FOCUS AND SCOPE

The International Journal of English and Literature (IJEL) is an open access, peer reviewed journal with
HIGH IMPACT FACTOR (JCC) that provides rapid publication of articles in all areas of the subject. IJEL is a premier
resource for original linguistic research based on data drawn from the English language, encompassing a broad theoretical
and methodological scope. Highlighting theoretically and technologically innovative scholarship, IJEL provides in-depth
research and analysis in a variety of areas, including history of English, English grammar, corpus linguistics,
sociolinguistics, American Literature, Ariel, Australian Literary Studies, Canadian Literature, Comparative Literature,
Cultural Studies, Diacritics, Drama Review, Eighteenth Century Studies, English Literary History, Essays in Criticism,
Fantasy and Literary Fictions, Genre and Dialectology.

The Journal welcomes the submission of manuscripts that meet the general criteria of significance and scientific
excellence. Papers will be published approximately one month after acceptance. All articles published in IJEL will be
peer-reviewed.

Types of Paper

Regular Articles: These should describe new, carefully confirmed findings, innovative & creative research ideas and
experimental procedures should be given in sufficient detail for others to verify the work. The length of a full paper should
be the minimum required to describe and interpret the work clearly.

Short Communications: A short communication is suitable for recording the results of complete small investigations or
giving details of new models or hypotheses, innovative methods, techniques, creative models etc., The style of main
sections need not conform to that of full-length papers. Short communications are 2 to 4 printed pages (about 6 to 12
manuscript pages) in length.

Reviews: Submissions of reviews and perspectives covering topics of current interest are welcome and encouraged.
Reviews should be concise and no longer than 4-6 printed pages (about 12 to 18 manuscript pages). Review manuscripts
are also peer-reviewed.

Publication Frequency: Six issues per year.

Submission: Authors are requested to submit their papers electronically thru the website in the word document.
 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS OF ENGLISH AND LITERATURE (IJEL)

Chief Editorial Officer

Lion. Prof. Dr. Manivannan Sethuraman, B.Tech (Chem)., D.E.M., D.T.Tech., A.M.S.P.I., F.M.S.P.I., M.B.A., M.S.,
P.M.P (PMI, USA)., Q.P.M.P (IPMA, Switzerland)., S.C.E.A., (Sun, USA) F.M.I.P.M.A., F.M.I.A.E.M.E., Ph.D.,

Editorial Chair Person

Prof. Meenakshi Raman, B.Sc.,M.A.,M.Phil., Ph.D., Professor of English and Communication, HOD, Humanities and
Management, BITS, Pilani-K.K.Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B, Zuari Nagar, GOA-403726 , India.

Editorial Board Members

Dr. ABDUL ALIM KHAN, M. A., PhD., D. Litt (English), Professor & Head Department of English, Govt. D.T. College,
UtaiDurg (Chhattisgarh), India

Dr. S. Lavanya, M.A., M.Phil., SLET., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women,
Peelamedu, Coimbatore - 641 004, India

Dr. J. Jenitha, M.A., M.Phill., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, English Department, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University,
Sambankulam Road , Tirunelveli- 627412 , Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. Haris Qadeer, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Faculty Associate, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida Uttar Pradesh, India

Dr. Ulka Shriram Wadekar, M. Sc., M.A., Ph. D., Associate Professor, Dept of English, Smt. K.L. College, Amravati-
444 601 (M.S.), India

Prof. Praveen Kumar Anshuman, M.A(English), Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, Kirori Mal
College,University of Delhi,Delhi-110007, India

Dr. Alka Rani Agrawal M. A.(English), B. Ed., Ph.D., Associate Professor, N K B M G PG College, Chandausi,
Moradabad, UP, 202412, India

Dr. Yasser K. R. Aman, MA., Ph.D (Alexandria University)., Associate Professor of English & Comparative Literature,
Head of the English Department, Faculty of Al Alsun, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

Prof. Dr. Mahmud Husein Salih(Wardat), M.A (Edu-TEFL)., M.A( LinguisticS).,Ph.D., Professor of Linguistics,
English Language & Literature, Yarmouk University,Irbid, Jordan

Dr. Jahanbakhsh Nikoopour, Ph.D., Dept. of English Translation, Islamic Azad University, No 159, 7th Boostan St.,
Pasdaran Ave. P.O. Box: 19585/466, Tehran, Iran

Dr. Mahmood Hashemian, Ph.D., English Department, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Shahrekord University, P.O.
Box: 115 the 2nd Kilometer of Saman Road, Shahrekord, Zip Code: 88186/34141, Iran

Dr Sunil Mishra, Ph.D., Asst. Prof. of English dept. Dronacharya College Of Engineering Farrukhnagar, Gurgaon 123456
(Haryana), India

Dr. T.R. Joy, Ph.D., MPhil., Assistant Professor, Department of English, Loyola College(Autonomous), Chennai affiliated
to the University of Madras, Chennai-600 034, India
Dr. A. Devaraj, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Dept. of English, Garyounis University, PO Box 1308
Benghazi, Libya

Dr. M. Shahinoor Rahman, PhD., Professor, Department of English,Jahangirnagar University, Savar-1342, Dhaka,
Bangladesh

Dr. Amrendra Kumar Sharma, M.A (Lancaster, England)., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Linguistics, Department of
Languages & Translation, Dhofar University, Salalah, Oman

Dr. Basudeb Chakraborti, Ph.D., Professor, Department of English, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, Pin -
741235,west Bengal, India

Dr. Tribhuwan Kumar, Asst. Professor of English, SRM University, NCR Campus, Modinagar, Ghaziabad, U.P, India

Mrs. V. Arthy, M.A., M.Phil., (Ph.D.,), Assistant Professor in English, Department of Humanities, Coimbatore Institute of
Technology, Coimbatore – 641 014, India

Prof. Dr. Urvashi Kaushal, M.A., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, Applied Mathematics and Humanities
Department, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Ichchanath Circle, Surat Dumas road, Surat- 395007,
Gujarat, India

Dr. Mohammad Shaukat Ansari, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, M.L.S.M. College, Darbhanga,
Bihar, India

Prof. Dr. A. Devaraj M.A., B. L., M. Phil., Ph.D., P.G.D.M.C Associate Professor in English, Loyola College, Chennai
600034, India
 International Journal of English and Literature (IJEL)

Special Edition, Jun - 2014

ISSN: 2249-6912

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
S.NO TITLE AUTHOR(S)
NO
In Search of a Techno-Complete Language for Anandarup Chatterjee & Dipak
1 1-4
Engineers Chatterjee
2 Game of Life: Learnings from Sports for Professionals Aveek Biswas & Nandini Pramanik 5-10
3 A Training Design for Participatory Learning Charito G. Ong 11-18
Pushing the Boundaries: Studying English Grammar
4 Teaching in Classrooms of Rural Bengal at the Debanjali Roy 19-24
Secondary Level
The Effectiveness of Using PPT in ELT than Older
5 K. Devimeenakshi & Sarika Gupta 25-30
Methods
Technical Communication Models as Adopted in
6 Sadhan Kumar Dey 31-38
English Literature: A Pragmatic Study
7 Language Teaching in Technical Institute Dilip Kumar Sen 39-42
Popular Indian Animation Films & Multiple Choice
8 Questions a More Humanistic Way to Develop Manas Moulic 43-52
Effective Listening Skills in the Classroom
Promoting Integrated Language Learning through
9 Meenakshi Raman 53-58
Dictogloss
Merging Technology with Language-Enhancement in
10 Meetu Bhatia Kapur 59-68
Learning and Teaching Strategy
ELT and Soft Skills Development in a Multi-Lingual
11 Sarani Ghosal (Mondal) 69-76
Classroom
12 The Language Laboratory Shantanu Chakravarty 77-84
13 Teaching Materials - A Crucial Factor in ELT Sharmistha Basu 85-90
Professional Need Fostering Reflective Supervision:
14 Swati Basu 91-96
An Empirical Study
Writing to Transcend Boundaries of Time and
15 Sumanta Basu 97-102
Distance
16 Eloquence of Silence in Role-Play Labanya Ray Mukherjee 103-108
109-118
17 Soft Skills – The Pearl within the Shell-Cover Prasenjit Bhattacharjee

Developing English Communication Skills: Some

18 Samrat Kar 119-128
Useful Tips
Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions:
19 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta 129-140
An Exploration
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 1-4
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

IN SEARCH OF A TECHNO-COMPLETE LANGUAGE FOR ENGINEERS

ANANDARUP CHATTERJEE & DIPAK CHATTERJEE

HR Executive & Principal, Institute of Engineering & Management, Kolkata, India

ABSTRACT

The form and quality of English to be imparted to the Engineers in non-English speaking countries is a long
sought for question. Researches are going in every such country as to the right form and structure of English language
suitable for those countries and interestingly the opinions have not converged as yet. This paper attempts to pinpoint the
lacunae in those approaches and suggests a unified approach for an acceptable solution that will transcend the age-old
barriers.

KEYWORDS: Techno-Complete, Vocabulary

INTRODUCTION

The search for an English Language with profound impact in Engineering Education and practice has been going
for almost a century in different non-English speaking countries of the globe. The output has not been very satisfactory as
yet though a more or less stable position has been achieved. The English sought for is not yet technically complete in the
sense that the English that is being used nowadays often fall short of the desired effect. The papers [1] have amply
demonstrated the lacunae of the present technical language widely used and have made some sensible suggestions, but the
overall result is far from the desired success. In this paper we have tried to investigate the requirements and suggested
some crucial points to be counted on and implemented.

Why English?

English has been accepted as a language for communication for many reasons.

The following are only few of them:

• Due to globalization the importance of English has grown enormously. It is by an international treaty the official
language for aeronautical and maritime communication. It is also one of the official languages of the United
Nation and many other international organizations such as WHO, UNICEF including International Olympic
committee. Any scientific or commercial projects taken by any multinational organization involves persons from
different countries, the only common language for communication being English.

• English is studied most often in the European Union. Among the Europeans 67% are in favour of English, 17% in
favour of German and 16 % in favour of French. .Among the non-English speaking EU countries, the following
percentages of the adult population claim to be able to converse in English in 2012

Netherlands - 90%,

Malta - 89%

Sweden - 86%

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
2 Anandarup Chatterjee & Dipak Chatterjee

Denmark - 86%

Cyprus - 73%

Austria - 73%

Finland - 70%

Greece - 50%

Germany - 50%

Luxemburg - 50%

Slovania - 50%

It is noteworthy that 38% of the Europeans consider that they can speak English. [3]

• Of all books, journals and magazines published all over the globe, almost 90% are written in English.
Indeed English is the most commonly used language in Science and Technology.

• Most of the advanced technologies and scientific advancements are the work of Europeans; English is the most
desired language for communication.

• English is language with a very rich vocabulary which provides the power to express any idea precisely and
effectively.

Meaning of Techno-Completeness

A language is said to be techno-complete if the language has such a rich vocabulary that one is able to
communicate and write any scientific report easily and comfortably. This requires

• A collection of scientific terms

• Simple grammar

• A collection of words that help express ideas most effectively, e.g., phrases, idioms, correlatives, antonyms.[1]

• The words useful for effective communication.

Thus a techno-complete language is one which facilitates an engineer to express ideas precisely and concisely and
write reports in an effective way.

Method of Achieving this

It is to be noted that the techno-complete language is needed for two purposes, namely (a) Report writing and
(b) Verbal Communication.

For report writing

• One has to take care in the usage of words. Particularly, the language must be as simple as possible.
Not complicated, bomb bursting/ magnanimous, ambiguous words should be used. Only simple sentences should
be used to the extent possible.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

In Search of a Techno-Complete Language for Engineers 3

• For presentation, power-point may be used for better conveyance with emphasis on the nodal points.

For verbal communication,

• Simple but persuasive language should be used with minimum number of compound sentences.[6]

• Care should be taken in proper use of technical terms.

• Sincere attempts should be made to increase the confidence level in this regard by psychological counseling.

Our Suggestions

• A Task Force be constituted by Higher Education Department, Government of India, to build up a vocabulary for
each discipline of engineering. This vocabulary should also cull the widely used phrases and idioms for precise
expression of thoughts and ideas.

• A plan be drawn to teach simple English with equal emphasis as in technical subjects from the first year to the last
year of the undergraduate courses with special emphasis on verbal communication.

• A training of how to write engineering projects be imparted to all students in the final year of all courses including
Power Point Presentation. For this the best exemplary reports written by experts in different engineering
disciplines be shown to the students. They may also be subjected to practice of writing reports.

• These programmes should be tagged with university examination but marks shall not be counted for promotion
but included in mark sheet which will have a bearing on selection by recruiters.

• By now many software’s have been developed to facilitate students to learn communication. The students should
be subjected to the use of this software’s.

CONCLUSIONS

If the above steps are followed and the suggestions implemented, it is expected that in a few years the scenario
will change drastically and the engineering world will turn into a easily communicable world speeding up into desired
success.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank Dr. Debprasad Ghosh, Professor, IEM, Kolkata for some valuable suggestions and
criticism.

REFERENCES

1. Anglin, J.M., Miller, G, A., Wakefield 1993); Vocabulary Development: A morphological analysis, Monograph
of SRCD 58(10),

2. Baugh, Albert C.; Thomas Cable (2002). A History of the English Language (5th ed.). Routledge.
ISBN 0-415-28099-0.

3. Crystal, David (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 0-521-53032-6.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
4 Anandarup Chatterjee & Dipak Chatterjee

4. Dunton-Downer, Leslie (2010). The English Is Coming!: How One Language Is Sweeping the World.
New York: Touchstone Books. ISBN 978-1-4391-7665-8

5. Graddol, D(1997); The Future of English, B.C.L., April, 2007

6. Halliday, MAK (1994). An Introduction to Functional Grammar (2nd ed.). London: Edward Arnold.
ISBN 0-340-55782-6.

7. Jhao, Y and Campbell, K.P(1995), English in China, World English 14(11)

8. Schneider, Edgar (2007). Postcolonial English: Varieties Around the World. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 0-521-83140-7.

9. Tropf, H.S.(2004), India and its languages, Siemens, Munich (2000) A guide to forecasting the popularity of the
English Language in the 21st century, B.C.L. Sep, 2013

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 5-10
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

GAME OF LIFE: LEARNINGS FROM SPORTS FOR PROFESSIONALS

AVEEK BISWAS & NANDINI PRAMANIK

Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology, Kolkata,
West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

What do sporting champions do? How is an invincible team like Manchester United born? What makes winning
teams click? Why do some teams keep on losing whereas a few teams snap the losing streak and get back to the habit of
winning? How players like Sachin Tendulkar are made, who have the ability to carry the hopes of the entire nation on his
shoulders? This paper attempts to unravel all the mysteries. It digs deep into different sporting examples, analyzes
interviews from several sporting greats, investigates the workings of champion teams and provides a solid learning curve to
the professionals who wish to make it big in their own fields. Contrary to popular perception, ability is not the sole
distinguishing factor for success. But the blend of ability with the right attitude and passion creates a champion.
This universal formula for winning is explored in this paper along with its relevance in our lives, the lives of each and
everyone who strive to succeed.

KEYWORDS: Sporting Champions, Professionals, Ability, Universal Formula for Winning

INTRODUCTION

Television, the greatest ally of sport, creates dramatic images of adrenalin-fuelled athletes making a courageous,
even frantic race towards victory. There are a few sights more moving than victory, or brave defeat, or indeed a heroic
effort. Anil Kumble bowling with a broken jaw to steer his team to victory in Antigua in 2002, or Sachin Tendulkar
braving the sandstorm and the opposition in Sharjah in 1998 or tears streaming down David Beckham’s cheeks when he
bids adieu to the world of football- these acts have inspired thousands and still continue to do so. There are few things in
life more inspiring and motivating than sport itself.

Foreword - The Business of Winning

Winning and losing are no more than a step in a much longer journey; a crucial step but just one step only.
Those who journey better, take that step better, far more easily. Those who flounder and lose their way in between may
reach the finishing line, but in all likelihood with someone ahead of them. In this study, the way to win is discussed
minutely. Right from setting up goals to maintaining that winning aura- all the essential principles of victory have been
elucidated here through examples from the fascinating world of real life champions.

Goals

“Never tell me sky is the limit, when there are footprints on the moon” - Anonymous

When one sets out on a journey, he dreams of achieving something, something big. But that stays in the realm of
dreams. To make those dreams real, there should be a deadline on our dreams. From that very moment dreams become

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
6 Aveek Biswas & Nandini Pramanik

goals; goals that cause an individual as well as teams to dig deeper, extract just that little more out of oneself and launch
him out of his comfort zone.

The goals set has to be out of reach, but never out of sight. When a child prodigy by the name of Sachin
Tendulkar first stepped out to play for India, he never set a goal to be the best player of Indian Cricket. He wanted to play
as many matches for India, and score as many runs as possible- a goal which was very much manageable for him.

This also teaches us that larger goals should always be replaced by a series of short term goals. When South
African Cricket Team chased 434 runs in 50 overs against Australia, they did not start the chase keeping 434 in mind.
The first 10 overs were played with the aim of not losing a wicket and score 80 runs, whereas the next 15 were played with
the aim to score 120 runs. Breaking the seemingly impossible target into smaller ones ultimately allowed the South
Africans to win the match with quite ease.

But there is a flip side to it. Goals can overwhelm. An immediate goal appears to be so daunting that teams or
individuals run the risk of giving up even before the effort begins. So, it is always better to replace result goals with
performance goals. Setting performance goals removes the anxiety of the result and allows the individual to perform freely.
For instance a swimmer competing in the Olympics always looks to emulate his best time- because that is something which
is in his control. He does not look to win the gold at the very instant, as the timings of other participants are not in his hand.
It can be very well surmised that setting up of performance goals and achieving them one after another ultimately results in
achieving the desired result. It’s a philosophy shared by the maestro of chess Vishwanathan Anand. He confessed “I just
turn up at tournaments and play my chess and see what happens. I don’t see the point of speculating and planning too
much”

Thus this is the first and foremost step towards winning - setting up goals and working diligently & faithfully to
achieve them.

Change

“It is not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”

Change is not an enemy, it is merely a challenge to a set way of doing things, a compulsion to get out of our
comfort zones and go into unfamiliar territory. Change is everywhere around us. In this helter - skelter world technologies
become obsolete quickly, businesses perish rapidly and people become redundant. It’s a scary phenomenon and one has to
adapt as quickly as possible. As for example in sporting world the old Test Cricket is slowly gives way to T-20 cricket, and
in football the rules undergo a sea change to protect the strikers.

Instead of resistance, adaptability is the key to survive this period of transition. Legendary test cricket bowlers like
Anil Kumble found out that in T-20 cricket, it was not about bowling a containing spell anymore but he had to search for
wickets each and every ball.

Even in the professional field, as one climbs up the he finds out that job responsibilities change and new skill set
needs to be added every now and then. People need to adapt to and excel at the ever changing world around him.
Vishwanathan Anand ably sums it up by his words “You have to ride those changes, new approaches, and new ways of
playing the game. You have to be enthusiastic and keen to learn”

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Game of Life: Learnings from Sports for Professionals 7

THE WINNING TRIANGLE-ABILITY, ATTITUDE AND PASSION

“If you only ever give 90 percent in training then you will ever give 90 percent when it matters” - Michael Owen

Winning is not a destination in itself but a series of destinations where fresh challenges are encountered and
overcome along the way. Not everybody can do it, for winning can also be exhausting and that is where the true champions
stand apart. These are people who not only conquer the opposition but also conquer themselves, since winning brings with
it its own sets of challenges. That is why Tendulkar and Warne, Sampras and Federer, Pele and Maradona are remembered
as legends.

The talent of these great players is widely known. But talent alone is not enough. The great players marry their
extraordinary talent to something far more powerful, far more critical to their success. They are possessed of a wonderful
attitude, a work ethic that causes them to chisel away at their craft, removing one rough edge after another till the polished
diamond surfaces. Tiger Woods worked 16 hours a day to perfect his swing, whereas Abhinav Bindra, the first Olympic
gold medalist from India practically lived his youth at the shooting range cut off from the outside world.

This attitude causes the champions to dig deep when the going gets tough and get out of the adverse situation.
Sometimes when the first serve does not really work, the leg glance just does not happen, the champions will scrape,
nudging here and there for a run or just block for long periods. When the going gets tough it just does not matter how
beautiful our game looks. The only matter of importance is how the adverse situation is handled to bring it into our favor.
Everybody looks good when they are on the top of their game but as Martina Navratilova once said “What matters is how
well you play when you are playing badly”.

Finally there are a few who make it to the very top. Sergei Bubka, Vishwanathan Anand, Michael Schumacher
reigned supreme in such a manner that they were synonymous with the sport they played. They had the passion to perform.
They were in complete love with what they did. Their passion, focus and obsession with the game made them stand out as
best among the best.

There is a lesson there. We too can be the Tendulkars and Anands of our profession. But to achieve that ability or
skill is not the sole factor. Skills can be taught, attitude can’t and at the very top is passion, an extraordinary drive where
success and joy come for win after win.

Figure 1: The Winning Triangle

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
8 Aveek Biswas & Nandini Pramanik

Learning While Losing

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”- Michael Jordan

Bookstores are well stocked with success stories about Google, Yahoo, Coke or Nike. There are lots of pages on
what Sir Alex Ferguson did to create Manchester United or how Infosys became a global brand. This always creates the
illusion that only the victor can tell us something worthwhile. But it is never so. Those wounded and vanquished in warfare
not only have scars to display but with each scar comes a story and a lesson: of what not to do, of errors of judgment, of
horrible setbacks that can actually destroy competent teams. This is what failure teaches us, it tells us where we can be
fallible, allows us to tighten our game and subsequently improve our career. Every successful man has failed, not once but
several times, in their life, but they analyzed the things in real perspective and tried again with more vigor and zeal and got
success. Failures should not be allowed to create frustration, desperateness or disappointment; instead failure should be
taken as a boon which gives the strength to fight back with fierce fortitude and invincible zeal.

Not only individuals but teams around the world get into a slump. Too much dependence on a single star is a big
factor. This happened with the Indian Cricket Team of the 90’s. They were over dependent on Sachin Tendulkar to bail
them out of each and every match. And hence, they lost more than they won. Also, another big reason of team failure all
around is the teams get stuck in their past glories so much that they fail to see the world changing around them. The Indian
Hockey team, winner of 8 Olympic gold medals, was so engrossed in their past performance that they failed to see that the
new playing surface was the AstroTurf whereas they still played in grass fields.

Failure is not the end of the road but merely a stepping stone to future glory. When teams or individuals cannot
escape the losing streak, they need to be patient, celebrate even small achievements and perhaps have a change of guard.
Manchester City, a mid-table English Premier League went through a take-over by the Sheikh family, brought in world
class players, waited patiently for two years to build a team and now they are a force to reckon with. Another glaring
example of rising from the ashes is former India captain Sourav Ganguly. When Sourav was unceremoniously dropped
from Indian Cricket Team, he did not quit. But merely took it as a challenge to master one of the finest comebacks in world
sport. He worked on his drawbacks, grinded hard and came back an even better player.

Failure has an outstanding quality. It separates the champions from the also-rans. It actually tests the mettle of the
competitor. When an individual has failed once, his inherent nature makes him think he is going to fail again. And very
soon he falls into a losing streak. Champions are those individuals who come out of this streak, they let go of the past and
not let the past influence his present at all. Each day, and each moment can be considered as a new beginning if one has the
heart to do so. Sachin Tendulkar again was a prime example of this. On numerous occasions he failed, got out for a duck,
and could not bail his team out of trouble. But according to his own admission “Every ball faced is ball one “. He never let
the past haunt his present. And hence, he succeeded more often than he failed and slowly but surely grew to be the greatest
cricketer India has ever had.

Thus, failure is an invaluable teacher. It is like the potholes on the road that needs to be avoided. And winning is
not about not making mistakes, not failing, but about how to learn from them and become wiser and stronger. It’s not about
getting knocked down but how fast you can get up and fight again.

The Burden of Winning

“Success is a lousy teacher, it seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose” - Bill Gates

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Game of Life: Learnings from Sports for Professionals 9

The buzz in the dressing room, that electrifying feeling, team bonding at its highest, confidence to take on the
world, abundance of resources - the fruits of victory are many and varied. But like all good things, victory comes with a
pitfall. Quite often victory is said to be associated with three perils- ego, over confidence and complacency. We often see
talented young cricketers bursting onto the stage, having a great IPL season and then subsequently fading away from the
scene. Practice sessions in the nets give way to brand endorsements and ribbon cuttings. The urge to win makes us do the
impossible. When Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were at their prime, Goran Ivanisavic, a relatively unknown Croatian
stunned them and went on to win the Wimbledon. But, later on, he did not win a single championship ever. This is what a
victory does- creates a false blanket of comfort until it is ripped off one fine morning.

So, it is of paramount importance that we analyze our victories in the same vein as we analyze our defeats.
We learn what the formula that led us to success was. A victor is always analyzed by his competitors ruthlessly.
Henceforth, it becomes quite essential for the individual or the team to work even harder, innovate newer ways to success,
be a step ahead of the opponents all the time. Brett Lee, a member of 2003 world champion Australian cricket team, said
that even after winning the world cup they trained as if they were no. 2 in the world. This urgency, this focus prompted
Australia to rule world cricket for a long period of time.

A lesson is learnt here - Winning is brilliant, worth dreaming about, but only sustainable if our eyes are never
taken off the ball.

THE WINNING AURA

The last, but not the least is the topic worth discussing- the champion’s aura. His body language, an indomitable
swagger, all bears the markings of a successful person. When Vivian Richards walked out onto the field it seemed that he
would murder his opponents just by staring at them. In Ice Hockey, the 90’s Soviets team had acquired such a reputation
that scoring one goal against them was considered to be a huge achievement.

This is worth replicating. Sometimes, when the odds are heavily stacked against us, we need to tackle the
opposition head on. Meeting eye to eye, maintaining the swagger, and believing in the competition- it makes all the
difference between losing and carving out an improbable victory.

CONCLUSIONS

Sport teaches us the importance of a healthy mind and body, the value of discipline and work ethic. To stay ahead
one needs to stay relevant first. In a dynamic environment this means continuous improvement. In this age of ever
changing technologies and processes innovation has to be an integral part of work culture and efforts should be put to do
the same things more efficiently. This study of sports just reiterates the fact that combination of ability with right attitude
and passion leads to stupendous success. When one commits to excellence, success has to follow.

FUTURE SCOPE

This study is basically the influence of sports on the individual. The scope of this study can be extended to
determine the effect of sports on teams or corporations like big business organizations, media houses and many more. Also
the leadership factor has been largely left unexplored here, which can be subsequently discussed in the future endeavors.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
10 Aveek Biswas & Nandini Pramanik

REFERENCES

1. Harsha Bhogle and Anita Bhogle. (2011). The Winning Way. Westland Ltd

2. Alex Ferguson. (2012). Managing My Life: My Autobiography. Hodder & Stoughton

3. Mike Carson. (2013). The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

4. Abhinav Bindra. (2011). A Shot At History- My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold. HarperCollins India

5. The Hindu. (2011). Winning and how!

6. Wayne Rooney. (2012). Wayne Rooney: My Decade in the Premier League. HarperSport

7. Simon Kuper. (2012). The Football Men: Up Close with the Giants of the Modern Game. Simon & Schuster Ltd

8. Lanny Bassham. (2012). With Winning in Mind 3rd Ed. Mental Management Systems

9. Michael Owen. (2013). Michael Owen: Off the Record. HarperSport

10. Lucy Rector Flippu. (2013). The Benefits of Team Sports. Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_Benefits_Team_Sports/

11. Jalil Moradi, Ahmadreza Movahedi & Hamid Salehi. (2013). Specificity of Learning a Sport Skill to the Visual
Condition of Acquisition. Retrieved from

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222895.2013.838935#.Us3ulM4aL7I

12. Elizabeth Quinn. (2013). Sports psychology strategies for coping with and recovering from injury. Retrieved from
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportspsychology/a/Injury_Coping.htm

13. Dennis Bergkamp. (2013). Stillness and Speed: My Story. Simon & Schuster UK

14. Sid Lowe. (2013). Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Barcelona vs Real Madrid. Vintage Digital

15. Mia Hamm. (2013). Go For The Goal: A Champion's Guide To Winning In Soccer And Life. It Books

16. Article: Sportsmanship. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportmanship

17. Yuvraj Singh. (2013). The Test of My Life: from Cricket to Cancer and Back. Ebury Press/Random House India

18. Charlton Best. (2012). Michael Jordan:The Amazing Story of the Greatest Basketball Player...Ever
(Sports Unlimited). Platinum Publishing

19. Michael Essany. (2012). Michael Jordan: The Final Conquest. Sports Entertainment Publishing

20. David Halberstam. (2012). Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made. Open Road Media

21. American Association of School Administrators. (2011). Steroids: To Test or To Educate?

22. Sports & Adventures from www.scribd.com

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 11-18
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

A TRAINING DESIGN FOR PARTICIPATORY LEARNING

CHARITO G. ONG
Department of Language, Mindanao University of Science and Technology, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

ABSTRACT

This paper sought to design a training plan for participatory learning. Founded on the needs assessment stage,
English teachers refashioned their teaching views, equipped with principles and strategies for active interaction in their
language classes. Four learning segments were finalized after a four-day try out. The researcher used a five-stage model in
undertaking the study that explicitly focused on: (1) the phases in the training design’s development and (2) the contents of
the training plan as research product.

The design produced in this paper ascertained for teachers to incorporate methodologies requiring students to
actively participate in language classes. Developing students’ oral communication skills is vital in language teaching, an
essential for interactive survival in a global setting. The training design was developed for this purpose. The Capitol
University Language professors needed keeping up with current trends in language teaching to better achieve language
teaching’s goal, that of developing students’ oral communication skills.

A fraction of the segments produced led to the reconstruction of syllabuses. With the use of participatory learning
techniques enclosed in the learning segments of the training design, these professors provided meaningful and interactive
interaction, responsive to the learners’ needs.

KEYWORDS: Participatory Learning, Training Design, Learning Segments

INTRODUCTION

Motivation is a necessity for learning to be continuing, interesting and enjoyable. Teachers who motivate students
greatly enhance the classroom experience and learner performance. Classroom participation is the result. With the latter as
an active ingredient, it results to insightful interaction and remarkable connection between teachers and students.
Moreover, it fosters a high level of energy and enthusiasm in the classroom learning environment. However, poorly
managed participation can also lead to instructor frustration and student confusion. Making the classroom participation
more effective was the main target of this paper.

The subject participation is complex, and can be approached from a variety of theoretical perspectives
(Gall, 2008). McCombs’ (2006) research shows that for students to be optimally motivated to participate, they must believe
that they possess the skills and competencies to successfully accomplish these learning goals. Furthermore, Russ (2001)
posits that the relationship between teaching and learning is truly fascinating. In a teaching-learning scenario, an
interaction that is meaningful, fluid, interactive and responsive to the learners’ needs should be ideally provided. Hence,
language teachers should look for varied ways to respond to this teaching challenge. To do this, teachers have to be
prepared by updating themselves with the current language teaching trends. They have to keep up with the latest
developments in teaching especially that language trends constantly change.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
12 Charito G. Ong

Song Seng (2001) states that teacher competence is an essential factor for achieving educational excellence.
To ensure that teachers are accountable and knowledgeable about the subject they teach, emphasis has been placed on
professional training of new educational systems’ designs. Teachers, as the key component of an educational system, need
professional training to assure efficiency of students’ learning and active classroom participation. Thus, educational
systems should be driven by the need to achieve efficiency, effectiveness and equity. This highlights the importance of
training on-the-job teachers.

For a teacher to develop his competence, the primacy of the classroom is indeed high. It is in that learning
environment where she/he becomes the principal agent of change. It is where her/his experience is based and where growth
will take effect (Wajnryb, 2002). Considering the importance of the classroom in a teaching-learning process, this research
focused on looking at students in their language classes to see how their teachers hone their participatory skill. Developing
this participative skill is vital for them to become professionals, Danao (2002) says. She explains in her book, Confluence:
Journeys that students need to learn the body of material for the profession they are preparing for. This comes in the form
of participative learning. Most importantly, students need to know how to conceptualize concepts since it is in this arena
where they base their moments to voice out their thoughts. Thus, the college classroom scenarios must equip students to
become truly participative, Danao concludes.

However, it has long been known that teaching does not necessarily equal learning - that what a teacher does in
the classroom to teach may not match what the learner perceives the lesson to be about. Davis (2003) states that the key to
teaching students to think lies in how the teaching process is conducted. Teachers have the command to raise the level of
students’ thinking even to the extent of analysis and appreciation. Since students do not think this way naturally,
interaction is necessary. High quality class interaction contributes significantly to a student’s educational progress. This in
turn develops his thinking skills. Hence, it is deduced that it is indeed a necessity to involve students in a participative
learning environment which is the main goal of this research. The training design produced in this research then ensures
that teachers will incorporate tasks involving participatory learning.

METHODOLOGY

The four stages towards the development of the training design were followed in this study. These were: Analysis,
Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. A needs analysis was done first to identify the needs of the college
English teachers which revealed that they needed a training exposure based on the tabular presentation as follows:

Table 1: The Needs Analysis Results

Classes Participatory Learning
Nature of Classroom Interaction
Observed Style Employed
1 Non participative, only written activities were introduced none
2 participative, mostly teacher talk none
3 Non participative, mostly teacher talk none
4 Non participative, mostly written activities for student exposure none
5 Non participative, focused on pure teacher-talk/discussing the lesson none
6 Non participative, only written activities only were introduced none
7 Non participative, mostly teacher talk none
8 Rich classroom interaction occurred Role playing
9 Non participative, focused on teacher discussing the lesson none
10 Rich classroom interaction occurred Audible student discussion

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

A Training Design for Participatory Learning 13

The tabular presentation shown on the previous page revealed that only two out of the ten classes observed were
exposed to a participative learning environment. Hence, the researcher designed the training for participatory learning
considering its importance in areas of language discipline, dialogue, and feedback.

The researcher then finalized the proposed plan of her training design. This is the stage when the training scheme
was designed. From the results of the analysis done, the researcher decided to create a training design composed of four
learning segments. The baseline data results showed a need to train language teachers. Non-participative students in varied
classrooms prevalently exist. This proves that language teachers in the try out schools do not give enough opportunities for
college students to develop their participatory skill. This scenario needs checking; reason enough for the training design to
be produced. The segment titles were decided on with topics on participatory learning. The table below shows the list of
topics for the segments.

Table 2: The Learning Segments’ Topics

Segment Titles
1 The Affective side of Language Learning & Teaching
2 The Needed Communication Skills of College Students
3 The Strategies of Communicative Teaching
4 Communicative Assessment and Testing

After the segment titles were identified, the next step taken by the researcher was the development stage.
With the design phase already done in the form of the training design, it was further simplified in the form of the learning
segments.

The first learning segment discusses the affective side of language learning. It aims to expose the trainees to
teaching concepts that are communication-centered. Situations are also provided for them to analyze their students’
attitudes and feelings about learning the language.

An update on the rationale of participatory learning was the main focus of learning segment two. Here, trainees
are given time to think about the essence of the said topic. In learning segment three entitled the strategies of
communicative teaching, topics were introduced to inform trainees on what their students need in terms of participative
competence. Also presented were the various aspects of language for the trainees’ review. A usual endpoint of any
teaching act is testing. A summative portion discusses for the last part of the learning segments entitled: Communicative
Testing and Assessment.

These segments went through a series of revisions before the final form. After these, the segments came out in its
final form with four salient features. These are: ‘What’s in This Segment’, ‘What You are Expected to Experience’,
‘What are You Gonna Do’ and the ‘Self Check’ section. The learning segments were finalized and tried out on the College
of Arts and Sciences faculty of CU as trainees in the four-day training session. The trainers who were known to be
specialists in the topics of the various segments were invited to conduct the training. This phase also included the
efficiency of the training material as the trainers scrutinized the segments before the try out process was done.

The effectiveness and efficiency of the learning segments were measured afterwards. The evaluation occurred
throughout the entire instructional design process – within phases, between phases, and after implementation.
This appeared in dual form, the formative and summative evaluation.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
14 Charito G. Ong

Formative evaluation, an on-going type of evaluation, was done before and during the implementation of the
training design. These were done through the consolidated effort of the panel members, trainers and the research adviser.
The panel examined the training scheme during the dissertation proposal of the researcher. The trainers scrutinized the
segments before implementation. The research adviser corrected and made the refinement of the segments possible.
Also, during implementation, the trainees evaluated the segments’ content and presentation in huddle sessions.

The summative evaluation occurred after the final version of the training scheme was tried out. This assessed the
overall effectiveness of the learning segments. Both trainers and trainees did this. An evaluation form modified from Scott
and Parry’s model (1997) was used by the trainees while the trainers used an evaluation model modified from Morrow’s
(1998).

RESULTS

This section presents the analysis of data gathered through the aforementioned needs analysis procedures and the
final form of the training design. The presentation is arranged preceded by the problem statement and then the findings.

The Stages Composing the Development of the Training Scheme for College Communicative Teaching

By using the similar models of Seels and Glasgow and the Systematic Approach to Training (SAT), the researcher
followed the stages as modified in the development of the training design: (1) Needs Analysis, (2) Plan, (3) Create,
(4) Try Out and (5) Assess (NAPCTA). These stages explain how the training design was developed.

The Needs Analysis Stage

In this stage, the sources of baseline data were identified. This was then conducted for the needs assessment
namely, classroom observation.

