The document advocates for a practical, need-based approach to teaching English in India, emphasizing the importance of tolerance and positive attitudes towards the language as a national resource. It highlights the necessity of adapting teaching methods to meet students' specific needs while encouraging meaningful interaction and the enrichment of cultural and intellectual perspectives. The author calls for flexible teaching strategies that promote student success and engagement, recognizing English as both a lingua franca and a tool for personal growth.

1. Teaching of English: A Plea for
Practical Attitude by R. K. Singh
(Indian Institute of Mines Dhanbad)
MA Sem.3, ELT 1 Unit 1
Department of English,
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar
University

2. • English in India is a potential national
resource. It is important to develop tolerance
and positive attitudes towards English.
Practical approaches can be adopted in the
areas of its teaching by making it more need
based, flexible and innovative.

3. • English Language – lingua franca – link
language
• National resurgence (reappearance), political
awakening, cultural unification
• Socio-political historical reasons for growth of
English in India
• Dominating language, language of power,
utility of Interactional communication today

4. • English and non-native forms of Language
• English, an ‘associate official language’ in India
• Prestigious language, widely proffered
language for transaction, plays a vital role in
linguistic ecology, educational, socio-cultural
contexts and so on

5. • Need to change our attitudes towards English
• English as a neutral language of
communication without identifying with the
UK or USA and teach it in addition to the
mother tongue as a means of widening the
cultural and intellectual horizons of our
students.

6. • “To know another language well, to
experience in personal immediacy the
transparencies or opaqueness which link or
divide it from one’s native speech – to do
these things is, quite literally, to harvest a
second self. It is to open a second window on
the landscape of being.”
~ George Steiner quoted as R. Gefen 1985:26)

7. • Learning another language makes one bigger,
gives a wider vision, makes one aware of the
subtleties that we don’t get in one language.
• “The development of sensitivity, not only to
the processes of language acquisition and use,
but above all, to the understanding and
interpretation of human differences, essential
to the mature evaluation of one’s own
language and culture.” ~ Savignon (1987:19)

8. • A plea for tolerance and mutual
understanding
• The larger vision inspired by tolerance will
always triumph over short sightedness.
• Language tensions
– First Language (L1)
– Second Language (L2)
– Foreign Language (L3)
– National Language
– Regional Languages

9. • Emphasizing the need for practical and
accommodating attitudes besides the role of
teachers of English
• If we aim to teach well, and if we want to
ensure that pupils should achieve a basic
command of the language, then we must
– Encourage a teaching program that is responsive
to their specific needs
– Pursue such teaching activities from which pupils
know they are learning something useful
– Adopt a flexible teaching approach that results in
success of the pupils

10. • The three didactic aims
1. Need-based teaching program responsive to
their specific needs
2. Pursue such teaching activities from which
pupils know they are learning something useful
3. Adopt a flexible teaching approach that results
in success of the pupils
• The essence of communication is meaningful
interaction
• LSRW Skills enhancement

11. • Opportunities to use language in intelligent and
relevant interaction
• Opportunities to think, to provide info. From their
world of knowledge, to express, their personal
opinions and to disagree with other people’s
• Actual requirements unless we are sensitive to
their problems and are flexible and adaptable
• From reading serious texts to everyday
conversations – not necessarily in RP or GA, but
rather in different accents and varieties of
educated Standard English

12. • The activities must relate to students’
intellectual awareness, by challenging their
cognitive and creative ability and students
should realize they are equally responsible for
their learning, that it is enjoyable and useful.
• Motivating students to experience success, to
make them believe it is possible. The negative
feelings of futility of learning or teaching
English have to be changed. Failure can be
avoided.

13. • Teacher should keep in mind various
approaches rather than a specific method
• Teacher should clearly state the demands
pertaining to class work, objectives, class
discipline, and home work.
• Big class with mix group of learners - spot
independent learners – teach certain material
as a whole – pair work – group tasks –
activities.
• Teaching English should be seen as an
opportunity.