachers’ Training course for Sahyog (Chehak Trust), Mumbai, for their English literacy programme for the kids from marginalised sections in Dindoshi, Goregaon. “Around 12 teachers undertook 20 hours of training sessions from LeapForWord and with the help of their modules and books taught around 110 children from Goregaon and later in Ghatkopar,” says Megha Dharnidharka, project coordinator.
Simran Ansari (20) of Sahyog, who has been teaching English to the children from Ghatkopar’s slum areas since 2016, says: “With the help of the modules from LeapForWord, we have been able to teach English to kids who were not even well-versed with the alphabet. Now they can read and comprehend three-to-four-letter words.”
Mr. Naik’s ultimate desire is to “make talukas proficient in English and thus unleash the immense energy and potential of the country. “Today there are 200 million kids in schools across India who continue to remain cut-off from opportunities to better their lives just because they can’t read or write basic words in English,” says Mr. Naik. “Talented kids who can’t pursue a dream of becoming doctors or engineers or scientists.”
LeapForWord
Founder: Pranil Naik
Founded: 2009
Funding: Self; EdelGive; UnLtd India
Employees: 17
Website:www.leapforword.org
