LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS: DEBUNKING THE MYTHS!

THE RIGHT WAY OF IMPARTING LINGUISTIC SKILLS

1. The Challenge- Person is Obese; Over weight

QUICK FIX SOLUTIONS
i. Use Fat Burners
- affects metabolism
- severe strain on the heart
- causes heart attacks
ii. Bariatric Surgery
- will severely affect health
[two leading Tollywood personalities succumbed/died due to this]
ROYAL PATH
- balanced calorie intake
- eat less calorie food for a few weeks/month
- don't starve the body
- burn out excess fat- walking, jogging, yoga, HIIT workouts
2. The Challenge- Person is lean; not enough muscle in the body; weak bones
QUICK FIX SOLUTIONS
i. Anabolic Steroids
- affect heart, kidneys and other vital organs
- 2-3 leading Tollywood stars already suffering
ROYAL PATH
- resistance training under supervision of expert trainer
- healthy diet
3. The Challenge- Making Indian children acquire English
QUICK FIX SOLUTIONS
-i. forcing parents to speak to children in English even at home
- when parents speak to children in English, children will not have proficiency in the Mother Tongue, the
umbilical cord that connects a person to his/her culture is cut
- the cultural ties weaken and disintegrate
ii. Admitting children of only well-educated parents
- doesn't guarantee good standards in school
- depriving those parents who couldn't study well, but want to give good educational opportunities to their
children
iii. Some schools resort to forcing children to speak in an artificial (put- on) accent/slang as portrayed by
Johnny Lever in Hindi movies or Ali in Telugu movies is nothing but a mimicry. In some 'so called
international schools' they make children pick artificial/fake accent.
One needs to understand that the real ability is not just to speak in a put on accent but the ability to think
and then speak on different issues (age appropriate) with the correct and meaningful content.

The Royal Path- నా దారి రహదారి - SLATE's Path!

LANGUAGE TEACHERS- SHAPING MINDS, FOSTERING CONNECTIONS!

A Language Teacher should first and fore most know several key aspects about language acquisition to
effectively teach a language.
Developmental Stages: A teacher should know the typical stages of development.

While most of the brain’s 100 to 200 billion neurons are present at birth, they are not fully matured
and during the next several years the dendrites or connections between neurons undergo a period of
transient exuberance or temporary dramatic growth.

A language is acquired most easily during the first ten years of life. During these years, the
circuits in children’s brains become wired for how their own language sounds.

An infant’s repeated exposure to words clearly helps his/ her brain build the neural connections that
will enable her to learn more words later on. Children initial start babbling then move to one word stage, two
words stage and eventually short sentences. Language can be learned a multitude of ways, like casual
conversation, songs, rhymes, reading, music, storytelling and much more.

Early stimulation sets the stage for how children learn and interact with others throughout life. A
child’s experiences, good or bad, influence the wiring of its brain and the connection in the nervous system.

Loving interactions with caring adults strongly stimulate a child’s brain, causing synapses to
grow and existing connections to get stronger. Connections that are used become permanent.

If a child receives little stimulation early on, the synapses will not develop, and the brain will make
fewer connections.

And that is why it is most important that the child is exposed to interactions to the greatest extent
possible during the early years. The more we interact with children, the more we talk to them and the
more we let them talk, these neural connections get stronger!

Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area are two regions of brain that play crucial roles in language
processing.
 The Broca’s area, located in the frontal lobe of the dominant hemisphere is involved in the
production of speech and the formation of grammatically correct sentences, i.e. learning a language.

Wernicke’s area, located in the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus in the dominant
hemisphere, is involved in language comprehension and understanding, i.e. acquiring a language.

Language Learning Vs Language Acquisition:

A language teacher must have scientific approach to teach a language. She/He must have knowledge of
Linguistics as well as psychology.

A language teacher must know that the Language learning is an active process that begins at birth and
continues throughout life. She/He should also know the main difference between language learning and
language acquisition.