The Planning Stage

Because the baseline data revealed that teachers lack competencies, a training design was planned for college
English teachers. The researcher then decided to come up with a training designed for these teachers so that the
competencies they lack will be met. Its contents were based from the baseline data gathered as cited. The design of the
training however fits to any desired audience. English teachers from other Universities can use the scheme especially when
they want to maximize the communicative abilities of students in their classes.

The Creation Stage

Right after the design/plan was wrapped up, the researcher began to develop her plan. The following explain the
processes she undertook. The training design was finally made into a material in this stage. The development of the
material was based on the four topics identified during the planning stage. Various references were considered as sources
of data to enrich each learning segment. The main focus was always on the needed competencies of college English
teachers. Internet materials, books, leaflets and brochures were consulted for the preliminary gathering of data sources.

The Try out Stage

For the try out stage of the training design, four-day training was conducted. Selected trainers who were experts in
the field of communicative teaching conducted the learning segments.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

A Training Design for Participatory Learning 15

The Assessment Stage

Assessment is usually listed last. However, in this research, assessment was done in the duration of the entire
training scheme. This is to ensure that the researcher’s job is kept on track and for her to identify improvements
immediately. Hence, there were three stages involved in the evaluation of the training scheme. For its total refinement,
evaluations were done before, during and after the training process. The data results on the trainers’ evaluation was
correlated to draw out an interrater reliability of the overall results. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was
used for this. The following are the results:

Table 3: Descriptive Statistics

Std.
Mean N
Deviation
TRAINER 1 4.0000 .5941 18
TRAINER 2 4.2778 .7519 18
TRAINER 3 2.6667 1.0290 18

Table 4: Correlations
TRAINER 1 TRAINER 2 TRAINER 3
TRAINER 1 Pearson Correlation 1.000 .395 .385
Sig. (2-tailed) . .105 .115
N 18 18 18
TRAINER 2 Pearson Correlation .395 1.0000 .659**
Sig. (2-tailed) .105 . .003
N 18 18 18
TRAINER 3 Pearson Correlation .385 .659** 1.000
Sig. (2-tailed) .115 .003 .
N 18 18 18
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)

The above data shows that trainer 1 who handled segments 1-4 rated the learning segments with a mean of 4.000.
This implies that she found the segments good in a scale of 1-5. Trainer 2 gave the highest rating with a mean of 4.2778.
She handled learning segment 5 and rated this good. The third trainer who conducted segment 4 gave a rating summary
with a mean of 2.6667. This can be rounded off to 3 which is a satisfactory rating to segment 4

The Contents of the Learning Segments for Participatory Learning

The training design is composed four segments. Its contents were arrived at after the results of the needs analysis.
The sources used by the researcher were the different books on communicative language teaching.

Each segment contains headings named as: ‘what’s in this segment’, ‘what you are expected to experience’, and
‘what are you gonna do’. What’s in this segment is an introductory part of the segments. What you are expected to
experience provides the expected outcomes to be attained by the trainees. What are you gonna do gives a guide for trainees
to follow as they move from one topic to the next. The segments are composed of different topics on communicative
teaching. These are in the form of learning segments.

CONCLUSIONS

Taking the findings as strong points for evaluating this research, the following conclusions were drawn:

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
16 Charito G. Ong

• Various opportunities for student-talk should be provided in English classes. This calls for teachers’ creativity in
designing meaningful and communicative tasks. After all, communication is but the goal of language instruction.
Hence, the usual Q and A technique may not be overused, as there are other strategies to choose from.

• The needs analysis showed that English teachers lack competencies. The activities provided in class did not
encourage class interaction. They were the correct usage type if not rote memorizing of the rules of grammar.
This therefore, made students more conscious to speak, as they had to think of the correct usage of verbs all the
time.

• Instruments such as FGD and questionnaire cannot be solely relied upon as baseline data in research. Some noted
information did not actually happen in the classes observed. This shows that teachers were aware of the idea of
communicative teaching but did not apply this in class.

REFERENCES

1. Amabile, T. M., 2006. Creativity in context. Westview, Boulder, CO.

2. Csikszentmihalyi, M., 2009. Society, culture, and person: A systems view of creativity. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.),
The nature of creativity (pp. 325-339). Cambridge University Press, New York.

3. Handbook of creativity (pp. 313-335). Cambridge University Press, New York.

4. Kao, J. P., 2008. Way beyond the IQ. Creative Education Foundation, New York.

5. Russ-Sternberg, R. J. and Lubart, T., 2001. The concept of creativity: Prospects and paradigms. In R. J. Sternberg
& T. Lubart (Eds.),

6. Handbook of Creativity (pp. 3-15). Cambridge University Press, New York.

7. Charyton, C. and Snelbecker, G. E., 2007. General, Artistic and Scientific Creativity Attributes of Engineering
and Music Students.

8. Creativity Research Journal, 19(2/3), pp 213-225.

9. Gall, M. and Breeze, N., 2008. Music and eJay: An Opportunity for Creative Collaborations in The Classroom.

10. International Journal of Educational Research, 47(1), pp 27-40.

11. Kao, G. Y. M. et al, 2008. Breaking Concept Boundaries to Enhance Creative Potential: Using Integrated Concept
Maps for Conceptual Self-awareness. Computers & Education, 51(4), pp 1718-1728.

12. Karwowski, M. and Soszynski, M., 2008. How to Develop Creative Imagination? Assumptions, Aims and
Effectiveness of Role Play Training in Creativity (RPTC). Thinking Skills and Creativity, 3(2), pp 163-171.

13. McIntyre, P., 2008. Creativity and Cultural Production: A Study of Contemporary Western Popular Music
Songwriting.

14. Creativity Research Journal, 20(1), pp 40-52.

15. Russ, S. W., 2001. Writing in Flow: Keys to Enhanced Creativity. Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of
Books, 46(2), pp 181-183.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

A Training Design for Participatory Learning 17

16. Sternberg, R. J. and Lubart, T., 1991. An Investment Theory of Creativity and Its Development. Human
Development, 34(1), pp 1-31.

17. Wu, J. J., 2001. Enticing the Crouching Tiger and Awakening the Hidden Dragon: Recognizing and Nurturing
Creativity in Chinese Students. The second International Symposium on Child Development. Hong Kong, China.

18. http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsms.php

19. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/human-motivation-theory.htm

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 19-24
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES: STUDYING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TEACHING IN

CLASSROOMS OF RURAL BENGAL AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL

DEBANJALI ROY
Research Scholar, Department of English, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India

ABSTRACT

It is a widespread idea that L2 learners of English studying in the State government aided schools of Bengal
(especially the rural ones) are fluent with the structures of English grammar but lack communicative competence. Such an
argument calls for discussion the scope of syllabus as well as the whole teaching-learning process involving the approach
and methodology in such SLA curriculum.

Following Rod Ellis’s Integrated model of language teaching, language teachers (particularly those dealing with
English in a L2 environment) unanimously agreed that the best way of teaching language should strike a balance between
deductive and inductive methods. But for the language teachers (most often L2 speakers of English) in these rural schools
of Bengal, it is really a challenge to make the learners competent in speaking English. Not only is it because of the syllabus
of English (set by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education) that allows very little scope of testing a student’s
speaking ability, but also because of certain socio-economic obligations, lack of infrastructure and proper teacher-training
courses. In such a scenario, the target of most language teachers is basically to complete the syllabus. But the enthusiastic
and highly-determined ones devise certain strategies to overcome these challenges and attempt a ‘different’ way of EGT.
This paper is an analysis of my observation of the classroom teachings of L2 grammar in a State government aided rural
Secondary school of Bengal over a period of nearly three months. I studied the strategies applied by the language teacher in
order to strike a balance between completing the syllabus of the course as well as making the learners successful users of
the target language. Eventually I noted how inspite of theorists condemning the interpolation of L1 during SLA, L1 of the
learner (if strategically used) can be used to garner communicative competence in L2.

KEYWORDS: English, Language, Teaching, Grammar, Communicative Competence

INTRODUCTION

Within the last quarter century, communicative language teaching (CLT) has been put forth around the world as
the ‘new’ or ‘innovative’ way to teach English as a second or foreign language. Teaching materials, course descriptions
and curriculum guidelines proclaim a goal of communicative competence. But inspite of the burgeoning concern for
communicative competence all over the country with prioritization of courses like Communicative English or ESP, there
has been very little change in the teaching-learning scenario in the language classrooms of the State affiliated secondary
and higher secondary schools of West Bengal. English language (as L2 ) is still taught (in most cases) through traditional
teacher-centered, syllabus-oriented, grammar translation method with a strong emphasis on rote learning. Teaching English
is synonymous to teaching grammar with negligible attention to enhancing students’ ability to ‘speak English’. Not only is
it because of the syllabus of English (set by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education) that allows very little scope of

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
20 Debanjali Roy

testing a student’s speaking ability, but also because of certain socio-economic obligations, lack of infrastructure and
proper teacher-training courses.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY

As a part of my PhD coursework, I had been observing the classroom teachings of certain State government aided
rural schools of West Bengal where a clear majority of students are first-generation English language learners. It was
during that period I observed how, inspite of the lack of infrastructure, time constraint (for completing the prescribed
syllabus) and other obligations, language teachers effectively use classroom interactions to make those socio-economically
impoverished students communicatively competent. One important thing I noted there was how the mother tongue of those
students was successfully used to enhance their command over L2 English.

In this paper I will be noting my observations of the English classes of Class-X in Champsara Satish Chandra
Vidya Niketan, a co-educational school 20 kilometres away from Tarakeshwar affiliated by the West Bengal Board of
Secondary Education. Over the period of 8 weeks of English language class (of 45 minutes) that I attended there twice a
week, I noted how the language teacher, Mr. S. Manna was incorporating L1 of the students (he himself is a non-native
speaker of L1 English) to encourage them to communicate in L2 English. This is an extract of the conversation which was
recorded in the class as the teacher was teaching the class about changing the voice of sentences. In the following excerpt,
T represents the teacher and S represents a student.

T: You, Madhabi, read the sentence

S: The little boy is tea..tea..

T: The little boy is teasing

S: The little boy is teasing the dog

T: Chhotto chheleti kukurtake birokto korchhe (The little boy is teasing the dog). Do you know the meaning of
tease? Tease kora mane birokto kora. Tomaay keu birokto kore? (Teasing means disturbing. Does anyone disturb
you?).

S: (laughs) Naa (No)

T: Anyone tease you?

S: No

T: Acchha (OK). Now change the voice

S: The little boy tease. Er. The little dog.. na (no)…the dog is being tease..tease..

T: Teased

S: The dog is being teased by the little boy

T: Very good answer. Sit down. Now Tanmoy, do you tease dogs?

S: No no Sir. One dog…a dog…

T: Ki korechhilo? (What happened?)

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Pushing the Boundaries: Studying English Grammar Teaching in Classrooms of Rural Bengal at the Secondary Level 21

S: Kaamre diechhilo Sir (The dog bit me Sir)

T: Tai? (Really?) A dog bit you? Kaamre dewa mane? (What does it mean?)

S: Bit

T: Now tell the full sentence.

S: A dog.bit.bit..me.

T: Excellent. Sit down.

Observation Analysis

It can be seen how the teacher begins by instructing in English but sensing the discomfort and difficulty faced by
the student, quickly switches over to L1 (Bengali). Following him, the student too replies him back in L1. This is followed
by a quick retranslation of the sentence said in Bengali back to English. The student now answers in English. The teacher
begins the lesson (a continuation) with instruction-based teaching technique, using the audiolingual drill method but
integrates the interactional mode mid-way. Although the target of the question was to generate a correct answer with
employment of proper grammatical structures, negotiation of meaning played an important role in this extract of the
conversation. The teacher went on to not only translate the words like ‘tease’, ‘bit’ into L1 but also negotiate its meaning
by placing it within a context with which the student was able to relate. At this stage, the errors of pronunciation
(pronounces ‘teasing’ as ‘tesing’) are overlooked. The teacher too, deliberately structures his speech for the ease of the
student, for example, instead of saying the correct sentence- “Does anyone tease you?”, he says - “Anyone tease you?”
Once the student was comfortable, the teacher came back to the exercise of changing the voice of the sentence and helping
the student at very point of difficulty, was able to make the student speak the grammatically correct sentence. Throughout
the conversation, error correction continues and remains intrusive since the focus is on accuracy of the grammatical form
but the aspect of communicative competence is also not neglected .

Inference

One major feature observed during the process was the recurrent use of L1 to negotiate the meaning of a particular
item in L2. Such an interpolation of L1 is not negative in nature since it enables the student to interpret the meaning of that
linguistic item in L2. The most important thing to be kept in mind during this point is the socio-economic background of
the students and their affective filters serving as a barrier to successful language learning. L1 not only breaks the ice but
also enables the lowering of the affective filter so that the learner may learn the target language smoothly. Often students
tend to face difficulty in using the learnt grammatical patterns in composing a sentence, a paragraph or creating a coherent
piece of written work.

Often they cannot memorise the rules and commit the error and often they know how to construct sentences but
feel confused to combine two sentences to make one long sentence. The chief reason of all these problems is the traditional
way of teaching- the audiolingual drilling patterns and less involvement by the students. To combat these problems, L1 can
be of great help. If the students are taught to draw a “parallelism” between L1 and L2, to negotiate the interference of L1
on L2, the frequency of commiting mistakes will decrease drastically.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
22 Debanjali Roy

CONCLUSIONS

In the wake of globalization, need-based teaching has increased. The problem is that to pass the examinations
(specially in those contexts where the syllabus excludes the communicative aspect of the language), the students should be
taught meaning-based grammar but if the student has to apply his grammatical skills in a spoken environment,
communicative competence is needed. Therefore there must be an attempt “to look at the ways of combining form and
meaning in teaching foreign languages” (Sysoyev, 1999). The best way of learning a language is by contextualizing it in a
meaningful and significant setting in which “explicit, direct elements are gaining significance in teaching communicative
abilities and skills”. At this point, this integration of L1 in L2 teaching and contextualizing it proves to be helpful.

At present, L1 (the mother tongue) enters the conversation that begun in L2 (English) but stops short because the
teacher has to translate and explain before proceeding to extract information from the learner. But such interpolation may
be taken a step higher by integrating the use of L1 for discussion and understanding along with an engagement with L2
(English). Initially, mother tongue helped to make the input language comprehensible but now it may be used to
understand the underlying grammatical structures as well. Krashen (1985: 94) notes, “(while) concurrent translation is not
effective”, the use of two languages in the classroom can be “done in such a way as to provide comprehensible input in the
target language using the first language to provide background information”.

In contexts like this technological advancements often cannot be imbibed into curriculum design or teaching
techniques due to many extra-academic factors like lack of technological aids or sociocultural barriers to English language
learning or lack of teacher-training programs. In such cases, the technique that the teacher uses in this school (bringing in
common metaphors in L1, role-playing) is a rather unique way of grammar teaching which may be adopted by such other
rural schools too. If grammar teaching starts involving such ‘fun’ aspects, L2 will no longer be a ‘fear factor’ for the
students. According to the questionnaire (that was circulated among the students to obtain their feedback), most of the
students enjoy such ‘small talks’ that narrow the gap between the language teacher and the students but are afraid about
‘grammar’. Now if grammar teaching (an essential component not only in the school syllabi but also in SLA curriculum)
starts sugarcoating itself with such covert techniques and fun stuff, EGT will easily attain two major goals- teaching the
theoretical grammar structures to the students for a productive output and achieving communicative competence.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is grateful to Mrs. Chaitali Mukherjee (Roy), the Headmistress and Mr. Subhrabaran Manna, the
English teacher of Class-X of Champsara Satish Chandra Vidya Niketan for their immense support and cooperation during
observation of the classroom interactions for EGT analysis.

REFERENCES

1. De Keyser, R. Beyond focus on form: Cognitive perspectives on learning and practicing second language
grammar in C. Doughty, & J. Williams (Eds.), Focus on form in classroom second language acquisition.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1998.

2. Ellis, R. Task based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003.

3. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring. Canada: Thomson Heinle. 2003.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Pushing the Boundaries: Studying English Grammar Teaching in Classrooms of Rural Bengal at the Secondary Level 23

4. Macaro Ernesto. The Continuum Companion to Second Language Acquisition. London: Continuum International
Publishing Group, 2010.

5. O’ Dwyer, Bernard T. Modern English Structures: Form, Function and Position. 2nd ed.
Canada: Broadway New Press, 2006. Print.

6. Richards, Jack C. “Addressing the Grammar Gap in Task Work”. Methodology in Language Teaching:
An Anthology of Current Practice. Ed. Jack C. Richards and Willy A.Renandaya.1st ed. NewYork: Cambridge
University Press, 2002.

7. Shannon, John and Nasman, Diana. “Teacher Education and Japanese English Teachers”. Teaching in Action:
Case Studies from Second Language Classrooms. Ed. Jack C. Richards. Illinois: Pantagraph Printing, 1998.

8. Skehan,P. “A framework for the implementation of task-based instruction”. Applied Linguistics, 1996. Task-based
Learning: Language Teaching, Learning and Assessment. eds. Skehan, P., Bygate, M. and Swain M. London:
Longman, 2001.

9. Spada, Nina and Lightbown, Patsy M. How Languages are Learned. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.2003. 1st pub.1999.

10. Sysoyev, P.V. “Integrative L2 Grammar Teaching: Exploration, Explanation and Expression”. The Internet TESL
Journal, Vol. V, No.6, June 1999.

11. Thornbury, S. How to teach grammar. London: Longman. 1999.

12. Ur, P. Vocabulary Activities. In The Impact of Teachers’ Beliefs on L2 Grammar Teaching by Hassan Nayyer,
2012.

13. Wilkins, D. Linguistics in Language Teaching. London: Arnold. 1972.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 25-30
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING PPT IN ELT THAN OLDER METHODS

K. DEVIMEENAKSHI1 & SARIKA GUPTA2

1
Assistant Professor, English Division, SSL, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Associate Professor, English Division, SSL, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT

The effective usage of power point presentation inside the classroom is receptive than good old methods. Students
enjoy colorful words and pictures. Those lure them to concentrate on subject. Whether they have interest in language or
not, they are inspired through power point presentation and you tube presentations. To define the concept, power point
presentation is a oral presentation which includes the content as well as sounds in English language through its brief
information. The bullet points act as key information of the chosen title. More over when the points are shared with
designs, pictures and animations, really pupils relish and learn the lesson.

KEYWORDS: Effective Teaching (ESL and EFL), Use of Technology, Internet Service and PPT Training

INTRODUCTION
Effective Teaching through a Tool

In defining English language teaching in present scenario, there are two types of language teaching practice such
as, ESL and EFL, these play predominant roles in English language teaching, Wiki’s views on ESL is,” English as a
second language (ESL), it is the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages and on EFL is,
“English as a foreign language, indicates the teaching of English in a non–English-speaking region.”
(English as a second or foreign language, 2013). It would be valid to describe these two types, so that the aim of the paper
will be explained to certain extent. ESL and EFL are taught through a technological tool, power point presentation.
It ensures the use of technology inside the classroom to facilitate English language teaching and to capture young minds to
learn English in simpler and easier way. Particularly, EFL students suffer more than ESL students in learning English
language as every aspect of language is new to them. Moreover, “in addition to the pressures that all adolescents
experience, these students also experience a myriad of other strains:

• Loss of identity, friends and culture

• An inability to express ideas or communicate in the community at large

• High familial expectations for academic success

• Unfamiliar learning environments and teaching styles” (Helping English Language Learners in the Classroom,
2005)

In order to overcome the predicaments, EFL students can be taught with innovative teaching plans so permitting
them to like the language, and then acquiring the language for their essential purpose. Some teaching schemes are
classified:

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
26 K. Devimeenakshi & Sarika Gupta

• “Use visual aids often.

• Incorporate hands-on activities to demonstrate concepts.

• Allow sufficient wait time.

• Model spoken language, but refrain from embarrassing ELL students with verbal correction in front of others.

• Prepare outlines for lectures and deliver them

• Encourage skim and scan reading strategies for textbook assignments.

• Avoid forcing language learners to speak. Encourage them to contribute when they are ready.
“(Helping English Language Learners in the Classroom, 2005)

ESL

Teaching ESL takes time when compared with EFL. While teaching EFL it appears as if the teacher strains herself
to complete the period but the content will be simpler than ESL. Hence to teach ESL is more intricate than EFL. In EFL
classroom setup, students find difficult to learn the language whereas ESL students knew language but the intrigue of
language is a challenging task to them. English language-learning classroom seems to be different than a stereo-type
classroom. It varies in ambience due to activities and interactions in classroom. In laboratory sessions, activities such as
role play and group discussion dominate the sessions along with students to inspire as well as to drill them to encounter
competitions in future. Perhaps the age of students may help them to be enthusiastic and active in performing language
tasks. Beyond these, their interest towards language can be cultivated and it would crop up later to considerable extent.
If pupils have interest and desire to use language in every context, then there is no need to train students but language will
be evergreen in minds of all students. The interactive classroom sessions will be fruitful to them in order to express their
views frankly without hesitation. Psychologically too they won’t have complex to exhibit themselves, no inhibitions.

In some cases to both ESL and EFL students the language will appear to be a target language. Their aim is to learn
language and nothing to do with first language or their own culture. One example of EFL students, Chinese pupils would
be relevant samples for English language learning. For them English is a foreign language but they have to learn the
language as a target language as language learning has become a target for them to complete it. “Learners practice it
(target language) and then there is a production stage where the target language is used in a freer activity”
(Target language,08.07.13). The production is the output of students after learning the language. “In the classroom, lesson
aims may be based around target language, e.g. ’Learners will be able to understand the difference between
“I didn’t need to” and ‘I needn’t have.’ “(Target language, 2013)

Classroom Atmosphere

ESL classroom will be in a country where English is the central language. The learners are immigrants or native
of that particular country. The class is habitually of varied nationalities hence they hold on to the one and only language
English. So they can communicate with all students inside the classroom. Of course outside the classroom, they have their
distinct language to talk with indigenous fellow beings. Moreover, since English is the formal language they have to use it
wherever they go officially or sometimes personally due to mixed ethnic groups. Whether pupils are being fluent in
language or not but they get chances to mingle with people and to share their views in English language. Thus these

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

The Effectiveness of Using PPT in ELT than Older Methods 27

students do get more opportunities to develop language skills formally as well as informally in terms of language learning
process.

EFL classroom will be in a place where English is not the dominant language. Pupils share the similar etymology
and beliefs. The teacher perchance be the only native English speaker or English speaker they are exposed to. Outside of
the classroom, learners have a few occasions to use English language. Some students learn English just for the sake to learn
or craze to study a new language that is universal, without practical benefits. It is very obvious that these students have less
exposure to English language and European culture. Thus it is a must to improve the level of language learning for these
types of students in acquiring language skills.

The Requirement of ESL Students

• Hands-On English Exercises Relevant to their Abrupt Needs: Students are not that much good in structures in
language hence instruct them to work on online exercises and teach them how to answer grammar exercises
without ambiguity through ppt.

• Explicit Regular Practices: Learners are from different places so start to guide them from day-to-day life
practices and other practices later. First try to be familiar with them, after familiarize the essence of language to
them. Encourage fluency.

• Building Relationship: The teacher may be formal but tutor them informal expressions accordingly they manage
practical problems. Besides they develop interpersonal skills and bridge relationship with one another
academically and socially.

The Requirement of EFL Students

• More Drills in Spoken English: Learners are unaware of English accents. It is better to stick to one kind of
pronunciation, either British or American. Sound practice is prerequisite to EFL students. It is the need of the hour
too. Many can speak English but not proper English. Students should be permitted in classroom sessions to go for
speech practices. Peer spoken English training sessions could be appreciated. Advise them to use English often to
develop fluency.

• Acquaintance with Day-To-Day Life English: Inform students to feel free while learning English. Not only
while learning even while speaking too they have to feel free so they shall express their thoughts without any
hindrance. As a result, they possess the natural flow of words through speech. Indeed grammatical rules give
pressure and during many times they lose their original skills while speaking and writing due to the fear whether
the words are right or wrong. The early practice in ELL (English language learning) is day-to-day life expressions.
Consequently, an easy approach towards language is appreciable with simple and easy style.

• Cause and Effect in Learning English and Inspiration to Use It: The reason to cram English is to be instilled
and its values will be consequences. Now, they are enlightened with the necessity of language in today’s
competitive world. This consciousness will aspire them during ELL study and thereby to apply correct usage of
words in verbal communication.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
28 K. Devimeenakshi & Sarika Gupta

USE OF PPT IN TEACHING ESL AND EFL IN CLASSROOM

Power Point presentation is the best alternative for the regular teaching method. It can be utilized in numerous
ways in the ESL as well as in EFL classrooms. Presentations can be used for primary teaching, for training exercises, for
activities, for reviews, and for final presentation of any work.

Primary Teaching

Power Point presentation is used to show bullet points. Explanations will be followed with the aid of points.
Animations and designed slides will pull the hearts of learners. Different or apt pictures suitable to the title may inspire
them. Even colours can give pleasant thoughts. Some ideal colours shall motivate them to gain more information from the
slides. If sounds are incorporated along with slides it gives additional weight age in language learning as well as teaching
method.

Training Students

The students are trained through ppt and taught how to prepare and how to use it. The trainers can prepare self
ppt or they may download ppt from various sources. It is the best to download foreign universities power point
presentations and utilise them as tools while instructing Indian students. Therefore, it will serve as a platform for them to
get an idea of foreign universities’ latest information, technology, style and approach. They must also to be trained to
prepare ppt. Ask them to browse information on preparing and using ppt. There are also some procedures to use ppt during
oral presentation. The techniques of ppt can be learnt by them as self-study or peer-group study in classroom. At this
juncture, pupils are recommended to use internet service inside the classroom. Whether they bring laptop or not, every
student will have mobile phone. It is authentic to say that every student is having latest mobile phone with more
applications. It has become an accessory to them. Thus using technology inside the classroom has become a requisite in
ELL.

Workshops can be conducted to have sessions on ppt learning. Through ppt, classroom activities, quizzes and
games are practiced to facilitate teaching-learning process in ELL. Seminars and symposiums will be announced with their
schedules to use ppt as a tool for presentations. Review meetings of seminars are also informed and done. During review
meetings, candidates are evaluated to measure their analytical perspectives of language learning. Weight age of marks is
given in using technology too. After completing every task, a feedback form is to be issued to find out the views of
trainees.

CONCLUSIONS

ELL is easy and flexible nowadays due to technological advancements. It would be the right mode to utilize latest
technologies in order to make teaching-learning process at ease. It is the wise way too in this mechanical world to make
life (formal and informal) easy and cozy. Switching over to new methods is not ignoring old techniques; we found new
techniques through old methods. The want in old method made us to innovate new methodology.

• Plan for latest technology

• Think for the better one always

• Go for simpler means

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

The Effectiveness of Using PPT in ELT than Older Methods 29

• Be economic

• Stick to originality

• Serve students

• Like teaching

• Work is worship

If we follow the above said points, any work will be simple without any barrier. Teaching/learning is a game to
enjoy it while working not a burden to shoulder it.

REFERENCES

1. http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/help_ELL.phtml (05.04.13), 2005

2. http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/target-language, 08.07.13

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_second_or_foreign_language, 09.10.13

4. http://community.eflclassroom.com/profiles/blogs/50-ways-to-use-images-in-class, 20.01.14

5. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Fisher-PowerPoint.html, (20.01.14), 2003

6. http://www.esl-lounge.com/blog/34/using-powerpoint-for-elt, (20.01.2014), 2012

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 31-38
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION MODELS AS ADOPTED IN ENGLISH LITERATURE:

A PRAGMATIC STUDY

SADHAN KUMAR DEY

Associate Professor & Head, Pailan College of Management and Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

Since the time of Aristotle (c. 384 – 322 B.C) we have seen several ‘Models of ‘Technical Communication’
at display all over the world. I would focus upon only four significant models of ‘Technical Communication’ that created a
huge sensation as predominant ‘soft skill’ among English Litterateurs* down the ages. The present study will draw our
attention on two important aspects of Technical Communication Models as adopted in English Literature down the ages.

• Gradual evolution of the theory of TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION and its keen application inter alia in
English literature as the softest of the ‘soft skills’ and

• Provision of built-in motivation from different aspects of the TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION as applied by
the English litterateurs for fostering favorable Reader’s Response down the ages;

The present study also focuses on the fact that the last two models of Technical Communication of my discussion,
namely, Shannon –Weaver Model and Lasswell Model, are indebted not only to the devolution of the Communication
Theory under Electronics and Communication Engineering but also to interdisciplinary Subjects like Applied Linguistics,
Comparative Literature and Communicative English. No wonder, these Models have been used consciously or
unconsciously by the litterateurs of English literature to eke out favorable Reader’s Response.

KEYWORDS & PHRASES

• Technical Communication: Communication as a process or product, used for communication through different
channels

• Built-in Motivation: Motivation that is pre-structured among the readers

• Reader’s Response: Literary Criticism of common readers as well as the experts in the field

• English Literature: Literary works of British and Non – British writers including Indian English, American
English Australian English, South African and Caribbean English authors and litterateurs

INTRODUCTION

Models of ‘Technical Communication’ that are available in the field can be broadly classified into two groups as
delineated below:

Linear Models: Linear Models view ‘Technical Communication’ as a unilinear i.e. -- one way process or at best bilinear
i.e. -- two-way process. There is hardly any provision in these models to know the response of the receiver, especially in
the case of Unilinear Model of Technical Communication.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
32 Sadhan Kumar Dey

• The best example of Unilinear Model is ‘sermon’ as has been projected by T. S. Eliot in Murder in the
Cathedral, or traditional classroom Lecture as has been projected by Charles Dickens in Hard Times or Political
Campaign as used by the Whigs and Tories in England as has been depicted by Charles Dickens in Pickwick
Papers.

• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Aesop’s Fables can be taken as examples of Bilinear Model because the audience
were expected to express their feelings while listening in this model.

Spiral or Interactional Model: The Spiral model of ‘Technical Communication’ is also called ‘Interactional’ or
‘Cyclical Model’. The element of multi-dimensional feedback (as found in Video Conference or News-on-spot media
coverage today) is an exclusive feature of the Spiral Model.

• Browning’s Pippa Passes and The Ring and the Book and Dramatic Monologues like ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ and
‘The Last Ride Together’ are the finest examples of Spiral model of ‘Technical Communication’

• Roland Barthes’ S/Z and Boudrillard’s Commentary on Disneyland are also good examples of Literary Criticism
where Spiral model of ‘Technical Communication’ has been adopted

Feedback as Reader’s Response: Feedback in Technical Communication’ is meant to perform two important
functions as Reader’s Response:

• We can measure and evaluate importance of the message received by the receiver ( i.e. ‘Listener or Reader’ ) of
the English literature; and

• We can plan for future model of ‘Technical Communication’ that would definitely lead to better understanding of
English literature. Let us see the following diagram for better understanding:

Diagram 1: Spiral or Interactional Model of Technical Communication

Analysis of Diagram 1

The following elements are essentially present in Spiral or Interactional Model of Technical Communication:

• Message, idea or stimulus

• Sender or transmitter or communicator

• Encoding

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Technical Communication Models as Adopted in English Literature: A Pragmatic Study 33

• Channel

• Medium

• Receiver

• Decoding

• Action or behaviour change

• Feedback

The models that would get emphasis in course of my discussion have been randomly chosen from both categories
of ‘Technical Communication’ as shown below:

• Aristotle Model (Circa 4th century BC)

• Panini Model (Circa 5th century C.E)

• Shannon-Weaver Model (20th Century CE)

• Harold Lasswell Model (Latest Available)

The categories of the models of my discussion are not mentioned for two obvious reasons:

• To boost up the motivation of the learned readers and Research Scholars by keeping them seriously engaged with
the present discourse ; and

• To go along with the tone of ‘enquiry and research’ for the success of this Journal

Let us start with the Aristotelian Model (named after famous Greek Philosopher called Aristotle) because I
believe that the august readers and Research Scholars are already acquainted with this Greek Philosopher.

ARISTOTLE MODEL OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Aristotelian Model is the first model of Technical Communication process is found in Chapter VI of Poetics.
Aristotle introduced the idea of communication with reference to ‘technai’ i.e. technique that the successful characters of a
Greek Play would follow to create a lasting impression upon the audience. Aristotle Model seems to be very simple and
elementary one. According to Aristotle, ‘De communis’ i.e. the communication process has three main elements. These are
namely the speaker, the speech and ‘list ere’ i.e. the audience.

Let us see the diagram below for better understanding:

Diagram 2: Aristotle Model of Technical Communication

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
34 Sadhan Kumar Dey

Analysis of Diagram 2

If we follow a standard Anthropological Journal on growth and structure of human language and manage enough
time to go through any book dealing with growth and structure of Indo-European languages, understanding of the scope of
Aristotelian Model would be quite easy. No Wonder, Aristotle model refers to Oral - Aural communication, the basic
communication network, built by the ancient civilizations of the world before the invention of any standard ‘scripts’.
Shakespearean Plays during the Elizabethan Age are open salute to Aristotelian model of Technical Communication as
recorded in the sixteenth century English literature. Moreover, primary focus of Aristotle model is on the art of public
speaking and oratory that politicians are still devoted to master all over the world.

Application of Aristotelian Model

We find the application of Aristotelian Model in all Greek Dramas where Oracle plays an important role as in
Oedipus Rex. In Shakespearean Plays the actors were trained in the art of speech - making and listening so that they could
create a permanent impression upon the audience. Shakespeare playacted an important role himself in Ben Jonson’s play
‘Every Man in His Humour’ and projected the concept of a model actor during the Elizabethan Age of English literature.
This trend of applying Aristotelian Model in Dramaturgy was followed by Etherege & Wycherley during the heyday of the
Restoration Comedies. Even Jeremy Collier who made ‘Othellos’ (i.e. Play actors) leave their occupation by his ‘ranting’
against moral degradation of ‘Restoration Dramatists’ admitted the efficacy and influence of Aristotelian Model on English
stage.

Panini Model of Technical Communication

Panini, a renowned Sanskrit Grammarian of India during the Gupta Age wrote a famous book on Sanskrit Grammar
called Astadheyi – (a book having eight chapters). According to him Technical Communication network uses Mukhabhasa
i.e. spoken words and Lipibhasa i.e. encoded or written words. Let us see the following diagram based on Panini Model of
Technical Communication.

Diagram 3: Panini Model of Technical Communication

Analysis of Diagram 3

We see that Panini extended the channels of Technical Communication in comparison to Aristotle Model.
Chronologically speaking, Aristotelian Model was quite earlier and simpler than Paninian Model. Panini Model refers to
both ‘Oral - Aural’ and ‘Written - Readable’ communication. It is needless to highlight the fact that ‘Devnagari Script’ was

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Technical Communication Models as Adopted in English Literature: A Pragmatic Study 35

spread throughout Aryabarta (as the whole of North India was called so) during the Imperial Guptas. One paramount
feature of Paninian Model of Technical Communication is the role played by ‘Interpreters’ of ‘Oral’ and ‘Written’
discourse. It means there were several dialectical varieties and linguistic differences among Indians of Gupta era as we find
in modern India and Panini tried to offer one ready- made solution to such an essential problem.

Application of Paninian Model

We find the application of Paninian Model in the art of writing fiction and non-fiction during the Romantic Age and
the Victorian Age of English literature. The abolition of Play licensing in 1843 paved the way for the publication of
Elizabethan Plays for class room reading. Learned readers may remember Dr. Samuel Johnson’s role as editor of
Shakespearean Plays for High School Textbooks in this regard. Moreover, the language policy based on ‘bilingualism’ and
‘multilingualism’, adopted since Independence of India (1947), is still based on the Paninian Model. It is surprising to note
that long before Panini projected his model of Technical Communication, Plato’s Republic had adopted Dialogue – based
writing. We find Paninian Model adopted in Anand Coomerswamy’s famous non-fiction, The Dance of Nataraj and Sir
Walter Scott’s fiction The Heart of Midlothion.

Shannon-Weaver Model of Technical Communication

C.E. Shannon and Weaver developed the Mathematical Theory of Communication in 1949. This theory popularly
called Shannon and Weaver theory concentrated on the technical aspects of communication.

Diagram 4: Shannon and Weaver Model of Technical Communication

Analysis of Diagram 4

Shannon-Weaver Model refers to Mechanical distribution of Oral & Written communication. According to
Shannon-Weaver Model there are nine elements of the process Technical Communication:

• Information source

• Transmitter – to convert a message into transmittable signals

• Receiver – who reconstructs the message from the signals

• Channel

• Destination – the person or machine to whom it is intended

• The message

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
36 Sadhan Kumar Dey

• Transmitted signals

• Received signals and

• Noise sources

Application of Shannon -Weaver Model

We find the application of Shannon-Weaver Model in Telecommunication Network, News coverage, Seasonal and
daily Conference, and in intra-continental and inter-continental Seminars and workshops. It is needless to point out one can
never think of any modern literature that are shorn of these gifts of Electronics and Communication Engineering. We can
refer to all Science fictions and bed time light Fictions that are published for young generation and that are available on
Internet follow Shannon-Weaver Model of Technical Communication. R. K. Narayan used this model long back in his one
time best seller The English Teacher and Patrick White combined Paninian Model with Shannon Weaver Model to get
huge response of the reading public in The White Mandala.

Harold D. Lasswell Model of Technical Communication

Lasswell emphasized on the behavioural aspects of the sender. It has five elements viz. Who says? What is said?
Which channel is used?, To Whom it is sent? And, what is its effect?

