Why is knowledge of English important? It contributes to education, employment, brings communities together, and has become almost ubiquitous globally. A good command of the language helps students maximise their higher education opportunities.
Identifying challenges
Research indicates that children have an innate ability to pick up languages easily. But there are some common mistakes that Indian students make. One is the use of colloquialism and translating from the regional languages when framing sentences in English. A limited understanding of English grammar adds to the problem, leading them to struggle with higher order comprehension skills such as inference and extrapolation.
This is where technology can help, as it enables the learning process by identifying issues with a question-based methodology. Language efficiency can be improved by identifying and learning a few techniques like:
Strong structural understanding: It is important for students to know commonly used phrases early to develop literal comprehension. Another area to focus on is homophones. Many struggle to match the correct meaning for words that sound the same but have different spellings/meanings. Also they must avoid long sentences and frame concise and clear sentences.
Better enunciation and articulation: Reading is essential for confident communication. Along with storytelling play, it helps the reader develop analytical skills and articulate ideas confidently, especially in a collaborative learning environment (debates and group discussions) in schools and colleges.
Content development: Consistency in reading can help comprehend techniques to string sentences or appropriate phrases together when writing. With diverse styles of writing, students need to learn and adapt their writing to the context and type of communication.
Official v/s informal communication: Thanks to social media, a form of shorthand communication and acronyms have become common. Students now need to be aware of using language for official communication and informal messaging. It is important to know which words to use and where and how.
Using this knowledge can help students communicate more effectively and confidently not just in terms of education but also later as professionals.
The writer is Chief Business Officer, Educational Initiatives.
