The Role of English in India : ELT - 1 Reflective Writing

Hello Readers !

       Welcome to my world. This activity is part of my academic activity. So the blog is about English language Teaching (ELT). It's a kind of reflective writing. If you want to know what exactly the task is then visit Vaidehi ma'am's blog.

( Click here to visit Mam's blog….)

 

        So particularly in this unit we discussed essays from Indian authors and also foreigner authors. That are :

Essays :

Essay 1:-

 "Teaching English as 'Second Language' in India" by Kapil Kapoor.(JNU,Delhi)

Essay 2:-

 "Teaching of EST in Indian Conditions" by R.S.Sharma (Banaras Hindu University)

Essay 3:- 

"Teaching English as a Second Language in India: Focus on objectives" by Shivendra K.Verma (Central Institute of Foreign Languages,Hyderabad)

  Essay 4:-

 "Socio-cultural Dimensions English as a Second Language" by Rekha Aslam

Essay 5:- 

"Teaching of English: A Plea for Practical Attitude" by R.K.Singh (Indian Institute of Mines,Dhanbad)

Essay 6 :-

" English for Academic Purposes "  by Liz Hamp Loyns

Essay 7 :-

" English for Specific Purposes " by Tony Dadley Evans

Essay 8 :-

" Intercultural Communication " by clarie Kramsch

1.)What is the role of English Language in India according to you with reference to any one essay discussed in the class?

        As we know that now English Language has become a global language and you can say the world language. So as an Indian how people look at on English language like 'masi' that doesn't change it's important. Because of each and every factor we can find the importance of English language. As a English language student I feel that hatred kind of feeling from others students and peoples.  Why do these types of differences exist ? I think there is no fault of students but somewhere the system is responsible for them.

• Important of English in Strong Future:

• Increase in Foreign Income:

• English is a Language of Science & Technology:

• English as a medium of information:

• English as medium of success:

• Realisation of its importance:

      So that all the things are there and the importance of English is there in each and every factor of lifes. In India the English language is considered as a second language. We Indians by childhood have First Language or Mother tongue, and then Hindi becomes the Second Language, and then comes English. In fact English is our third language not second.

So let's discuss the role of English language in India with the reference of Kapil Kapoor's famous essay. The essay is " Teaching English as a ' Second Language' in India ".  In this essay Kapil Kapoor draws attention towards the contemporary teaching style and how much that is helpful to Learners ? What is the role of English in India as a second language or as a foreign language. This essay we find the famous debate  about English as a second language. In India we have our first language that is our mother tongue and the second language is the Hindi but in a systematic way or socio political way English is the second language.

        Here Kapil Kapoor who had discussed the role of English language and how that has been taught in India. There is also a reference of Macaulay to Mulayam Singh. After britishers were gone there was a fundamental question is that naturally came. The ruling class demanded the continuation of English language. So that the vast majority of people would continue to remain outside of the privileged power- structure has been developed and manipulated.

   So this conceptual structure has been developed and manipulated. This conceptual structure has three parts :

As mentioned , the mythology got built up around the role of English in which the central metaphor is the  metaphor of the "Window". Because we know that English is the language of knowledge , liberal thinking and the window of the world.

2.) What are the challenges you faced while learning English Language as?

       So here I am sharing my personal experience regarding what were the challenges I had faced while learning the English language. I used to learn English at school but after that I don't have any experience listening to listen English or to introduce new English words. So if you want to learn a particular language then you should listen and learn more and more to learn this particular language.

       So I don't have that type of domestic background that guides me  and encourages me. So I found it difficult to learn English language. And also my vocabulary is not very good because at home no one is interested in this language. So that is not familiar to me.

But I would like to say that it is the best experience to deal with English. It gives me a new horizon to think and write.

3.)Write your reflection regarding the classroom activities. What challenges you faced in doing the activities as teachers.

          Here I am writing about my reflection and experience regarding the classroom activity.

    

Activity : 1

Translation of sentences in English language :-

           This activity is very helpful to us to increase our vocabulary. So in this activity we have to translate the various language sentences into  English language.

 

          The sentences are Proverbs, film dialogue, various phrases in language,etc. Here in this activity we all go through the process of transportation. I come to know that if we go for literal,or word to word translation then the sentences of dialogue lose their meaning and the very essence.

             Here  I came to know that the process of translation is not an easy task.it wants lots of hard work. Also all the students come up with interesting translations. So it was a very interesting activity held by ma'am.