Diagram 5: Lasswell’s Model of Technical Communication

Analysis of Diagram 5

We can easily distinguish the Harold D. Lasswell Model and Shannon-Weaver Model from the rest.
These Models are highly integrated where we see the sender in two different roles. He is an encoder when the message is
sent and he becomes the decoder when he receives the feedback. Thus Technical Communication is viewed as a never
ending spiral process of interaction. The key terms associated with Harold D. Lasswell Model are:

• Sender (Speaker/Encoder/ in Communication & Listener /Decoder/during Feedback)

• Message ( Message in encoded terms during Communication)

• Media (Linguistic/Paralinguistic/Signal Device/ Electronic or Print)

• Receiver (Listener /Decoder/during Communication & Speaker/Encoder in Feedback)

• Response ( Message in encoded terms or Reader’s Response in Feedback)

Application of Harold D. Lasswell Model

We find the application of Harold D. Lasswell Model in Internet communication Network, Tele News coverage,
different types of Conference, and in intra-continental and inter-continental Seminars and workshops. One can never think
of English literature that is not blessed with Electronics and Tele-Communication Engineering. Modern Science fictions

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Technical Communication Models as Adopted in English Literature: A Pragmatic Study 37

and socialite Fictions that are published through Internet and Web Page also follow Harold D. Lasswell Model of
Technical Communication. Salman Rushdie used this model long back in Midnight Children and Hardly Chase has used
this model of communication in Other Side of the Midnight in recent times

CONCLUSIONS

These randomly chosen models of Technical Communication may not be able to explain few things that are
significant for day to day changes in perspective and prospective scenario related to their applications in English literature.
For example, James Boswell who wrote ‘Life of Johnson’ (1791), SEVEN years after Dr. Samuel Johnson’s death during
the last decade of the eighteenth century unconsciously adopted a model which is same to same as of Shannon Weaver
Model and Paninian Model rolled into one.

The present study can serve as an introduction to find out how far expertise in the field of Applied Linguistics,
Comparative Literature and Communicative English can be amalgamated for teaching Business Communication to MBA;
or teaching Business English to MCA; or teaching Technical Communication to BE/B. Tech students using English
literature as a tool.

This article would definitely refresh the memory of those who are already in the field of teaching and in research
of English Language and Literature and their allied domains.

Again, the Scholars in the field of English Language and Literature may face some new problems which would
lead them to ponder over and to find out original solutions for them. Their spirit of inquiry may try few soft measures so
that they can get rid of troubles and tribulations of understanding English Literature.

The understanding of the ground reality related to Technical Communication Models opens up the portals of all
the ‘soft skills’ that human beings possess or aspire to possess in future for going through English literature in present
context.

REFERENCES

1. Aristotle : Poetics (Translated by Butcher, S. H, Macmillan, 1961)

2. Saintsbury : History of Elizabethan Literature (CUP,1745)

3. Lee : Shakespeare ( Ginn & Co.1865)

4. Jespersen, Otto : Growth and Structure of English Language (Doubleday Archer)

5. Panini : Astadheyi (Translated by Vasu, S. C. Panini Office, 1897)

6. Bough, Albert C : History of the English Language (Appleton)

7. Board of Editors : Contemporary Communicative English for Technical

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 39-42
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

LANGUAGE TEACHING IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

DILIP KUMAR SEN

Assistant Professor, Department of English, Narula Institute of Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

English is the most sophisticated language the world has ever seen or will see. The certain characteristics of this
language take us to a comfort zone making us feel that it is not just a language but something more than this. The height of
civilization, cream of socio-economic position, coveted honour, cherished wisdom etc. are very well associated with this
international language. So, teaching-learning system has to be improved for professional uplift. The first job of English
teacher is to implant a strong passion in the heart of all students. The students should be able to express their qualities
freely and effectively in their professional life. The teacher should help students appreciate the right pronunciation with
proper intonation and learn listening, speaking, reading & writing (LSRW) effectively. The students should be able to
develop an acute sense to differentiate between General English and Technical English. Only on acquiring the necessary
command over GE, the learner is encouraged to move ahead with TE. English certainly has got an immense potentiality in
the job market. Naturally one has to be pragmatic about language development in his career. With due respect to our
mother language, in this respect mother tongue even can be sidelined. The English teacher has to face a lot of challenges to
make students comfortable with English as most of them come from vernacular medium background. But a good teacher
can overcome them in due course with the help of continual practices.

KEYWORDS: Teaching-Learning, Professional, Pronunciation, Intonation, General English, Technical English

INTRODUCTION

English is the most sophisticated and charming language the world has ever seen or will see. Not because this is
the language of the developed people of the world but because of the certain fine characteristics we find and do enjoy in
our life. It takes us to such a comfort zone that we start feeling that English is not just a language but something more than
this. It is the very essence of life. Whatever we require in our modern life we get in this language – height of civilization,
cream of socio-economic position, coveted honour, cherished wisdom etc. In fact, had English not been there world would
have been something else. The educated peoples all over the world are thankfully grateful to this international language.
If we go back to world history we can see the long stretched hands of English language spreading all over the world and
offering English education covered almost all the nations of the world. So in order to get our beloved students established,
particularly in professional spheres of activity, the teaching-learning system has to be very necessarily improved.
Then only they will sparkle like real gems in professional life. And that is true job of English teacher with the help of
communicative skills and all sorts of grooming acumens including soft skills and personality development.

Inducement of Passion for English LSRW

The first job of an English teacher is to implant a strong passion in the heart of all students. They should be made
able to understand and appreciate the magical importance of this language and its scope and practices. That the

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
40 Dilip Kumar Sen

quintessence of teaching English is to help students internalise the language, so that they can express their qualities freely
and effectively in their professional life for the smooth development of their career has to be the theme of our teaching
English. The right pronunciation with proper intonation should be there in every teacher’s teaching English as it really
carries the actual flavour of English. Unlike teaching any engineering subject the teacher should make students speak as
much as possible on any topic convenient to them. They should be told not to worry about their mistakes. Rather they
should be glad of their mistakes as mistakes lead to learning. The right essence of teaching English is ‘more you mistake,
more you learn’. The students should be well induced to realize that as a professional one has to have strong command
over the English language to enhance his communication skill, which in turn will help him perform efficiently.
However, English teaching is based on Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing (LSRW) technique. Not only in the
classrooms but also everywhere they go and everything they do they should use English fearlessly. They must understand
all these four factors of English learning are inter-dependent. In order to be a good speaker one has to be an excellent
listener and good habit of reading begets good writing.

General English & Technical English

General English is the English language spoken & written by the common people, educated or uneducated, having
no connection with technical world. In order to develop general English one has to take care of developing writing
competence, building vocabulary, knowing single words for a group of words and some useful phrases & idioms of
everyday use and above all nurturing an acute sense of sentence structure & transformation. Technical English on the other
hand is the specialized version of the English language spoken & written by the people belonging to the technical world for
the purpose of fulfilling their technical missions. The purpose of technical writing may vary according to situation.
The technicalities involved are subtle depending upon organizational objectives. General English concentrates more on the
language in general. It aims at giving the learners a course that may satisfy the urge to know, understand and appreciate the
language. When it comes to TE we have to give importance to needs analysis of the learners. General purpose English
facilitates the learners to acquire a good knowledge of lexis, structures, content that enables the adequate level of mastery
in all basic skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing. Even though the words used in TE are common words, yet they
are being used to serve the needs of technical communication.

Necessity & Execution of Technical English

English for technical students is absolutely necessary because when they will join the industry they must be able
to understand the language of the particular industry, failing which they will be discarded as dead coins. It involves the
reading of research documents or academic journals that may enhance students’ technical knowledge and is in a way a
process of technical knowledge updating. The vital information gathered from experience and exposure needs to be shared
with the community at large as a sort of return of favour. Only on acquiring the necessary command over GE, the learner is
encouraged to move ahead with TE. Eventually the knowledge and competence he gains thorough GE enables and ensures
sustained interest in the learning and usage of TE, resulting in the assertive use of TE at work place.
Workplace requirement has now become much more demanding and complex. The success mantra today is sound technical
knowledge and presence of mind complemented by proficient communication skills. In fact, many a time we happen to see
that some engineering personnel lacking knowledge very well overcome the particular problem with the help of excellent
communication skill. Knowledge of TE thus gained facilitates the access to the resources of new information and promotes
active participation in various interdisciplinary cooperative programs at the international level.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Language Teaching in Technical Institute 41

Pragmatic Approach to English

In today’s world people want to get education measured in terms of earning opportunities. It is not even regarded
as important to pursue a certain course on the basis of one’s liking. Of course, it will not be right to think that love for the
subject does not matter at all. It matters. But one pragmatically realizes that love for the subject has to be timed with the
present job scenario. Similarly, nobody thinks that as an educated person he must know his mother language very well.
Respect to mother tongue, however, is altogether a separate golden idea and we must nurture it ideally, not professionally.
If the particular language has no potentiality in the job market, then everybody thinks it is useless to learn that language, no
matter it is his mother language. So they opt for that language, i.e., English which certainly has got an immense potentiality
in the job market. In technical education also, students naturally are not at all interested to put any emphasis on vernacular.
The vernacular development looks like a human ethics which does not sell in the market of career development. It may
seem ideally wrong, but is pragmatically alright.

Use of English Language Software in Lab

General methodology followed in teaching English to technical students is to make them speak, write, listen &
read rightly with the help of language software at the language laboratory in every technical college. At first, they are made
to listen to good English speech through CD & Public Address System in the lab. Then whatever they listened they practise
speaking in the same way with same intonation. They are made to read English newspaper & magazine for reading
practice. Then they have to write in their own words and get corrected. More they practise all these things, more they learn
the language sharpening their grammatical skill in the theory classes. They realize that their communication techniques
learned in theory classes get a good dimension at the lab classes what they enjoy to the core. The speech they make using
microphone, laptop, projector, screen etc. creates a storm of enjoyment in their mind. They are thrilled to see them
speaking after video recording.

Challenges Faced by English Teacher

The recurrent challenges faced by an English teacher teaching English are i) students hesitate to speak English as
the majority come from vernacular background, ii) many of them wrongly think that English is not much required for
Engineering course, iii) their fear for the language and iv) a kind of social shame for not being able to speak English
fluently. Then the teacher has to help them like a true friend by telling them convincingly so that they believe that one can
even learn English effectively and be an excellent speaker. They should feel an urge at heart for English and be passionate
about it. The teacher should induce in their mind that there should be no question of fear or shame about it because fear is
the greatest enemy and if they can be rid of fear or shame they will surely learn. The only thing they need is sincerity.

CONCLUSIONS

Naturally finding solution for these challenges is very important. The only solution is to help students feel
comfortable for English. The facilitators should help students grow a strong passion for the subject, so that they can
overcome their problem and become sincere and dedicated to learn English properly and thereby get a mastery over the
language. For this purpose, English cinema, theatre, story books & vocal music are very helpful indeed. Once they start
relishing the language they will reach the goal.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
42 Dilip Kumar Sen

REFERENCES

1. Holme, Randall, Recipes for Teaching Academic and Professional English, Pilgrims Longman Resource Books,
1996.

2. Weissberg, Robert and Buker, Suzzane, Writing Up Research, Experimental Research Report Writing for Students
of English, Prentice Hall Regents.

3. Swales, John & Christine, Feak, Academic Writing for Graduate Students, A Course for Non-native Speakers of
English, Michigan Press.

4. Huckin & Olsen, Technical Writing and Professional Communication for Non-native Speakers of English
(Int’l edition), McGraw-Hill, 1991.

5. Banerjee, Sutapa, English Language and Technical Communication, McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2012.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 43-52
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

POPULAR INDIAN ANIMATION FILMS & MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS A MORE

HUMANISTIC WAY TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS IN THE
CLASSROOM

MANAS MOULIC
Global Institute of Management and Technology, Krishnagar, Nadia, India

ABSTRACT

Listening as a language skill involves receiving language through ears followed by appropriate comprehension &
retention of the message or intention of the speaker. In both student and professional life, effective listening makes an
individual more productive and efficient. But no such attention is given in developing this crucial language skill in Indian
Schools. So it becomes a difficult job for English language teachers like us to motivate learners and develop their listening
skills at the under graduate level. The question remains, what could be the ways to develop this Listening skill among our
learners [especially engineering students] in a more Humanistic way? Since these learners have no such formal training on
developing Listening skill at the school level, the primary task is then to motivate them to listen and to keep them free from
any kind of anxiety or threat while practicing listening skills.

In a quantitative method of research it has been found that Popular Indian Animation films help the learners to
remain motivated to listen while Multiple Choice Questions instead of fill in the blanks or any other type questions keep
the learners free from anxiety or threat. In my paper I focused on the importance of Popular Indian Animation films and
Multiple Choice Questions to develop effective Listening Skills in a more Humanistic way.

KEYWORDS: Popular Indian Animation Films, Multiple Choice Questions, Humanistic Approach & Listening Skills

INTRODUCTION

Listening as a language skill is one of the most vital yet neglected skill in and outside our Indian classrooms.
It is neglected primarily because we take it for granted that learners automatically acquire this skill without any special
training. With interactive teaching in the classroom we think we give enough practice in listening to our learners, but
classroom interaction and activities may not be enough in learning language skill like listening. Listening as a language
skill involves a lot many things than only hearing a language from the teacher or friends and in responding them.

The other problem we face at the undergraduate level especially with the engineering students is that as the
engineering students have no or very less orientation in listening as language skill at the school level, a fresh start in
teaching and learning Listening Skills to these adult learners becomes a threat to them. During the first few classes these
learners seem to be reluctant in learning any language skills whether listening, speaking, reading or writing once again at
these undergraduate level, they feel in secured of committing mistakes as adult learners and remain demotivated in learning
these language skills as language learning is not their main stream subject for which they have taken admission in these
engineering colleges.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
44 Manas Moulic

The main goal of this research is to see whether popular Indian animation films are a better option to increase the
interest of these engineering students to learn language skill like listening and whether Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
is a more humanistic way of teaching and learning listening skills.

METHODS & MATERIALS USED

The research paper is an outcome of a quantitative survey conducted at Global Institute of Management and
Technology at Nadia District, West Bengal, India.

The survey includes 40 1st year 1st semester students of the Institute.

The survey was conducted in five (5) phases.

Phase 1: Day 1 Students are asked to listen to an English story Look What the Cats dug up (audio file) by Chris
Rose and then are asked to answer 9 short answer type questions and 1 question where the student should guess from their
own experience the story that might follow. The audio file is of 4 minutes 30 seconds.

Phase 2: Day 2 Students are asked to observe and listen to a Hollywood English animation film Beauty and the
Beast (video file) by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise and then are asked to answer 9 short answer type questions and
1 question where the student should guess from their own experience the story that might follow. The video file is of
13 minutes 16 seconds.

Phase 3: Day 3 Students are asked to observe and listen to an Indian English animation film Ramayana;
The Legend of Prince Rama (video file) by Yugo Sako and then are asked to answer 9 short answer type questions and
1 question where the student should guess from their own experience the story that might follow. The video file is of
10 minutes 30 seconds.

Phase 4: Day 10 Students are asked to observe and listen to the same Hollywood English animation film Beauty
and the Beast (video file) by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise and then are asked to answer 9 Multiple Choice Questions
(MCQ) and 1 question where the student should guess from their own experience the story that might follow.

Phase 5: Day 11 Students are asked to observe and listen to the same Indian English animation film
Ramayana; The Legend of Prince Rama (video file) by Yugo Sako and then are asked to answer 9 Multiple Choice
Questions (MCQ) and 1 question where the student should guess from their own experience the story that might follow.

For each one of these phases of survey, there was a Pre-Listening Activity, Listening Activity and Post Listening
Activity.

In the Pre-Listening Activity, questions were asked and group discussions were held to motivate the students
towards listening. As Listening Activity, they were asked to listen to the above mentioned audio and the videos. In the
Post-Listening Activity the students were asked to peer review their worksheets and discuss the answers and then give
feedback in a feedback form.

At every phase the worksheet was provided early at the pre-listening stage so that the students could get
contextualized with the content they are supposed to listen. They were allotted 10 minutes to answer the questions.

The entire audio and the video extract is played only at the end of phase 5 so that the participants may get to know
the actual story line that follow in the concerned audio and the videos.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Popular Indian Animation Films & Multiple Choice Questions a More Humanistic 45
Way to Develop Effective Listening Skills in the Classroom

Participants who could not match the actual story line but has guessed and attempted the question were highly
appreciated for their creativity.

Every audio, video extracts, worksheet, feedback form is preserved for future reference.

RESULTS

Phase 1: Of all the participants, 27.5% attempted all the 10 questions. However, only 07.50% could write the
answers of all the 9 short answer type questions correctly. As a matter of fact none could guess the next story correctly.

Of course there are students who could tell the answers of two or three questions orally but did not try to write
them fearing spelling mistakes and faulty sentence structure.

Phase 2: The percentage of participation attempting all the 10 questions slightly rises to 32.5%, but the
percentage of answering all the 9 short answer type questions correctly were considerably low than before.

Since the video played is from a folktale, so this considerable increase in guessing the next story line. However,
there were several spelling mistakes in the story they framed.

In this case too few students could give correct answers to few more short answer type questions which they
avoided to write those fearing spelling mistakes and faulty sentence structure.

Phase 3: In this case, the percentage of participation attempting all the 10 questions rises considerably to 85%.
There is also an increase in percentage of answering all the 9 short answer type questions correctly without spelling
mistakes to 52.5%.

As the video played is from the most popular Indian epic, almost all participated in guessing the next story line.
12.5% could not finish the answer and 1 did not attempt.

Out of 85% participants who could finish writing the answer to question No. 10 could frame the storyline
correctly but the percentage of students committing spelling mistakes in the story is high too.

As seen earlier, few students could give correct answers to few more short answer type questions, but they
avoided to write those fearing spelling mistakes and faulty sentence structure.

Phase 4: With 9 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) the percentage of participation in attempting all the
9 questions rises to 90%.

There is also an increase in the percentage of guessing the next storyline up to 45% compared to the earlier
32.5%.

The increase in guessing the storyline may be due to repetition of the same video and extra time they could save
after answering the MCQs.

There are no cases of correct oral answers or any avoidance from attempting to answer the questions
(especially the MCQs) out of fear of spelling mistakes or faulty sentence structure.

Phase 5: For this popular Indian animation film extract and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) the percentage of
participation in attempting all the 9 questions rises to 97.5%.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
46 Manas Moulic

There is also a considerable increase in percentage of guessing the next storyline up to 97.5% too.

The increase in guessing the storyline may be due to repetition of the same video and extra time they could save
after answering the MCQs and their familiarity with epic.

There are no cases of correct oral answers or any avoidance from attempting to answer the questions
(especially the MCQs) out of fear of spelling mistakes or faulty sentence structure.

DISCUSSIONS
Teaching Listening as Language Skills
Listening as Language Skill Defined
Listening as Language Skill is not hearing. While hearing is more an ‘involuntary physical process’
(Busby and Major, 1987) of sensing sound waves through ears, listening is a conscious and voluntary mental process of
perceiving the auditory stimulus or a set of related aural and visual stimuli followed by its comprehension and preservation.

Frederick S Berg (1987) has explained these phases as ‘detection, discrimination, recognition and comprehension
of speech through audition, vision, or both in combination.’

Listening therefore involves four separate but interrelated processes:

• Attention: Remaining mentally and physically motivated to listen with unbiased concentration to the speaker’s
words and silence.

• Hearing: Receiving visual and or verbal stimuli [the speaker’s expression and message] through eyes and ears.

• Understanding: Assigning meaning to the messages received.

• Remembering: Keeping of meaningful information in the mind to recall and review at a later time.

An active and efficient listener then is the one who attends to the speaker’s words and silent expressions; could
determine his/her intention appropriately and holds the information for future references.

Learners at Technological Institutes

In most of the technological Institutes, especially in the suburbs of West Bengal, most of the learners are from
Bengali/Hindi medium schools and they speak Bengali/Hindi as first language. Their interest for education is primary to
get a job. Learning English language is secondary to them. A slight inclination for the subject is shown by them only to
crack interviews.

Major challenges Faced by Language Teachers

The major challenge lies in the fact that these learners have no or very minimum exposure to English as a
language. With constant use of vernacular in and outside the classroom in schools and at college, their ear remains
unaccustomed to English. So, they fail to recognize an English sound and fail to read the lips of English speakers.

Practicing Listening in the Classroom

Considering the entry level aptitude and behavior of such learners it becomes very essential to for any language
teacher to practice listening skills with certain considerations –

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Popular Indian Animation Films & Multiple Choice Questions a More Humanistic 47
Way to Develop Effective Listening Skills in the Classroom

• The learners should not feel any threat to get into the classroom and practice the language skills.

• The learners should feel good inside the language classroom or the laboratory for the class or practice.

• The learners should remain motivated to listen to the content.

• The learners should enjoy listening to the content.

• The learners should also learn the strategies to develop the skill while listening.

So, once into the language classroom or laboratory, we have to be magicians every moment. The task of
maintaining an interesting classroom consistently definitely calls for better understanding of the learner’s variables and
sentiment. From topic selection to delivery, task formation to task presentation and execution, we have to be selective and
considerate.

The Contents for Listening or the Listening Tasks

World wide, listening skills are primarily practiced in classroom with the help of audio files only. Institutes with
Language Laboratory play audio files in audio players while others without the Language Laboratory practice listening by
giving oral dictations.

In our Institute, Global Institute of Management and Technology, Krishnanagar, India, we do not have a proper
Language Laboratory, yet to make things interesting and effective we try to facilitate listening skills practice through audio
and video files.

In my experiment I have selected the following audio and video files.

• Audio file Look What the Cats Dug Up by Chris Rose.

• Animation video file Beauty and the Beast by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

• Animation video file Ramayana; The Legend of Prince Rama by Yugo Sako

With the Audio File

With Audio File Look What the Cats Dug up by Chris Rose. [Phase 1]

After a short pre-listening session I played the audio file Look What the Cats Dug Up by Chris Rose, recorded
and released online by the British Council.

During the pre-listening session, a worksheet comprising of 1 fill in the blank question, 8 short answer type
questions and 1 long answer type question to frame the story next was distributed so that they may contextualize
themselves with the content.

Following results could be observed

• Of all the participants, 27.5% attempted all the 10 questions.

• Only 07.50% could write the answers of all the 9 short answer type questions correctly.

• And none could guess the next story correctly.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
48 Manas Moulic

• Most of them showed evidences of getting into the content of the audio file after few initial seconds as none could
answer the first fill in the blank question correctly.

• However, those who attempted the question seem to have problems with the accent of the British lady and with
her narration speed.

• In question where they have to listen to more than one content words the percentage of remembering the first
content word is very high.

• There are several spelling mistakes, incomplete sentences and incomplete sense and grammatical mistakes in the
answer.

• There were starts to the answer but no proper finish to them.

• Few answers are based on wild guesses too.

Apart from the above findings some learners show accuracy in answering two or three questions orally but did not
try to write them fearing mistakes and lack of confidence.

With the Video Files

With Animation Video File Beauty and the Beast by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise. [Phase 2]

After a short pre-listening session I played the animation video file Beauty and the Beast by Gary Trousdale &
Kirk Wise.

During the pre-listening session, a worksheet comprising of 9 short answer type questions and 1 long answer type
question to frame the story next was distributed so that they may contextualize themselves with the content.

Following results could be observed:

• The percentage of participation attempting all the 10 questions slightly rises to 32.5%.

• But the percentage of answering all the 9 short answer type questions correctly were considerably low than
before.

• Since the video played is from a folktale, so this considerable increase in guessing the next story line.

• There are still evidences that showed that learners taking more time for getting into the content in the few initial
seconds as none could answer the first question correctly.

• The learners seem to get involved more into the video than the listening content in this phase.

• However, it is due to the video part, they could try attempting more questions than before.

• Learners showed evidences of guessing the contents more often from the video where they failed to listen.

• However, the learners complained of loud background music and speedy conversation with foreign accent.

• There are several spelling mistakes, incomplete sentences and incomplete sense and grammatical mistakes in the
answers.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Popular Indian Animation Films & Multiple Choice Questions a More Humanistic 49
Way to Develop Effective Listening Skills in the Classroom

Apart from the above findings some learners show accuracy in answering two or three questions orally but did not
try to write them fearing mistakes and lack of confidence.

With Animation Video File Ramayana; The Legend of Prince Rama by Yugo Sako. [Phase 3]

After a short pre-listening session I played the animation video file Ramayana; The Legend of Prince Rama by
Yugo Sako.

During the pre-listening session, a worksheet comprising of 9 short answer type questions and 1 long answer type
question to frame the story next was distributed so that they may contextualize themselves with the content.

Following results could be observed:

• The percentage of participation attempting all the 10 questions slightly rises to 85%.

• There is a considerable increase in the percentage of answering all the 9 short answer type questions to 52.5%.

• As the video played is from the most popular Indian epic Ramayan almost all could guess the next story line.

• There are no such particular evidence to show that learners taking more time for getting into the content.

• Learners seem more confident from the very beginning and were more attentive to listen to the content.

• In this case learners’ attention towards the video part could not overlap their attention for the listening content.

• Learners showed evidences of guessing the contents more correctly where they failed to listen.

• There are less complains of loud background music and speedy conversation with foreign accent.

• However, there are several spelling mistakes, incomplete sentences and incomplete sense and grammatical
mistakes in the answers.

TEACHING LISTENING AS LANGUAGE SKILLS IN A MORE HUMANISTIC WAY

Humanism Defined

Humanism emphasized the role of human emotions, thoughts and feelings, which shape human learning.
The humanistic approach tries to understand mental states through subjective experience rather than objective experimental
study.

The key assumptions of humanistic psychology are:

• The significance of conscious awareness.

• The human capacity for personal agency.

• Each person is a whole.

Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers advocated an educational approach where teaching and learning become
meaningful and personal for learners. He believed that human beings have a potential for learning and a natural desire to
learn. It is the responsibility of educators to create conditions for facilitating learning among learners.

His educational philosophy is based on certain key humanistic learning principles.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
50 Manas Moulic

• Authentic engagement in the classroom.

• Learner’s active initiative in the learning process.

• Learner’s perception of learning as of real-life value.

• Learning environment free from threat.

So, it the responsibility is on the teachers who should create an atmosphere of warmth and trust wherein learners
can freely experiment, take risks without worrying and constantly update ones knowledge, discover resources and test
them.

Popular Indian Animation Films a Humanistic Approach

Practicing Listening comprehension with an audio file has its own advantage of keeping the learner’s attention
only to the listening content than to the video part.

But practicing Listening comprehension with a video file is a more humanistic approach. Following are the
advantages of practicing listening skills with popular Indian animation films like Ramayana; The Legend of Prince
Rama, The Pandavs in Hiding, Hanuman or Hanuman to the Rescue

• With popular Indian animation films learners remain mentally and emotionally motivated to listen to the content.

• The slow paced story and action sequences of these animated cartoon films imposes very little or no distractions
while listening.

• The moderate and distinctive musical clues and the prominent expressions or sketch of the characters always
provide useful insight to the listener’s mind.

• Indian learners are not alien to these popular Indian animation films as most of them have at least a slight
acquaintance with these ancient Indian mythologies and Epics.

• So, the learners could easily and immediately relate to the film which is quite difficult to establish with other
Hollywood animation films or audio extracts.

• The dialogues are in General Indian English (GIE) and are spoken by Indians. So, accent problem is always at its
minimum.

• Irrespective of the learner’s habitual mindset, ego or prejudice, popular animation films help the listeners to
moderate their personal demands with lighter moments. With these animation films they adopt willingness to
listen and enjoy.

• Unlike audio files where they have no other options but to listen only, learners feel more comfortable and threat
free while listening and enjoying an animation film.

So, with popular Indian animation films learners could be thoroughly engaged into learning all the skills of
listening in classroom. The learners are more actively involved with all their emotions, thoughts and feelings while
listening to such popular animation film extracts. And as they are getting a chance to observe and listen they get a chance
to trust on their own abilities and freely experiment without worrying.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Popular Indian Animation Films & Multiple Choice Questions a More Humanistic 51
Way to Develop Effective Listening Skills in the Classroom

Multiple Choice Questions and Humanism

In Phase 4 & Phase 5, I asked my learners to observe and listen to the same Hollywood English animation film
Beauty and the Beast (video file) by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise and the same Indian English animation film
Ramayana; The Legend of Prince Rama (video file) by Yugo Sako respectively and then asked to answer 9 Multiple
Choice Questions (MCQ) and 1 question where the student should guess from their own experience the story that might
follow.

In both case following results could be observed:

• With 9 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) the percentage of participation in attempting all the 9 questions rises to
90% for the Hollywood English animation film Beauty and the Beast and 97.5% for the Indian animation film
Ramayan; The Legend of Prince Rama.

• Learners could answer maximum question correctly as they have at least three to four options from where they
could choose.

• There was no provision to guess the listening content from the video.

• They could easily practice the top-down or bottom-up technique of language processing with the help of the audio
and video part on screen and the given options at the worksheet.

• Learners could save enough time to narrate the next story to follow.

Considering the entry level aptitude and behavior of the engineering students here in this remote part of the West
Bengal where maximum learners are taking direct admission with the minimum qualifying marks of only 45% in science
and 30% in English, it would be a tough ask to make them answer question from audio files and to write them in full
sentences.

Since these learners have very few or no orientation in listening as language skill at their school level, practicing
listening skills in classroom or language laboratory for the first time to these adult learners [age group in between
19 to 22 years] would be truly a difficult task. However, with popular Indian animation films and multiple choice questions
(MCQ) the learning environment is free from threat where learners have an authentic engagement in the classroom and are
actively involved in the learning process.

CONCLUSIONS

Teaching English Language skills especially to engineering students may be a difficult task. But being a facilitator
in the language classroom or in language laboratory we have to be innovative.

Considering the entry level behavior, age group and other variables of the engineering learners we should be more
humanistic in the teaching learning process. We should inculcate conscious awareness among the learners in learning the
language skills especially listening skills; facilitate a learning environment free from threat where authentic engagement of
learners with active participation in the classroom is possible and where learners get to learn something of real-life value.

Perhaps the popular Indian animation films and multiple choice questions (MCQ) is the tool that would help
developing effective listening skills in the classroom in a more humanistic way.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
52 Manas Moulic

REFERENCES

1. Ahuja, Pramila, G.C. Ahuja and Amita Ahuja. How to Develop Profitable Listening Skills. New Delhi: Sterling
Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2010.

2. Berg, Frederick S. Facilitating Classroom Listening. London: Taylor & Francis Ltd., 1987.

3. Berke, Jamie. How Do We Hear. 7 August 2011. 14 March 2012

<http://deafness.about.com/cs/earbasics/f/earbasics.htm>.

4. Celce-Murcia, Marianne, ed. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. 3rd . United States of America:
Heinle & Heinle, 2001.

5. Hanuman. Dir. V.G. Samant. 2005.

6. Richards, J. C. Basic tactics for listening. New York: Oxford University press, 1995.

7. What is listening? 28 April 2012 <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_listening>.

8. What is Listening? 12 February 2012 <http://www.englishclub.com/listening/what.htm>.

9. Why Do Kids Love Cartoons? 20 April 2012

<http://wittel.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/blog-post-4-why-do-kids-love-cartoons/>.

10. Why Listening Skills Development Is So Important. 11 April 2012

<http://www.communicationtalk.com/listening-skills-development.html>.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 53-58
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

PROMOTING INTEGRATED LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH DICTOGLOSS

MEENAKSHI RAMAN
Professor & Head, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India

ABSTRACT

Why do we learn a language? The obvious answer is, “to communicate in that language”. We communicate
through words, signs, symbols and other nonverbal means and such communication involves any of / all the four basic
language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Many a time, we use more than one skill. As the primary
objective of language learning is to communicate with others, it would be beneficial and meaningful to provide an
integrated learning experience to our students rather than teaching only one language skill at a time. Teachers of English
take recourse to the Task Based Instruction (TBI), Content Based Instruction (CBI), etc., in teaching English. While these
approaches have their pride of place in the domain English Language Teaching (ELT), many teachers are yet to implement
the integrated language teaching and learning in their classrooms. This paper brings out an important teaching tool,
namely, Dictogloss, for promoting integrated language learning. Dictogloss is a classroom activity wherein the learner
reconstructed a text dictated by their teacher. Also known as dicto-comp, this important tool combines the processes of
dictation and composition. The paper discusses the importance of dictogloss for encouraging integrated language learning
and also provides practical guidelines to conduct this activity in ELT classrooms.

KEYWORDS: Task Based Instruction (TBI), Content Based Instruction (CBI), Dictogloss, ELT Classrooms

INTRODUCTION
Integrated Language Learning

As we use English in an integrated manner in most of the communication contexts, it’s beneficial if the language
is learnt involving more than one language skills. Some of the skills are generally integrated in the class rooms.
For instance, the reading comprehension tasks involve integration of reading and writing. However, if we can integrate
speaking and listening along with the other two skills, the task may become more interesting and also enable the teacher to
save time on looking for independent resource material. Oxford Rebecca (2001) compares the process of ELT to the
weaving of a tapestry. Besides the four strands—teacher, learner, setting, relevant language—other strands consisting of
the four primary language skills, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing are very crucial for language leaning.
Of course , several other strands such as vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, etc., also compose the tapestry of ELT. When
all the four skills are interwoven during instruction, the skill strand of the tapestry leads to optimal ESL/EFL
communication. When we teach English by integrating all the four language skills, we adopt the integrated approach to
ELT whereas if we teach these skills independently, we resort to the segregated approach. It is also known as the
language-based approach as the language itself is the focus of instruction and such instruction does not emphasize on
learning for authentic communication. While discussing the segregated language Mohan (1986) mentions,
“In the segregated-skill approach, the mastery of discrete language skills such as reading and speaking is seen as the key to
successful learning, and language learning is typically separate from content learning”. This is contrary to the integrated

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
54 Meenakshi Raman

way that people use language skills in normal communication, and it clashes with the direction in which language teaching
experts have been moving in recent years. Possibly, teachers think it is easier to use segregated skills approach: separating
writing from speaking or listening from reading. They may also feel that it is difficult to concentrate on more than one skill
at a time. Peregoy and Boyle (2001) feel that often segregated skill ESL / EFL classes present instruction in terms of
skill-linked learning strategies, listening strategies, speaking strategies and writing strategies. For instance, activities such
as guessing meaning based on context, breaking a sentence or word down into parts to understand meaning, etc., are used
in classes. According to Oxford (1996) “many strategies, such as paying selective attention, self-evaluating, asking
questions, analyzing, synthesizing, planning, and predicting, are applicable across skill areas.” Common strategies help
weave the skills together. If teachers can improve their students’ learning strategies in one skill area they can often enhance
the students’ performance in all language skills

Integrated-skill instruction falls under two categories: Content Based Instruction (CBI) and Task Based
Instruction (TBI). The first of these emphasizes learning content through language, while the second stresses doing tasks
that require communicative language use. By using a diverse range of materials, textbooks, and technologies, these
methods can benefit the ESL or EFL classroom. CBI involves students practicing all the language skills in a highly
integrated, communicative fashion while learning content such as science, mathematics, and social studies. CBI is valuable
at all levels of proficiency, but the nature of the content might differ by proficiency level. For beginners, the content often
involves basic social and interpersonal communication skills, but later, the content can become increasingly academic and
complex. CBI may be classified into three types: theme-based, adjunct, and sheltered (Scarcella & Oxford, 1992).
The theme-based model integrates the language skills into the study of a theme (e.g., urban violence, cross-cultural
differences in workplaces, natural wonders of the world, or a broad topic such as change). The theme must be very
interesting to students and must allow a wide variety of language skills to be practiced, always with an aim of
communicating about the theme. This is the most useful and widespread form of CBI practiced in EFL/ ESL teaching.
In the adjunct model, language and content courses are taught separately but are carefully coordinated. In the sheltered
model, the subject matter is taught in simplified English tailored to students' English proficiency level. Coming to the TBI,
students participate in communicative tasks/ activities in English. Tasks are defined as “activities that can stand alone as
fundamental units and that require comprehending, producing, manipulating, or interacting in authentic language while
attention is principally paid to meaning rather than form.” (Nunan, 1989). In this type of instruction, team work is often
used to increase student interaction and collaboration. For instance, students work together to create an advertisement,
prepare an article for campus magazine, enact scenes from a play, or take part in other joint tasks. TBI can be used for
developing proficiency in English at all levels though, of course, the nature of the task varies from one level to the other.
Tasks become increasingly complex at higher proficiency levels.

Oxford (2001) observes, “The integrated-skill approach, as contrasted with the purely segregated approach,
exposes English language learners to authentic language and challenges them to interact naturally in the language. Learners
rapidly gain a true picture of the richness and complexity of the English language as employed for communication.”
In addition, this approach stresses that English is not just an object of academic interest or merely a key to passing an
examination; instead, English becomes a real means of interaction and sharing among people. In fact, it allows teachers to
track students' progress in multiple skills at the same time besides promoting the learning of real content. Finally, the
integrated-skill approach whether it uses CBI or TBI or some hybrid form, can be highly motivating to students of all ages
and backgrounds.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Promoting Integrated Language Learning through Dictogloss 55

Dictogloss / Dicto-Comp

Coined by an Australian Ruth Wajnryb, the term Dictogloss refers to a form of dictation, in which the students
hear and reconstruct the whole text rather than doing so line by line (Wajnryb 1990). It is a classic teaching technique
where we are required to reconstruct a text by listening and noting down key words. Dictogloss is useful in that learning
becomes an active involvement and that it stimulates motivation, which can be used as a pre-reading activity, to present
grammar and vocabulary, to name a few examples. It is a task-based activity / procedure enabling students to use their
grammar and vocabulary resources to reconstruct a text and get to know their shortcomings and needs. The aim of
Dictogloss is not to create the replica but a text with the same content and grammatical and lexical accuracy. In its aim,
Dictogloss differs from the traditional dictation where learners are required to reproduce the dictated text. In fact,
dictogloss is also known as Dicto-comp, a combination of dictation and composition.

