Language is the most efficient source of communication and the English language tops the list. But many seem to face hurdles in the learning of English. This presentation is intended to encourage teachers to learn and teach English.

1. The importance of
vocabulary

2. Background
With the implementation of Right To
Education Act on 1st
April, 2010, education
has become a compulsion for every child in
India. This has greatly enhanced the
quantitative aspect of education with every
child getting free education but when it
comes to the qualitative aspect, Indian
education still has miles to go.
Let us take a look at why quality is
important when it comes to teaching
language and vocabulary.

3. ♣ According to the Annual Status of Education
Report (ASER), 2011 there has been a decline in
students’ basic reading levels.
♣ The all India figure for the proportion of children in
class V able to read a class II level text has dropped
from 53.7% in 2010 to 48.2% in 2011.

4. The low levels of basic reading ability suggested by
ASER points to an urgent need to focus on basic
learning outcomes.
Each state should make
realistic, measurable
outcomes in reading and
understanding that can be
understood by teachers and
parents.
The RTE states that children’s progress has to be
communicated to parents. Textbook content needs
to be reviewed. – Times of India.

5. Why Improve
Vocabulary?

6. English is spoken by more than 300 million native
speakers, and between 400 and 800 million foreign
users. It is the official language of air transport and
shipping; the leading language of science, technology,
computers, and commerce; and a major medium of
education, publishing, and international negotiation.

7. In the Programme for International Student
Assessment (Pisa) international competition for
children’s learning, India came 72nd out of 73
countries.
Educationist Helen Abadzi writes “people must be
able to read one word per second, or per 1.5 seconds
at the outside, to be functional readers.”

8. English language is our window to the world. We can
learn from others’ experiences. We can check the
theories of foreigners against our experience. We can
reject the untenable and accept the tenable. We can
also propagate our theories among the international
audience and readers.
English has thus become an effective means of promoting
Indian view of life, and strengthening our cultural identity in
the world.

10. How to Improve Vocabulary?

12. A teacher should herself be aware of what she/he is teaching
first. Improving her/his English proficiency and having the
required qualifications should be made compulsory especially
for the teachers teaching languages. An interest in teaching
language is another factor that should be considered.

13. Employing
a variety of
teaching-
learning
techniques
to make
language
learning
interesting
helps a lot.

14. Board games like scrabble or pictionary or
simple crossword puzzles and word jumbles
can be employed while teaching to make
learning and using English words fun.

15. ♣ Apart from writing and reading, debates and conversation
should be encouraged in the class.
♣ Teachers can conduct “literature week” to give students
chance to take part in essay writing workshops, spelling and
pronunciation games, and recitation and reading events.
♣ By introducing students to poetry, prose, theatre and
dramatics, teachers can inculcate in them a love for the
English language and literature.

16. Students should be
encouraged to use
the dictionary in all
classes and outside
the classroom as
well.
It’s use should not
be restricted to
teachers or the
language classroom.

17. Active literature clubs, book clubs, and reading
clubs for teachers as well as students can be
initiated. There are many recommended reading
lists online.

18. Word 1 Meaning Word 2 Meaning
accept to agree to receive or do except not including
adverse unfavourable, harmful averse strongly disliking; opposed
advice recommendations about
what to do
advise to recommend something
affect to change or make a
difference to
effect a result; to bring about a
result
There are a lot of confusing words in English that look or
sound alike but have very different meanings. Teachers could
clarify the pronunciation and usage of these words by using
them in poems and sentences. Here are some words:

19. It is
said
that..

21. But for that we
have to
become a tree
of knowledge
first!

22. Thank You!