Activity : 2

           Introducing a word in your classroom :-

 So this activity is supposed to select a word that I want to introduce my student to in the classroom.  While working in this activity I come to know that this brings our passions and creative mind. It is also helpful to increase vocabulary. This activity gives me many ideas that will help me in future. This activity create a different kind of block in my mind . So this type of interesting ideas will be stored here.

      Particularly in this activity I learnt so many things. Like how to lead students to the word which is selected by me.  So that through o have go in students mind.( Mentally). Which ideas to do while dealing with students? Show a photograph of that word so students easily get an idea of what this word is. And also I got very interesting ideas for my classmates.

Activity : 3

Choose a profession and find out the words related to the profession ( Register and sub- Register) :-

                  In this activity we have to choose a particular profession and go though that profession and find out various wor6 from that profession.

It will increase our thinking level as well as our vocabulary.

          If I select a profession of painter, then I will introduce some of the words related to that profession. Like brush, canvas, various colors, pencil, etc; so everyone comes up with a different kind of profession so it has become very interesting. I learnt so many things from this activity.

          It brings us into a notion of the world of Register and the sub- Register world of that profession.

        Activity : 4 

Planning of  a lesson and to make an objective :-

       This is the most favorable task for me. Mam had given a sample of lesson planning and made an objective out of the lesson. So here I would like to mention my lesson plan and objective.

I will introduce the " history of the various empires in India'' ( Mughal). First of all I would like to introduce the textbook information and then make sure that students don't get bored. And then learnt to them the chronological order of history. To introduce the characters like shahjahan, Akbar, Humau, Aurangzeb etc;. Make sure that students will understand what they have done for mankind. And one more thing I will prepare a script for that particular character. And give them for preparation. If possible then we will make a documentary  kind of video of each character from history. This task makes students confident about their knowledge and ability. And also helping in their exam. If they don't want to read so they can go through the video and come across with a bunch of knowledge. So this is my lesson plan.

Objective of my lesson plan :

1. Make them aware about history

2. Know clear cut chronological order.

3. Preparing for examination

4. Know a particular character with clarification.

5. Making them understand the importance of history.

      It was a fun task that gave a vision of how to deal with students. What to do ? What not to do ? What Should I do? Which way have we made our topic interesting ? We came across with all the hurdles.

  

4.)How do you see your future with the English Language?

         First of all I want to clear one point is that nothing is predictable in life.  But if l allowed my mind to think about the future with English language. So I think the future with English language must be bright. Because as Kapil Kapoor mentioned in his essay that the English language is the "window of the world ".  If I  want to know about the world then I should know the English language.

" As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information."

           As we know now English has become a global language. So in this global world, English language is the only clue to interactⁿ with the world. So yes with English language my future must be bright.

Thank you 😊........

Movie Screening : To The Lighthouse

Hello Readers !

        Welcome to my world . This blog is about reflective writing on the movie " To The Lighthouse " .  The movie is based on the novel of Virginia Woolf.  It was adapted by Hugh Stoddart, directed by Colin Gregg, and produced by Alan Shallcross. The movie beautifully captured the essence of the novel. But here in the movie director don't follow the narrative design that is given by author.

    (    Click here to watch a movie..,..)

           So here I am discussing the particular Frame of the movie and also the reference of India in the movie and how the philosophical ideas unfold in  the movie. Let's start…….

           The movie " To The Lighthouse "  begins with a couple shots of creepy dolls in a dark house, just so we know what we’re getting into. A small girl is asleep. A small boy looks longingly through a lace curtain and sees the lighthouse . In the novel we find the first scene is James asking his mother that we will go to visit the lighthouse today ? And Mrs. Ramsay replied that “Yes, of course, if it’s fine tomorrow,”.

He was attractively looking at the lighthouse. He was craving to go to the lighthouse. This Frame  portrayed his inner desire and feelings. His obsession towards 'Lighthouse' we see through out the movie but at last she he was going to the lighthouse he was not exited as before.

Here there are two frames together , in which we find the girl who was alone standing in the garden. She was looking towards her mother and her brother sitting together. Maybe she was jealous because her mother always gives attention to James. Always pampering his soul.  And also it was a symbolic frame because here we saw the experience of Virginia Woolf that society always gives attention to boy child's dreams and their life. So her mother was somehow partial to her duties. Mother can symbolize the whole society also.

This frame we find at the end part of the movie. Lily Briscoe , trying to make a painting of Mrs. Ramsay. What she was feeling at that time. There is absence of Mrs. Ramsay. But people who are there in the summer house , they miss Mrs. Ramsay. So the painting shows her present form of the mental world. In the frame we find that the present world (reality) and the painting is Lily's state of minds. Does she feel sorrow for Mrs.Ramsay ? because the painting shows us a stream of consciousness of Lily Briscoe. That Mrs Ramsay spent her whole life for others she doesn't live a single moment for herself.  To some extent we can say she was emotional because Lily was not happy with how she spent her whole life.