Dictogloss combines four skills as listening skill, reading skill, writing skill and speaking to help students make
their own text in learning foreign language (Richards and Richard 2009) . It can be used as a language teaching technique
used to teach grammatical structures, in which students form small groups and summarize and reconstruct a
target-language text. It is often regarded as a multiple skills and systems activity. Learners practise listening, writing and
speaking (by working in groups) and use vocabulary, grammar and discourse systems in order to complete the task. First,
the teacher prepares a text that contains examples of the grammatical form to be studied. The teacher reads the text to the
students at normal speed while they take notes. Students then work in small groups to prepare a summary of their work
using the correct grammatical structures, and finally each group presents their work to the rest of the class (Rod 2003).
Dictogloss activities encourage learners to focus on the form of their language while also being based in communication,
and are used in task-based language teaching. Dictogloss activities have several advantages. They integrate the four
language skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing (Pauline Gibbons 2002). They also give students opportunities
to talk about both content and the language itself. Furthermore, dictogloss activities are a useful way of presenting new
factual information to students and encourage them to listen for key points. Finally, they give support to less confident
students, as they are encouraged to participate in their groups as part of the structure of the activity
(Pauline Gibbons 2009).

Dictogloss: Stages

Dictogloss involves four stages: Preparation, Introduction and Dictation, Reconstruction, Analysis and
Discussion. Let’s discuss one by one

Preparation: Teachers who wish to implement Dictogloss activity in their classrooms need careful planning and
preparation. The language of the content should be appropriate to the level of students; it should be of appropriate length so
as to be completed in the allotted time; the topic should interest the students and they should find it useful. Considering all
these statements, we can say that selection of topic is the first step. Topics can be from domains of science, technology,
literature, history, etc. Brief biographies of eminent authors, news of recent events, world’s greatest speeches, etc., may
also be used as the content for Dictogloss. Teachers can use video CDs, Audio CDs or they themselves can read out the
text. However, if they decide to read out the text, it’s better to show the text or related visuals on power point slides or
overhead projector transparencies depending upon the available facilities.

Introduction and Dictation: At first, teachers should explain the activity to their class. A brief introduction to the

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
56 Meenakshi Raman

topic should be given so as to facilitate the learners’ understanding of the topic. Key words in the text can also be
presented. Then the rules are to be shared: the text will be delivered twice through dictation by teacher or video or audio;
students can take notes the second time; once the presentation of text is over, the teacher divides the class into teams of
three to five; the teams are asked to reconstruct the text; the text should retain the original meaning and should be
grammatically accurate.

Reconstruction: As mentioned earlier, the teams are asked to sit together and reconstruct the text by pooling their
notes. At this stage the teachers should go around the teams and help them if required. Some students might have missed
some points and hence the teacher can help them out. If they look for some words teachers can provide. Most importantly,
the teachers should set a time limit for this reconstruction activity.

Analysis and Discussion: This stage is the most interesting and interactive stage of Dictogloss. Two teams can be
selected and asked to present their version one by one. The other teams are asked to compare these versions with their
versions and comment on the comparison. Keeping time in mind, the teacher can give chances to more teams. Finally the
teacher once again presents the original text and informs the class which team’s reconstruction is closer to the original.

Integration of Skills Using Dictogloss (An Example)

The following video of 2.10 minutes on Diabetes was used as a Dictogloss

http://www.mayoclinic.org/condition/diabetes/multimedia/blood-sugar/vid-20084642

Text

Our body uses glucose for energy. Glucose metabolism requires insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas.
Here's how normal glucose metabolism works, and what happens when you have diabetes — a disease where your body
either can't produce enough insulin or it can't use insulin properly. The food you eat consists of three basic nutrients:
carbohydrates, protein and fat. During digestion, chemicals in your stomach break down carbohydrates into glucose,
which is absorbed into your bloodstream. Your pancreas responds to the glucose by releasing insulin. Insulin is responsible
for allowing glucose into your body's cells. When the glucose enters your cells, the amount of glucose in your bloodstream
falls. If you have type 1diabetes, your pancreas doesn't secrete insulin — which causes a buildup of glucose in your
bloodstream. Without insulin, the glucose can't get into your cells. If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas secretes less
insulin than your body requires because your body is resistant to its effect. With both types of diabetes, glucose cannot be
used for energy, and it builds up in your bloodstream — causing potentially serious health complications.

Vocabulary: Diabetes, metabolism, nutrients, absorbed, break down, secrete, resistant

Steps

• Learners are introduced to the text (dictogloss)

• First Time: Learners relax and listen to the text

• Second Time: Learners listen to each sentence while writing down notes

• In groups of 3-5, students read the notes, discuss the reconstruction. When reconstructing the text, learners orally
review the notes and brainstorm. Finally they write out a reconstruction of the original text.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Promoting Integrated Language Learning through Dictogloss 57

• The groups then present their version sentence by sentence to the class and verify the content against the original

As it can be seen, all the four language skills namely, listening, reading, speaking and writing are integrated in this
class room activity. Besides these skills, the learners can also expand their vocabulary skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Dictogloss or Dicto-comp, a combination of dictation and composition and also a reconstruction activity has many
benefits, especially since it involves the student practicing all four language skills. They begin by listening, followed by
note taking, text reconstruction and discussion. At the end, they will be able to practice reading too. By practicing such
integrated skills, students learn various aspects of language which are authentic and which come in handy in real life
communication situations. Teachers of English generally do not come across many activities that can engage such a variety
of skills in such a short period. Hence, Dictogloss, if repeated, can prove to be really effective. Done regularly, the students
would acquire better skills in taking more productive and useful notes, and in creating summaries that are better in
structure and style.

REFERENCES

1. Ellis, Rod (2003). Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.

2. Gibbons, Pauline (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

3. Gibbons, Pauline (2009). English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Wajnryb, Ruth (1990). Resource Books for Teachers: Grammar dictation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

4. Mohan, B. (1986). Language and content. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.

5. Nunan, D. (1989). Designing tasks for the communicative classroom. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press.

6. Oxford, R. (1990). Language learning strategies. What every teacher should know. Boston,
MA: Heinle & Heinle.

7. Oxford, R. (1996). Language learning strategies around the world. Cross-cultural perspectives. Manoa:
University of Hawaii Press.

8. Oxford Rebecca (2001). Integrated Skills in ESL/EFL Classroom.

9. http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0105oxford.html

10. Peregoy, S. F., & Boyle, O.F. (2001). Reading, writing, and learning in ESL. New York: Addison Wesley
Longman.

11. Richards, Jack C.; Schmidt, Richard, eds. (2009). "Dictogloss". Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and
Applied Linguistics. New York: Longman.

12. Scarcella, R., & Oxford, R. (1992). The tapestry of language learning: The individual in the communicative
classroom. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 59-68
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

MERGING TECHNOLOGY WITH LANGUAGE-ENHANCEMENT IN LEARNING AND

TEACHING STRATEGY

MEETU BHATIA KAPUR

Associate Professor, Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Inderprastha Engineering College,
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT

The chief purpose of this paper is to provide a broad overview of the usage of information technology in language
learning for global context. The arena of language and Information Technology has become so wide and broad that many
new avenues and options of learning have opened up. This paper will discuss the positive outcome of the amalgamation of
these two components.

Various methods which will be involved in discussion will be: (1) Use of Video in Language Learning,
(2) Internet, (3) Animation, (4) 3D Images, (5) Video Conferencing, (6) Power point, (7) Edu Comp.

This form sows the seeds for the futuristic 21st genre of learning and teaching. It will provide a hybrid of
education and entertainment. It will also help to determine how to choose from different options, the implications of these
options and the requirement of the desired technology to execute its working. A rich ambience of learning environment is
provided. This creative process will enhance a deeper study of the role of communication and information technology.

Technology has a significant role to play in enhancing the English language teaching. The avenues of learning
have increased considerably through it. A necessity has been created to keep pace with international standards and increase
the impact of multidisciplinary studies. This has provided the basis for the revolution in the conventional field of teaching
and learning respectively. The implicit knowledge has become explicit and the process of understanding, analyzing,
describing has become more astute and sharp.

KEYWORDS: Information Technology & English Language Teaching

INTRODUCTION

Language is the most important aspect in the life of human beings. This forms the core of communication for all.
According to Ormrod (1995) language is a learned behavior which involves a stimulus and a response. The basis for the
exchange of beliefs, opinions, wishes, thoughts is Language. Primarily, the purpose of communication is the preservation,
growth and development of the species. (Smith and Miller 1968:265). English has come to occupy a king’s position
amongst all languages. This is not only a universal language but also the world’s second largest official language. English
forms 40 percent of world’s total GNP. This language which came into force in 20th century out of force to promote
economic, political and military aspects as USA was the dominating country, has today assumed an unchallengeable
position.

The main reason for its popularity is because it is simple, pure and natural and this makes it easy to learn,
understand and speak.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
60 Meetu Bhatia Kapur

A constant debate has given a final conclusion that:

• Japanese have a very regular verb and a complicated script.

• Chinese have a complicated script and tone.

• German has more inflections than English.

• French, Spanish and Portuguese have a complicated verb conjunction.

This makes English the undisputed reigning and linking language of the universe.

There has been a tremendous globally based commercial transaction of this language. Today Indian Diaspora
writers have carved a niche at an international level as English has been recognized the means for the increasing essential
communication and has strengthened the cultural identities in the world. To keep pace with this fast growing universal
language, technology is playing a very pivotal role in its development and accessibility to the masses. Today’s technology
has a lot to offer and a lot to choose from. The dynamics of interaction has changed drastically over last two decades now.
Eventually, with new explorations, the teaching models have also evolved.

Technology which is nothing but e-learning redefined, has not only given a new dimension to this language but
has also been closely associated with the fast developing trends of education. The whole structure of Synchronous learning
and teaching has been replaced by Asynchronous learning and teaching which has greatly enhanced the learning potentials
of the students. Distance learning has also become possible because of e-learning. This is the first full scale multimedia
service implemented in the field of education. It has become a harbinger of the future style of education into the next
millennium. There is a temporal and spatial flexibility in this form of education and learning and involvement of various
groups, classes and strata.

Thus, e- learning is playing a key role in developing:

• Cognitive Skills which involves the involvement of knowledge and comprehension.

• Interpersonal Skills which is listening and presenting.

• Psychomotor Skills which is a physical perception.

Thus, this powerful technology has paved way to educate, entertain, stimulate and inform students and take them
away from monotonous learning to picture, sound and video based learning. This has made learning new skills and
concepts more easy; in discovering new facts and findings on CD Rom’s and discovering new way of communicating on
the internet. The whole phenomenon is called Edutainment which is hybrid of education and entertainment.

METHODOLOGIES

E-learning which has brought a new revolution in the field of education technologies has made implicit
knowledge explicit, and by acquiring terminology, the means of identifying, describing, discussing, analyzing and
evaluating visual language has gained a better understanding of visual language texts. Just as close reading of written texts
promotes understanding in depth, so close study of visual texts provides important insights and develops interest and
curiosity to finish the work.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Merging Technology with Language-Enhancement in Learning and Teaching Strategy 61

Various methodologies involved in e-learning are:

• Multimedia

• Video

• Internet

• Animation

• 3D Images

• PowerPoint Presentation

Multimedia

Multimedia has the potential to enhance the end user interface and to increase productivity. This has come to form
the basis of a new civilization. The products are based on technology which combines text, picture, sound, full motion
video and interactivity into interesting, informative and often entertaining productions. Multimedia and its applications
have touched upon every aspect of lives.

This technology and its application is an amalgamation of not only a single subject or an idea but a combination
of many technologies and ideas. It is as old as communication and as new as the latest microprocessor. The multimedia
products are used to market new products, provide research information for a high school student and simultaneously
entertain and educate a young child.

Uses

The educational uses are becoming immense with the rapid use of multimedia. It has the power to present
information in ways not previously possible and the integration of a rich learning environment has been created by its
extensive usage. Other significant uses are:

• By the integration of media and hypermedia, we are able to create user controlled, information on- demand
learning environment.

• With the user friendly approach, a growing acceptance of it is clearly visible in the educational setting.

The current uses of multimedia in education include:

• CBT (Computer Based Training)

• References Systems

• Simulations

• Virtual Environments.

Applications in the Field of English Learning Have Given Following Results

• Students’ communication abilities have been promoted.

• Student-teacher interaction has increased.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
62 Meetu Bhatia Kapur

Video

According to David Bunnell “Full motion video changes everything. It is like turning a ten speed bicycle into a
Harley Davidson.” Video is the element of multimedia which firmly holds a student’s interest in a learning project. It has
been able to bring the user closer to the real world. With the video elements, the messages are effectively delivered and the
stories are reinforced. The viewers tend to retain more of what they see.

The era of “chalk and talk” indeed is witnessing an expansion in the classroom teaching. The ability of
multimedia lies in its ability to electrify the thought and action centre of peoples mind into sensual elements of dazzling
pictures, engaging sounds and compelling video alongside textual material. No doubt, of all the multimedia elements,
video places the highest performances.

Uses

• A video footage always depicts a high level of observation and retention. A student remembers 80 % more when
visually taught and only 25% when taught through chalk and talk.

• A repetition of a video footage not only helps in retention but also in emphasizing a making a point emphatically.
This makes teaching more authentic and leaning more concrete.

• It promotes stimulating thinking which is concrete, interactive and discussive. The discussion generated makes
learning enormous. There is an effective impact on vital psychomotor and cognitive skills which enhances the
retention of the content better.

• The teaching and learning is no longer dormant. It has indeed face lifted the conventional mode of learning and
teaching. This in turn has transformed the society.

• The thinking process has become more astute because of extensive cognitive thinking. The interpretation of new
information and assimilation of new information has become active. This has lead to a change in the outlook and
the attitude of the students. This in turn has helped in bringing about a change in the set up of the society.

• The innovative and the creative abilities of the students get a strong foothold through this form of learning. Even
the minutest element can be zoomed which makes the presentations more appealing and learning active.

• The students can pick up the intricacies of the grammar fast and better. This method not only stimulates the
language efficiencies but the core material can also be practically taught and learnt through this method.

• David A. Ludwig has correctly stated “use traditional text and graphics where appropriate; add animation when
“still life” won’t get your message across; add audio when further explanation is required; resort to video only
when all other methods pale by comparison.

Animation

Animation is the process of assigning time varying geometry and behavior to a modeled object. In other words,
the objects are brought to life in animation. It covers all changes that have a visual effect. It thus includes position, shape,
colour, structure and texture of an object. Advent of computers and its influence on the field of animation can be seen
widely. It is being applied in education and entertainment industry respectively.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Merging Technology with Language-Enhancement in Learning and Teaching Strategy 63

A survey conducted has proved that children develop skill and competence in storytelling, visual communication,
and cognition, emotional, ethical and aesthetic aspects, observations and sensitive aspects , concentration , problem solving
and innovative aspects.

Because of its accessibility, one can create one’s own animation according to one’s ability and creativity. This has
made teaching more informative, explicit, explanatory and clearer. A student’s attention is captured easily and also their
creative abilities are explored fully.

Figure 1: Animated Flowers

Uses

• Skill and ability improvement is clearly visible through it. A student may take hours to assimilate information
through the book but only half an hour or even less to absorb through animation learning.

• Since there is a constant movement in animation, the psychomotor is always alert. This results in better
engagement of the students in classroom learning.

• There is always a curiosity to explore more and learn more. This leads to higher level of motivation amongst the
students and increases their engagement with the subject.

• The feedback can be gathered immediately. This leaves with greater space to improve upon the quality of teaching
and learning.

• The entertainment quotient is very high amongst young learners

The basis of developing animation is largely dependent upon:

• Shape

• Colour

• Texture

• Illusion of the movement

• Perception of the motion

• Trajectories

• Emphasizing movements for a livelier effect

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
64 Meetu Bhatia Kapur

3D Images

Images are needed in wide variety of applications and computer supports it as per the needs of the users.
An image is a spatial representation of an object which can be two dimensional or three dimensional. It can be real or
virtual. In computer vision, it is a recorded image as a video image. In computer graphics, it is a digital image. Creative use
of digital imaging technology has the potential to change the nature of teaching and research.

Figure 2: A 3D Image
This form helps to see the surrounding objects from two different perspectives which is processed in the brain and
generates a sense of depth for a 3D visual experience.

Uses

• It helps to bring out unprecedented depth of learning.

• The process of learning and teaching becomes more captivating through it.

• By tapping the advantages of this form of learning, the lessons of the classroom have become more alive.

• It is one of the most valuable modes of presentation techniques which the teachers have been potentially able to
use to engage generation X in a radically different way.

• The subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Science and Mathematics have seen a spurt in classroom
attendance.

• An outcome of the studies showed that with the use of three dimensional techniques of teaching and learning,
every science student passed the examination which was unheard before. The lessons which otherwise took three
to four lectures to be completed could be covered in one lecture with high retention capacity

• The students can walk with the lesson; can step inside a diagram and many more. This helps to replay it mentally
while taking their tests. This made even the most complicated learning easy and interesting.

• Since an instructor can create or download their material, the usage of this form of teaching is improving
significantly.

Internet

Internet is often a commonplace and very important in students’ lives outside the classroom. This out-of-school
experience is a valuable resource for the school classroom visual language programme. Since this process of e-learning has
eliminated the fear of failing; it has, thus become an open system which has an exposure to unfathomable amount of

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Merging Technology with Language-Enhancement in Learning and Teaching Strategy 65

information. This form of easy learning saves one from the embarrassment on the stage of civilized education. Internet
enables the information to be shared around the world. Today it is shared by 50% of the world’s population as it is the
easiest form to acquire unlimited knowledge. The fast and low cost access to the window of learning has proved a boon to
the students and teachers alike.

Uses

• It allows modification and updation of the information as and when desired. This helps in staying in link with the
happenings around.

• E-mail helps to maintain a constant link between student, teacher and parent’s. This infuses a better understanding
and coordination amongst them. The curiosity of the parents to explore new knowledge avenues has brought them
closer to their children thus bridging the generation gap. A healthy family bonding has been on the rise when new
ventures are explored together on a PC. Parents’ involvement has become more with their wards schooling and
class activities. Healthy discussion and interaction is on the rise as the exposure to e-learning has increased.

• Students are in a better position to complete their projects as internet is a vast ocean of information. What may not
be available in the book may be readily available in abundance on the net.

• Online learning is another phenomenon attached with it. This has made the information, knowledge etc reach to
the remotest part of the world. This has made accessibility to the acquiring of the knowledge easy and convenient.

• Internet has dissolved all the boundaries of age when it comes to learning. This mode has provided a fair chance
to all the age group to study according to their schedule and connvience.

Power Point Presentation

This is another form of advancement in technology which has gained entry into classroom teaching. Since the
presentation is conveyed through this medium, the interaction and the discussion on the topic become immense.
This makes teaching and learning more interesting and enjoyable. This also enhances overall comprehension of the
students with the better and dynamic presentation of the content.

Uses

• This is one of the easiest and effective ways of presentation.

• It offers many other provisions to be inducted in the presentation like sound, animation, images and many more.

• This form of presentation has been able to develop public speaking abilities as the interaction is optimum along
with the visuals.

• This also offers for multiple learning styles.

• The focus of the audiences is quite large.

PowerPoint is thus, the most powerful and flexible evolution of the technology which provide a transparent
presentation and avoids the pitfalls of passive transmission of the information and knowledge. It facilitates the quality of
interactive sessions.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
66 Meetu Bhatia Kapur

Figure 3: PowerPoint Presentation

DISCUSSIONS

The contribution of e- learning has thus proved to be enormous. It has become means for achieving formal and
informal learning goals. It is indeed a representation of all educational models based upon the use of electronic media and
devices. Two ways process of learning and understanding is enhanced through it. It is the result of various disciplines
merging. This has introduced a new concept altogether in the field of education and a wide array of technical solutions has
come to be associated with it, which in turn has made learning not only effective but also focused.

Many technologies go into its making. Since it is significantly flexible and independent, a learner can cater to his
needs accordingly whether it is a module or anywhere anytime learning, it is tailor made to suit the requirements of the
learner. The teacher taught concept has got a new dimensional approach which has become quite significant in modern
times. A new approach has transcended into conventional mode of teaching and eventually the viewpoint towards
imparting and imbibing knowledge has undergone a drastic change.

CONCLUSIONS

E-Learning has indeed emerged as a tool; an application with limitless fields to explore and learn from. It has
become an important subject area with unlimited advantages.

This is the greatest boon of 21st century. The new mode of learning and teaching has changed the paradigms of
education. This comprehensive mode has been able to identify various fields like business, economics, entertainment etc to
establish its unchallenged authority and supremacy. With various advantages to its credit, this form has become a sign of
high competence and value added system.

This paper has tried to explain the essential features of e- learning which may encourage exploring further into
this field and developing guidelines for designing such programmes which will accommodate many other diverse cultures
with diverse educational needs.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Merging Technology with Language-Enhancement in Learning and Teaching Strategy 67

REFERENCES

1. Clarke, E., Richard. (1983). Reconsidering Research on Learning from Media. Review of Educational Research
Sage Journal, 445-459.

2. Faryadi,Qais.(n.d). Behaviouralism and Construction of Knowledge. Retrieved from

www.leerbeleving.nl/wbts/i/history of e- learning. html

3. Hjeltnes,A.Tor.(2004).Cost Effectiveness and Cost Effiency in E- Learning. Retrieved from

www.2tisip.no/QUIS/public_files/mp7.

4. Hunaiyyan, Al, Ahmed. (2008) Blended E- Learning Design: Discussion of Cultural Issues. International Journal
of Cyber Society and Education, pp17-32.

5. Nicholson, Paul. (2007).History of E- Learning- Echoes of the Pioneer. Retrieved from

link.springer.com/chapter/10

6. Paulson, Flate, Morten. (2006). The Norwegian School of Information Technology, Norway. Retrieved from
www.world.org/ article35/

7. Paulsen, M., F. and V, Vierira. Eds (2006).A Successful E-Learning in Small and Medium size Enterprises:
European Journal of Open distance and E- learning. Retrieved from http:/www.nith.no

8. Vaughan, Tay. (2004). Multimedia: Making it Work. New Delhi, India: Tata Mcgraw Hill

9. Solanki D, Shyamlee.(2012). Use of Techniques in English Language and Learning: An Analysis: International
Conference on Language, Media and Culture IPEDR Vol 33 IACSIT Press, Singapore

10. Hillman, David. (1998) Multimedia Technology and Application. New Delhi: Galgotia Publications Pvt. Ltd

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 69-76
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

ELT AND SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN A MULTI-LINGUAL CLASSROOM

SARANI GHOSAL (MONDAL)

Assistant Professor, Department of English, NIT Goa, India

ABSTRACT
Objectives

• The Necessity of Learning English Language

• Soft Skills and its importance in the present Context

• Different Techniques of Teaching English to students hailing from heterogeneous cultural background

English Language as we know is a global lingua-franca and the growing importance of it is undeniable. Almost
every technical and management institute has made it a mandatory course for all. Along with this, the Soft Skills or People
Skills also play a very vital role as the MNCs, while coming to the campus for placement, look for accomplished boys and
girls, who combine in themselves the effective communication skill, the Hard Skills and the corporate etiquette. In fact the
people skills envelop all the facets of our personality.

For this present paper, I will incorporate Inductive Methodology. By inductive methodology, I mean to say
Empirical Knowledge/ experience, which I induce from multilingual as well as multicultural classroom. The result is
varied as well as unique too. I mentor Students from different cultural backgrounds and therefore, a General module cannot
be implemented for all. Modules are to be need-based to cater to the interest of all. A Chinese girl and a South-African girl
do not respond to me the way a Telugu boy responds to my query.

A facilitator in a multi-lingual classroom has to be extremely innovative to teach language and develop soft skills.

KEYWORDS: Soft Skills, Hard Skills, Personality, Empathy, Multilingual, Multicultural and Ethnocentrism

INTRODUCATION
The Necessity of Learning English Language

The importance of English language is undeniable. It made its own place in India during the Colonial period.
This used to be the language of the clerks and the rulers in the mid-19th century India, when The English Education
Act (1835) was implemented by T.B. Macaulay. Also, the English language replaced the Persian and became the language
of administration and education. Even before that the first newspaper in English, “Hicky’s Bengal Gazette” had come out
in 1780 and had run for two years. Many Indians since then believe that this is the language of Power, the language of
Money and the language of Status. It is true indeed. The colonial hangover is still very much with us. All the official works
in India are done in English in spite of having Hindi as National Language. Knowledge of English always carries greater
weight than the knowledge of Hindi. This is the mass reaction. And to quote Amitabh’s famous dialogue in the film
Namak Halal, when he goes to meet his prospective employer, “I can walk English, I can talk English, I can laugh English
because English is a very funny language”, (Movie Clip).

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
70 Sarani Ghosal (Mondal)

Here we see the superior position of the English language and how it is being spoken in the melody of the local
language with an amount of stress on the expression “funny”. The candidate (Amitabh) is taking pride in the fact that he is
the only man in his village, who knows the language of the Colonial Masters. The film came out two decades back in 1983.
Even today, the scenario hasn’t changed. Rather the importance of English in the job market has increased.

It is sad to see that the politicians of India play a game of politics with the English language. Politicians believe
that the knowledge of English will broaden the horizon of the mass and that will inevitably shrink the vote bank. According
to them, “English Language Education is a perpetuation of Colonial rule”. 1 Therefore, it is being introduced at the 6th
standard at many government funded schools, whereas the sons of the rich politicians study in English medium schools and
speak the language better than their fathers.

Time and again, the politicians like Rajnath Singh, give examples of Japan, Germany and Russia that they do
business in their respective languages. Not knowing English is not a hurdle for them. Rajnath Singh also says: “English
language is responsible for the decline of Indian languages and, by extension, Indian culture”.2 But C.P. Viswanath in his
article in Times of India dated July 23, 2013, refutes Rajnath Singh and says, “English is inevitable. From Europe to
China, non- English speaking people are racing to gain competency in English”. 3 Also, our politicians do not realize that
India is a multi-lingual country and we donot have a single lingua-franca. This is the reason, for which English has made a
strong foot hold in our country. At the same time, I wish to put a question with reference to Rajnath Singh’s comment: are
we genuinely concerned about the loss of Indian languages and culture? We should examine our social attitudes and how
little we are doing to foster our languages. As the language is an evolving phenomenon and it is inclusive in nature, English
words easily creep into the different Indian vernaculars. If we notice clearly, “Thank you”, “Sorry”, “Good Morning”,
“Good Night”, “Chair”, “Table”, “Cup”, “Papa”, “Mummy” and “Daddy” are part and parcel of the Indian vernaculars.
Even we express our love in English: the three-word sentence. So is our dress code.

The contemporary parents always send their kids to the English medium schools. The vernacular medium schools
are not being opted for by the post- modern parents because they wish their off springs not to lag behind in the rat-race of
job market. And this language of the imperialists will continue to dominate for another century in India. It is the corporate
language …the language of trade and commerce across the globe. The intellectual property of artists too is expressed in
English…be it a book or a painting or a piece of performing art. The caption of a painting is always written in English to
capture the global market. The rendition of an artist is also summarized in English for the cosmopolitan audience.

Hence it has achieved the status of a “must-learn” language. Almost all the Indian universities and the technical
and management institutes offer English as a mandatory learning course. The MNCs and the PSUs look for students with
adequate knowledge of English. In aptitude tests also, a portion comprises of Language Comprehension and vocabulary.
Here I wish to refer to a newspaper report, which came out in Times of India on 5/01/2014. The report was entitled,
“English speakers earn 34% more than others”. The report stresses on the fact that proficiency in English is a major
boost for employability and earning potential. This has become even truer in a globally integrated economy. According to
Dr. Abusaleh Shariff of the Centre for Research and Debates in Development Policy, New Delhi, “Politicians who don’t
like English are captains of a sinking ship. Higher Education in English helps us get better integrated into the globalized
organized sector and labour market…”.4 (Newspaper clip)

Therefore, even if we are Indians, our environment is multi-lingual and multi-cultural like a melting pot and we
cannot fit ourselves properly in the existing environment without the knowledge of English.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

ELT and Soft Skills Development in a Multi-Lingual
Lingual Classroom 71

Soft Skills and its Importance

Not only the knowledge of the English language will help one to get through the stages of interview and life, but
also the inculcation of Soft Skills or People Skills plays an equally important role. It is a set of skills for the development
of one’s personality. In other words, we can say that it is a set of attributes, which develops an individual’s power of
articulation, job performances and career aspects. It includes certain traits like common sense, communication, flexibility,
teamwork, empathy, sociability, power of negotiation,
negotiation dressing sense, non-verbal
verbal aspects of communication and good
manners. These are all immeasurablee qualities, whereas hard skills are measurable and teachable, for
f instances: one’s
typing skill, mathematical ability, software proficiency, writing skill and so on. One’s subject knowledge is part of hard
skills. Soft Skills cannot be taught through the lecture method. One has to inculcate these skills through practice. Soft
Skills are often equated with our EQ or EI and hard skills are part of our IQ. Our personality is a combination of EQ
and IQ. But the area of EQ is vast.. It is often compared with the Iceberg principle of Freud and Vivekananda,
Vivekananda who believe
that 9/10 th of our personality remains hidden from the public gaze and 1/10th is visible to public. 5 Sri Aurobindo calls it
“subconscient”, by which he means to say the “secret inner existence” or “the submerged part our being” .6

Figure 1
In fact, Professor
or Albert Mehrabian says that 93%
93% of our communication is non-verbal
non and paralinguistic.
Only 7%
% lies with verbal aspect of communication. 7 His model of communication is often called “3Vs”. It goes like this
that the significance of Verbal content is 7%+ Vocal is of 38%+ 55% is Visual. Let us see a diagram:

Figure 2

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
72 Sarani Ghosal (Mondal)

Yes, it is true, because when we see somebody, first we observe the exterior of the person: the facial contours, the
dress, accessories, body language and the eyes of the person. And then immediately we start evaluating the person and that
occurs at the back of our mind involuntarily. We are extremely judgmental. For instance:

A: “I don’t have problem with B”. (Verbal Aspect of Communication)

But A avoids eye contact with B and has a closed body language. (Non-Verbal aspect of Communication,
which means a lot)

It sometimes happens at the workplace or at the time of job interview also. The interviewers instead of
maintaining eye contact with the candidate, start scrutinizing the exterior of the candidate right from the beginning. Along
with that the interviewers also observe the behavioral pattern of the candidate, for ie: the sense of etiquette, the manners,
the attitude and the gracefulness. After that comes the domain knowledge. The first impression of a person creates a lasting
impression on us.

How to Develop a Positive Personality

First let us know the meaning of personality and unless we know it, we cannot develop a positive personality.
According to Sri Aurobindo, man is a multiple being 8 and man is not always aware of the different aspects of his being.
As communication is situation-bound, Different situations and different environments necessitate different types of
communication and different attitudes and in each situation we wear a different personality.

If we go back to the root of the word, “Personality”, we find that the word has derived from the Latin word
persona meaning “theatrical mask”. Personality is a mask-device. Every day, we wear a personality before stepping out of
our home. That is to say, we assume a social role every day. Nobody knows our real or personal self. Also, before going
out, we stand before the mirror and we keep checking our reflection till we are satisfied with our image.

Let us have a look at the chart given below:

Table 1
Our real Self Our Inculcated Personality
Impulsive Measured
Passionate Composed
Nervous Confident
Happy-go-lucky Calculating
Impractical Balanced
Sympathetic/ Apathetic Empathetic

We have to keep our real self under control in public to build up a positive image, which helps us to win in every
situation. Along with that we need to introspect on ourselves. Introspection helps us to be withdrawn, which helps one to
evaluate one’s strengths and weaknesses. In other words, it can be called a SWOT Analysis. It helps us to control our
wrong movements and we can build up a positive image.

Here I wish to add an example of Self-Knowledge: At the time of introduction, the custom is to exchange
Business Cards. But, does a visiting card reveal the person? No. It reveals a person partially…only the accomplishments in
working life in a few square centimetre. It does not reveal the job function and the person’s contribution in reality.
Therefore, Business card is not really an extension of self as it is popularly believed.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

ELT and Soft Skills Development in a Multi-Lingual Classroom 73

Some Positive Features of Personality

• A smiling face is a signal of positivity. Smile also indicates a person’s energy. We do not like a dull and boring
face.

• “Shrug” is a complete no-no is any professional situation. It symbolizes casual attitude of a person.

• A firm handshake is a cue of a person’s confidence. At the time of handshake, the arm should not break at the
elbow point. Often I have experienced people just submitting their palms to the opponent. It is actually
nervousness. At the same time, it should not be bone-crushing…just a firm grip is required.

• Eye-Contact is mandatory in every aspect of either professional or general communication.

• Often, I have heard people introducing themselves with “Myself”…why to start with reflexive pronoun? We
should always start with “I am” as to give stress to our subjective self. Stress pattern matters a lot in effective
communication.

• Verbal tics are to be avoided in any form of professional communication.

• Use of Space is also important in soft skills development, for instance, proper space has to be maintained at every
situation like intimate, personal, social and public zones.

• Chronemics and Chromatics are also important to indicate the positive personality of a person. (One should not
turn up late for a meeting and should wear attires of soft shades)

• The colour of the belt, shoes and socks should be of the same colour, preferably black. A pair of White Socks
contrasted with black shoes is a complete no, no.

Teaching English in a Multi-Lingual and Multi-Cultural Classroom

Here I would like to share my experiences with you. I value my experiences as learning points as they help me to
evolve every day in the light of progressive awareness. In a class of 90 students from different cultural backgrounds,
I cannot use the same techniques for all. Also, it is not quite beneficial. Therefore, at the beginning, it is advisable to take
an Entry Level Test to find out the existing standard of the students. That test will comprise of vocabulary, précis of a
passage and some soul-searching questions. Précis is a way of testing one’s comprehending and expressive skills.
I personally find it very useful. Soul Searching questions project the attitudes of the learners. Vocabulary test makes me
aware of their standard.

After the entry-level test, the class should be divided into groups as per their potential. Hence every group will
blend some good and some average learners. And the facilitator will give them different exercises. Every group will have a
team leader, who will lead the entire team for a particular task. The position of the team leader will be in rotation.

The exercises can be: power-point presentation on different interesting topics

• Sales Promotion of an innovative Product

• Poster Presentation

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
74 Sarani Ghosal (Mondal)

• Preparation of User’s Guide of different daily use products like Refrigerator, Washing Machine, AC, Microwave,
Television and Software installation

• Survey on topics like “Drug test on animals”, “Shopping Mall or Retailers”, “Beauty Pageant” and
“Fairness Products for Males”.

• Interview on soul searching questions (each team will interview the other team)

These activities are all related to expression, imagination and speaking skill of the learners. I think that instead of
teaching grammar and words, I should adopt the direct method. The learners will learn by speaking and the team members
are there to help themselves.

As a facilitator, I have experienced these techniques are quite useful and in my class, I stand aside, listen to them
and just keep correcting the speech and the pronunciation of the learners, often I help them with tense and words.
A facilitator is not a task master; he/she is just a guide, who makes the environment of the classroom conducive for
learning. Freedom should be there. Also after every session, I invite the students to share their feedback among themselves.
Extempore speech is also quite useful. Once I gave a topic entitled “Dream” and asked some students to speak on it. A girl
from China first spoke the literal meaning of it and then shared one of her dreams and finally her dream of getting a good
job. Her speech was extremely meticulous and soft. A boy from Andhra Pradesh shared his dream of becoming a software
engineer working with an MNC in abroad. That is why he studies 24x7. Another Goan boy simply spoke of his day
dreams.

Here we see three different responses from three different individuals reflecting their personalities and the cultural
background. The Goan boy is extremely happy-go-lucky. He does not allow himself to be victimized by the pressures of
studies and subsequent career. That is the general attitude of the Goan society. But the boy from Andhra Pradesh is
extremely hard working as he belongs to Telegana region, which we all know, has been suffering from water crisis and it is
relatively arid than the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh and that is why the people from
Telengana are very practical and hardworking.

Finally the Chinese girl called Juliana appeared to be very careful and precise unlike others. In fact, the Chinese
students are usually very modest, precise, simple and meticulous. As a facilitator, here my job is to observe them and
understand them as they are. A facilitator must not evaluate any learner from ethnocentric perspectives at the very
beginning as that breaks down the learning process.

The background and the culture influence our attitudes and language a lot. In the first year of professional
communication, the facilitator should make them attuned with the course and look for their cognitive development.
However, ethnocentric behaviour is very common in a multi-cultural classroom and that leads to formation of groups
leading to an unhealthy atmosphere. Here the facilitator’s role is to judge the situation with empathy and he/ she must
stand aside. Empathy is extremely important in professional communication. It is a way of being with others and also it
leads to greater receptivity. As a facilitator, first I create avenues for the students so that they can speak out first; after that
we should train them in the soft skills part, ie: the required polish of the language, the business vocabulary, the attitude, the
dress code, the proper body language and the use of space.

Here is a list of Business Vocabulary:

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

ELT and Soft Skills Development in a Multi-Lingual Classroom 75

Table 2
Business Vocabulary Meaning
Appendix Additional Material
Bonus Additional Payment
Clause A Particular Statement
Discount Reduction in the Price
Evidence Information presented to support a point
Null and Void Invalid
Prospect Opportunity
Salary Payment
Warrant Formal Assurance

Personality Test is also a very useful tool for inculcating positive personality among the students. Plenty of
questions are there in Google and the facilitator can download any set of questions.