The main difference between learning and acquisition is that learning is a more conscious and deliberate
process than acquisition, which is more subconscious in nature.

Language acquisition: This refers to the process through which a child naturally acquires their first
language or languages in early childhood. It occurs through exposure to language in a meaningful context,
such as interactions with parents, grandparents, relatives, etc.

Language Learning, on the other hand refers to the conscious and deliberate process of acquiring
additional languages . It involves formal instructions studying vocabulary and grammar rules and
practicing language skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Role of a Mother Teacher in helping children acquire Language:

A mother keeps talking and cooing to her child. The baby recognises the sounds and gradually relates the
word to the object. For example: When a mother points at a cat and says, “look …look there is a cat…
what’s it? A cat!” The baby understands that the animal to which mother is pointing at is a cat.

By giving proper pauses, by repeating a word, by gesturing, i.e. using the right body language, with
the correct pronunciation, diction and intonation a mother subconsciously teaches the language to her
child. Therefore, the child listens, observes and applies, then speaks the mother tongue without any syntax
errors. In other words, the neural network in the Broca’s area gets strengthened in this process and the
language is acquired with ease.

Mother Teacher: Teachers in many schools think that since Nursery children are coming to school for the
first time, they cannot understand if spoken to them in English and so they converse with the children in
their mother tongue. This is the most unscientific way of introducing them to a language.

Basically, a Mother Teacher is expected to converse with the children and expose them to different aspects
of language...like pronunciation, diction, intonation, etc. How does the mother introduces the language?
Mother doesn’t teach the language. She helps the child in acquiring the language.

Similarly, a Mother Teacher for Foundation course is expected to imitate mother. It is wrong to think
that children will be unable to understand if spoken in a language other than their mother tongue. As the
mother of 12 month to 30 months old baby makes the child acquire a language, the mother teacher too
should also speak slowly, emphasizing each word, speak with body actions, repeat the same word and
correct the child as and when needed.

A teacher should use qualitative words with actions. For example – words like anger, hunger, sad, frustration
can be demonstrated. Let the child understand and speak.

The Language Pyramid: Every language teacher should be aware of The Learning Pyramid.

The Language Pyramid clearly shows that majority of the learning

process happens through listening, when you listen to the various
phonics, gradually word formation happens,
then comes speaking - sentence framing and
finally the grammatical aspect and then the syntax i.e., reading and then
writing.

Speaking: The more the children are engaged in speaking the better will be their learning outcome.
Speaking allows children to practice using the language, reinforcing the pronunciation, diction and
intonation, helps them improve their communication skills and gain self -confidence.

The various ways of making children speak are:

Framing Sentences: The teacher to give a new word and ask children to frame a sentence on their own.
Teacher to give a sentence as an example.
i) Teachers to ensure that they do not introduce a new word while introducing the chosen word. One idea
in one sentence should be introduced.
For example: Class 1 – The chosen word is ‘small’.
The sentences which a teacher can give as examples would be – Rat is a small animal. I drink milk from a
small cup. I saw a small car. An ant is very small.

Remember: The sentences must be simple and each sentence must convey a single idea. Ensure that
children always speak in full sentences.
But if the teacher says ‘Reptiles are small animals,’ then it is incorrect as the word reptile is also a new
word for the children.

ii) Error Identification: Sentences should be grammatically correct.

For example: Children might say: My father name is ……. This is wrong. The correct one is My father’s
name is …. A few more common ones (not restricted to the ones mentioned herein): I catched the ball.
We ated our lunch. They gone to park.
The correct ones will be – I caught the ball. We ate our lunch. They went to a park.
The language teacher must correct the child and repeat the correct sentence to the entire class so that
all the children are benefitted.
iii) Translations: Translating sentences from one language to the other language helps learners to expand
their vocabulary, have better understanding of grammar, syntax, sentence structures as well as they improve
their ability to express in different language.
For example: The sentence - बाहर बारिश हो रही है । The correct translation is – It’s raining outside.