👉 The Reference of India :-

 

In  the movie we find the reference of India I think only one time. ( Time duration : 50:39) When one of the daughters of Ramsay's and one man were sitting in the garden. And talking about Augustus Carmichael who was sleeping in the garden in front of them. The girl added that he was writing poetry many times at night. ' It's quite well-respected Perch. You know'. He was a Teacher in India.  I think that is the only reference of India I found in the movie.

So the question is whether the reference was a good one or not and how the image of India unfolds. Here in the context of Mr. Carmichael was considered as some sort of achievement or something good. In the novel we find more references to India.

In the novel we find that the reference of India that is six time. So let's see in which context that is their in novel. References are in good manners or not.

In the novel we find the six references of India.  First of all there is a reference that India is ruled by others. Then the second one is there, when all the daughters who were talking with Charles Tansley live in different forms. There we find that the information of the Indian Empire : 

……..of the Bank of England and the Indian Empire, of ringed fingers and lace, though to them all there was something in this of the essence of beauty, which called out the manliness in their girlish hearts, and made them, as they sat at table beneath their mother’s eyes, honour her strange severity, her extreme courtesy, like a queen’s raising from the mud to wash a beggar’s dirty foot,.....

         This  paragraph gives us a view of looking at India. The description is kind of that India is a great empire and like a very exotic place where great romance ,  adventure and happiness lies there.

      The third reference is that Augustus Carmichael that we discussed earlier.

       The forth references is there :

      "  There were all the places she had not seen; the Indian plains; she felt herself pushing aside the thick leather curtain of a church in Rome. saw it."

   

       Here we can see that she was craving to visit the place India . So that through we can say India is something for Virginia Woolf 8a that desirable things.

The fifth reference :. 

    "  But which was it to be? They had all the trays of her jewel-case open. The gold necklace, which was Italian, or the opal necklace, which Uncle James had brought her from India; or should she wear her amethysts? "

  

      Here we can see that something that is brought from India is valuable for them. And also the owner with pride.

The sixth reference :

  " The autumn trees, ravaged as they are, take on the flash of tattered flags kindling in the gloom of cool cathedral caves where gold letters on marble pages describe death in battle and how bones bleach and burn far away in Indian sands. " 

     

              I think here we can say that the author tried to describe the hotness of Indian climate . There is also reference to battle. So that through we can say that knowingly or unknowingly she was putting the situation of India at that time.

References of philosophy  : 

     In the novel we find the character of Mr. Ramsay who was the philosopher and his student Charles Tansley, who was working for his PhD. Many times we find that the philosophical discussion is going on among the characters.

          Mr. Ramsay, a professional philosopher, was referred to as the greatest metaphysician of the time. Many times he was talking about the relationship between body and mind, and appearance and reality. Mr. Ramsay's books are about " Subject and object and the nature of reality".

👉

The dinner table became a  most important symbol in the movie. Because it comes more and more time. I think the dinner table reveals feelings, thoughts and emotional state of minds towards particular characters and others. With words and silently also( their stream of consciousness). For example James' reaction towards his father. Sometimes it seems like the dinner table is the discussion table. Many decisions were made at that time. That through we can see the mood of the characters.

    

 If we look at the point of view of  Northrop Frye's Archetypal criticism, then we find that the interesting things. That detector very beautifully present the snowy and heavy rains atmosphere. In which we find that the season of winter or snow itself symbol darkness and sorrow. Here in the movie we find that after the scene of rain and snowy automospher Wrist situation occurred. 

Here in this particular frame in which we find that women are always more attached and give more attention to the boy child. Mrs.Ramsay Always pampering male ego. Here we can predict that women are enemies of women. Because which way Mrs.Ramsay always tries to give attention to James. And in a way controlled James. As Lily Briscoe who said that James looks like a kite and Mrs. Ramsay who tries to control James. 

There is one scene in movie that Camara go through the windows and then focused on Mrs. Ramsay who was thinking and looked outside to the windows.  So we find that she herself Said at one time that ' close to the doors and open the Windows'. So here Camera is working like for Mrs. Ramsay windows only open, she can't go outside within a frame of her household work. In the frame she looks at on the outside of the windows that we connect with her little bit desire to go out and get freedom. This frame came after her illness. She realized that she was near to death and she realized that she doesn't live a single moment for her.