The facilitator can adopt interview techniques for those students, who are shy and do not want to come out of their
comfort zone. I have a very shy student from Jhansi, who is a first generation learner of English Language. One day I
simply asked him to prepare some slides on the culture, place and food of Jhansi and to give a presentation. Initially he was
nervous, but when all the students asked him more on Jhansi at the time of presentation, he regained confidence and now
he has become a very enthusiastic learner.

Also, the students can form English speaking club and the facilitator can arrange for competitions and prizes. This
reward-oriented learning process is also very beneficial. At NIT, Goa, we run a club called Toastmasters International. It is
a non-profit International Organization for developing soft skills and language skill. As a facilitator, I feel that the zeal for
learning has to be created among them by engaging them in different activities so that they will automatically take the
initiative and only then teaching English will be interesting.

CONCLUSIONS

Multi-Lingual Classroom is a challenge for the facilitator of ELT and Soft Skills. The facilitator requires to be
extremely imaginative and innovative to cater to the interest of the multi-cultural as well as multi-lingual stakeholders. The
modules must cover the interest of more or less all the students of the classroom and the facilitator has to be extremely
cautious about the ethnocentric remarks. Also, the facilitator requires to do a survey well in advance regarding the
heterogeneous racial background of the students and accordingly he/she needs a preparation like what are the nuances of a
particular ethnic group or culture.

The teaching process has to be team based, where students can engage themselves in different simulation based
activities to improve their speaking skills, which automatically develop the soft skills like teamwork, tolerance, group
behavior, adaptability, interpersonal skills, ability to follow instructions, ability to listen and so on.The objective of the
facilitator is to create the environment conducive to learning, the rest is taken care of by the learners only.

REFERENCES

1. Jug Suraiya, “Talk Business”, TOI, 22/01/2014

2. indiatoday.intoday/in/story.rajnath-singh-english-remark-india/1/292262html

3. C.P. Viswanath, “Don’t bark at English”, TOI, 23/07/2013

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
76 Sarani Ghosal (Mondal)

4. “English speakers earn 34%more than others”, Reema Nagrajan, Sunday Times, Jan 5, 2014, Goa

5. M.M. Bhattacharya, Man-A Multiple Personality, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Society, 1985

6. Sri Aurobindo, SABCL-18(The Life Divine), Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, p. 353

7. www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm

8. M.M. Bhattacharya, Man-A Multiple Personality, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Society,1985

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 77-84
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

THE LANGUAGE LABORATORY

SHANTANU CHAKRAVARTY
Assistant Professor of English, Department of Applied Science and Humanities, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology,
Sodepur, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

The English Language Laboratory in the engineering colleges across India is a collage of content related to
language and soft skills. With the incoming industry demand the students are expected to serve tailor made job
functionalities. With the concept of outsourcing booming in India our students are marketed to join the legion of global
corporate houses.

These days the process and methodology of acquiring language skill has changed completely. From the more
reserved and often conservative approach the students have at their disposal a host of devices wired and wireless which
serve as a diligent input to their learning. Teaching these days is like an outing which the teacher facilitates the students
with. Modern technology allows the teacher to use various devices as tools of instruction. It also serves as a delivery
system for imparting learner instruction and in itself technologies serve as an instructional content. In this paper I wish to
unravel some of the key skills that students learn from our Language Laboratory and the daily experiment that we initiate
in order to make it more interactive and often value added.

KEYWORDS: Language Laboratory, Soft Skills, Language Skill, Indian Corporate Houses, SWOT, Etiquettes and
Language Acquisition

INTRODUCTION
The Language Laboratory Infrastructure

The modern language lab is a sophisticated state of the art facility where technology and creativity merge.
The inception of the language laboratory was a couple of decades ago in the 80s and 90s. The language laboratory during
this period used as an aid, heavy wooden box televisions and audio systems which played cassettes. With the aid of these
devices language experts over the years used movies and TV shows. They created activities to go along with the video and
used it as content and not as fillers. The laboratories these days have a multidimensional infrastructure. A host of
traditional and new devices are available for installation these days. Multimedia activities shape up the language classroom
which allow the facilitator to merge language and soft skills. The more recent addition of Computers, LCD / DLP
Projectors, Internet, Stand-alone Software, MP3 Players (Podcasts, iTunes) and Handhelds and Cell Phones. With the
inclusion of CALL (Computer assisted language Learning) the infrastructural geography of the language classroom has
changed but technology is not a replacement of a live teacher. The teacher continues to be the constant gardener.
The picture will be clearer if I introduce our language laboratory where I conduct the classes.

In our language laboratory we have a 26 inches television, a talk-back console, a two in one audio cassette player,
a radio, a voice recorder, a video camera, Over head / DLP Projector, Digital language Lab Software, White Screen and of
course computers. The ambience of the room is also different when compared to other subject laboratories. When I go to a

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
78 Shantanu Chakravarty

physics laboratory I find wooden tables on which instruments are mounted. The students have to stand throughout the
session as they take instructions and perform the experiments. It becomes a little wearisome when students have to repeat
the same procedure day after day. However in a language laboratory we have revolving chairs, covered with leather and
well furnished desk. The floor is covered with well knit carpet and the room is air conditioned. This infrastructural facility
is good enough to lure students into the laboratory for the first couple of days but with two and half hours of session
(as per WBUT Syllabus) it becomes challenging for the teacher to retain their interest throughout the semester.

Here comes the scope of experimentation and challenge. The teacher in the back of his mind is satisfied if the
class responds to his or her design. She/he is a successful person when the students enjoy his/her offering. In West Bengal
like other states of our country I am sure the teachers are doing their everyday research to give the best. In fact I become
very happy when my students say that Language Laboratory was the best part of their 4 years course. We are more like
friends inside the Laboratory where we flourish on the basis of individual, pair and group work. The whole idea of the
Laboratory is to make them industry sensitive and to acquire skills required in the organization. Normally in the first
semester we get approximately 15 weeks and in the fourth semester another 12 to 15 installments.

Writing and Grammar

In the first semester we focus on basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The course focuses on the
development of paragraph-writing skills with emphasis on topic sentences, order of arrangement and basic styles of
paragraphs. It introduces the multi-paragraph structure, enabling students to work on the creation of short essays. I think it
is vital for communicative language course learners to know the basics of grammar, if possible to the extent of having a
comprehensive and accurate grasp of language structures, functions and multiple uses of language. Grammar provides the
foundation for how language works, and practice teaches how it is used and adapted in different contexts. Correcting the
different types of learner errors and teaching them strategies to overcome them turn out to be beneficial. Students in a
communicative language laboratory typically practice listening and speaking with each other rather than the teacher.
This is generally used in an interactive skills-based course and often my students call the language laboratory as
“Liberty Center” as they happily participate and learn using their creative, emotional and linguistic capabilities.
This allows my students to communicate with one another and this helps them get new friends. I have observed that in a
class of 60, a student ends up knowing not more than 15 people as their friend after spending four years in a batch.
Contrarily the language laboratory pair and re-pair, group and regroup them which help them to know more people.
This will help them with people skill when they will be working in a large organization.

The benefits are multifarious

• It allows learners to communicate with one another, lowers tensions and the apprehension to present.

• It also enables supportive language learning, whereby they can puddle their knowledge of language items and
communication.

• It also enables replication of real-world activities, thereby providing much-needed practice in serviceable
situations.

• It also encourages the learners to cope up with the element of drama inherent in role play and works as an added
incentive.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

The Language Laboratory 79

• It also boosts the self-reliance of the learners.

However there are loop holes like

• The disadvantages are in a class of underprivileged communicators and low aptitude learners where progress
generally is very sluggish and the learners dither too much.

• They will also be exchanging incorrect language so they need to be alerted about that.

• Sometimes the pressure of having to carry out before the others can be so nerve-racking that learners can hesitate
or even give up while delivering.

The Teacher / Facilitator in the Language Laboratory

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) rightly said that, “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it
within himself”. These days the language teacher is performing the same role. The learner is given the liberty to choose a
suitable learning style. The content execution has become customizable and tailor fit. A language tailor as one can call him
is more infested with adaptability to fit into the multicultural environment. I have students from Bihar, Orissa, West
Bengal, Assam and Tripura who come to me with variations in terms of English language speaking and writing. Soft Skills
is a term with which they are not acquainted. At the same point of time my job is to ensure that they understand what
clients in U.K. and U.S. are saying, frame an appropriate reply, comply with organizational structure, prevent revenue
downtime and be able to become a part of the leadership factory after their stay with me. I have approximately 30 weeks
time to ensure that they are ready to survive. So a good teacher is the ( i ) one who is amicable, sociable and handle
students with consideration ii) One who is broadminded to deal with learner errors while, simultaneously helping to
overcome the errors, iii) one who has a very good/in-depth knowledge of the subject and can put that knowledge to
practical use in the classroom, iv) one who can explain very well and make even mundane matters interesting, v) who
allows students to voice their opinions and does not always seek to impose himself/herself on the learners, vi) with whom
learning is always a positive and fruitful experience.

In the Language laboratory the teacher / facilitator has an uphill task to make sure that everyone has a take home.
Keeping in mind the LSRW model, other modules are integrated. Special focus is levied on Learner Autonomy in
Language Learning, Multilingualism in the Workplace with emphasis on Translating and Interpreting. Invested with
European, American and Indian culture (when they will be working in a multinational company) it will be difficult for our
students to strike a balance and interpretation of information forwarded becomes integral as a whole. So the focus in the
language laboratory shifts on varieties of activities during lessons, intelligibility of presentation and opportunity to learn
standard material.

Listening Skill

In the first semester apart from the writing skill we focus on honing Listening Skill. We use upgraded material
every semester for presenting the theory. We integrate business situations and comments from the industry to learn the
essence of Listening via quotations. For example, “A good listener tries to understand what the other person is saying.
In the end he may disagree sharply, but before he disagrees, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing
with” – Kenneth A. Wells, Guide to Good Leadership. Once we are through with Signal Processing, Literal Processing and
Reflective Processing we give the students a worksheet carrying several statements. The students are to identify whether

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
80 Shantanu Chakravarty

the statements are true or false after we read out a short extract on which the statements are based. We move on to identify
the myths, needs, barriers and steps of listening. Then another worksheet is distributed, which is normally a Gap-Fill
exercise, but before we play the track, we ask the students to guess the words. To conduct this activity I use songs,
i.e.: The Lover after Me (Affirmation, Savage Garden), Words (Backstreet Boys), Winter Song (Ronan Keating) etc.
This helps in understanding construction of sentences, enhancement of lexical resources, working in a pair and competing
among pairs to come up with the best creative construction thereby catering to the pre-listening process. While listening
(when the track is played) they take down notes and during post-listening they evaluate and do the critical analysis.
Our focus on pronunciation during the verification stage also serves to the overall learning process. Apart from the
Gap-Fill exercise the worksheet have questions on Vocabulary building, sentence matching, sequential questions and
descriptive type questions.

Speaking Skill

We then move to Speaking Skill encompassing various activities. We mainly focus on interpersonal and work
place communication. Students will have to speak with team members / colleagues, clients and customers. We shape up
situation based activities where students role play, give individual and pair or group performance. We start by introducing
Personal Narrative, where students speak in front of the class and introduce themselves. We give hands-on training on the
quality and structure of a personal narrative. We rely on case studies and activities. We co relate by unfolding a historical
reflection of an individual state of affairs or profile after due reflection. We accommodate career briefing, presentation and
situational briefing. Our focus remains on structure, purpose orientation, linear or non-linear narrative
(flashbacks/flash forwards if required) and usage of comprehensible and straight forward language. We focus on speech
rhythm/cadence, eradication of fillers, effective use of pauses, tonal variation, stress, intonation and Accent. We show them
sample personal narratives which we have downloaded from YouTube. We do a video recording when students perform.
We share the video with them, so that they can make a comparative analysis between the sample video and their
performance. We also generate feedback based on their performance. This helps us to achieve our purpose effectively.
We introduce to our students Telephone Etiquette, which serves to the process of learning and practicing speaking.
We give them hands-on training on call opening, rapport building, transfer protocol, hold protocol, call ending, small talk
and empathizing. We make groups of three and give them different situations to role play. We discuss with them while
preparing the call flow and script which helps them to frame situational dialogue writing and business conversation.
Situations like irate customer calling up, home movers calling up to request change of address, customer calling up
requesting specific information, Making an appointment, taking a message, ordering a Pizza etcetera. We give them real
life scenarios to deal with. Then we initiate the role play and the facilitators and other participants generate feedback. We
put the role play on tape so that proper performance evaluation can be conducted. Once all the participants complete the
process we connect the participants’ phone with our amplifier. We make a live call to leading service providers like
Vodafone, Airtel and Idea and record the interaction. This gives our students a real time experience. As part of speaking
skill we line up activities based on picture speaking where the participant gets an image randomly selected from our
database. The student gets 30 seconds to think and then speaks for 5 minutes. We cover group discussion next. We start by
cascading an industry compatible evaluation sheet to the students. We focus on the group speaking activity unlike JAM,
extempore and debate. Candidates judge on performance in real time. Through a PowerPoint presentation we focus on how
to acquire topic knowledge, logical thinking, clear speech, framing arguments, cohesion among group members,
procedures, assessment criteria and negative traits. The students work as evaluators. The facilitator takes down group

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

The Language Laboratory 81

feedback as well. The entire performance is videotaped. Post performance the students give their feedback and the
facilitator builds on it. The video footage is played so that the performers can correlate the feedback and their performance.

Writing Skill

In order to strike a balance we come back to writing skill after spending adequate time on speaking. This time we
take up Job Application Letter, CV and Resume writing. In the first semester we introduce the basic patterns. We have
prepared worksheets to tap the information of the candidates individually. We focus on identifying competencies and
skills, step by step preparation of the CV following standard format which we discuss with them via power point
presentation, correspondence for the application process and comparative analysis through peer work. We have work
sheets where the students match job advertisements with sample CVs. This gives them a better understanding of the writing
process. We repeat this in the fourth semester but the degree of importance and approach change. We make the students
visit prospective company websites. We ask them to collect information of various job openings. Once they are acquainted
with prospective job opportunities, we ask them to go through the profile requirement. To have a hands-on idea of the core
competency areas we get them registered with consultancy service providers like Mafoi, Naukri.com and Monster.com.
The process turns out to be a real learning session. We also introduce the concept of Video resume. By the end of the
fourth semester my students are ready with print/electronic version of their CV/Resume and much like a personal narrative
we assist them to prepare a script based on their CV and ask them to prepare a video where they are enunciating their
profile. In order to make the video resume visually interactive we tell them to get in touch with the teachers of the
computer science department and take feed on graphic interface building. We use Facebook and Twitter to practice and
understand writing. This is an interesting paradigm as students move outside the classroom, they get an opportunity to
build communities and more importantly they get the cultural information in the form of postings and comments.
By following newsfeeds and tweets of individuals and organizations students get into the social sphere of learning which
dramatically enhances their vocabulary and also construction of apt reply.

SWOT Analysis

In the fourth semester we cover SWOT Analysis. It provides a framework for visioning by helping the students to
identify and prioritise their goals and to further identify the strategies of achieving them. We have personal SWOT analysis
worksheet, where the students come up with their personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We split the
paper in four quadrants and the students focus on their personal information. The activity takes approximately 30 minutes.
After they fill up the worksheet we analyse them. We introduce the concept of Organisational SWOT and by using power
point presentation we discuss the theory. From the personal strengths and weaknesses we move forward to assess an
organization’s strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats posed by the external environment. We take a
model company (i.e.: XYZ college) and perform SWOT. We focus on the internal environment of the organization which
either facilitate or encumber organizational growth and daily operations. The internal parameters of scan include:

1. People 2. Properties 3. Processes 4. Products

The external parameters of scan include:

• Scanning the Social (Demographic), Technological, Economical (Data that Impacts Business), Environmental
and Political (Policies / Trade Barriers) areas.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
82 Shantanu Chakravarty

• Identifying the needs of customers and potential clients.

• Identification of competitors and collaborators.

Then we move on to prepare a SWOT on this XYZ College. The worksheet carries several questions which the
students answer and based on the findings they propose recommendations. We show the students a Hyundai i10 review
video and we have a worksheet with questions like:

• To which category/segment does the car belong to? Can you cite cars belonging to the same category/segment?

• What is the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of the car?

• Figure out the target group of this car.

• How has the company positioned the car as a brand?

• Figure out the areas of strength.

• What are the major weaknesses of this car?

• What opportunities can the company optimize to enhance the i10’s market share?

• What major threats (immediate/future) are working as impediments to the car’s market share/expansion strategy?

• Onboard Hyundai as an Analyst what recommendations will you propose?

We also distribute a handout carrying a comparative study of four cars in the same segment, which help the
students to know the technical features. We also guide them with the areas of concern like Strong Advertisement,
Increasing Fuel Prices, Intense competition and Brand Ambassador Association etc.

Pronunciation and Reading Skill

Our focus then shifts to pronunciation. We have observed that the students many great challenges in improving
their English pronunciation and fluency. Common pronunciation errors include nonnative substitutions of individual
consonants and vowels, consonant cluster reduction, and epenthetic vowel insertion. So we train our students with demo
pronunciation lessons from YouTube and English Movies. We focus on pronouncing individual sounds and use activites
based on tongue twisters and minimal pair distinction. We use a lot of online resources to make the learning more
interesting. For example the songs (Winter Song, Lover after Me etc.) that we used for listening exercised are recycled and
we try to analyze the sounds. We also use Local Train Announcements, Flight Announcements, Shopping Mall
(City Center/ Bigbazar) announcements and inputs from other subject classes (all pre recorded) and compare and contrast
them with the actual sound system. We use Dictogloss to help students randomly identify the sounds and incorporate them
when they are giving the summary.

Presentation Skill

Now that we are ready to speak and express we move onto Presentation Skill and Interview Skill. In presentation
we again focus on group work by asking the students to choose a company and prepare a presentation. We accommodate
three in a group. They work on the presentation and we tape them. Show them instantly their presentation. Next we learn
the presentation etiquette and compare and contrast them with their amateur presentation. We have divided the presentation

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

The Language Laboratory 83

into two sets – (1). How to prepare the presentation and (2). How to deliver the presentation. The students prepare the
presentation by using their laptop under constant supervision of the teachers in the laboratory. They present it several times
and we tape and deliver the final product to them for showcasing. At every step the students are given constant feedback
which include – speaking, language usage, making the presentation interactive, audience analysis, body language, ability to
handle questions and off course maintaining a balance between taking control of the room as a presenter and handling
logistic support.

Interview Skill

In the interview skill we run a complete diagnosis of the prospective employers’ stream wise. We ask students to
choose five companies with whom the students have a prospect in the future. We then ask them to know everything about
the company i.e.: Overview, Working Spirit, Mission and Vision, Group Companies, Alliances, Industries, Services,
Products, Clients and Insights of the company. We have prepared a standard set of 150 questions and their best answer.
We use them in installments. We give the first 25 questions and ask our students to prepare the answers keeping in mind
the employer. We conduct a one-to one session with the students. When we train our students we keep in our mind the
Campus and Off-Campus interview modes. So our students can walk in to any prospective opportunity and deliver the best,
even if it takes 11 rounds of testing. We also conduct an online psychometric test and have a complete profile analysis and
checkup. The steps of interviewing become apparently clear to our students. We merge Group Discussion with Interview
Skill. In group discussion we first learn the purpose, stages, group skill and varieties of covered subject areas. We play
demo group discussion videos and identify the dos and don’ts. Then we make them practice and tape their performance.
We share the group video with the respective groups and ask them to evaluate on the basis of Personality – Exuberance,
Zest and Involvement, Knowledge – Profundity, Variety, Diagnostic Capability, and Synchronization of Opinion,
Communication Skill – Fluency, Precision, Rationality and Effectiveness, Leadership – Initiative, Open-Mindedness and
Team Spirit. In the next class all the students give feedback on individual groups’ performance.

We have also incorporated Business Etiquette and Work Ethics. We cover concept mapping, forms of etiquette
(with clients’ team, corporate parties, dealing with team members etc.), meetings etiquette, phone etiquette, Netiquette
(specially dealing with e-mails and Intranet postings etc.) and work place ethics (unraveling OMBUDS, Corporate fraud,
Confidential Data Handling etc.). The students are also taught how to deal with Conflict Resolution. As new hires’ would
be exposed to an open work environment, we expose the concepts of Competing, Collaborating, Compromising, Avoiding
and Accommodating. The students also learn Decision Making Skills, where we stress on the types of decision makers,
different styles of decision making, the approaches to decision making, the eight steps module of decision making,
the advantages and disadvantages of group aided decision making and the errors that people commit while taking a
decision. We back up the theory with case studies in the form of groups discussing in a meeting. We have integrated
Negotiation Skill as part of the courseware as well. Here we deal with the concept of negotiation, the formal process,
the strategies that are to be set up and issues which people encounter while undergoing the process of negotiation.

CONCLUSIONS

There are several activity based sessions which will take more pages. I believe that these days the language
laboratory is a wonderful facility for Language teachers to excel, explore and experiment. By devoting some time we can
come up with authentic materials. The online resource is vast but most of them aren’t suitable for our students. So I believe

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
84 Shantanu Chakravarty

if we can adapt and contextualize it, we can come up with interactive materials catering to the need of the Indian students.
With the convergence of creativity and technology we can deliver tailor made courses for our students. I deal with MCA,
BCA, B. Tech, B. Pharm, BHM students and with this I can easily cater to specific purposes or to say need based materials
can be generated. More than learning our focus should be on acquisition. We can learn the parts of modern avionics but
that will not make me a pilot. My students will be motivated, will enjoy the classes and I will be able to retain their interest
if they know what to learn, why to learn and when to learn. So instead of learning the language it would be better if they
get used to it. They will acquire the language and work specific skills willingly. When I share information about Microsoft
Students’ Partner programme, Vendor Certification, TOEFL, IELTS and Six Sigma my students show colossal curiosity.
We are test running the language software and so far the responses are outstanding. We are customizing materials,
broadcasting, chatting, speaking, pinging and much more. I would like to thank my students for executing and internalizing
the content that we deal with in our Language Laboratory which is better known as the “Liberty Center” for them.

REFERENCES

1. Steve, Kaufman. The Linguist on Language - How to Learn Languages in the Age of Internet 2009,
http://www.thelinguist.blogs.com

2. Alan Davies, An Introduction to Applied Linguistics From Practice to Theory, Edinburgh University Press, 2007.

3. Graham Hall, Exploring English Language Teaching Language in Action, Routledge, 2011.

4. John Fotheringham, Language Learning Why Most Fail & How You Can Suceed, http://www.Language
Mastery.com, 2013.

5. Steve Kaufman, The Linguist on Language - How to Learn Languages in the Age of Internet,
http://www.thelinguist.blogs.com, 2009.

6. Emily Wartinbee, The Value of Technology in the EFL and ESL Classroom: Using the Smartpen to Enhance the
Productivity and Effectiveness of ESL Instruction, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Capstone Essay,
March 1, 2009

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 85-90
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

TEACHING MATERIALS - A CRUCIAL FACTOR IN ELT

SHARMISTHA BASU
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Narula Institute of Technology, Agarpara, Kolkata, India

ABSTRACT

Resource materials are considered as a pivotal aspect of English Language Teaching (ELT). Traditional teaching
aids like text books, rapid readers, work books, handouts and blackboards are integrated with technology oriented
resources like computers, LCD projector, handy cam, audio & video player and others. Teaching materials build an
environment of interest for the teachers as well as learners. A syllabus design plays an important role in language learning
whereas a curriculum may be referred as a prescribed course of studies, which students must fulfill in order to pass a
certain level of education. There are different designs of syllabus based on various patterns catering to the needs of various
group of learners. The level of the content to be taught should accord with the stage of intellectual and emotional
development of the learners. Keeping this in mind learning materials are often simplified to keep up the interest of the
learners. The learners are motivated to develop the sub skills of language: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
(LSRW) through different training materials. The enhancement of these skills promotes the students to become a
successful professional. This paper aims to discuss the multifarious aspects of teaching materials that helps to accomplish
the objective of teaching-learning process.

KEYWORDS: Teaching Aids, ELT, Learners, Teachers

INTRODUCTION

The process of teaching –learning depends largely upon the different types of materials available in the language
classroom. There are aids available like text books, rapid readers, work books, handouts, blackboards, audio/visuals etc.
The syllabus needs to be designed keeping in mind the learner’s needs. Based on the syllabus the educators frame the
curriculum for a certain time period. In order to make the learning easy materials are often simplified so that the learners
can grasp the meaning of the context. The four basic skills of language teaching: LSRW are best developed through the use
of teaching aids in the classroom. The development of these skills assists a learner to become a successful professional.

Need for Teaching Aids are Classified as Follows

• Every individual has the tendency to forget. Proper use of teaching aids helps to retain the concept permanently.

• Individuals can learn better when they are motivated properly through different training materials.

• It provides a complete example for conceptual thinking

• It creates the environment of interest for the students

• It helps to increase the vocabulary of the learners

• It is of a great help for the teacher to prepare their lessons systematically

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
86 Sharmistha Basu

• The students can have a direct experience of the learning

Let us analyze the utility of the teaching materials individually

Blackboard

Blackboard is perhaps the minimum resource available to all kinds of language teachers. It is necessary to make
the best use of it. There are many activities which can be done using the blackboard such as formation of anagrams, Draw
& Describe, cross words etc...

Text book

The text books are important as through reading this, the pupils can be made to acquire complete mastery over the
language, which means the acquisition of new vocabulary, the various forms of the language, the different structures of the
sentence etc...

Rapid readers

These are meant for cultivating the habit of independent and silent reading in the pupils. This habit cannot be
developed with the help of the books which are meant for intensive study. Rapid readers lay stress not on the language but
on the subject matter so that the pupils can get the essential ideas quickly without any hindrance of the language.

Audio visuals

When verbal description is not sufficient to comprehend or visualize, visual aids play a crucial role.
For learning proper pronunciation, audio-visual aids are quite helpful. Simple sounds and pronunciations can be projected
on the screen with overhead projectors. The words can be broken into syllables and students would be able to view the
syllables as they pronounce them. Visual representations of tongue and lip positions can be made to practice a language’s
sounds.

Handouts

These are supplementary materials which can be teacher’s notes in the class or additional reference.

Work Books

These materials are good for practice purpose. It helps the learner in self-evaluation and prepares them for
examination.

Syllabus & Curriculum

The term ‘syllabus’ has been designed from the Latin word ‘syllabi’ which means ‘list’. It is defined as an outline
and summary of topics to be covered in an education and training course. A syllabus is often prepared by an examination
board or by the Professor who supervises or controls the course quality. It usually contains specific information about the
course such as information on what positions are to be covered in the course, a schedule of test dates and the due dates for
assignments, grading policy etc...Syllabuses are used to ensure consistency between schools/colleges so that all teachers
must know what must be taught and what is not required.

The word ‘curriculum’ comes from the Latin word meaning “a course for racing”. Teachers often speak about
‘covering’ concepts as one would speak about ‘covering’ ground and that coverage is often a race against the testing clock.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Teaching Materials - A Crucial Factor in ELT 87

A curriculum is prescriptive and is based on a more general syllabus which merely specifies what topics must be
understood and what a candidate should do to obtain a certain standard or grade. It also may be referred as a prescribed
course of studies, which students must fulfill in order to pass a certain level of education.

A syllabus design plays an important role in language learning. It is based essentially on a decision about the
‘units’ of classroom activity and the ‘sequence’ in which they are to be performed. Units can be based on an analysis of the
language to be learnt, in terms of grammatical structures or of lexical items and collocations or on analysis of the
components of skilled behavior in the second language. Language teaching syllabus involves the combination of subject
matter and linguistic matter. It performs as a guide both for the teacher and learner by providing some goals to be
accomplished.

Learner’s Syllabus & Prescribed Syllabus - A Comparison

There are different designs of syllabus based on various patterns catering to the needs of various group of learners.
The notion is that in a learner’s syllabus the emphasis lays with the learner, who it is hoped will be involved in the
implementation of the syllabus design as far as that is practically possible. By being fully aware of the course they are
studying, it is believed that their motivation and interest will increase, coupled with positive effect of nurturing the skills
required to learn.

On the other hand a prescribed syllabus provides support and guidance not only to the teachers but to the students
as well. In a prescribed syllabus one finds the blueprint for the course expectations, requirements, ground rules,
assignments, examination structure and final projects. The syllabus here will also contain information related to
expectations about classroom behavior such as participation in classroom discussions, policies on absence and penalties for
a wrong deed. In a prescribed syllabus as a teacher we get the idea of the content to be taught during the whole year, so the
syllabus structuring can be sketched as per the necessity of the learners.

My experience teaching in an Engineering & Management college for five years led me to the decision that
prescribed syllabus is always preferred in the undergraduate level or where the evaluation system is examination oriented.
However in teaching English for developing communication competence to adult learners, learner –led syllabus tends to be
more effective. For instance when I teach a batch of working professionals, the learner –led syllabus is more suitable
because the learners themselves try to adopt the skills which they feel will be important to them in their workplace.

Gradation of Materials

The level of the content to be taught should accord with the stage of intellectual and emotional development of the
learners. When the contextual matter is above the level of pupils, they might lose interest. For this reason many a time the
main text is simplified to keep up the interest of the learners and motivate them to go on reading. Let us take the example
of “A Christmas Carol”, which is one of the finest piece of work by Charles Dickens. The story line is a famous literary
work, celebrated all over the world. However the original version of the text is a bit difficult for the learners of second
language English. The usage of vocabulary is quite tough to follow, for example look at the vocabulary used during the
conversation between Bob and Scoorge regarding the Christmas holiday:

“You want all day off tomorrow” (simplified version)

“You’ll want all day tomorrow” (original text)

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
88 Sharmistha Basu

So from the above we can say that in the simplified text the purpose is clearly stated but in the original version the
sense is implied. Moreover the learners having uneasiness in acquiring English language would find difficulty in grasping
the rich imagery and symbolism used in the main text. The Students reading the abridged version has a better
understanding of the plot and the attributes of various characters help them to draw an insight into the message the text
portrays. Although simplified text is easily understandable but due to lexical control much of irony and wit as well as
author’s style is affected; for instance in the last part of the Marley’s ghost episode in “A Christmas Carol”, Scrooge tried
to say “Humbug”! but stopped at the first syllable. It might be interpreted that Scoorge was going through the process of
redemption and that he may be seen as a changed man later. However in the simplified text the passage ends
with – “Scrooge went straight to bed and fell asleep immediately”. So here again there is no room for thinking more. Hence
it is a challenging task for the writers of the abridged version to make the proper usage of words and expression to cater to
the needs of different group of learners. So along with simplified text, the learners should be inspired to read the original
text.

MATERIALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LSRW

Listening
Listening is an important skill because in order to be a good speaker, one needs to be a careful listener. However
most of the English textbooks which are currently used for teaching either do not give any importance to listening or give
inadequate practice to the learners. If we want to prepare our learners for real life listening we should introduce them to
authentic materials. We can use these materials as long as the activities are designed at a standard suitable for our learners.
For example we can make the learners listen to a conversation or a dialogue and ask them questions related to the topic of
the conversation. Activities which can enhance listening abilities and help to improve English communication are listed
below:

• Listening to Sports commentary

• Watching English movies with subtitles

• Listening to an incomplete story and guess the remaining part

• Listen to an expert on a topic and then read about it in a book and check how much of the latter matches with the
expert’s lecture.

Speaking

Speaking is considered to be the most difficult skill as learners face some common obstacles which come from
intrapersonal barriers to communication such as anxiety, nervousness etc...Language laboratories play a very vital role in
developing the speaking skills of the learners. Audio-visual aids help in pronunciation practice. Extempore speeches help
to build the creative speaking abilities in the learners. In many institutes the language lab is specially designed to extend
facilities for improving oral communication. Some labs have software with a virtual recorder. It promotes in enhancing the
intonation of the speaker. The technology assists in improving the pronunciation of the students by playing the model
pronunciation and learner’s response. An ideal ELT Classroom should have such a seating arrangement which provides
computers for the students to work individually. Furthermore there needs to be a LCD projector, a board, a microphone and
proper acoustics so that the speaker is audible all around. A handy cam and an audio system are necessary for video
records and aural activities. The video shots can be displayed with the help of the projector to facilitate the learners to see

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Teaching Materials - A Crucial Factor in ELT 89

and hear themselves in various interactive modes. This will enable them to identify their defects and rectify it and improve
themselves. The lesson modules should be based on mainly focusing the enhancement of pronunciation, stress and
phonetics.

Reading

Reading helps to improve knowledge, vocabulary, grammar, intonation, confidence and cross-cultural
information. In everyday life most of the time we read for meaning and in order to extract meaning from the text, we have
to use a variety of skills like recognizing the script of the language, understanding information which are implied,
skimming and scanning to locate specifically required information and so on. As teachers we need to use certain textbooks.
We choose the passage which trains our learners in reading techniques. The proper application of reading methodology is
very important for the learners in attempting comprehensions. As we know that understanding of comprehensions are vital
to the students for cracking most of the competitive examinations, so in order to prepare the learners for competitive
examinations, the selection of passage is very crucial. We should take care to see that learners are able to attempt short
answer type questions, MCQ, True/False type questions related to the passage. The teacher should also ensure that the
questions cannot be answered without reading the text (i, e, it should not be possible for the learners to answer the
questions using their General Knowledge).

Writing

It is often found that learners are reluctant to spend much time on writing in the class. However several studies on
writing have shown that most students have very low writing proficiency. Hence considering this scenario there is a need
to develop suitable materials to enhance writing skills for the learners. The use of self-made instructional materials is one
of the effective strategies to facilitate learner’s skills in writing. These instructional materials can be prepared keeping in
mind certain writing competency levels of the students such as lack of appropriate vocabulary, inaccuracy in
grammar(word order, use of prepositions, tenses etc…)

Task based instruction enable learners to perform real life target activities using language like filling up any kind
of official application forms, describing a picture in own words, listening to a conversation and writing that etc…The best
part of using information from everyday life help the learners confront selected language items in the kind of context where
they naturally occur rather than the circumstances that have been assembled by a textbook writer.

CONCLUSIONS

The materials are considered as a determining element in the relationship among the teacher, learner and the
language. Control of the resources and materials available reflects the teacher’s capability in ELT. Materials should be
designed as per Syllabus and curriculum framework. Gradation of materials is necessary to suit the learner’s requirements.
Traditional materials should be integrated with the latest technology oriented resources to achieve the objective of
successful teaching-learning of the basic skills of language.

REFERENCES

1. Tri Wahyuni Floriasti, Yogyakarta State University: Improving speaking skills through the use of integrated
listening and speaking materials for student teachers academic year 2012/2013.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
90 Sharmistha Basu

2. Kenji Kaito, Doshisha University (Japan): Selecting & Developing Teaching/Learning materials
(the internet TESL journal)

3. Dr. Sutapa Banerjee: English Language & Technical Communication

4. Brown, H. D. (2001): Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. White Plains, NY:

5. Addison Wesley Longman.

6. Department of Distance Education, EFLU: Materials For The Teaching of English: Block-III & IV

7. Brian, T. (1998). Ed. Materials Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

8. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllabus

9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curriculum

10. www.clarityenglish.com

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 91-96
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

PROFESSIONAL NEED FOSTERING REFLECTIVE SUPERVISION: AN EMPIRICAL

STUDY

SWATI BASU
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, Camellia School of Engineering and Technology Barasat, Kolkata,
West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

Learning of English in this Age of International Travel has undertaken a new meaning under the combined effects
of globalization and soaring aspirations of the aspirants. And the greater the aspirations the greater are the needs. In such
a situation the demand of gaining self-competence in the skilful use of communication in English is also at an increase on
a never before scale.

Keeping in mind “communication skill” as ruling paradigm in the current ELT scenario in India, with particular
reference to the rural areas of West Bengal, the goal is to make an empirical study of how the learner’s professional needs
coupled with inner urge to be competent in the use of English language, can be made the basis of developing their
communication skill in English.

This has been done by experimenting learner’s psychology about the need to develop English communication
skills Upon examination of certain cases it becomes clear that (rural) learners , with specific needs, attempted to use
the language to bolster their inner urge of high hopes and aspirations along with intense professional requirements.
Through showing (two) case studies this research attempts to highlight the study in point. This will allow for more
individual consideration of (rural) learners and may direct further research on the reciprocation of inner impulse and social
need.

KEYWORDS: Globalization, Soaring Aspirations, Self-Competence, Psychology, Inner Impulse

INTRODUCTION

Everywhere around us we keep listening to people talking about globalization and its effects, of the world
becoming a “global village” and the various influences of cross cultures. Of these, the influence of communicating
in English specifically has been the major one. The colonial rule by the British and the intensive and extended teachings by
the Missionaries remains at the foundation of such an overt influence of English, with particular reference to West Bengal
(then Bengal). And with its successive growth in the sphere of social administration it gradually spread across the other
functional wings of society. Repeated experimentation with the implementation of English at the school standard
(different stages at different points of time) the influence/the discussion gained momentum. English being realized to have
gained the status of the “link language” intensified the cravings to learn the effective use of the language. Moreover, ability
to communicate well set a benchmark to climb the ladders of aspirations. The cravings increased by and by with the rising
demand of good communication skill as one of the eligibility criteria for a prospective career. The eligibility criteria in the
job advertisements of various sectors are cases in point.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
92 Swati Basu

My contention in this paper is, as mentors in the language classroom we can utilise this professional need of the
learners as the base and guide them reflect upon themselves and know their limitations while facing the world at large.
This would in turn leave no other alternative for them but to fight their causes in order to escalate and achieve their dreams.
The language teacher need to create a favourable atmosphere for the learners, with self-motivating and entertaining
content, in imparting the skills of effective communication in a situation. This would lead them to develop self-competence
and self-efficacy in the use of English (L2). The paper, in particular, concerns the learners in the semi-urban and rural areas
of West Bengal, at the undergraduate level. The paper would take a discussive mode to deal with the case in point.
The contention of the paper is supported by a case study from classroom situation, of the students pursuing Engineering
course in a rural set-up.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• Creating an awareness of a favourable learning situation with minimum teacher guidance

• Creating an awareness of utilising the professional need of “good communication skill” as the tool of developing
the need.

