Under the scheme, there will be a provision of Hindi teachers in the north-eastern states and other non-Hindi speaking states for the students of classes I to XII. Similarly, the states will have the provision to appoint Urdu teachers as per their requirement. The plan further states that while bilingual books and instructional materials are to be provided to enhance the teaching-learning process, there is also a need for continuous professional development (CPD) of teachers.
make a start
While the scheme has been in existence for some time, it was integrated with the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan from the current academic year, 2021-22, reveals a source in the education ministry. “In the next five years, states can send their proposals to start regional language training in schools at the beginning of the academic session. In the annual action plan meetings, these proposals will be considered and an internal approval will be given,” says the source. This year, proposals were received from Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram to introduce Hindi as a language course in schools, while proposals to introduce Urdu were received from Karnataka, the source reveals.
After getting approval, the states should appoint language teachers as per their requirement, who have the basic qualifications mentioned in the scheme. “If the teachers meet the required standards, the state will be allotted an honorarium of Rs 30,000 per teacher per month for that academic year,” clarifies the source.
teacher training is important
Amita Wattal, Chairperson, DLF Foundation School, New Delhi believes that teaching is one of the biggest challenges facing the training plan. “Young children have the ability to understand many languages if they are taught well. Their idea is to help them assimilate the new language in a culturally appropriate way,” she says.
Wattal says that teachers should focus on introducing a language through food, music, colours, cinema and other socially relevant interactions. “Grammar is just a combination of these words. Thus, teachers must be adept at teaching young children through social and cultural contexts,” she says.
The availability of language teachers for these languages in non-native states could also be an issue, says Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, Rohini, Delhi. “I think this is a wonderful opportunity for students to become proficient in more than one language. At the same time care should be taken to recruit qualified and trained teachers.”
need to start early
Sanjeev Kumar Gaur, Head of School, GBSSS No. 1, Rajouri Garden Extension, New Delhi, says that unless language training starts from pre-primary level, desired results will not be achieved. “We have first generation learners whose parents are not able to concentrate on their pronunciation and grammar. These children also have problems with being fluent in Hindi, which is our spoken language. Thus, In non-Hindi speaking states, an early start in learning languages becomes imperative,” he says.
various advantages
Wattal feels that apart from the focus on learning foreign languages, Indian languages should also be given priority in schools across the country. She further adds, “Apart from providing a sense of inclusion to the students in terms of studies in different states, knowledge of different national languages will also help them to get jobs in different Indian states.”
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