Learning English for gain
Friday, 24 July 2009
BOTH the Japanese and the Chinese, who were proud of their nationality and language, are learning English extensively for the compelling reasons of English being the most widely and extensively used and understood language in international business. In present days, English has become the most used and accepted language throughout the world for all practical purposes. For instance, the Information Technology (IT) appears to be the most promising and booming industry in the 21st century. But the IT industry and mastery over the Internet or access to it is impossible without the knowledge of English.
Thus, English is indeed the gateway to the world and fortunes in every sense. However, this vital gateway is in a rather weak state in Bangladesh. From the elementary to secondary and higher secondary levels, at different stages, the students are not getting proper education in English. The main reason for such a state is the dearth of the teachers who have had proper education and training on the use of English during their own student days. They are, therefore, found incompetent to teach modern English language at various levels.
The situation calls for a prompt response from the concerned ministry. A continuous and sizeable programme needs to be implemented to train up our English language teachers in an adequate number and in a proper way embracing the entire country on a sustainable basis over a period of at least some decades. Any half-hearted or limited programmes will not help.
The way English is taught presently at different stages also demands review and corrective measures. There are many individuals who received their Bachelor's degrees in English from universities or degree colleges. But their degrees are mostly obtained on English Literature. But there is a great deal of difference between learning the literature of a language and the language itself.
A degree in English Language is more effective to train up the learners on the functional and everyday normal use of the language. Understandably, now-a-days language has more value than knowing about Shakespeare or the works of the romantic English poets. Thus, judging these purely practical values, greater stress must be put on the learning of English language than literature.
Amirul Islam
New Eskaton, Dhaka
Thus, English is indeed the gateway to the world and fortunes in every sense. However, this vital gateway is in a rather weak state in Bangladesh. From the elementary to secondary and higher secondary levels, at different stages, the students are not getting proper education in English. The main reason for such a state is the dearth of the teachers who have had proper education and training on the use of English during their own student days. They are, therefore, found incompetent to teach modern English language at various levels.
The situation calls for a prompt response from the concerned ministry. A continuous and sizeable programme needs to be implemented to train up our English language teachers in an adequate number and in a proper way embracing the entire country on a sustainable basis over a period of at least some decades. Any half-hearted or limited programmes will not help.
The way English is taught presently at different stages also demands review and corrective measures. There are many individuals who received their Bachelor's degrees in English from universities or degree colleges. But their degrees are mostly obtained on English Literature. But there is a great deal of difference between learning the literature of a language and the language itself.
A degree in English Language is more effective to train up the learners on the functional and everyday normal use of the language. Understandably, now-a-days language has more value than knowing about Shakespeare or the works of the romantic English poets. Thus, judging these purely practical values, greater stress must be put on the learning of English language than literature.
Amirul Islam
New Eskaton, Dhaka