• Raising self-competence and self-efficacy (in communication skill ) as the key to improvise effective
communication

• Inspire change in social interaction skills and value systems among the learners

• Inculcate among the learners, the necessity of knowing oneself to fight ignorance and gain confidence as part of
lifelong learning

DISCUSSIONS

This paper while measuring some of the key issues in developing communication skills in the learners ,
particularly the semi-urban and rural learners , analyses certain understandings within the socio-cultural paradigm that
would not only help them meet the professional standards but this in turn would also lead to self-introspection of their
pitfalls.

Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie in her novel, Mrs. Dymond says:

“..give a man a fish and you feed him for a day ; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime..”

Now, as the professional need started serving as the impetus the demand/need to make an effective use of
the language soared higher and higher. English here is taught at two levels – first language (L1) and second language (L2)
So the difference in gaining competence over its use is distinctly noticeable. The situation is all the more complex when it
comes to the teaching / learning of English (L2) in the semi-urban and rural areas of West Bengal. It thus paved the way
for gaining competence in the skilful use of English in order to meet the professional need While building professional
requirements it gave an insight to the learners about their pitfalls and loopholes. They started reflecting upon their lacuna
that stood in between their aspiration level and their achievement level. The gap was wide enough to be bridged. Yet it was
to be minimized if not met. Widely spreading of various Spoken English Institutes at every nook and corner could be
witnessed. It is to be noted, these Institutes opened under the banner of improving “spoken English”...the skill in speaking.
But, “communication skill” does not talk of speaking skill only.it encompasses the other three skills as well, namely,

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Professional Need Fostering Reflective Supervision: An Empirical Study 93

Listening , Reading and Writing along with Speaking ( LSRW ). It would not be impertinent, perhaps, to say that in today’s
global scenario it also includes how effectively we can use these four skills in any given environment. That is, to say good
communication skill is not only the use of / communicating in English (L2) but proper use of English in a proper way in
any situation/context at any location. Language, as we know, is a combination of ‘what’ and ‘how’ of expression.

Let me now refer to the case in point

Name of the Learner: Gita Roy (Assuming)

Level: First year

Age-Group: 18-20 (Adolescent)

During the first year of the curriculum it was observed in the language classroom that Gita is, exceptionally,
an inactive participant To add to it she was introvert. She remained passive even after repeated encouragement. The Theory
based classes did make her take the lecture notes but, in times of practical classes that would actually make her participate,
it was noted that during such class sessions she scribbled, scratched or sketched in her exercise book.

This led me to talk to her on various occasions on and off the classroom situation. As a part of the teaching–
learning process and sometimes as a mark of courtesy greetings on my part became a must. I asked her to greet. She did.
But, hardly, did I receive such greetings coming spontaneously from her. It was gradually noted that somewhere she was
not at ease. It was visible. Time moved on and after a gap of a semester she was back to language classroom as part
of course curricula. Video clippings, power point presentations, YouTube downloads and such other classroom realia failed
to draw her participation The same attitude was there again. But, this time there was something else that could be perceived
in her attitude. This was a time I felt the dire need to talk and counsel her She confided. To all my astonishment this
inactive participant nourished a dream of soaring high in her profession. It was so beautiful a dream that she fancied but
one of the obstacles was lack of (good) communication skill. Thorough counselling and sometimes by assertive approach
Gita started uttering broken sentences-- which was a great boost to me as a mentor. At this juncture, she was made
to realise that she can overcome her barriers provided she possesses the will-power. The various video clippings
of Interview Sessions, importance of correct mannerisms in sharp comparison to failure in an interview session
(read failure in achieving dreams ) due to ignorance started creating an impact on her.

It was a time when the students were taken to an educational tour to a highly reputed multinational company – the
company of their dream. The company organized a small seminar on the need of good communication skill which they
emphasized to be the key to the doorway of achieving one’s high hopes combined with good grasp on one’s subject. Along
with this 6 short games were played on the use of English in simple terms. It worked wonders The ball, of reflecting upon
oneself and attempting to minimize the pitfalls, set rolling. Gita was on her toes to fulfil her dreams and achieve her high
hopes. She turned out to be an active participant fumbling, nervous, yet, making her way through. I remember the day,
the entire class – her fellow mates applauded to their heart’s content after her presentation. It was simply amazing and
a joyous experience as a language teacher. Gita has now successfully completed her B Tech course. To add to this on
a brighter note, Gita is now placed happily in a reputed multinational organisation. What could be more rewarding to any
language teacher than seeing her student rejoice !!!!

That inner urge was undoubtedly there in Gita .The inner aspirations were there but somewhere it was to
be coupled with right tuning. Here, in this case, it was a dreaded feeling / an apprehension to meet with failure. The

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
94 Swati Basu

professional requirements are to be met definitely ---‘constant’ but her choices could serve as ‘variables’. The former was
the ‘demand’ and the latter was the ‘need’. The ‘demand’ (read necessity) served as the catalyst / as the driving force that
led to self-motivation to know and learn. And while learning, may be, with lesser interest at the initial stage,
the apprehension/disliking towards the subject (here English) fades out and the tough gets going.

What I feel here, the age old maxim holds good, which says “Necessity is the mother of invention”.
The job requirement of “good communication skill” is the necessity whereas knowing oneself is the invention --- knowing
one’s strengths and weaknesses is not enough , it has to clipped and shaped accordingly. Then only the invention would
take its colour.

Gita is only one of many such learners. A little patience, keen observation and records, little flexibility in terms
of teaching learning strategy, approachability and controlled guidance when combined with knowledge expertise of
a language teacher, rather a mentor, is bound to bring about a metamorphic change in the attitude and eagerness to learn.
Gita and her lot start taking initiatives to explore the so long unexplored avenues of knowledge , for example writing
emails , browse through the search engines , solve online data entry ( applications/registrations etc) , take online tests
and so on. Gita might be a little ahead in using the computer as she is a B Tech student; but, like her in other academic
courses at the same level and age-group it would build immense confidence. As part for the whole, Gita can take part in
social interaction with added value systems to her self-confidence and self-competence.

Building independent opinions, improved pronunciation through social interaction would enliven her spirit all the
more and she can construct her own learning environment. The teacher thus, even with little or no formal guidance, can
facilitate the process of learning the use of English among the learners in a rural set-up, provided the learners are given free
access to learning situations. Free access to learning is more motivating in itself.

Coming back to the start point, if the learners can be shown the way how to fish (how to achieve one’s dreams)
than to feed him (impose learning) is what I perceive a better option.

A century back, when Pestalozzi wanted to psychologise education, not much heed was paid to it; but in today’s
learner centric education, the psychology of the learner is at the base of education.

Swami Vivekananda stated:

“You Cannot Teach A Child to Grow. You can help Him. A Child Teaches itself. The External Teacher Offers Only
the Suggestion Which Arouses the Internal Teacher to work.”

While serving as a mentor to the learners at the undergraduate level, the language teacher need to keep the age
factor in mind particularly as, perhaps, the most important wing of psychology. In order to help them make a self-analysis
the teacher needs to be all the more careful. A very important stimulus to self-analysis , of these age-group learners
(they are adolescents at this juncture) is their need/high demand to hold a respected position among their peer group and to
find a good companion and friend as much as their objective of realizing “big dreams”. So arousing the inner urge to
combat their language barriers and that too in front of their peers is not that easy. Hence, their professional objective if can
be made the basis of stimulating the process of developing the communication skill then it would serve both the purposes.
That keen demand of an attractive life style, striving to master new areas of knowledge and new skills, acquire a new
position in the society would meet if the professional eligibility is met. This in turn would help them imbibe from personal
failures and success while facing the competition. Dissatisfaction with oneself, yet, the desire to carry out the plans would

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Professional Need Fostering Reflective Supervision: An Empirical Study 95

pave the way to learn and fulfil automatically. The teacher, with minimal interference, need to create that atmosphere of
learning and provide the learners free access to for a productive process of comparison and evaluate one’s own specific
features and see his own shortcomings and achievement scopes. It is precisely in such situations hyper-sensitivity,
suspiciousness, lack of confidence and such other barriers in their learning of English ( L2) that they can fight and is
transformed into self-education.

Mental assimilation of the various aspects of reality/experiences so gathered are now interwoven with the existing
circumstances, profession in demand, relations of friendship , love , dreams of parents along with their severe urge for
recognition and respect. The teacher would need to facilitate this process of learning by helping them access favourable
situation and learn at their own style and speed.

CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, I have tried to focus on making the utmost utilization of the professional demand of
“good communication skill” as the foundation of learning the use of English (L2) not only in professional network but in
all possible socio-cultural set-up My contention remains in guiding the learners to self-directed learning provided by free
access to learn at their own style and pace. I intended to highlight the decisive role of the learners themselves, in their
process of thinking may be attributed to teaching. However, the language teacher has minimal interference– no imposition
of learning. Self-orientation to learn is a primary and most important condition for developing the LSRW skills
of communication, especially in a rural set-up.

However, the paper does not aim to raise sympathy for the plight of (most) of the rural learners. It aims to help
them be at par with the learners with better skills in communication and create a base to enter the world of competition in
the context of globalization and high hopes and aspirations. For this a consecutive record, which can be conveniently kept
in the form of short entries/ diary records , is helpful for a language teacher (mentor) that tracks the tendencies of change
and development in the learner’s personal qualities and self-education.

Yet, it needs to be mentioned that the study does not cover the full range of analysis and observations. A follow
up of the same is intended and the process of such findings is a continuum.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I gratefully acknowledge my deep indebtedness to my family, especially, my little daughter for their ever
increasing inspiration and co-operation. I am grateful to my teachers for their valuable suggestions and sincere appreciation
and the many students from whom I have learned My special acknowledgement to Mr Manas Moulic I am thankful to
the Organising Team and all associated, directly or indirectly, with the conference for providing an opportunity to share my
views. Finally, I acknowledge the various websites for the sample materials that I have browsed, the books and the notes
of my teachers that I have referred in giving a shape to this paper.

REFERENCES

1. Koneru; Professional Communication ; Mc Grew Hill

2. Akmajian,Adrian ; Demers,Richard A ; Farmer, Ann K ; Harnish,Robert M .....An Introduction to Language and

Communication ( Fifth Edition), PHI Learning (Original edition published by MIT Press)

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
96 Swati Basu

3. Yule, George ( Third Edition)......The Study of Language ; Cambridge University Press

4. Lecture notes and Hand-outs

5. Pushp Lata and Sanjay Kumar: Communicate to Conquer; pHI

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 97-102
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

WRITING TO TRANSCEND BOUNDARIES OF TIME AND DISTANCE

SUMANTA BASU
Assistant Teacher, Barajaguli Gopal Academy, Barajaguli, Nadia, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

To transcend some boundaries of time and distance, writing and perhaps writing through English language is the
best proposition in present-day world to make an effective communication, as we may easily agree. Unless and until this
skill of writing is developed, we cannot excel here as in any other skill. ‘We learn to write only through writing’-such is the
view of Mr. L. A. Hill in his famous essay Principles of Good writing in the last century and it is equally true of all ages.
Even in this age of internet where texting in some popular social networking sight or conveying a message through some
short messaging service (SMS) is an order of the day in common man’s lifestyle; Mr. Hill is very much relevant.
This essay turns to be an attempt to focus on a widely-acknowledged yet widely flouted concept of the importance of
writing skill for human communication. The essay itself is a model of the skill talked about.

KEYWORDS: Transcend Boundaries, Time and Distance, Skill of Writing, Effective Communication, Model

INTRODUCTION

Communication through writing turned to be the only realistic proposition in the past and it has its relevance in
the modern world of present days. Writing in the caves, in the hieroglyphics of ancient Missore, in the papyrus, in the palm
leaves of India – were a matter of pride of the then population. Their sole intention was to retain their ideas and theories
even when they are not present. They are successful when we, at the present days, get their ideas through decoding and we
get it only in their writings. Different people of different time and country come to meet us only through their writings.

Communication through Time

With the introduction of paper and printing press the act of writing got a tremendous positive air and the human
civilization became advanced in a quick fire pace. We get a renaissance in Europe in Europe first and gradually in Asia and
elsewhere as well. A tremendous spurt of glorifying the old Greek dramas was there and they were read and dramatised
widely in the Elizabethan age of England. It had been possible only through the use of writing skill and the creative art
through writing skill. From then onwards we saw the development of novels and many other written forms, e.g. the essay
writing – personal as well as formal. Essays on art and culture and the propagation of political ideas were very much there
through writing pamphlets and books could not cater to the full. So we see the rise and gradual development of some
newspapers and periodicals. For this we get the evolution of writing style in any and every language and our English
language is not far behind from that run. In creative art and in scientific essays the boon of writing skill is simply immense.

Communication through Entertainment in Recent Past

With the passage of time we have noticed a boom in technological fields. Instead of only theatre, we get cinema
now to entertain us. Plenty of lyrics are written and they are carried to the next generation. But writing serves as the mother
house of these art forms. A drama crosses the boundaries of time and distance only through its written format. The

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
98 Sumanta Basu

posterity gets it only to revitalize it once again by dramatizing it on the stage with the protagonists and other dramatic
personalities. We get the taste of a classical drama, an Elizabethan drama or a Victorian counterpart through its written
format first if we do not encounter the dramatization of those. Here listening and speaking skills help us to vitalize them
with life, but those later skills are too instantaneous to cross the boundaries of the point of occurrence. Cinema the other
form of entertainment however, tries to cross these boundaries a bit with its reel life, with CD, DVD, Hard Disk existence
but it is more a recent attempt than a conventional one like drama, poetry etc. Those genres of creative art are present even
to this modern generation mainly because of their written existence. Cinema gives a reel life to some written dramas and
novels and in that way it reinforces the written form of human communication once again.

Now the natural question is how we can master this art of writing. It is an art like any other art form – singing,
dancing, drawing and quite naturally we cannot excel it it unless we indulge in a regular practice in it. In singing, as we
know, we are to undergo some rigorous training of tune and beat. Likewise, we are to undergo some training to gain the
other skills like listening, speaking and reading first, the grammar behind a sentence or in a paragraph. Writing skill serves
to be the culmination of these primary skills. Among them, listening and reading are receptive skills whereas ‘speaking’
and ‘writing’ and their productive counterparts. As in any human communication, oral exposure comes prior and the
written communication – ‘reading’ or ‘writing’ comes as a natural process with the development of civilization.

Merits of Writing Skill

June B. Hughey in his essay why write? takes bat for writing. He defends writing by putting forward its merits.
Communication, writing for self-discovery, critical thinking and problem solving, self-actualization, controlling of
personal environment are some of its merits.

Communication

The first and foremost duty writing skill serves is that of communication. Our hopes, joys, dreams are expressed
through the pages of our diary. We can read it after a long gap, we can express them in a book form or even in some social
network to get comments. We can write a blog and so we get different blogs like artist’s blog, political blog, doctor’s blog,
player’s blog, teacher’s blog. Communicating one’s ideas to embrace a wide readership is an order of the day and writing
gives a tremendous tool for that purpose with almost next nothing we can have an outlet of self-expression. We see the
unlimited benefits of this skill of writing in any essay, story, poetry or fiction writing. Still now it is the most handy,
effective, means of communication in some informal fields like personal letters and, in formal communications, like
business correspondences.

Communication in Creative Art

Same is the case of creative art. We write poems, short stories or any other writings and publish them in social
networks if we do not have space enough in a renowned periodical or a renowned daily. Writing only makes the bridge
with the writer and his readers. Here we feel the necessity of a world language once again and English comes forward to
serve that need perhaps. Being almost a world language, it communicates one country with another with a reader from one
part of the globe with the writer from another.

Communication in Business Correspondence

In present day world we are to correspondent with email with many professional fields. Writing and specially

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Writing to Transcend Boundaries of Time and Distance 99

writing in digital media plays a great role to cater with the need of the hour. Sometimes even SMS plays a tremendous role
in communicating the product with the would be customers. Hoarding, banners, brochure, booklets are just some of the
forms to promote a product and in addition to speaking skill we are to be proficient enough in this field. A catchy sentence
in a hoarding may be the catch line of the product. Mastering the art in writing gives us room to hold the position in a
competitive world where everybody thrives to product promote his or her product.

Communication in Social Correspondence

Communication, in present day world, has become almost instantaneous. We make a ‘tweet’ which means
responding instantly with a sentence or two whereas ‘blogging’ involves one or two paragraphs expressing one’s view on a
given point or on a given situation. And all these are some forms of expression through some black and white medium .
We send an email to a friend or a business partner and like to have a mail back almost in no time. Texting in the SMS
(Short Message Service), chatting in the social network sights demand instant response. Writing and expressing oneself
through writing fluently gives a user more competence to control his or her personal environment. Making a discourse
through English as a second language in social and professional fields in speaking and in writing mode gives him enough
space in an environment where the members do not share a common first language but do share English as their second
language.

Communication in Environment Beyond the Classroom

In ESL class, a learner often see that speaking the language – being able to communicate with others- seems to be
as the only worthwhile goal of the language class. But they got to recognize soon that writing in a second language like
English serves them havoc beyond the moments when they are with the teachers, students, colleagues, in a classroom
related setting. Going back to their country when they are comfortably in their own set up far from the English
(as a second language) set up, they get enough help from writing skill to communicate with their earlier set up. Writing
seems to be them then a tool for survival in the ‘real world’, that is, the world beyond their classroom writing is a tool upon
which he relies continually. Unlike some oral exposures like listening or talking, writing persists even after the point of
occurrence. Herein rests the boons of writing.

Writing for Self-Discovery

Edward Albee says “writing has got to be an act of discovery. I write to discover what I am thinking about.
Only in writing we get a full-fledged form of what we are thinking about”. In creative art, we get an impulse or an idea or
an inspiration. We are to perspire to get that idea into a poem or an essay. L. A. Hill in his essay ‘Principles of Good
Writing’ says that ‘writing is 99 percent hard work and 1 percent inspiration and he thinks that the sooner we get into the
habit of disciplining ourselves to write, the better.

Through primary drafting, redrafting, editing and reediting give us the final product in composing a poem or
writing personal or scientific essay. It becomes a process of self-actualization. It is an external activity to communicate
with external world and at the same time it is a projection of our inner self. Irmscher says, “in writing, this externalizing
and internalizing occur at one and same time. Putting out is putting in”. The ability to realign, clarify, reshape information
makes possible the never ending discovery of new ideas which may trigger altogether new ideas in searching and
discovering.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
100 Sumanta Basu

Writing for Self-Actualisation

When we study English as a second language (ESL), writing becomes a means to improve other language skills.
While writing, a learner seeks precise word choices and suitable structures to express his idea. It improves his skill in
vocabulary. A fluency in the language is developed. As he searches for evidence to support a point of view or an idea, his
reading skill becomes enhanced through reading, his writing skill becomes reinforced; expresses Jane B. Hughey in his
essay why write. The writer feels the reader’s expectations which influence his composing powers in a positive way.
‘Writing makes a man perfect’-is a saying of Bacon’s popular essays.

Writing for Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Written words serve to bridge our thoughts and the barometer of our thoughts. Writing helps us to think critically
and this is a crucial ability in our complex, media-oriented society which bombards us with information constantly. The
nature of these information are diverse. Writing serves as a grouping stick to measure all these. It finds gaps in our
understanding and flaws in our thinking. Writing becomes a way of classifying our knowledge and ideas. Our perceptions
find expression in writing. We gain new insight in our critical thinking and it helps us to undergo the process of problem
solving.

Writing Helpful to Attain Soft-Skills

Proficiency of hard skills, that is, technological knowledge of an Engineering or medical student can be
effectively utilised by him only if he or she could master the proficiency in soft skills, that is the powers to express and
communicate oneself even in some non-native situation and converse with them in speaking as well as texting or
messaging or writing. Then only a student goes forward for his all-round development to be a good and responsible citizen
of the global village.

A language student (more so when the case is a second language learning) thinks quite writing is of secondary
importance. But it is instrumental in their academic success as well as in their practical life later on. Going through the
syllabi of Madhyamik Examination for the year 1914 in West Bengal of India, it is understood that only 10% is meant for
the speaking skill and 30% is meant for writing skills only whereas the whole 90% of the English paper is to be answered
in written mode.

In the next Higher Secondary and B. A. level the importance of writing is not lessened. In job-oriented courses
like engineering, management, medical lines, we find a right focus in speaking and still there the natural dominance is on
the writing skill as the mode of examination is on the written format. Their proficiency in handling the second language
effectively leads them to attain a respectable post in business, industry, government, social service and consequently in the
society.

Writing to Control One’s Own Environment

Many non-native speakers become permanent citizens of an English speaking community. In be fit in the adopted
society, they are to complete a job application, read a telephone directory, write application of the leave of absence, a note
to his child’s teacher, fill out a loan application, read a newspaper. Developing writing skill, according to Jane B. Hughey
in his essay why write?, can foster those abilities as writing enables a writer to look within oneself to clarify ideas, attitudes
and beliefs. It becomes a means of controlling one’s own environment.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Writing to Transcend Boundaries of Time and Distance 101

Writing not Non-Essential

ESL students view often that writing in English as non-essential to meet their urgent and daily need. Yet when
they are off from the classroom and campus set- up and very much in the everyday life, they see that competence in writing
reflects their overall achievement in language and the learners developing this ability to communicate effectively have
made this English as the language of o their own.

How to Write Well

Now the question of writing becoming solved, the question of writing well comes in. L. A. Hill in his essay
‘Principles of Good Writing’ prescribes, that ‘to write well, you have to be able to write clearly and logically and for that
one has to think logically too. By sheer practice ability can be achieved, he says, ‘you learn to write by writing’. In case of
creative writing, inspiration is rare even with the famous writers. One is to perspire a lot to be a good writer.

It is best to choose a topic in which the writer himself is interested. He can instil his interest in his readers.
Presentation is of great importance. One can declare his idea in the very opening paragraph style of writing may be another
important item. It is best to use a simple conversational tone. A lucid easy-going style can embrace a wider audience than
one pedantic style. A concrete instance can be much more effective than putting forward an abstract idea.

CONCLUSIONS

In fact there is no short cut way of creating any art and like is the case of writing skill. Many of us can try a bit in
writing skill but we do not try as it may not be of some work of merit. It may but it 50% chance is that it may not be true
either. We do not write and on fine morning we will suddenly discover that we are writing very well. The chances are there
but the chances are very much. So we are to strive a bit and suddenly we can see it gets going and gradually it goes great.
The readers may enjoy and can make a positive criticism and in that the writers get directions or suggestion for
improvement of his writing. He can create his own identity for the generations to come and follow.

REFERENCES

1. Hill L. A Principles of Good Writing-.. Print

2. Hughey Jane B Why Write-. Web

3. English Syllabus for Madhyamik students of 2014. West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Print

4. English Syllabus for Higher Secondary students of 2014. West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Print

5. English Syllabus for Bachelor of engineering students of 2014. West Bengal Universities of Technology. Print

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 103-108
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

ELOQUENCE OF SILENCE IN ROLE-PLAY

LABANYA RAY MUKHERJEE

Assistant Professor, Department of English, Global Institute of Management and Technology, Krishnanagar, Nadia, India

ABSTRACT

While teaching in an engineering college situated in the rural West Bengal, India, I have experienced that, for the
students who come from different backgrounds (barring the ones coming from English medium background), speaking in
English is probably the toughest situation that they face. Role-play is an obvious choice of a language teacher to improve
the speaking skills of the students. In most of the cases, I found they prefer resorting to silence. Thus, I found a way out
and used their silence to boost up their confidence. My paper would guide to the use of body language in an ESL classroom
to facilitate the students in gaining confidence to speak English. It would show how silence or various uses of silence by
the students, can assist the teacher in understanding the subtleties behind student behaviour.

KEYWORDS: Classroom Communication, Body Language, Silence, Role-Play, Learning Process, Personal
Development, Confidence

INTRODUCTION

According to Dale Carnegie, the famous American writer and lecturer, “there are four ways and only four ways in
which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look,
what we say and how we say it.” In today’s world, effective communication is of utmost importance in every sphere.
Communication is conveying information to others through words – written or said- and through gestures. We are
successful in communicating with others only when we can express our feelings, messages, information, thoughts to some
other person in the manner in which we desire to. To ensure carrying out a successful communication, it is not only
important to say the right words but also the attitude with which we say those words matter. Henceforth lays the
importance of body language. Studies have shown that the words we use to express our feelings, hold only 7% importance
whereas 38% importance lies in the tone of the voice and the rest 55% lies in the body language.

As a teacher of ESP you not only need to follow the traditional method of language teaching to teach the rules of a
language – grammar, vocabulary but also need to make your students industry ready. In our country, English is taught as
ESP in almost all the engineering and management institutes. Here the learners are taught to use this language to help them
facilitate their success in their professional life. Therefore, ESP is widely different from EGP. In ESP, the concentration is
more on context and vocabulary whereas in EGP it is on the structures of language and grammar. In other words, here the
learners are taught that particular type of language that matches with their domain or occupation. Since the learners of ESP
are mostly from high schools, colleges and universities, you expect a certain level of proficiency from them.

What came as a surprise to me was a class taken by me in an engineering college in the initial days of my job.
The surprise continues till date every time I start with a new batch. My college is situated in rural Bengal and therefore
most of the students that take admission in this college is either from the surrounding small towns and villages or mostly
from villages of Bihar. Though they have had a paper on English in their higher secondary examinations, that was not

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
104 Labanya Ray Mukherjee

sufficient to make them proficient enough. As a teacher of ESP, I like most of the others in my domain resort to role play
as the first activity to be conducted in my class. However, to my utter surprise what I find is there are students in my class,
who instead of shedding their inhibitions while doing such a fun activity, resort to complete silence. They are more
conscious of the fact that if they fumble, they might be criticized or laughed at by their peers and so they prefer resorting to
silence. This paper of mine sheds light on the role of silence in the role-play.

What is Silence?

Keith Basso (Basso,1970) was one of the first cultural and linguistic anthropologists who investigated the study of
silence. Silence, to many of us is a disruption in the smooth conversational flow. However, if we look around us minutely,
we would find silence being practiced in very important situations in our culture, in our life. Let us take for example, a
couple getting married, in Indian ritual, when the bride and groom look at each other’s eyes for the first time or when the
groom puts the vermillion on the bride’s forehead, both does not utter any word. We show respect in the form of silence.
We show our condolences and bereavement of a lost one in silence. We offer our prayer in silence. If silence can be
observed in such grave situations then why do we make a fuss out of it if our students go silent for a while? Instead,
we should read their silence and help them grow as a better speaker.

As an ESP teacher, initially I was intolerant towards silence in the classroom. I always wanted my students to
speak in a flow without any pause but as days passed by, I slowly became tolerant towards silence. I started exploring the
usage of silence by my students. Earlier words were considered communicator only whereas silence was labeled as
non-communicator. But with the progress of research works on this field, silence is now seen as communicative. Though it
is still defined as the absence of speech, but silence can have meaning. Yan Zuo (Zuo,2002) defined silence as
“periods of non-speech or non-vocalization in conversation”.

Functions of Silence

Silence has different functions – prosodic, cognitive, social, stylistic, interactive, politeness functions.

When we speak, we do not really go on and on. Apart from changing tones, pitches and intonation we take pauses,
we take breath in between. This silence in form of pauses and breath are boundaries of utterances. These can be labeled as
prosodic features of discourse. Silence now has many other functions beyond the prosodic function, which is believed to be
one of the earliest functions of silence.

Even the pauses and breath taken in between utterances, serve a function. Certain pauses help the speaker to think
of the context, whereas some others just serve as a filler. The filler kind of silence or within-turn silence helps a speaker to
fill the gap when he/she hesitates during his/her speech. This kind of silence generally helps the speaker to choose
vocabulary and Zuo has rightly proved this proposition by documenting the occurrence of this kind of silence just before
functional words. As such, it reflects the speaker’s lexical decision-making process. It not only helps in syntactic planning
but also in semantic planning. Therefore, silence is not an error in speech in fact it serves as the cognitive function.

Now how does it serve as social function? Well, at times what happens is we maintain a minute’s silence to show
respect to someone who passed away. We go for a silent march to show our discontent with some particular situation.
We remain silent during mass prayers. We maintain our silence when we dislike or disagree with someone. These are
various ways how silence serves as social function. Silence therefore is responsible to create, maintain and reduce social
distance between communicators.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Eloquence of Silence in Role-Play 105

We often have listened to our grandfather and grandmother narrating stories to us in our childhood. If we go down
the memory lane, we would remember they took certain breaks while narrating those stories. That particular pause that
they took enhanced our curiosity to know further and faster. In fact poets or rather one who recites maintain a certain pause
and silence in between lines and before certain functional words to make the word carry more weightage than the others.
Orators often while giving their speech maintains a silence in between for applause or to catch the reaction of the audience.
In all these cases mentioned above silence serves as a stylistic device.

Silence is often a marker for a listener to take his turn. When one speaks, he usually pauses in between and at last.
The pause at the end of the speech is more than the pause in between the lines. This longer pause helps the listener to
understand that the speaker has finished his speech and now he/she can reply or give a feedback. This is not the only way
where silence serves an interactive function. While serving interactive function it also communicates a lot to the audience.
For e.g. a speaker/listener often resorts to silence if he/she is surprised or confused or say if he/she does not understand a
particular concept. Silence can also be expressed to show anger, sadness, madness, ecstasy.

Jaworski said “it is easier to undo silence than to undo words”. Therefore, we can assume why there is an
increased usage of silence when one is in conflict with one another. It simply helps us to avoid any further conflict.
We generally badmouth people when we are angry, so maintaining silence during our anger, at times saves relationships
from breaking as once your anger lessens down you can easily sort things out by speaking to each other. When we deal
with persons of high repute and old persons, we generally remain silent during our discourse if we show disrespect to his
talk. This is a polite gesture to show our disagreement with the subject. In certain cultures children are taught to maintain
silence, they are taught to speak less words. For them, silence acts as a politeness.

Problems Faced in Classroom

Like any other ESP teacher, I conduct an introductory session in my initial assigned classes with any batch.
My class consists of mainly people from vernacular background and therefore they are shy and afraid when it comes to
speaking in English. Motivations initially to speak out did not help them much. Lectures regarding the importance of
speaking English in their professional life could not also bring them back to track. That is when I started doing role-play.
However, what I faced instead was a bunch of silent faces staring blank at me, or looking here and there to avoid eye
contact and so on. I was worried because I felt if I could not make them speak in English within few days I might be
sacked off my job. Silence is very frustrating for an ESP teacher as the only way the fluency of your learners can be
developed is through continuous use of language. That is when I started analyzing their silence to boost their confidence
level and improve their proficiency. Initially I struggled to understand the root cause of the sudden silence

METHODOLOGY

My classroom in which I conducted my research consisted of 30 students from different background. I divided
them into groups for role-play, with six in each group. I gave them different situations to act on. While one group acted,
I kept the rest five groups as an audience to decipher the meaning of silence from the participants. This was basically done
to know the reaction of the audience in general.

I mostly concentrated on two questions to the audience and one to the participants/actors, which they had to
answer.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
106 Labanya Ray Mukherjee

The questions to my audiences were:

• What are the reasons that the audiences attribute to the participant’s silence?

• Which kind of silences do they consider positive and which ones do they consider negative?

The questions to my participants were:

• What reasons will you give for your instance of silence during role-play?

OBSERVATION/STUDY

What came to me, as lifetime learning through this research is that for teachers of any language, silence remains a
crucial element. Silence cannot be studied alone; it has to be associated with body language. Now what exactly is body
language? It is the idea or information, which we communicate not just through words but our entire body. Body language
consists of non-verbal communications including gestures, body posture, facial expressions, eye movements, touch, voice
and physical space. Whenever we talk of body language, we also simultaneously talk of its advantages. Body language
allows people to develop a deeper understanding of others, which in turn allows them to strengthen their relationships.
Knowledge of body language can help you to persuade others better. Through the gestures and non-verbal signals, we can
better understand other people’s likes and dislikes. This would allow you to customize your ideas or offer something to
match their needs. It increases your self-awareness which can ultimately help you improve your emotional intelligence and
it also increases your confidence and self esteem as you become more aware of how others feel, how you are seen by them
and how to control your interpersonal communication more effectively. Body language is nothing but nonverbal cues,
which play a significant role in analyzing and interpreting the silence.

Keeping the background of the students in mind, I started working on the analysis of silence. What I particularly
found worth mentioning is, the answers in their worksheets differed from each other, which was mainly because of their
background in which they were brought up. While most of them identified silence in the same way, the interpretation
changed with each of them. The participants to show their resistance, their hesitation, their dissatisfaction, their inhibition,
their confusion, and to hide their negative points have used silences as a tool.

They have showed different gestures to communicate different feelings while keeping numb. Boys mostly have
fidgeted with their pockets, scratched their back of the head to show their hesitation and inhibition whereas girls on the
other hand have played with their hairs, skirts, have shaken their legs unconsciously to show their hesitation and inhibition.
To show surprise both the genders have had their eyes wide open and jaws wide open, whereas people from the richer
section better concealed their feelings with only eyes wide open. To show their dissatisfaction they moved here and there,
with concentration flying away. Dreamy boys coming mainly from villages generally looked outside the classroom
whereas boys coming from towns and cities with practical elements rooted in their mind, fidgeted with their gadgets.
Girls on the other hand preferred talking to their peers in their own mother language. Apart from all this, there were
students who not only did not show any gestures but also were totally blank with no vision and no auditory senses working.

RESULTS

Keeping all the gestures in mind the students were asked to interpret the silences. What came as a result was very
different from what I personally interpreted. The interpretation varied because of the upbringing of the students.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Eloquence of Silence in Role-Play 107

There was a particular boy whose father was a colonel in the army and as such he was brought up in a military
background. He was very much unaffected by the silences. He felt that being silent was very normal. He was himself a
very shy boy and was taught from an earlier age not to question much but to learn things by observing silently.
Therefore, he did not find people not asking out of hesitation to be from different world.

Whereas a girl who was a daughter of a schoolteacher, found silence to be very irritating. She interpreted silence
as wastage of time. She was taught to satisfy her curiosity from a very early age.

A boy from village who is by nature happy-go-lucky definitely found some gestures very funny, especially those
that showed surprised silence. For him it was a relief from the classroom activity.

A city boy interpreted the similar surprised silence as very silly. For him gestures can portray even your character
so there should not be so much of over show of expressions. It is very much evident from his interpretation that he has
been brought up in a very sophisticated environment where a minimum show of emotions and concealment of emotions
have been taught to him.

In most of the cases, silence has been considered positive when the learners have taken a short pause and filled it
with fillers to immediately get back. to the topic. It has also been considered positive when the participants of the
role-play have remained silent but with gestures have tried to communicate what they wanted to say. However, silence has
been considered negative when it has disrupted the smooth flow, which has disrupted the entire activity in turn.

Participants on the other hand have given various reasons for their silence. The most commons being the loss of
vocabulary, the inability to express, the feeling of humiliation in front of their peers, the fear of being laughed at if they
could not perform.

SOLUTION

Since silence stems out mostly from fear of speaking English in a role-play, what can be done is to allow the
students to have the first role-play through nonverbal cues. The fear mainly is because of the peer groups. In almost all the
cases people fumble because they are not ready to show their weakness in front of their friends. They fear that their friends
might think them to be weaker and hence they resort to silence. It is the ego that works primarily for them, and so activities
to shed the ego between peers and to bring coordination and cooperation should be devised.

Activities that I generally make them do strengthen their bond gradually and therefore with the passage of time
they keep their egos aside and come out to help others. One such activity is a game known as killing the murderer.
Sharing your dream can also be another game.

CONCLUSIONS

The content of this paper was determined by my teaching experience to students of different background with
different level of proficiency. Silence of the students that has bothered me initially has now become my forte to understand
the students after this research work. Silence, which has been seen as a non-communicator earlier, is now seen as one of
the most important linguistic device. It is no longer seen as an absence of speech but is now seen as an integral part of
speech. Silence not only communicates but also integrates meaning in the speech. This study shows that silence plays
different roles for different persons. For some it helps in advancing whereas for others it cuts short the way to success.
As an ESP teacher, one needs to read the silence of the participants. He/she should act as the facilitator in the classroom

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
108 Labanya Ray Mukherjee

and create the best ambience to open up. Instead of getting irritated with the silence, he/she should learn to take the cue
from the silence and carry on with the activities. A teacher is responsible to create an amiable ambience so that instead of
fearing the teacher or the peers, one opens up. This research work of mine has not only shed importance on the role of
silence but also how it can be used to develop the proficiency of the learners.

REFERENCES

1. Basso, Keith H. To give up on Words: Silence in the Western Apache Culture. Southwestern Journal of
Anthropology, 1970.

2. Clair, Robert N. St. The Social and Cultural Construction of Silence. 5 February 2014
<http://www.uri.edu/iaics/content/2003v12n3/08%20Robert%20N.%20St.%20Clair.pdf>.

3. Lemak, Alina. 10 February 2014

<https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/33661/1/lemak_alina_201211_MA_thesis.pdf>.

4. Sarkis, Dr. Stephanie. Here There and Everywhere. 9 September 2011. 26 January 2014
<http://whttp://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201109/43-quotes-body-language>.

