Language Learning – A Perspective

Charlemagne ( Charles, The Great) who ruled the Frankish State and a visionary who attempted to unite the Europe said “ To have another language is to possess a second soul.”  Almost concurring with the same view, the Chinese Proverb says “To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the World.”  “A new language is a new life” says a Persian proverb. The role of language as a tool of communication and as an instrument of expression of human thoughts, feelings, fantasies and innovations has always been acknowledge without a second consideration. In serving the above objectives, language emerged as a vehicle of heritage and culture of people, communities, societies and nations. The close association of language with several forms of performing arts enlarged the human intellectual and synesthetic reach to creativity, innovation and enriched the human resources to explore the unfathomed oceans of knowledge.

Mother Tongue or the native language is considered as the most powerful instrument in achieving the above goals. Nevertheless, in a world that houses a spectrum of human competencies enshrined in different languages a common and most acceptable medium or language is necessary.  It is said “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” English, as the second language, has played a vital role in the Indian Educational scenario and has certainly facilitated in bringing better synergy to a more purposeful living and communication between people speaking different languages. As one of the most accepted global languages for communication, its role in facilitating trade, business and productivity cannot be underrated. Competency in English language is certainly a value that one adds to an empowered living. The growth of Indian diaspora is a point in the case.

The importance of learning of English as a language in a formal context right from the days of early schooling is well acknowledged by the educators across the country. Efforts have been made both by the State and Private agencies not only in providing a context and place to this learning but to find ways of making learning of English language easy, enjoyable and focused to the Indian context. Laudable efforts have been made in this regard over the last few decades.

While study of English as a language does provide a global perspective to understanding human potential and the rainbow of cultures in their natural context, it also helps in understanding human thought architectures worldwide through the media of poetry, drama, novels, stories and other narratives. This understanding certainly provides a new window of thinking in other languages too and facilitates a meaningful dialogue of the role of languages as cognitive summaries of human perceptions far and wide and thus to understand the world better.

Teaching of English in schools, therefore, is seen as a critical and focused engagement in curriculum delivery. While both the British and other countries speaking English as a first language, have contributed to the design of appropriate pedagogy relevant to schools in non-English speaking countries, our own experiences have been quite rewarding to put in place a curriculum and pedagogy that is contextual, locale-specific and is in tune with the Indian mind. The efforts in this direction can be termed “glocal” – understanding global trends and in placing them to local needs. 

It may be relevant to point out that India’s contribution to English literature in the recent past has been significant, thanks to a large number of Indian writers, be it in poetry, novels, stories or other instruments that beautify the world of languages.  But these efforts need to be further catalyzed and with many new  windows of communication opening up with the tools of technology, it is important to provide organized platforms for better sharing of ideas, concepts, views and thus a dialogue.

I am sure this magazine will act as a platform both for the teachers and students to develop such shared visions about English language and to develop their cognitive and communicative skills so that they not only enjoy the treasure of its past, but use it as a meaningful vehicle for better living in the future.