Teacher should:
 Encourage children to first understand the meaning of the sentence in the Indian language before
attempting to translate it into English.
 Teach children to listen attentively to the sentence being spoken in the Indian language.
 Encourage them to focus on the speaker's words, tone, pronunciation, diction and intonation to grasp the
meaning accurately.
 Help children break down the sentence into smaller parts or phrases to make it easier to translate. This
allows them to focus on translating one segment at a time, improving accuracy and fluency.
 Encourage children to use English words they already know to translate familiar words or phrases from
the Indian language. Reinforce vocabulary through repetition and practice.
 Emphasize the use of simple and straightforward English language when translating. Encourage children
to use basic vocabulary and sentence structures to convey the meaning effectively.
 Guide children in practicing the pronunciation of English words and phrases. Provide phonetic guidance
and model correct pronunciation to help them speak clearly and confidently.
 Use the correct body language and contextual clues to support children's understanding and translation of
the sentence.
 Explain to children that there cannot be any translation in the case of idiomatic phrases. For example:
ముందుంది ముసళ్ల పండగ; बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद
 Such sentences/phrases cannot be translated into English. After all, one cannot say, ‘In front there is
crocodile festival or Monkeys don’t know how ginger tastes. The nativity in the language is lost if such
an attempt is made.
 Similarly, the idioms in English too cannot be translated into the Indian Languages. For example, ‘It’s
raining cats and dogs; Make hay while the sun shines; etc.
 Explain the importance of thinking in that language. The structure of Indian Language is different.
English being European Language is different.
For example: The sentence - बाहर बारिश हो रही है । If children translate as -Outside rain is
falling, then it is incorrect.
This happens when children attempt to translate word to word. If they understand the meaning and
translate, then they can translate correctly as – Its raining outside.
iv) Story Narration:
o Story narration captivates children's attention and sparks their interest in language learning. Stories
provide a meaningful and enjoyable context for language acquisition. The teacher must make this
learning more engaging and memorable for young learners.

o When the teacher narrates the story using diverse language patterns in context, children develop a
deeper understanding of language usage and communication. Stories expose children to rich and
varied language input, including vocabulary, grammar structures, and idiomatic expressions.

o While narrating the story, the teacher should promote listening so that the children improve upon
their comprehension skills as they follow the plot, characters, and events of the story. This way,
children develop the ability to understand spoken language and extract meaning from context.

o The teacher introduces children to a host of new words and concepts in a natural and contextualized
manner when narrating a story. Through repeated exposure to vocabulary in different contexts, children
acquire and retain new words more effectively, expanding their vocabulary repertoire.

o Story Narration provides opportunities for children to encounter grammar and syntax in meaningful
contexts. As children listen to the teacher’s grammatically correct sentences with the right
pronunciation, diction and intonation as part of the narrative, they internalize language patterns
and structures, facilitating language production and comprehension.

o Through learning story narrating, children learn about diverse cultures and communities, fostering
cultural awareness and empathy.

o Story Narration stimulates children's imagination and creativity, encouraging them to visualize
the story world and engage in imaginative play. The teacher can then encourage children to express
their ideas, thoughts, and emotions, promoting language expression and communication skills.

o Stories often convey moral lessons, themes, and underlying messages that encourage children to
think critically and reflect on the story content. By engaging with stories, children develop
analytical skills and enhance their ability to infer, interpret, and evaluate information.

o Regular exposure story narration helps build children's language fluency and confidence levels.

o By participating in storytelling activities, children practice speaking, listening, and interacting in

the target language, developing oral communication skills and linguistic competence.

o Teachers must understand that there is no point in asking the child to learn the story by-heart,
 rather the teacher must encourage the child to understand the story that is narrated in the class
and then reframe it in his/her own words.

o In the higher grades, it is important for the children to use the story/ies they read as a crucial too
to critical thinking/analytical and problem-solving skills.

v) Reading: Reading helps in learning a language by expanding vocabulary, reinforcing grammar and
syntax rules, enhancing comprehension skills, improving fluency and expression.
The teacher will first read the paragraph and show them how to read with proper diction and
pronunciation then let the children read in the same way and correct whenever required.
Intonation diction and pronunciation should be the priority while taking up the class .
"Rat is a small animal. An Elephant is a big animal
Here, focus on the words big and small. Train the children to read with proper intonation. Guide the
children in reading the text with correct pronunciation and diction.
Writing: Writing no doubt comes last but it is also crucial based on the class in which the learner is. Writing
allows learners to express their thoughts, ideas, emotions creatively, promoting linguistic creativity and
communication skills.