5. Zuo, Yan. The golden silence: a pragmatic study on silence in dyadic English conversation. Lincom Europa, 2002.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 109-118
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

SOFT SKILLS – THE PEARL WITHIN THE SHELL-COVER

PRASENJIT BHATTACHARJEE
Applied Science & Humanities Department (English), Global Institute of Management & Technology, Krishnagar, India

ABSTRACT

Technical and job-related skills are a must, but they are not sufficient when it comes to finding a job or
progressing up the ladder. Another very important factor in this regard is that nowadays the traditional style of leadership
has already got out of track. So, now professional managers expect their employees to have something extra – an X-factor.
That X-factor is now called Soft Skills. But when the professionals and students are asked what these soft skills actually
are; when they are asked to mention the name of some soft skills, it has often been noticed that they do not have clear idea
about it. So, this paper would explore the different aspects of soft skills and help the individuals find out the pearl of Soft
Skills from the shell-cover of their ignorance or unclear knowledge. An intensive survey has been conducted to reach to
this conclusion.

The result of the survey shows that almost 56% people think that Soft Skills means having good Communication
Skills and having good personality. But Communication Skills and good personality are just two examples of 60 kinds of
Soft Skills. This paper would result in understanding different types of soft skills, so that people may be capable of finding
out the pearl from that shell-cover which often remains unnoticed in the crowd of so many other shell-covers. This paper is
also about setting up a new definition of Soft Skills.

KEYWORDS: Soft Skills, Shell-Cover, Personality, Communication, Unnoticed

INTRODUCTION

Few years ago it was normal to have a line at the top of a CV just stating a professional objective. What we see
now is a marked shift. Most companies now are less interested in the early stages of a hiring process at least. Technical and
job-related skills are a must, but nowadays they are not sufficient when it comes to finding a job or progressing up the
ladder. Hiring managers are more focused on the needs of the organization. Now it is all about what a candidate does well
and usually followed by the question “how quickly?” So, now professional managers expect their employees to have
something extra – an X-factor. That X-factor is now called Soft Skills. But when the professionals and students are asked
what these soft skills actually are; when they are asked to mention the name of some soft skills, it has often been observed
that they do not have clear idea about it. Many think that Soft Skills is just good communication skills and having a good
personality. But Communication Skills and good personality are just two examples of 60 kinds of Soft Skills.
To understand concept of Soft Skills clearer, this paper has strived to define Soft skills in an altogether new way, so that
people may be capable of finding out the pearl from that shell-cover which often remains unnoticed in the crowd of so
many other shell-covers.

The Concept of Soft Skills

As per the definition given by Wikipedia, Soft Skills is a term often associated with a person’s “EQ”
(Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits,

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
110 Prasenjit Bhattacharjee

friendliness and optimism that characterize relationship with other people. So, in short, Soft Skills are personal attributes
that enhance an individual’s interaction, job performance and career prospects. As per the definition given by Globe Fist
Management Solutions, Chennai, Soft skills are variously viewed as communication skills, interpersonal skills, and the
ability to work with others, and so on. A more complex definition is “a range of abilities including work ethic, courtesy,
sensitivity, communication skills, ability to accept and learn from criticism, ability to handle client relationships,
networking, creativity, ability to motivate yourself and lead others, time management, leadership and interpersonal skills.”
(K. Alex, 2012) “Soft Skills are essentially people skills – the non-technical, intangible, personality specific skills that
determine one’s strengths as a leader, listener, negotiator, and conflict mediator.” Thus, there are thousands kinds of
definitions of Soft Skills. But from all the definitions, one thing is very clear about Soft skills and that is,
“Soft Skills is the ability required and expected from persons for finding a suitable job, its maintenance and promotion.”
In this context, it is to be mentioned that as everything has its opposite – day-night, dull-exciting, hell-heaven – similarly
Soft Skills have also its opposite and that is called Hard Skills.

The Concept of Hard Skills

Hard skills are more along the lines of what might appear on one’s resume – your education, expertise, and level
of expertise. According to Investopedia, Hard Skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured.
Examples of Hard Skills include job skills like typing, writing, math, reading and the ability to use software programs; in
business, Hard Skills most often refer to accounting and financial modeling. Hard Skills are skills that people learn to do
well. Some people may not be able to learn all the hard skills because they learn something better than others. In this
context, it is to be clearly understood that Soft Skills complement Hard skills. But at the same time, Hard Skills cannot be
replaced with Soft Skills.

Soft Skills v/s Hard Skills

Soft Skills and Hard Skills are like two wings of a bird, without any of which a bird cannot soar into the sky.
Soft Skills are the inner qualities of an individual, and Hard Skills are the application of those qualities. That is why, Soft
Skills complement Hard skills. But at the same time, Hard Skills cannot be replaced with Soft Skills.

According to the researchers of Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada, Hard Skills are usually related to
professional knowledge, tools, or techniques that allow us to work within our profession. On the other hand, Soft skills are
the complete collection of our social, communication and self-management behaviors. These are the skills that enable us to
work effectively and “fit in” at the workplace. Soft skills have more to do with who we are than what we know. But Hard
skills have more to do with what we know than what we are.

Hard Skills are typically easy to observe, quantify and measure. They are also easy to train, because most of the
time the skill sets are brand new to the learner and no unlearning is involved. By contrast, Soft Skills are typically hard to
observe, quantify and measure. People skills are needed for everyday life as much as they are needed for work. They have
to do with how people relate to each other: communicating, listening, engaging in dialogue, giving feedback, cooperating
as a team member, solving problems contributing in meetings and resolving conflict.

So, from the above discussion, it is clear that one must have perfectly balanced blending of Soft Skills and Hard
Skills to be a successful professional. In this context, it should again be mentioned that Soft Skills complement hard skills.
But at the same time, Hard Skills cannot be replaced with Soft Skills.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Soft Skills – The Pearl within the Shell-Cover 111

Importance of Soft Skills

Soft skills are very important

• To handle interpersonal relations

• To take appropriate decisions

• To communicate effectively

• To have good impression and impact to gain professional development

Apart from this, according to a survey, “Soft skills are very important in business. It is essential to be technically
sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner.”
Another report says, “Planning is necessary, but execution is also equally important, and it takes soft skills to execute any
idea because it involves dealing with people directly”.

Thus, Soft Skills really play a major role in one’s success in life, especially in profession. Dr. K. Alex says,
“They help one to excel in the workplace and their importance cannot be denied in this age of information and knowledge.
Soft Skills in the highly competitive corporate world will help you stand out in a crowd of regular job seekers with
ordinary skills and talent.”

Soft Skills are essentially social skills. Studies prove that socially acceptable profile and skills are necessary to
make a good employee. The ever-changing impact of technology and the style of management pay so much attention to
Soft Skills, because they really play a very important role for the success of an organization. Organizations, particularly
those dealing with customers face to face, are generally more prosperous if they train their employees to use these skills.
These skills are also important for those organizations which do not deal with customers directly, to maintain interpersonal
relationship among its employees.

Studies by Stanford Research Institute and the Carnegie Mellon Foundation among Fortune 500 CEOs found that
75% of the long term job success depends on people skills and only 25% on technical skills. The annual rankings of MBA
colleges often place communication and interpersonal skills as the most critical skills needed for success in the corporate
world. Noted academic Prof. Henry Mintzberg while speaking on the importance of soft skills for MBAs, refers to the
crucial "soft" skills - leadership, teamwork, communication, and the ability to think “outside the box” of a discipline - that
separate the best from the rest in the management world.

Companies in the IT, BPO, KPO, Biotech, and Pharmaceuticals industries have found that their people need soft
skills to work effectively in cross-functional or project teams, local teams or global teams. But in this context, it should
also be remembered that Soft skills cannot be taught, but it can be developed through proper training. The importance of
Soft Skills can be can be understood from the Pyramid Image beside. It is even more important than academic knowledge
and technical knowledge.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
112 Prasenjit Bhattacharjee

Figure 1: (Pyramid Image) →

Types of Soft skills

The Smyth County Industry Council, a governing body based in the US, conducted a survey recently. The result
of the survey was called the Workforce Profile. They found that there are at least 60 soft skills sought by the employers.
A few of them are Motivational skills, Reporting to work on time, Personal energy, Willingness to be a good worker and
go beyond the traditional eight-hour day, Communication skills etc. But it is clear that nobody can have all the Soft Skills
at once. Behavioral training experts say there are at least six soft skills that are required for every hard-nosed professional.
They are Interpersonal skills, Team spirit, Social grace, Business etiquette, Negotiation skills, and Time management.

Survey about Soft Skills

So, from the detailed study of Soft Skills, it is evident that Soft Skills are people skills. That means that everyone
has soft skills. Therefore, everyone should be aware of these Soft skills, so that they can identify these skills within
themselves and can nurture them for their own improvement, not only in their professional fields, but also in their social
and personal field. Soft Skills are essentially social skills. Studies prove that socially acceptable profile and skills are
necessary to make a good employee. One must have perfectly balanced blending of Soft Skills and Hard Skills to be a
successful professional.

Now, with a view to test the awareness of the people of soft skills, a survey was conducted. 100 people were taken
in the survey. The participants are mainly the engineering students and teachers as well as responsible administrators
working in the corporate sector, such as Global Institute of Management and Technology (GIMT), Texas A&M University,
Saroj Mohan Institute of Technology, Techno India (SMIT), Dr. B.R. Ambedker College, Adamas Institute of Technology,
Modern Institute of Technology, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant Technology Solution (CTS),
Badkulla United Academy, Gobrapota Netaji Hish School, Krishnagar Government College and so on. Three questions
were asked to the participants. All the participants were also requested to give their personal opinion about it, without
searching any book or internet.

• What is the definition of Soft Skills, according to you?

• Do you think that it is necessary for everyone to have Soft Skills?

• Name some Soft Skills.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Soft Skills – The Pearl within the Shell-Cover 113

Table 1: A Structured Interview Session was conducted with all the Participants.
The Following is the Details of the Survey

Sl. No. Name & Designation Definition of Soft Skills Necessity? Examples

Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Professional and social Value spectrum of a good
Majumder, activities to focus as life,
1 Yes
Principal, GIMT knowledge about science, Integrated personality,
WB, India technology and engineering. Moral & ethical value etc.
Team spirit,
Mr. Sourav Kundu, Associated with Personality
Flexibility,
Sr. Operations Executive, TCS, traits, social graces,
2 Yes Communication,
Saltlake, Kolkata, communication, personal
Problem solving skills,
WB, India habits, interaction.
Creative thinking etc.
Mr. Aniruddha Roy,
Assistant Professor, AS&H It may be defined as
3 Dept., GIMT Listening, speaking skills Yes Communication Skills
WB, India and proper body language.
Aniruddha.rick@yahoo.com
Dr. Nasreen Khan Associated with good Good Communication
Head, AS&H Dept. GIMT communication skill, good Skills, Pleasant
4 Yes
WB, India personality & proper personality, Body
nasreen.khan10@gmail.com etiquette. language etc.
Mr. Tapan Mukhopadhyay
Personal development of an Body Language
Assistant Professsor,
individual through good Etiquette,
5 ECE Dept., SMIT Yes
presentation of one’s own Presentation Skill
Hooghly, India
self. Dressing sense
tapanmukx@gmail.com
Mr. Abhishek Mukherjee
Assistant Professsor,
One’s uniqueness in doing
6 ECE Dept., SMIT, Yes Uniqueness.
anything.
Hooghly, India.
abhinadia@gmail.com
Mr. Supriyo Roy
Being dedicated for the Dedication,
Assistant Professsor,
organization and knowing Honesty,
7 ECE Dept., SMIT Yes
all about how the Positive attitude,
Hooghly, India
organization runs. Pleasant personality.
Supriyo.tech@gmail.com

Mr. Ayan Das

Assistant Teacher (Chemistry) Proper personality to face
8 Yes Can’t mention.
Gobrapota Netaji High School the real world.
WB, India

Associated with English

Mr. Sadhan Kumar Roy communication with the
Assistant Teacher (English) proper understanding of the Effective English
9 Yes
Shaktinagar High School impulse of the person who Communication
WB, India is being spoken to, in short,
identifying people.

Mr. Bholanath Saha

Guest Lecturer Positive & negative
10 Going for self-inspection. Yes
Dr. B.R. Ambedker College aspects.
WB. India

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
114 Prasenjit Bhattacharjee

Table 1: Contd.,
Mr. Swapan Chowdhury
It’s about keeping up
Assistant Teacher (English)
patience for the right Good time management,
11 Badkulla United Academy, WB, Yes
moment to come and to be Patience.
India
successful in life.
Chowdhury140982@gmail.com
Interpersonal and
Positive Attitude,
Mr. Aritra Ghosh broadly applicable attributes
Yes, even a Good Communication
Research Assistant that enhance an individual's
dumb Skills,
12 Computer Science Department interactions, job
person has Time Management
Texas A & M University, USA performance and career
soft skills. Abilities,
aritra.tech@gmail.com prospects.
Problem-Solving Skills.
Dr. Rupak Bhattacharyya Delicate features that
HOD & Associate Professor, augment a person’s Communication skills,
Department of Mathematics communication Team building,
13 Yes
Adamas Institute of Technology, performances and Influencing skill,
Kolkata, India professional and personal Opposite of backbiting.
rupakmath@gmail.com developments.
Mr. Nrisingho Prasad Sarkar
Accountant, Math,
The skills which make my
14 Kalyani court (Sub-division) Yes Using techniques,
work easier to do.
Kalyani, WB, India. Common sense.
onlynir@gmail.com
Finer issues of
Art of silence,
Mr. Manas Moulic human behaviour. It is the
Art of communication
Assistant Professor (English) way we carry and present
15 Yes Proxemics,
GIMT, WB, India ourselves. It could be learnt
Supra-segmental features
manaseng82@gmail.com and be a conscious effort of
of language and its views.
an individual.
Miss. Labanya Ray Mukhrjee The main requirement of
Etiquette,
Assistant Professor (English) any individual to get success
16 Yes Grooming,
GIMT, WB, India in professional life as well
Communication Skill.
labanya.kly@gmail.com as personal life.
Agility,
Emotional balance or
Mr. Samrat Kar Most important requirement
‘EQ’,
Ex Assistant Professor (English) of future career
17 Yes Performance-oriented
GIMT, WB, India advancement. It’s all about
approach,
samrat_om679@gmail.com development of personality.
Mental & physical
strength, grooming.
Mr. Subinto Mondal
Honesty,
Teacher Satisfying others with
18 Yes Truthfulness,
iLEAP (Pathfinder) honesty.
Helpfulness.
subintomondal@yahoo.com
It’s all about convincing
Mrs. Sutapa Bannerjee Communication skill,
people and helping the
19 Field Manager Yes Public speaking skills,
organization to achieve its
Rosevalley Entertainment Problem solving ability.
goal.

Smartly presenting oneself Smartness,

Mr. Raktim Mishra
through effective Good Communication
Area Sales Head
20 communication and Yes skill,
Vinayak Autotrade Pvt. Ltd.
expressing leadership Convincing power,
raktim.vinayakauto@gmail.com
quality. Good personality.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Soft Skills – The Pearl within the Shell-Cover 115

Table 1: Contd.,
Group discussion,
Mr. Tamal Sarkar The skill which is required
Communication skills,
System Engineer by me most in my group
21 Yes Presentation skills,
TCS, Kolkata, WB, India discussion & presentation
Willingness for
sessions.
participation.
Mr. Debojyoti Mitra
Good personality,
Sales Executive Skills required for
22 Yes Communication skills,
MIS promotion in the company.
Convincing power.
mitradebajoti16@gmail.com
Mr. Dipankar Saha Public speaking skills and
Speaking power,
23 Sales Executive convincing people to fill up Yes
Reasonability.
MTS. the sales target.
Mrs. Anindita Saha (Nandi) Understanding people and
24 Office Assistant understanding one’s own Yes Can’t mention.
GIMT, WB. India self.
Mrs. Sutapa Roy Nandi Effective Communication,
Personality traits, social
Senior Office Assistant Pleasant Personality,
25 graces, communication, Yes
GIMT, WB. India Etiquette,
personal habits, interaction.
ksutaparoy@gmail.com All social graces.
Miss. Anamika Saha
Student,
Shimurali Sachinandan College Being Communicative and Good personality,
26 Yes
of Education acceptable to others. Communication skills
WB. India
only.anamikasaha@gmail.com
Mr. Subhojit Chakroborty
Politeness
Postal Assistant Behaving with others
27 Yes Good behaviour
Krishnagar head Post Office effectively and grooming
Attention to clients
subhajit.post@gmail.com
Mr. Kingsuk Das
Human resource power that
Assistant Teacher
improves human being and Reading facial expression,
28 Chakdivnagar GSSP School, Yes
protects him from many Honesty,
WB. India
unwanted situations.
kingsukdas1990@gmail.com
Miss. Tanusree Pal Honesty should be the
Required by all for being a
29 Assistant Teacher Yes main and only example
good human being.
Ghurni Panchberia GSSP School according to me.
Miss Debolina Bits
The skills which are used Language proficiency,
Assistant Professor
repeatedly in our daily Some particular
30 (Mathematics) Yes
work, in our habit, and even acceptable habits,
GIMT, WB. India
in our absence of mind. Speaking skills.
debolina.bit@gmail.com
Mr. Ratnadip Dey Term associated with Communication skills,
Programming Analyst, professionals and referring Optimism,
31 Yes
CTS, Kolkata, WB, India to the qualities such as Professional habits,
ratnadip87@gmail.com optimism, social graces etc. Social graces.
Mr. Asis Chakrabarty An inherent ability of a
Convincing power,
Registrar, human being, through which
32 Yes Confidence,
GIMT, WB. India a person can make himself
Communication skills.
asis231969@gmail.com marketable.
It’s a combination
Mr. Indranil Banerjee
of communication, attitude, Good personality,
Marketing Manager
33 smartness, personality, Yes Good attitude,
Modern Institute of Technology
presentation, eye contact Eye contact.
WB, India.
etc. It’s multi-dimensional

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
116 Prasenjit Bhattacharjee

Table 1: Contd.,
It’s a Way of behavior. It
Ananya Basu Communication Skills,
helps individuals to develop
34 Student, GIMT Yes Business etiquette.
their interpersonal
abose57@hotmail.com Good manners.
relationships.
Ankit Sikder Good personality,
These skills are abstract,
35 Student, GIMT Yes Positive attitude,
which make growth better.
Smartness.
Shankar Sutrodhar
36 Soft skills is common sense. Yes Don’t know
Student, GIMT
Skills that make
Mrinmoy Bandopadhyay our work easier, help us to
Argument,
37 Student, GIMT gain knowledge, develop Yes
Communication skills.
our personality and teach us
how to work in a team.
Debnath Mondal Behaviour,
Skills that give us values in
38 Student, GIMT Yes Body language,
life.
Personality.

So, among the 100 participants, the above 38 participants gave somehow right concepts of soft skills, although it
is noticeable that each of the participants defined and explained soft skills in his/ her own way. But from everyone’s
contribution, no specific concept of Soft Skills can be reached. Of the rest 62, 56 participants understand Soft skills only as
having English Communication power and good personality. The rest 6 participants have commented that they have no
idea of Soft Skills.

The Result of the Survey

So, as the result of the survey shows, 38% people have defined Soft Skills from their own point of view.
51% people have opined that they understand Soft Skills only as having good English Communication power and good
personality. 6% participants have said that they just know the name of Soft Skills but don’t know anything about it. But the
note of interest in this survey is that almost all the participants hold English Communication power and good personality as
the common characteristic of Soft Skills. Another thing is remarkable here that from everyone’s contribution, no specific
concept or definition of Soft Skills can be achieved. This proves that almost all the people have quite unclear idea of Soft
Skills. The result of the survey has been graphically presented in the following diagram:

38% = Concrete ideas of Soft Skills

56% = Partial idea of Soft Skills

6% = No idea of Soft Skills.

Figure 2

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Soft Skills – The Pearl within the Shell-Cover 117

CONCLUSIONS

The survey shows that although nobody has any doubt about the necessity of Soft skills, but most of the people
are not conscious about what soft skills actually are. Even many Soft skills training experts think that Soft skills are just
English communication skills and having good personality, which is no doubt wrong. Communication Skills and good
personality are just two examples of 60 kinds of Soft Skills. So, there is lack of awareness among most of the people.
In this context, we must remember what Peggy Klaus, adviser, author, leadership and communication expert said about
Soft Skills, “Soft Skills get little respect, but will make or break your career.” There is also the lack of clear idea about Soft
Skills among the people. Perhaps people are quite confused about the definition of Soft Skills. We should first need to
understand that Soft skills are essentially not those skills which are soft in nature. These are the people skills. So, all the
people (of any profession) undoubtedly have soft skills. But what might be an appropriate and easily understandable
definition of soft skills, which should never be bookish. To define Soft skills, I would like to be quite symbolic and
compare Soft skills to the pearl within any shell-cover. So, to me, Soft skills are like the pearl within a shell-cover.
What happens if we find a shell-cover on the sea shore? We just look into it to see whether there is pearl in it or not.
If there is a pearl, we preserve it; otherwise we just throw it away. Similarly, Soft Skills is like the pearl within our
personality. Our personality or character is the shell-cover, whereas pearl is the epitome of all our qualities and skills,
which may be called as Soft Skills altogether.

REFERENCES

1. Alex, Dr. K. Soft Skills Know Yourself & Know the World. New Delhi: S. Chand Publisher, 2012. Print.

2. n.d. 2009 February 2014. <http://softskillsindia.com/aboutsoftskillsindia/corporateoverview.html>.

3. Career Resources. n.d. 12 February 2014. <http://ce-online.ryerson.ca/ce/default.aspx?id=2808>.

4. Hard Skills. n.d. 9 February 2014. <http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hard-skills.asp>.

5. Importance of Soft Skills. 10 February 2014. <http://www.globefist.com/importance-of-soft-skills>.

6. Klaus, Peggy. About the book. 11 February 2014. <www.peggyklaus.com/books/the-hard-truth-about-soft-skills>.

7. Soft Skills. n.d. 10 February 2014. <http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/soft-skills.asp>.

8. Soft Skills. n.d. 15 January 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills>.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 119-128
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

DEVELOPING ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS: SOME USEFUL TIPS

SAMRAT KAR
Freelance Academician & Educationist

ABSTRACT

The ability to communicate effectively in English has became exceedingly important in relationships, education
and work-so far the twenty-first century globalized milieu is concerned; and this requires a typical dexterity and adroitness
on the part of the communicator. This is because communication is basically the process of transferring signals/messages
between a sender and a receiver, being the mechanism we use to establish and modify relationships in personal /
professional sphere.

In this paper, I am mainly concerned about the development of English communication skills of English language
learners, with English as a Foreign Language and English as a Second Language. Now, the edifice of English
communication constitutes speaking, listening, reading and writing English in ways that reflect natural language use.

Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving, and processing
information. Speakers must be able to anticipate and then produce the expected patterns of specific discourse situations.
An ideal speaker should avoid monotone and use dynamics. His/Her pitch should raise and lower periodically; and the
speaker should ‘animate’ his/her voice as and when necessary. Radio DJs are usually a good example of this. Apart from
that, one should observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well; and should try to imitate them. A speaker
should watch television to do that; and should repeat what they are saying, while imitating the intonation and rhythm of
their speech. Until the speaker learns the correct intonation and rhythm of English, he should slow his speech down.
The meaning of the spoken words should be carried by way of voice-modulation; and by adhering to stress and intonation
patterns. One should not speak too quickly and with a wrong intonation and rhythm, for native speakers will have a hard
time understanding him. One should not rather worry about his listener getting impatient with his slow speech, for it is
more important that everything the communicator says should be understood.

KEYWORDS: Development of English Communication Skills, Ideal Speaker, Lower Periodically, ‘Animate’

INTRODUCTION

Each language has its own quality of ‘cadence’. One should not use the music of his own language while speaking
English. Moreover, people are prone to judge the communicator’s competence through his vocabulary. As such, dictionary
and thesaurus are to be used for vocabulary-building. Furthermore, while going through the dictionary, the speaker should
try and familiarize himself with the phonetic symbols of his dictionary; and should look up the correct pronunciation of
words that are hard for him to say. He should record such words, listen to them and practice saying them. In fact, the
speaker should make a list of frequently used words that he finds difficult to pronounce; and should ask someone who
speaks the language well-to pronounce them for him. And it should be remembered that the ending of each word is to be
pronounced repeatedly, to see to it that the tail does not drop; for example, special attention should be paid to ‘-s’ and ‘-ed’
endings. Moreover, such a practice would help the speaker to strengthen the mouth muscles that one uses while speaking

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
120 Samrat Kar

English. Actually, research has shown that it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles
for speaking a new language; and there is no gainsaying the fact that if such be the situation, one should ‘read’ as much as
possible in English ‘aloud’ everyday. A speaker is also advised to record his own voice and listen to that for pronunciation
mistakes. This is a very important exercise because doing that will help the speaker to become conscious of the mistakes he
is making. One can change the way he speaks; but that would simply not happen overnight. People often expect instant
results and give up too soon. However, one can change the way he sounds if he is just willing to put some extra effort into
it. To be candid about it, various versions of the English language exist. As such, one has to begin by identifying the
category one falls into; and should start by improving the ‘clarity’ of his/her speech. First of all, the speaker should focus
on removing the mother tongue influence and the ‘Indianisms’ that creep into one’s English conversations. The English
speaker is advised to watch the English news on television channels like Star World, CNN, BBC and English movies on
Star Movies, HBO etc; he should also listen to, and sing English songs. While going across the English channels, one
should be definite about observing the delivery styles, vocabulary and body language of the anchors.

A very important requisite for an English language learner is that he ought not to hesitate; and should talk to
whoever he/she can. One should decide among his circle of friends that he would only talk in English with each other. This
way he can get rid of hesitation; and can also have his friends correct him when he is wrong. It is advised to start a
conversation with strangers in English. Since the communicator does not know the stranger personally, he/she would feel
less conscious about what they feel about him/her. Maintaining a diary to record the events of one’s day is a great way to
practice one’s writing skills. One can take one’s time to use new words and phrases when he writes in his diary.

An English language learner should also read the newspaper aloud whenever he/she can. A standard daily English
newspaper and the Readers Digest have very good reading material; and while reading ‘aloud’, one ought simultaneously
to record his voice and listen to it to know the areas--the sounds, words and alphabets that give the speaker trouble, and on
which he needs to work.

The mother tongue influence is a real problem for the speakers of English as a Foreign Language and English as a
Second Language. To reduce that, one must make more English speaking friends; and should make a determined effort to
speak only in English, even if the speaker keeps forgetting words, or tend to stammer, or his/her friend tend to laugh at
him/her. This will definitely require a lot of will power; but, is one of the most effective ways to enhance English
communication skill. Actually, if someone corrects the speaker’s pronunciation, he should not take offence; and instead the
speaker should be grateful that he/she is helping to correct the speaker; and that’s a question of attitude.

The speaker is suggested to try 3 to 5 new words and look up the meaning in a dictionary; and then he should try
and use these words in his daily work, and in his communication, to improve his vocabulary. He should also find
synonyms for words that give him trouble; and should also make use of such synonyms while communicating.

Furthermore, podcasts are available on the internet. These are audio and video files; and many of these can be
downloaded for free. These are a great way to practice listening skills and develop an understanding of different accents.

The speakers are suggested to cultivate the habit of going through Tongue Twisters for voice fluency. They
should also try to speak loudly in front of mirror.

So far English Language Learning is concerned, when presenting tasks, teachers should tell learners about the
language function to be produced in the task and the real context(s) in which it usually occurs. They should provide

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Developing English Communication Skills: Some Useful Tips 121

opportunities for interactive practice. Teachers should also be careful not to overload a speaking lesson with other new
material such as numerous vocabulary or grammatical structures; for, this can distract learners from the primary speaking
goals of the lesson. Assessing speaking can take many forms, from oral sections of standardized tests such as the Basic
English Skills Test (BEST) or the English as a Second Language Oral Assessment (ESLOA) to authentic assessments such
as progress checklists, analysis of taped speech samples, or anecdotal records of speech in classroom interactions. Speaking
is key to communication. By considering what good speakers do, what speaking tasks can be used in class, and what
specific needs learners report, teacher can help learners improve their speaking and overall oral competence.

As a young professional in today’s global business world, it is imperative that one is competent in both oral as
well as written communication. Important forms of oral communication at the workplace include:

• Building interpersonal relationships; and

• Giving presentations, and debating viewpoints effectively.

One needs to master oral skills for both in-person and over-the-phone interactions. Similarly, important written
communication includes:

• Writing professional e-mails,

• Putting together concise reports; and

• Creating visually powerful power point presentations.

To spruce up one’s writing skill, he is advised to read more and more. Just one has to read what interests him. The
basic goal is to read as much as one can. People tend to forget basic grammar when writing e-mails. An e-mail is nothing
more than a letter which is sent electronically. In an e-mail, one is advised to use special phrases while attaching
documents. For example, “Please find attached with this e-mail a report on…” This helps one sound professional.

Actually, for a second language learner, writing is an extension of listening and speaking. Therefore, the student
must be provided opportunities to build, extend, and refine oral language in order to improve written output. Since writing
involves some risk-taking, it is important for students to be comfortable taking risks. They need to know that their efforts
are appreciated, and that the message they are trying to convey is valued over the form. An approach that is ideally suited
for a second language learner should have the skills of listening, speaking and reading, naturally integrated with it. Pre-
writing is essential for the writer whose first language is not English. Especially, at the lower level of proficiency, students
have a limited lexicon; and therefore often have difficulty expressing their ideas. Therefore, teachers or other students may
need to assist second language students to generate vocabulary and grammatical structures relevant to the topic. Some
helpful suggestions are being discussed below:-

• Brainstorming has to be done depending on the students’ level of language-attainment. Writing down of ideas can
be done by the teacher, or by the native English speaking students; and the teacher may need to provide some
guidance by asking questions to elicit vocabulary and grammatical structures associated with the selected topic.

• Word banks are to be generated by the students, or as assigned by the teacher.

• Drawing and sketching enable students to illustrate ideas for which they do not have the language.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
122 Samrat Kar

• Discussion with native English-speaking peers or with the teacher facilitate the whole process

• Note-taking (often with the use of charts) is helpful.

• Graphic organizers are to be used for eliciting, organizing and developing background knowledge.

• Learners may be given some alternative models for addressing a writing task.

At the drafting stage, students write their ideas down using some of the notes, language and structures generated
during the pre-writing activities. Second language students especially need to be aware that their first draft does not have to
be perfect and that the purpose of this activity is to get words on paper. During the revising / editing stage, the second
language learners will need assistance from the teachers and from other students. Changes in writing will need to address
word usage and clarification of ideas, as well as grammatical accuracy, punctuation, spelling and capitalization.

There is often a wide discrepancy between what students can express in their first language and what there limited
foreign language lexicon enables them to do. They frequently take resort to using a dictionary to look up every word; and
end up with a literal translation that may be completely incomprehensible and even embarrassing. As such, practice
through the process of “translation” is in question so far learners with English as a second language is concerned. However,
“transliteration” might surely be of help at the initial phase of teaching-learning process.

From the perspective of theme or subject-matter; that is, the content and the treatment, there are various kinds of
writing: narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative, analytical etc. In dealing with all such types the writer should
have a clear idea of the topic. He / She should know how to approach the topic from various angles. The actual art of
writing, so far the English language learners are concerned, may pose a number of problems regarding how to begin, what
the language of expression should be, how to gather confidence during writing, how to be objective in writing, how to
leave a mark of individuality, how to consolidate and organize the ideas during the very process of writing etc. Effective
writing depends upon the writer’s word power, the active vocabulary, the usage, the knowledge of various sentence
patterns, the experimentation with the words and their connotations and syntax; and also with the rhythm of words in
combination and cluster. Writing also provides one the opportunity to be precise and to the point by calling a spade a
spade; and choosing words and expressions that have less sound and more sense. The following points ought to be kept in
mind to make English writing skills more effective:

• Grouping of ideas in paragraphs.

• Composition of paragraphs.

• The paragraph length.

• Transition from one paragraph to another paragraph, from one sentence to another sentence--using appropriate
overt and covert connectors.

• The topic sentences in each paragraph.

• Proper beginning and ending of a paragraph.

• Proper sentence-building.

• The length of sentences.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Developing English Communication Skills: Some Useful Tips 123

• The pattern of sentences

• The capital letters and appropriate punctuation.

• The agreement of subject and verb.

• The tense of the text.

• The sentence texture.

• The problems regarding adjectives and adverbs.

• The right jargon or the appropriate expression.

• Brevity and precision.

• Clarity of expression by removing vagueness, loaded words; and by avoiding abstract nouns.

• Spelling.

• Simpler and shorter word; new words and their meanings.

So far the comprehension in ‘reading’, of an English language learner is concerned, the ability of a reader to read
between the lines is the most appropriate single statement to visualize comprehension. For qualitative comprehension, we
must remember the following points:

• Associating experiences with meaning.

• Reacting to sensory images.

• Interpreting the connotations and denotations.

• Realizing the role of context in understanding words, sentences and paragraphs.

• Developing the ability to enlarge the meaning of what has been read.

• Inculcating the ability to enlarge the meaning of what has been read.

• Sharpening the ability to anticipate while reading; and connecting with what precedes.

A learner-reader has to pay attention to the following details to be good at comprehension:

• To visualize the points or ideas he or she is going to find out in the specific reading task.

• To be ready to identify the various stages concerning these points or ideas.

• To ponder over such stages of progress.

• To make inferences out of the details read.

• To be alert when the convert connectors like “The main point is,” “finally”, “consequently,” “depending on that,”
“but on the contrary,” “therefore,” “thus,” “however,” “hence,” “subsequently,” “analytically,” etc. pass by in the
process of reading.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
124 Samrat Kar

“Listening strategies” are techniques or activities that contribute directly to the comprehension and recall of
listening output. Listening strategies can be classified by how the listener processes the input.

“Top-down strategies” are listener-based; the listener taps into background knowledge of the topic, the situation
or context, the type of text, and the language. This background knowledge activates a set of expectations that helps the
listener to interpret what is heard and anticipate what will come next. “Top-down strategies” include:

• Listening for the main idea,

• Predicting,

• Drawing inferences, and

• Summarizing.

“Bottom-up strategies” are text-based; the listener relies on the language in the message; that is, the combination
of sounds, words, and grammar that creates meaning. “Bottom-up strategies” include:

• Listening for specific details,

• Recognizing cognates, and

• Recognizing word-order patterns.

Strategic listeners also use “meta-cognitive strategies” to plan, monitor and evaluate their listening:-

• They plan by deciding which listening strategies will serve best in a particular situation.

• They monitor their comprehension and the effectiveness of the selected strategies.

• They evaluate by determining whether they have achieved their listening comprehension goals; and whether the
combination of listening strategies selected was an effective one.

To extract meaning from a listening text, students need to follow the following basic steps:

• Figure out the purpose of listening. Activate background knowledge of the topic in order to predict or anticipate
the content, and to identify appropriate listening strategies.

• Attend to the parts of the listening input that are relevant to the identified purpose; and ignore the rest. This
selectivity enables students to focus on specific items in the input, and reduces the amount of information they
have to hold in short-term memory in order to recognize it.

• Check comprehension while listening and when the listening task is over. Monitoring comprehension helps
students detect inconsistencies and comprehension failures, directing them to use alternate strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

The English communicator has to try to speak fluently; and at the same time try to make sure whether people can
hear him when he speaks. Furthermore, he should not over-praise himself in front of the audience. He should also
remember that people will perceive him as nervous and unsure of himself if he talks fast. The most important thing is that
he should speak clearly and should not mumble; and should articulate himself in a better manner.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Developing English Communication Skills: Some Useful Tips 125

So far neutralizing one’s accent is concerned, by inculcating such practices in one’s daily lifestyle, as discussed in
this article, the communicator will get closer to sounding like a native English speaker; and can best Endeavour to equip
himself with a global accent--and he will speak not American or British English, but ‘correct English’. As such, by
listening, speaking, reading and writing English in a manner that ensures enhanced English communication skills; and
above all, by practising incessantly with confidence, a communicator is surely to develop the competence, readiness,
aptitude and attitude necessary to communicate effectively in English.

REFERENCES

1. Arter, J. A. (1989), Assessing communicative competence in speaking and listening: A consumer’s guide,
Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

2. Bachman, L. F. (1988). Problems in examining the validity of the ACTFL oral proficiency interview. Studies in
Second Language Acquisition, 10(2), 149-164.

3. Bachman, L.F. (1990). Fundamental considerations in language testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

4. Bachman, L.F., Lynch, B. K., & Mason, M. (1995). Investigating variability in tasks and rater judgments in a
performance test of foreign language speaking. Language Testing, 12(2), 238-257.

5. Bachman, L.F., & Palmer, A.S. (1981a) A multitrait – multimethod investigation into the construct validity of six
tests of speaking and reading. In A. S. Palmer, P. Groot, & G. Trosper (Eds.), The construct validation of tests of
communicative competence (pp. 149-165). Washington, DC: TESOL

6. Bachman, L. F., & Savignon, S. J. (1986). The evaluation of communicative language proficiency: A critique of
the ACTFL Oral Interview. Modern Language Journal, 70(4), 380-390.

7. Bailey, K.M. (1985). If I had known then what I know now: Performance testing of foreign teaching assistants.
In P.C. Hauptman, R. LeBlanc, & M. Wesche (Eds.), Second language performance testing (pp.153-180). Ottawa:
University of Ottawa Press.

8. Barrett, S. (2001). The impact of training on rater variability. International Education Journal, 2(1), 49-58.

9. Berwick, R., & Ross, S. (1996). Cross-Cultural pragmatics in oral proficiency interview strategies.
In M. Milanovic & N. Saville (Eds.), Studies in language testing 3: Performance testing, cognition, and
assessment: Selected papers from the 15th language testing research colloquium (pp. 34-54). Cambridge, UK:
Cambridge University Press.

