ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES OF YOUNG LEARNERS

In India, English is acknowledged as a language that enhances career prospects. It explains why demand for English education has increased among parents. However, the teaching and learning of English has been beset with bottlenecks, thus impacting learning outcomes in terms of developing English proficiency of learners for practical purposes. The treating, teaching and learning of English as a subject, rather than as a language, and its status as a ‘library language’ have been obstacles to the proper acquisition of language skills among students. While the problem exists for young learners at the school level, its impact is felt later in their lives, especially when they have to use English for purposes of higher learning or jobs. It is seen that the hype that goes with English education has not matched with learning outcomes, which is dismally below par. The inclusion of English merely as a language and a medium of instruction and then treating it as a subject to be learnt by rote only for exam scores have contributed to rendering the teachinglearning of English largely as a Sisyphean activity in terms of learning outcomes. Most respondents reported they enjoyed learning English. They expressed overall satisfaction with regard to their English speaking ability, are aware of the purpose of learning English, feel they can prepare notes of their own, have individual and group activities in school to learn English, have their teachers using audio-visual aids, and feel the vocabulary and structures they use in textbooks are useful in daily life. The above contradictions could be because of differences in students’ perceptions of what ‘good’ and ‘adequate’ English is, especially in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. However, the fact is that the level of English proficiency of respondents from rural or small town areas, such as the one surveyed for the present article, is inadequate in equipping them to pursue higher education, or take up jobs. In this context, it will be opportune to evaluate how using home/local language, or mother tongue, as medium of instruction up to Grade 5, or even Grade 8, as per the new National Education Policy (NEP) will impact students proficiency in English. Apparently, students who learn in the English medium up to the abovementioned grades will enjoy the early starter advantage. This article looks at the above aspects.