Methodology:

1. Teacher should ask children to read the lesson at home prior to teaching in the class. This will help
children get an idea about the lesson.

2. Before starting the actual lesson, a picture comprehension is taken up. Every lesson has a picture in the
beginning followed by some questions. Children observe the picture and try to answer the questions that
follow. This helps in improving their linguistic skills. Encourage children to be original in their ideas and
also to speak in grammatically correct, full sentences. Step in and help the children frame their idea into a
sentence.

3. The next step is asking one of the students to read the lesson aloud. The other children are asked to follow
the reading by putting their finger on the text that is being read out. The teacher guides the student with the
right pronunciation, diction and intonation and also body language.

4. The teacher asks the children to underline the new words, gives meanings and other grammatical concepts
related to the word. Children note down the meanings, opposites, etc., in their readers.

5. Teacher frames a sentence or two with the new word and then also asks children to frame sentences on
their own. Teacher corrects grammatical errors whenever and wherever needed.
6. Once a paragraph or two are read, teacher asks questions based on the text read and elicit the answers
from the children. Teacher then summarises the text and then asks another student to continue reading the
next paragraph.

7. In the next class, teacher first recapitulates the part of the lesson dealt in the previous class and then
continues the same procedure of asking children to read the text.

8. Once the reading and explanation of the lesson is completed, the teacher discusses the textual exercises,
elicits the answers from the children.

9. Teacher also guides the children to write the answers on their own in their note books. Children are
encouraged to write neatly emphasizing the need of good handwriting.

10. Thereafter, teacher once again revises the lesson in the class. If any concept is not clear to the children,
the teacher re – explains it.

Assessment:

A teacher will be assessed monthly once. Every teacher is a co-facilitator and contributes equally towards
the implementation of Sampoornatha among the children in the sections handled.

Following are the details of the Assessment

Assessment of Mother Teachers (Pre-primary; Classes-1&2)

S. No. Area of Assessment Marks
1 Pronunciation 10
2 Diction 10
3 INTONATION 10
4 Voice 10
(should be clear and loud enough for all children to be able to listen)
5 Helping the children speak correctly 25
(in full sentences, with proper pronunciation, diction, intonation; correcting
them wherever required)
6 Activities- Montessori, Maths Kit, etc 10
7 Teaching MLI 10
8 Notebook corrections & Class control 15
TOTAL 100

Assessment of Language Teachers- Classes-3-5- English

S. No. Area of Assessment Marks
1 Pronunciation & Diction 10
2 Intonation 5
3 Voice 5
(should be clear and loud enough for all children to be able to listen)
4 Helping the children speak correctly 10
(in full sentences, with proper pronunciation, diction, intonation; correcting
them wherever required)
5 Textbook Reading 10
 (teacher to ensure that every child follows the text by moving the finger across,
helping children read properly with correct pronunciation, diction and
intonation, should do model reading)
6 Translation 10
7 General Book/Story Book Reading 10
(How well the teacher motivates the children, discusses the stories children read
in the class, encourages further book reading)
8 Grammar 10
Notebook Corrections 10
Daily Diary and Creative Writing 10
Class control 10
Total 100