References :

To the Lighthouse. By Hugh Stoddart. Dir. Colin Gregg. Perf. Rosemary Harris, et al. Prod. Alan Shallcross. 1983. CD. 11 October 2020.

Woolf, V., Goldman, J., & Woolf, V. (1998). To the lighthouse ; The waves. New York: Columbia University Press.

Thank you....

Rivers and Tides :Andy Goldsworthy Working with Times

 Hello Readers !

Welcome to my blog. This blog is about the Golden Gate award winning  documentary " Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Times" . The documentary was directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer. So here I am looking for frame study on this documentary. And also discussed about the transient nature of art and as well as life. How beautifully Andy Goldsworthy made a gorgeous piece of art with all his anxiety. How beautifully Andy Goldsworthy made a gorgeous piece of art with all his anxiety.  Here also we can see how he was dedicated to his art and his work. He was making something from nothing without damaging nature.

Click here to watch documentary......

          So let's know something more about Andy Goldsworthy…….

   

               Andy Goldsworthy  (born 26 July 1956) is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist who produces site-specific sculptures and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.

The materials used in Andy Goldsworthy's art often include brightly coloured flowers, icicles, leaves, mud, pinecones, snow, stone, twigs, and thorns. He has been quoted as saying, "I think it's incredibly brave to be working with flowers and leaves and petals. But I have to: I can't edit the materials I work with. My remit is to work with nature as a whole." Goldsworthy is generally considered the founder of modern rock balancing. For his ephemeral works, Goldsworthy often uses only his bare hands, teeth, and found tools to prepare and arrange the materials; however, for his permanent sculptures like "Roof", "Stone River" and "Three Cairns", "Moonlit Path" (Petworth, West Sussex, 2002) and "Chalk Stones" in the South Downs, near West Dean, West Sussex he has also employed the use of machine tool.

         Andy Goldsworthy is the subject of a 2001 documentary feature film called Rivers and Tides, directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer. In 2018, Riedelsheimer released a second documentary on Goldsworthy, Leaning Into the Wind.

As we know that famous sentence :  the Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholders.   If we realize what is in the documentary , it is not only there but that is also in our atmosphere also. But as  we said that beauty lies in the eyes of beholders, so their beauty in all the aspects of nature but how we see and how we relate to our lives that is the beauty. So that thing was perfectly done by Andy Goldsworthy. The beauty of nature is always their but when we realize then this is existing in our eyes.

        Each and every mankind craves for his or her praises. Especially during when we are doing something. Here in the documentary we can see that artist make "something from nothing" usually something that is eye-catching using the elements of nature like water, tides, sunshine, wind, trees, leafs, stones, natural color, iron oxide chalk, raw sheep’s wool, flower blossoms, leaves and grass, feathers, random sticks and stones, broken rocks, pieces of icicle, green iris blades and red berries, thorns, bracken, or handfuls of snow etc contributing to the process. He was making the piece of art that is existing for a few minutes or second. Here we can understand the concept of transient nature of art and lives.

      As Andy Goldsworthy mentioned that Art for me is the form of nourishment.  And also he said " I don't think land needs me at all But I do need it".  He included that if he doesn't work then he feels less.

 

It doesn't feel at all like...destruction. That moment is really part

of that cycle of turning. You feel as if you've touched the heart of the place. That's a way of understanding for me...

Seeing something you never saw before that was always there but you were blind to. There are moments when it is extraordinarily beautiful in a piece of work. I mean, though it happens, that is...Then those are moments that I just live for.

That is the lines taken  from the transcript of the documentary. In which we find his feelings for his art. When the particular piece of art is going to destroy at that time he doesn't feel like destruction. He called it a cycle turning, and also you touched the hearts of the place.

For him no matter whether people saw this art or not , he just wanted to enjoy the moment.  He doesn't want praise from others. So we can say that the end results are not important but the process to gain something that is important. 

          At one point When he was making art from stone at the  sea shore And it was not going well with times because at some point of time Tide came near and near. Four times the stone collapsed but he continued his work with the same patience. He was said that 

"and each time I got to know the stone  a little bit more. I got higher each time. So it grows in proportion to my understanding of the stone. And that is really what one of the things that my art is trying to do."

       He mentioned that  he knows that the sea destroyed the piece. But he said that is the gift for the sea. He also never hoped for it. He also connects life' s different situations with that.  The same type of causes upheaval and the shock in life.

References :

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Goldsworthy

https://subslikescript.com/movie/Rivers_and_Tides_Andy_Goldsworthy_Working_with_Time-307385