Assessment of First Language (Hin/Tel) Teachers - Classes-3-5

S. No. Area of Assessment Marks
1 Pronunciation & Diction 10
2 Intonation 5
3 Voice 5
(should be clear and loud enough for all children to be able to listen)
4 Helping the children speak correctly 15
(in full sentences, with proper pronunciation, diction, intonation; correcting
them wherever required)
5 Textbook Reading 10
(teacher to ensure that every child follows the text by moving the finger across,
helping children read properly with correct pronunciation, diction and
intonation, should do model reading)
6 Translation 10
7 General Book/Story Book Reading 10
(How well the teacher motivates the children, discusses the stories children read
in the class, encourages further book reading)
8 Grammar 10
Notebook Corrections 10
Daily Diary and Creative Writing 5
Teachers to encourage children to write their Daily Diary in their First language
also, ensure that they write atleast fortnight)
Class control 10
Total 100

Assessment of Second Language Teachers (Hin/Tel)- Classes-3-5

S. No. Area of Assessment Marks
1 Pronunciation & Diction 10
2 Intonation 10
3 Voice 10
(should be clear and loud enough for all children to be able to listen)
4 Helping the children speak correctly 10
(in full sentences, with proper pronunciation, diction, intonation; correcting
them wherever required)
5 Textbook Reading 10
(teacher to ensure that every child follows the text by moving the finger across,
helping children read properly with correct pronunciation, diction and
intonation, should do model reading)
 6 General Book/Story Book Reading 5
(How well the teacher motivates the children, discusses the stories children read
in the class, encourages further book reading)
7 Grammar 15
Notebook Corrections 10
Translation 10
Class control 10
Total 100

Note: As per the scores, the teacher moves into a particular zone and there is a set follow up.

Score Zone Follow up Measure

Less than 40 Red Calls for immediate action
(ranging from suspension to termination)
40-49 Orange Teacher is cautioned, remarks are posted in the Intra-face register
by the Principal, explanation letter to be taken from the teacher,
explanation should not seem like questioning the authority.
If the teacher continues in the same zone for the 2nd continuous
month, it will be considered that the teacher is in Red Zone.
50-59 Light Green The teacher is just ok and there is a lot of scope for improvement.
The teacher should approach the Mentor / principal for guidance
and perform better.
60-69 Green Can be better. Teacher is putting in efforts but can seek guidance
in improving further.
70 and above White Very Good; Keep surging ahead

Teachers in the first 3 categories, i.e. all those who score 59 and below are not eligible to become ‘Best
Teachers’. If the teacher is in any of these zones for more than 3 months continuously, then
continuation with him/her for next Academic Year may not be considered. The teacher needs a fresh
Assessment and Interview by Sir.

A few more points for Mother Teacher to note:

EVERY MOTHER TEACHER SHOULD ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SHE SPEAKS IS CLEARLY
AND AUDIBLE TO ALL THE CHILDREN IN THE CLASS!

In order that this happens:

i. Ensure that there is not much disturbance in the class (some unavoidable disturbance will surely be
there because there'll be other classes on the floor). The disturbance, if any, should be minimised to
the maximum extent.
It is the duty and responsibility of the Mother Teachers to ensure this otherwise, the teacher in
question will be held answerable.

What can be done??

# closing the door wherever required (if there's no disturbance, the door need not be closed)

# depending on the conditions, ensure that the fans are in moderate speed.

You may have to put the fans in high speed when the weather is too warm, in such a case you need to rise
the voice level.

When the fans are put on high speed, ensure that you speak loud enough so that you are audible even to
the child who is sitting on the last bench.

When listening task is going on, i.e. when you are speaking or reading aloud the lesson, ensure children
occupy the benches in the front.

Later when they begin writing (solving Maths problems, writing the Q/As, Art and Craft kind of
activities), they may go back to their place.

# If there is AC in the class, that can be switched On when the speaking/reading tasks are going on.

# Children should be sensitised that if the fans are at high speed then what the teacher speaks in the class
will not be audible.

# It is the duty of the Mentors to sensitise children how fans at a high speed are more of a disturbance
than a comfort.

When focused listening doesn't happen and the very purpose of they coming to school is defeated. Yes, when
they are writing down something, when drawing or colouring, they can keep the fans in full speed. But
when listening is happening, the speed should be moderate.

It is the duty of the Mother Teachers to bring to the notice of the Admin, in case any fan is
malfunctioning with a lot of sound so that it is repaired /replaced at the earliest.

# The teacher should keep moving in the class, to ensure all children are focusing on what you speak, same
way while they are writing too, if the teacher is on rounds, checking and correcting children becomes easy,
thereby benefitting the entire class.

In other words, every time a teacher speaks, children are expected to listen carefully.

 The teacher must speak correctly and clearly with the correct pronunciation, diction and intonation and of
course make the class as interesting as possible, only then making the right impact is possible.
 If some child disturbs the class, explain to the child that he/she is not just being disturbed but is
disturbing the whole class and thereby losing out on a lot of learning.
 All said and done whatever you speak in the class, ensure that it is audible to all the children in the class.
Ensure there is active and focused listening.
 Show children as many videos of correct spoken English. Children can also be made to listen to audios as
part of Listening tasks, so that their brain gets synapsed and Language acquisition becomes easier and
stronger.

A quick recap of what the Language Teacher must Do and mustn’t DO:

The Do's for a Language teacher in the class:

1. A language class should always be engaging interactive and tailored to the needs of the students.

2. Language teacher should always follow the learning pyramid.

3. A language teacher should always go well prepared to a class.

4. The teacher should always come with a positive mindset to the class.

5. The teacher should follow the methodology as explained above.

6. The right pronunciation, diction and intonation should be of top priority while taking up the class.

7. Use real life examples to make the children understand better. Apply the situations in the lesson to the

child’s world to ensure they understand it better and remember it for long and associate easily with what is

learnt in the class.

8. The basic conversation in a language class must happen in that language only in case of first language and

English strictly the conversation must be only in the language specified.

9. Link the lesson to Life Skills. Any moral that applies to the lesson the teacher has to explain the

student about it.

10. The teacher can make the corrections in the Class itself while he/she is on rounds so that the child whose

errors are being corrected in front of him/her will have an easier understanding where he is gone wrong.

11. An important point to be noted here correction of notes doesn't mean that the teacher collecting all the

books and correcting them sitting in the staff room. To a possible extent the child can be made to check the

errors in the class itself.

12. The teacher should encourage the child to write the answers on his or her own. This will help the child to

become independent as well as put his or her thoughts on the paper.

13. A language teacher shall always go ahead in this way while taking up a lesson:

✓50% - Speaking
✓25% - Reading

✓25% - Writing

14. A language teacher shall always encourage students to make a new sentence with the word given.

15. At periodic intervals the teacher should be taking up dictation and correct the errors. The errors must be

discussed in the class so that everybody learns from the errors committed by the others.

The Don'ts for a Language teacher in the class:

1. Don't use overly complex language or concepts that are beyond the student’s comprehension level.

2. Don't focus solely on grammar rules and rote memorization.

3. Don't correct every mistake immediately instead provide gentle guidance and positive reinforcements to

encourage communication.

4. Don't encourage group answers. Allow the children to express their point individually.

5. Do not forget to incorporate real life examples while the topic is being taught.

6. Don't rush through the syllabus and lessons allow adequate time for practice.

7. Do not forget to check the RRP that is Read… Revise… Practice which was given as a home task.

To summarise, the role of a language teacher - At its core, our job as language educators is to

facilitate language learning and help our students become proficient communicators in their chosen target

language. Beyond that, however, we also act as mentors, supporters, and motivators for our students. By

understanding the broader scope of our role, we can better serve our students and foster a positive learning

environment.

Language education is about more than just learning grammar rules and/or vocabulary building &

strengthening; it is a gateway to intercultural understanding, personal growth, and intellectual

development.

As language teachers, we have the power to shape our students’ worldviews and cultivate their

curiosity and empathy. By keeping this in mind, we can approach our teaching with a better sense of

purpose and passion.

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