10. Brindley, G. (1989). Assessing achievement in the learner-centered curriculum. Sydney: National Centre for
English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University.

11. Brown, A. (1995). The effect of rater variables in the development of an occupation-specific language
performance test. Language Testing, 12(1), 1-15.

12. Brown, H.D. (1994). Teaching by principles: an interactive approach to language pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.

13. Brown, H.D. (2004). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practices. London: Longman.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
126 Samrat Kar

14. Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching
and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1-47.

15. Chalhoub-Deville, M., & Fulcher, G. (2003). The oral proficiency interview and the ACTFL
guidelines: A research agenda. Foreign Language Annals, 36(4), 498-506.

16. Chalhoub-Deville, M., & Wigglesworth, G. (2005). Rater judgment and English language speaking proficiency.
World Englishes, 24(3), 383-391.

17. Chambers, L., & Ingham, K. (2011). The BULATS Online Speaking Test. Cambridge ESOL Research Notes, 43,
21-25.

18. Davies, A. (1985). Communicative language testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 22-33.

19. Duffy, C. (2007). An examination of test task characteristics and their effect on oral language test performance.
In C. Irvine-Niakaris & A. Nebel (Eds.), 2nd language testing & evaluation forum, Teaching and testing:
Opportunities for learning (pp. 20-43). Athens, Greece: Hellenic American Union

20. Fulcher, G., Davidson, F., & Kemp, J. (2011). Effective rating scale development for speaking tests: Performance
decision trees. Language Testing. 28(1), 5-29.

21. Grognet, A.G. (1997). Integrating employment skills into adult ESL instruction. ERIC Digest. Washington,
DC: National Center for ESL Literacy Education.

22. Halleck, G. (1992). The oral proficiency interview: Discrete point test or measure of communicative language
ability? Foreign Language Annals, 25(3), 227-231.

23. Isaacs, T. (2008). Towards defining a valid assessment criterion of pronunciation proficiency in non-native
English-speaking graduate students. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 64(4), 555-580.

24. Kormos, J., & Denes, M. (2004). Exploring measures and perceptions of fluency in the speech of second language
learners. System 32(2), 145-164.

25. Lumley, T. (1998). Perceptions of language-trained raters and occupational experts in a test of occupational
English language proficiency. English for Specific Purposes. 17(4), 347-367.

26. Matthews, M. (1990). The measurement of productive skills: Doubts concerning the assessment criteria of certain
public examinations. ELT Journal, 44(2), 117-121.

27. McNamara, T. (1996). Measuring second language performance. London: Longman

28. Mead, N., & Rubin, D. L. (1985). Assessing listening and speaking skills. Retrieved from
http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-923/speaking.htm

29. Moholt, G., & Presler, A. (1986). Correlation between human and machine ratings of Test of Spoken English
reading passages. In C. W. Stansfield (Ed.), Technology and language testing (pp. 111-128). Washington, DC:
TESOL.

30. North, B. (2000). The development of a common framework scale of language proficiency. New York: Peter Lang.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Developing English Communication Skills: Some Useful Tips 127

31. O’Malley, J.M., & Pierce, L.V. (1996). Authentic assessment for English language learners: Practical
approaches for teachers. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing.

32. Plakans, B.S., & Abraham, R.G. (1990). The testing and evaluation of international teaching assistants.
In D. Douglas (Ed.), English language testing in U.S. colleges and universities (pp.68-81). Washington, D.C:
NAFSA.

33. Raffaldini, T. (1988). The use of situation tests as measures of communicative ability. Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, 10(2), 197-216.

34. Rivers, W.M. (1981). Teaching foreign language skills (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

35. Ross, S. (1987). An experiment with a narrative discourse test. In K.M. Bailey, T. L. Dale, & R. T. Clifford
(Eds.), Language testing research: Selected papers from the 1986 Colloquium (pp. 60-69). Monterey, CA:
Defense Language Institute.

36. Ross, J. A. (2006). The reliability, validity, and utility of self-assessment. Practical assessment, Research and
Evaluation, 11(10). Retrieved from http://pareonline.net/pdf/v11n10.pdf

37. Saif, S. (2002). A needs-based approach to the evaluation of the spoken language ability of international teaching
assistants. The Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5, 145-167.

38. Savignon, S. (1985). Evaluation of communicative competence: The ACTFL provisional proficiency guidelines.
Modern Language Journal, 6, 129-134.

39. Shohamy, E., Gordon, C.M., & Kramer, R. (1992). The effect of raters’ background and training on the reliability
of direct writing tests. Modern Language Journal. 76(1), 27-33.

40. St. John, J. (1992). The Ontario test of ESL oral interaction test. System, 20(3), 305-316.

41. Stansfield, C.W. (Ed) (1986). Technology and language testing. Washington, DC: TESOL

42. Stansfield, C.W., & Kenyon, D.M. (1996). Comparing the scaling of speaking tasks by language teachers and by
the ACTFL guidelines. In A. Cumming & R. Berwick (Eds.), Validation in language testing (pp. 124-153)
Cleveland: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

43. Swain, M. (1984). Large-scale communicative language testing: A case study. In S. Savignon & M. Berns (Eds.),
Initiatives in communicative language teaching (pp. 185-201). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

44. Terry, R.M. (1986). Testing the productive skills: A creative focus for hybrid achievement tests. Foreign
Language Annals, 19(6), 521-528.

45. Upshur, J. A., & Turner, C.E. (1995). Constructing rating scales for second language tests. ELT Journal, 49(1), 3-
12.

46. Van Moere, A. (2006). Validity evidence in a group oral test. Language Testing, 23(4), 411-440.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
International Journal of English
and Literature (IJEL)
ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Special Edition, Jun 2014, 129-140
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

NARRATIVE CONSTRUCTION OF APTITUDE TEST QUESTIONS: AN EXPLORATION

AMRITA BASU,& SOHINI DATTA

Department of Applied Science & Humanities, Haldia Institute of Technology, Haldia, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

The paper uses the tools of ‘narratology’ to explore the narrative predominance in mathematical questions as seen
in most of the ‘aptitude tests’ carried out, for placements, by various companies (core sectors as well as software sectors)
mainly in private engineering colleges. The intertwining of ‘narrative’ or the ‘mini-story’ element constructed in English
with mathematical questions is a characteristic found generally in texts for junior classes at the school level. There is,
however, a total fall-out with the mini-story element in mathematics questions designed for senior school students (i.e.
after Std X). This process continues through the four years of studying the B.Tech degree, where irrespective of the branch,
pure mathematics papers generally continue only till the third semester, with minimum focus on narrative oriented
questions. That the aptitude test questions are constructed in English and have a frequent ‘mini-narrative’ element brings
on a reemergence of narrative constructed in the English language intertwining itself with mathematical concepts (as seen
in junior school textbooks). This actually confuses many students facing the aptitude tests as some find it too difficult to
come out of the mathematical mold, many cannot amalgamate English with Mathematics, and some do not practice at all
thinking that they will pass anyway as the questions are similar to those faced by them in their junior school. As a result,
multiple students fail to clear the tests as these tests transcend their comfort zone of mathematical questions. The paper
tries to explore the issues and challenges pertaining to the problem and concentrates primarily on Central Board or CBSE
mathematics textbooks (Std I-XII) and a plethora of aptitude test questions designed by various core and software
companies for placement of engineering students of private colleges. It further will attempt to investigate certain issues
relating to engineering students’ intelligence while appearing for these kinds of aptitude tests and the role of English
Language teachers in handling this.

KEY WORDS: Aptitude Test, Mini-Story, Narrative, Intertwine, Text

INTRODUCTION

Aptitude tests constitute a considerable (and formidable) part of the job selection process for B.Tech students.
Placement, as it is well known, is as much a process of rejection as it is one of selection. If 10 students get selected, about
100 are rejected. The first criteria for selection for most companies (software companies as well as core companies) are
clearing the Aptitude test. If 50 out of 100 students clear the Aptitude test, then they are considered fit for appearing in the
Group Discussion (in which another 10 students may be eliminated from the selection process), Technical round (where
again another 10 students will be eliminated from selection) and finally the HR (which again will eliminate another set of
10 students from the process). The final 20 thus make it to receiving an offer of traineeship at the prospective company.

Generally if there is 60 min time given, then 70 verbal aptitude questions are asked. In case of numerical ability,
for 60 min, 50 questions are asked. Or sometimes in 30 min students have to attempt 40 questions related to verbal ability
and 35 questions related to numerical ability in another 30 minutes (This is the more standard practice as in 1hour time,

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
130 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

both numerical and verbal aptitude gets tested and most companies would not spend 2 hours carrying out aptitude test) And
this holds true irrespective of software companies or core companies. Further numerical reasoning ability problems may be
broken up into 6 categories (each category roughly having 5 questions which makes it a total of 30 questions)

Picture Reasoning

In this section, a series of pictures are given which may consist of picture series, picture analogy or picture
classification.

Statement Reasoning

In this section, sequence questions like seating arrangement or money distribution or height arrangement are
given. A set of five questions are based directly on the statements given.

Data sufficiency

Here a set of two statements are given followed by 5 options which satisfy the answer for the statements. You
have to decide which option best suits the answer.

Data Interpretation

This section consists of a direct sequence of 5 questions based on the data which is provided in the form of table
charts, bar charts, pie charts or line charts.

Relation Problem

This section consists of questions which are similar to the sets and relations like students with biology, maths,
physics and chemistry, maths and biology, only physics, etc., and questions related as such.

Syllogism

This section consists of statement followed by two conclusions. We need to pick out from 5 options which suits
the best answer

It would not be out of place to mention that going by the nature of sections from which problems are asked,
narrative element plays a huge role in such questions.

Companies are extremely interested in the application-fit of theoretical knowledge. In fact the whole discipline of
Engineering is based on applicability, how well theory may be applied to contribute to social, economical and above all
technological growth. Thus, while the schools may be at a later stage testing more and more the theoretical base of the
student, companies test how well they can apply theoretical knowledge—bringing narrative back into the intellectual
domain of the student.

Now it is commonly seen that as far as English Language Teaching or ELT in B.Tech or engineering colleges is
concerned, right from the very beginning it is considered that the sole responsibility of the English teachers is to make
students employable, presentable, well-groomed, smart and conversant in English. English teaching in such scenarios
consists of Group Discussion classes, Mock Interview sessions, Stress Interview tips, Personality Development classes and
classes set in the Language Laboratory aimed to impart fluency in English conversation to students. Aptitude tests, though
they form the foremost barrier in the selection process, receive comparatively less attention from the English teacher due to

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions: An Exploration 131

several reasons.

• If students become well-conversant in English, then automatically their vocabulary and stock of words
increases, so teaching English well is inclusive of the preparation for the Aptitude test.

• Practising synonym-antonym, preposition and basic grammar by dictation method or by writing on the
board is not seen to be very helpful as students feel bored after sometime. Carrying out verbal ability
tests would require question papers (each of at least 4 A4 size pages). If a class is assumed to have 60
students and there are 15 such batches comprising 60 students each then the cost factor to the college or
to the teacher turns out to be humungous.

• Verbal ability forms a part of the overall aptitude test which comprises numerical ability (including
problem solving skills, logical ability, visual-spatial ability, reasoning etc) as well as the verbal domain.
Naturally, B.Tech students would be more interested in the mathematical or technical domain than the
verbal. It s very difficult for the English teacher to arouse interest in the verbal domain when the student
knows that his vital technical, logical reasoning domain goes unaddressed in the class. This brings us to
the important critical juncture of assessing and analysing the numerical aptitude test and studying it not
through the domain of mathematics but through the lens of the English language.

Let us begin with a simple example from a Tech Mahindra Aptitude test questions:

Athos, Porthos and Aramis are neighbours. Athos has two red herrings more than Aramis who in turn has twice
the number of red herrings that Porthos has in his possession. Porthos also owns two cats and a canary, Aramis owns only a
canary and Athos has one cat and one canary. How many felines are present in total?

When this question figured in a set of 20 questions handed out to students in a classroom aptitude test, surprising
responses were received. Almost 50% students asked what is a herring, 27% students said there is no mention of any
animal called feline and 37% students did not know what a canary was! And there were also a minor handful of students
who were literature oriented and spent a lot of time thinking where in the famous novel of The Three Musketeers did
Athos, Porthos and Aramis possess herrings, canaries and felines in addition to their horses! One cannot help but smile at
this apparently funny incident. The question just asks about the number of felines, Porthos has got two cats, Aramis does
not have any cat and Athos owns one cat. So there are simply 3 felines in total. But more than 40% students got the answer
to the question wrong or left it unattempted. This question is a logical ability question but it is as much a verbal aptitude
question at the same time. This intertwining of narrative and mathematics or rather the narrativity of mathematical
questions is the chief focus of this paper. Theories, formulas and concepts after all, have their genesis in our day to day life
in this world. So, how can they exist in abstract?

The paper posits that one of the reasons why students fare poorly in numerical aptitude tests is surprisingly not
related to their numerical or logical ability. The reason behind their poor performance is their poor verbal ability. Students
right from their childhood are taught Mathematics through ‘narrative’. However, with time, as they grow up, the narrative
element seems to disappear from Mathematics. As a case in point, the paper analyses the frequency of narrative questions
in CBSE-NCERT Textbooks from Std I-XII. It is seen that junior classes have a high narrative dominance in mathematics
but narratives seem to disappear from class XI onwards. Problems become more complex, with greater theoretical
underpinnings but narrative element seems to be considerably lacking. This continues well into their B.Tech Syllabus

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
132 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

where as in the case of WBUT, Mathematics papers are only there in the first, second and third semesters after which pure
mathematics papers are not there. And even in these semesters, M101, M201 and M301, narrative questions are rarely
asked. However Aptitude tests or apti as they are popularly called (by virtue of the fact that these tests want to check how
well a student can apply a theory, formula or concept to a practical situation), rely heavily on narrativity. The paper thus
explores and finds that as narrative questions are dismissed from higher classes, by the time the students face aptitude tests
they are so divorced from narratives that they fumble for answers.

Narrative and Numericals: An Exploration

Let us take an example:

5-2=? The answer, is 3

Now, if it is said, Ram has got five mangoes. Sita comes and borrows two mangoes from him. How many
mangoes will be left with Ram?

Or if someone gives the pictorial representation—

Five frogs are sitting. Two frogs leap into the water. How many frogs remain?

Figure 1

The answer remains the same. Pictorial narrative along with text narrative forms the basis of the initial numerical
problems, as they help students to understand concepts better. The English language plays a central role in producing
narratives, metaphors and images that exercise a powerful pedagogical force over how students think of a given problem.
Without language and its application fit, a mathematical theory would belong to an ethereal realm that has no referent
outside of its own obtuseness and cleverness, it might be said. Interpreting narrative questions makes a problem-solver go
through an analytical procedure of reading that is both mathematical and linguistic, that recognises the text as an inter-
subjective phenomenon (Stockwell 6). In addition, the mini-narratives in the questions always belong to progressive states.

Progressive states are stage level predicates (Bach 1981) and denote contingent properties that apply to, or are
predicated of, stages of individuals rather than the individuals that they belong to. These stages may be thought of as
“temporal slices” of individuals or as their particular manifestations in a space time coordinate system. For example we
come to know that Sita borrows two mangoes from Ram. It is a temporal slice. It does not tell us anything about the
character of Sita or her relation with Ram or whether she likes mangoes or not. Stage level predicates are inferable from
the intuitive objectivising acts made manifest in. The intertwining of narrative with mathematics also helps in transforming
it to an illusion-directed process in the sense that the reader who is engrossed in reading the text is supposed to yield to the
illusion of witnessing the course of action. From one angle it is creating a fictive world which exists in the mode of
representation, thus Lakshman borrows two mangoes from Ram would yield the same result, it would not change the result
in any way, or Sally borrows two apples from Harry would not change it either. Narrative contributes to the objective view
of the problem. For example we do not know Ram and Sita’s knowledge, feeling, customs or general outlook towards life,

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions: An Exploration 133

which might have been possible to know if there had been a more detailed narrative.

Narrative enhances the understanding of mathematical problem, translating an idea to image

(Friedman 1967: 119). Fillmore (1981) has suggested that the very process of drawing perspective inferences from the
lexical contents of narrative messages is pragmatically constrained by observation-sequence requirements. Thus presenting
mathematical problem through narrative brings in the concept of the observer who is watching the action unfold in front of
his or her eyes. In the early 1970s, the American linguist William Labov examined narratives and proposed a general six
part structure for them:

An Abstract—indicating that a story is about to begin

An Orientation—setting the scene and introducing the main characters

The Complicating Action—the main events

A Resolution—the outcome

An Evaluation—explaining the point of the story

A Coda—signalling that the story is over

While Labov had applied his narrative theory to a different domain, his principles have been classically applied to
multiple narratives. Thus in the case of mathematical questions, or the mini-narrative mentioned, Ram has got five
mangoes is the abstract, Sita comes is the orientation, she borrows two mangoes is the complication, Ram is left with
a different number of mangoes from the one he started with is the resolution, and evaluation is left for the reader and solver
who has to answer the? That is three mangoes are now left with Ram and this signals the coda or the end of this mini
narrative. Thus numerical texts do act as mini narratives whose evaluation and coda are left to the reader in a very post-
modern like fashion.

To prove the main premise of the paper, an exploration of CBSE-NCERT textbooks has been carried out to find
the frequency of narrativity of questions. Giving detailed narrative questions for all the years is beyond the purview of the
seminar presentation, hence we will focus on frequency of narrative questions in chapters from textbooks of Std I, V, VIII,
X, XI and XII. This way it will be detailed and at the same time present us a broad canvas rather than a study of gradual
weaning away of narrative. The dismissal of narrative will appear more prominently and clearly if there are a few gaps in
between. It is seen that when the students start learning, narrative enhances the grasping of mathematical theories. By class
V, text narrative is quite dominant in its presence and maintains its hold even till Std X. However, there is a dramatic
shifting away from narrative in Std XI and XII. CBSE follows the NCERT textbooks. Because CBSE is an All India
Board, textbooks are available in English, Hindi and Urdu Languages. Thus for Class I, the Mathematics textbooks
prescribed are Ganit ka Jadu-I for Hindi Language students, Math Magic-I for students studying subjects in the English
language and Riyazi ka Jadu-I for students belonging to the Urdu medium. Needless to say, for the purpose of this paper,
we have concentrated on the textbooks in English language only. An exploration of narrative intertwining with
mathematical theory or concept in terms of the frequency of narrative questions per chapter is provided herewith.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
134 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

Table 1: NCERT Textbook for Std I

Chapter Focus of Chapter Narrative Elements
Entirely narrative, resembles an English Reader, introduction to sizes,
1 Shapes and sizes shapes, lines—characters of grandmother, Arab traveller, camel etc. The
character of grandmother introduces one to size, shapes, lines etc
2 Numbers from 1-9 Medium of stories
Text Narratives and pictorial narratives, explanations through pictures and
3 Addition
texts
4 Subtraction Text and picture narrative
Numbers from 10-20, emergence of text narrative, counting numbers
5 Numbers from 10-20 without pictures accompanying the text, e.g. “Rahim had 8 flowers. He put
three flowers in a vase. How many flowers was he left with?”
6 Time Text, picture and narrative
7 Measurement Text, picture and narrative
8 Numbers 20-50 Text, picture, narrative
Narrative eg.-3 names are given Salma, Joseph and Arun and question is
9 Data handling
asked how many names have four letters?
10 Introduction to patterns Picture and text
11 Numbers Picture and text
12 Introduction to money Picture and text
Detailed intertwining of narrative, mathematics and pictures e.g. A picture
is given where three cows and two goats are seen sitting in a field. Two
goats leave, three cows are left behind sitting. Students have to develop a
13 Story through counting story based on this. Here, the story is represented pictorially, at the same
time the mathematical concept of subtraction comes in but students have to
present it though the medium of written language. Thus narrative is hugely
intertwined with numerical ability.

Table 2: NCERT Textbook for Std V

Chapter Focus of Chapter Narrative Elements

Numerical problems set in the fish market, story and
1 Fish tale
mathematics go side by side
2 Shapes and angles Pictures, narrative and mathematics
3 How many squares? Pictures, narrative and mathematics
4 Parts and wholes Pictures, narrative and mathematics
5 Does it look the same—shapes Pictures, narrative and mathematics
Cat and Mouse chase game narratives solved
mathematically, eg. Cat climbs up 3 stairs at a time,
Be my multiple, I’ll be your
6 mouse leaps down four stairs at a time, when will the
factor
two come face to face, given the number of stairs or a
point of time
7 Can you see the pattern Pictures, narrative and mathematics
8 Mapping the way Pictures, narrative and mathematics
9 Boxes and shelves Pictures, narrative and mathematics
10 Tenths and hundredths Pictures, narrative and mathematics
11 Area and its boundary Pictures, narrative and mathematics
12 Smart charts Pictures, narrative and mathematics
13 Ways to multiply and divide Pictures, narrative and mathematics
14 How bug, how heavy Pictures, narrative and mathematics

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions: An Exploration 135

As students get into senior classes, the pictorial element is the first to be seen lacking; now we also have sets of
practice questions to be solved for a better grasp of the subject. Therefore we also focus on the number of practice
questions and the total number of narrative questions out of them.

Table 3: NCERT Textbook for Std VIII

Number of Practice Narrative
Chapter Focus of Chapter
Questions Questions
1 Rational Numbers 7 0
2 Linear equations in one variable 10 10
3 Understanding quadrilaterals 12 0
4 Practical geometry 10 0
5 Data handling 15 11
6 Squares and square roots 22 6
7 Cubes and cube roots 7 2
8 Comparing quantities 12 7
9 Algebraic expressions and identities 20 0
10 Visualising solid shapes 10 1
11 Mensuration 18 5
12 Exponents and powers 11 0
13 Direct and inverse proportions 11 11
14 Factorisation 27 0
15 Introduction to graphs 12 7
16 Playing with numbers—divisibility by 2, 3, 7, 9 etc 15 0

As we see narrative was predominant in Std I when a student was learning, by the time a student is in class V, the
pictorial narrative is much reduced and text narrative still holds its sway, by the time the student is in Std VIII the text
narrative is slowly fading out and giving way to complex mathematical problems. An insight now into textbooks of X, XI
and XII will reveal how narrative almost separates itself from mathematics leaving the student in the realm of complex
arithmetic.

Table 4: NCERT Textbook for Std X

Number of Practice Narrative
Chapter Focus of Chapter
Questions Questions
1 Real numbers 8 0
2 Polynomials 10 0
Pair of linear equations in two
3 8 3
variables
4 Quadratic equations 17 5
5 Arithmetic progressions 25 4
6 Triangles 27 3
7 Coordinate geometry 15 3
8 Introduction to trigonometry 20 0
9 Some applications of trigonometry 16 11
10 Circles 17 0
11 Constructions 7 0
12 Areas related to circles 16 0
13 Surface areas and volumes 9 2
14 Statistics 21 13
15 Probability 30 15

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
136 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

Table 5: NCERT Textbook for Std XI

Number of
Narrative
Chapter Focus of Chapter Practice
Questions
Questions
1 Sets 16 4
2 Relations and functions 12 0
3 Trigonometric functions 10 0
4 Principle of Mathematical Induction 24 0
5 Complex numbers and quadratic equations 20 0
6 Linear inequalities 14 2
7 Permutations and combinations 11 5
8 Binomial theorem 10 0
9 Sequences and series 32 6
10 Straight lines 24 0
11 Conic sections 8 1
12 Intro to three dimensional geometry 6 0
13 Limits and derivatives 30 0
14 Mathematical reasoning 7 5
15 Statistics 7 2
16 Probability 10 7

Table 6: NCERT Textbook for Std XII

Number of Narrative
Chapter Focus of Chapter
Practice Questions Questions
1 Relations and functions 20 0
2 Inverse trigonometric functions 20 0
3 Matrices 27 0
4 Determinants 20 0
5 Continuity and differentiability 40 0
6 Application of derivatives 34 0
7 Integrals 44 0
8 Application of integrals 19 0
9 Differential equations 18 0
10 Vector algebra 19 1
11 Three dimensional geometry 23 0
12 Linear programming 10 8
13 Probability 19 8

We find therefore a real dearth of narrative questions in the higher classes.

If we see the following table we will be able to understand percentagewise decrease of ‘narrative elements’ in
numerical questions starting from Std I to Std XII.

Table 7
Numerical Narrative
Standard Percentage
Chapters elements
I 13 13 100%
V 14 12 85.71%
VIII 16 9 56.25%
X 15 9 60%
XI 16 8 50%
XII 13 3 23%

This dismissal of narrative is carried forward even in a student’s B.Tech days. For example in the year 2012, there
were no narrative question in M 101 for the 1st year students, no narrative questions in M 201 for the second year students
and just two narrative questions in M 301 for the third year students. Interestingly, if we analyse the narrative questions set

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions: An Exploration 137

in the same year by the Multinational conglomerate or corporate giants for campus recruitments or placements at well
known private colleges, a very interesting figure emerges.

Table 8
Percentage of
Numerical Ability Narrative
Company Name Narrative
Questions Questions
Questions
CTS 25 7 28%
Accenture 20 5 25 %
Infosys 30 11 36%
TCS 40 13 32.5%
Tech Mahindra 40 9 22.5%
Wipro 40 9 22.5%
IBM 25 12 48%

These questions have been collected from various well known private colleges ‘training & placement cell, from
students’ feedback, from company’s website, various training institutes and HR domain of such companies through
personal network. We can see through analysis of these aptitude questions that around 30% of numerical ability questions
are narrative in nature and they test the students’ reading comprehension skills as well; and all this is in addition to the
verbal questions. When a survey was carried out by the researchers, to test the cognitive minds of the students, on a group
of 60 students as to why they do not concentrate on aptitude tests, 40% replied that they do visit online aptitude websites
but when they see such “childish” questions, they feel they would be able to attempt them in the exam very easily.
The problem is that narrativity is intertwined with mathematics in the minds of students as a junior school experience.
As a result many leave out aptitude questions thinking they have solved numerous such problems in the past and when
finally during campus drive they get the question paper in their hand, lack of experience makes them total failures. It might
be said that on an average around 30% questions in numerical ability tests have narrative orientation. This is in addition to
the verbal ability tests. Thus one can understand that if 30% numerical questions are narrative in nature, then English
teachers do have a very great role to play in helping students to understand and comprehend questions in a quicker manner.

The Role of the English Teacher

Here the role of the English teacher becomes paramount—the English teacher can for a change start with simple
numericals from Aptitude tests and show the mathematical reliance on verbal cues especially in the study of what is extra-
logical in mathematical language feature or features which are peculiar to style or expressiveness as distinct from cognitive
meaning. (Ullman 41). For example, the English teacher can teach students to look for key words.

Thus in the IBM question: There are 250 people. 100 read newspaper.50 read both newspaper and magazine. Find
the number of people reading only magazine.

Here the question demands only the number of students who read “only” magazine. In a twist of verbal ability the
question was also once asked to find out the number of students reading magazines, which includes of course the students
who read both newspapers and magazines and those who read only magazines. Many students, unable to understand the
nuance of the plural “s” got the answer wrong. The problem is they did not get this numerical ability question wrong
because of a lack of numerical skills but because they could not understand the word “magazines” and the missing word
‘only’. Solving a problem thus also elevates the mathematical process to that of literary text analysis which starts from a

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
138 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

basic assumption that the primary interpretive procedures used in the reading of the text are linguistic procedures
(Carter 4); Students enter into a process de-coding the meaning embodied in a text by focusing on linguistic features
(Timulin 129), examining in detail the linguistic organisation (Short 53).

The teacher can also teach students to reject unnecessary information. For example in another Wipro question:

Ferrari S.P.A is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1928 as
Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal
vehicles in 1947 as Ferrari S.P.A. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in
racing, especially in Formula One where it has employed great success. Rohit once bought a Ferrari. It could go 4 times as
fast as Mohan's old Mercedes. If the speed of Mohan's Mercedes is 35 km/hr and the distance travelled by the Ferrari is
490 km, find the total time taken for Rohit to drive that distance.

a) 20.72 b) 5.18 c) 238.25 d) 6.18

Now, it can be clearly seen that the history of Ferrari is a digression (the history of Lamborghini or Toyota would
not have changed the basic precepts and if the car had not been bought by Rohit but by Lakshmi, again the basic precept
would not have changed), the students’ fast reading ability, drawing inferences and rejecting extraneous word elements
becomes as much a part of his success in clearing the aptitude test as his reading comprehension ability. One can only
imagine what a waste of time it will be for a student who takes a lot of time to read a passage.

Further, these questions are always placed in the middle of other numericals very strategically, for example we
have the first narrative numerical question after 3 general numericals and again the next narrative numerical crops up after
another set of 5 numericals. These also break the pace at which the student is solving numericals. So narrative also
achieves the concealed purpose as an instrument of pressure. For example in the Infosys logical reasoning question, how
much sand is present in a 5m*3m*2m hole, students who calculate get their answer wrong, because if it is a hole, then no
amount of sand may be present there. Similarly in the reasoning question if an aeroplane crashes 0.5 km from Pakistan
border and 0.7 km from Indian border but all the people travelling in the plane were Indians then at what exact location the
survivors should be buried. The question is not one of coordinate geometry or trigonometry or even mapping to decide the
location for burial, survivors are not buried.

The teacher can enable students to become clearer in their reading strategies and thus solve numerical problems
with élan. English teachers can enable students to decide which objectivising acts are inferable from the kind of linguistic
structure displayed. Reading comprehension puts emphasis on knowledge of word meaning, appropriate meaning for a
word or a phrase in the light of contextual clues, selecting main thought of a passage, ability to draw inferences and
recognise the literary device. (Awal and Rout 2013) The methods of learning English as second language are very
complex. Reading process is extremely complex and demands the knowledge of vocabulary, comprehension,
understanding and interpretation.

CONCLUSIONS

We can say that our culture is entirely different from western culture. The cultural diversity contributes to the
complexity and adds to poor reading comprehension. English aptitude tests consist of vocabulary, comprehension, sentence
framing, antonyms, synonyms, inserting appropriate prepositions, grammar skills. Comprehension consists of reading a

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Narrative Construction of Aptitude Test Questions: An Exploration 139

passage and answering questions. However, maths aptitude tests also in order to create excess pressure on the students rely
on nuances of the language. In English medium schools, students start reading English from the very beginning and all the
subjects are studied through English medium whereas in vernacular medium schools, English is taught only in the English
period and all the other subjects are taught in the vernacular medium. (Awal and Rout 2013). This creates tremendous
problems for students coming from Bihar Board or West Bengal Board who do not have access to English in the same way
as students belonging to English medium schools do. Thus, the English teachers in their classroom may amalgamate
paradigmatic knowledge based on logico-scientific (Bruner 1985) structure along with narrative, which involves a story or
pattern of human interaction. This will enhance the students’ respect for the language, it will enable the students to see the
English teacher as also a part of their creative psyche—the English teacher who is a number cruncher along with being an
expert in his or her field. Bringing narrative back into simple mathematics in the language class will contribute to the
numerical locus accommodating the narrating consciousness and linguistic locus accommodating the numerical
consciousness (Dias 2006).

The paper therefore attempts to address the problem of narrativity in numerical Aptitude tests and examines how
the language English emerges as a key competence area not only in the verbal tests but also in the numerical tests. The
paper relates further to issues relating to engineering students’ intelligence while appearing for these kinds of aptitude tests
and the role of English Language teachers in handling this.

REFERENCES

1. Argamon, S. Koppel, M. Fine and Shimoni S.R. 2003. “Gender, Genre and Writing Style in Formal Written
Texts.” Text 23 (3): 321-346.
2. Awal, Abdul and Sarat K. Rout. 2013. Reading Ability of Secondary School Students of Different School
Interventions. Wizcraft Journal of Language and Literature 2(3): 137-142.
3. Bach, Emmon. 1981. On Time, Tense and Aspect: An Essay in English Metaphysics. In Peter Cole ed. Radical
Pragmatics. New York: Academic Press
4. Bruner, Jerome. 1985. “Narrative and Paradigmatic Modes of Thought” in Elliot Eisner ed. Learning and
Teaching the Ways of Knowing p. 97-115. New York: The National Society for the Study of Education.
5. Carter, Ronald. 1982. Language and Literature: An Introductory Reader in Stylistics. London: Allen and Unwin.
6. Dias, Rui Linhares. 2006. How to Show Things with Words. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
7. Fillmore, Charles. 1981. Pragmatics and the description of Discourse. In Peter Cole ed. Radical Pragmatics. New
York: Academic Press 143-166.
8. Friedman, Norman. 1967. Point of View in Fiction. In Philip Stevick ed. Form and Meaning in Fiction; Athens:
The University of Georgia Press 134-166.
9. Labov, William. 1972. Sociolinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia. University of Pennsylvania Press.
10. Labov, William. 1975. What is a Linguistic Fact? Lisse, Peter de Ridder Press.
11. Murry, S.M. 1922. The Problem of Style. London: Oxford University Press.
12. Read, Herbert. 1998. English Prose Style. New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers.
13. Saporta, Sol ed. 1978. “The Application of Linguistics to the Study of Poetic Language”. Style in Language.
Cambridge: Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
14. Short, M. 1995. 20th Century Fiction from Text to Context. London: Routledge.

www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org
140 Amrita Basu & Sohini Datta

15. Stockwell, Peter. 2002. Cognitive Stylistics. London: Routledge.

16. Timucin, Metin. 2010. “Exploring the Language of Poems: A Stylistic Study”. Novitas Royal. 4(2): 129-140.
17. Ullman, Stephen. 1973. Meaning and Style. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.0867 Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

 AUTHOR GUIDELINES

These instructions are only a guide. Consistency and correct type area margins (see below) are the most important
aspects in your manuscript preparation. All portions of the manuscript must be typed double-spaced and all pages
numbered starting from the title page.

1. TEXT AND TYPE AREA (Margins)

This one basic requirement must be adhered to:

Type area on a page is standard Letter( 8.5'' x 11''). All text should be fully justified. Margins for this type area:
top 1.2'', bottom 0.6; left 0.8, right 0.6

2. TITLES FORMAT

• Paper Title: CAPITAL LETTERS. 12 point type (Times Roman)

• Author(s): Capitalize Each Word case, 10 point type (Times Roman)

• Affiliation(s): Capitalize Each Word case, 10 point type (Times Roman)

• Head: BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS. 10 point type (Times Roman)

• Sub Head (if applicable): Lower case, 10 point (Times Roman)

• Leave 2 line spaces between title and author names/affiliation.

• Leave 3 line spaces between author/affiliation and start of abstract head

• Your chapter should begin with a brief Abstract and keywords.

• Paper Title, Autor Names/Affiliations, Abstract and Kerywords should be in single column format followed by
the rest of the paper in Single column format.

Your chapter should begin with a brief Abstract and keywords.

Paper Title, Author Names/Affiliations, Abstract and Keywords should be in single column format followed by
the rest of the paper in Single column format.

3. TEXT

Text type should be 10 point Times Roman. Text should be single spaced. First line of all paragraphs should be
indented and there should be one line gap between consecutive paragraphs.

4. HEADS / SUB HEADS

Levels of subheads should be easily distinguishable from each other with the use of numbers. There should be one
line spaces before each subhead and one line space after each subhead.

Examples of Subhead Style:

l. First Level Head
(10 point bold, upper case)

1.1. Second Level Subhead

(10 point bold, first letter capital case)

1.1.1. Third Level Subhead

(10 point bold, lower case, flush left)

Use FIRST LEVEL SUBHEAD for section headings.

5. ORDER OF THE CONTENT

The order of the content must be as per following sequence;

1. Title Page with Authors details

2. Abstract & Keywords

3. Introduction

4. Methods

5. Results

6. Discussions

7. References

8. Appendices (if any)

6. TITLE

The Title should be a brief phrase describing the contents of the paper. The Title Page should include the authors'
full names and affiliations, the name of the corresponding author along with phone, fax and e-mail information. Present
addresses of authors should appear as a footnote.

7. ABSTRACT

The Abstract should be informative and completely self-explanatory, briefly present the topic, state the scope of
the experiments, indicate significant data, and point out major findings and conclusions. The abstract should be 100 to 200
words in length. Complete sentences, active verbs, and the third person should be used, and the abstract should be written
in the past tense. Standard nomenclature should be used and abbreviations should be avoided. No literature should be cited.

8. FIGURES (Line Art Drawings) AND TABLES

FIGURES
Figures and tables may appear printed directly in the text and should be black and white or grayscale. Figure
should appear soon after the citation in the text or if it is too large at the end of the manuscript.

Legends/Captions for Figures

Text type should be 9 point Times Roman italic (eg; Figure 1. Caption). A caption should be provided for each
figure. The legend should be typed into the manuscript, directly beneath the figure. Begin each legend with a title and
include sufficient description so that the figure is understandable without reading the text of the manuscript. Information
given in legends should not be repeated in the text. Legends are to be listed in numerical order, labeled as
“Figure 1”, “Figure 2”, etc.

TABLES

Indent tables slightly from the left margin, if it is necessary to use the full width of the page. Tables should be
kept to a minimum and be designed to be as simple as possible. Tables are to be typed double-spaced throughout, including
headings and footnotes. Each table should be on a separate page, numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals and supplied
with a heading and a legend. The same data should not be presented in both table and graph forms or repeated in the text.

Titles/Captions for Tables

The table caption should be typed to the width of the table itself and typed above the table. Text type of table
caption should be 9 point Times Roman italic (e.g., Table 1.Caption). Number the titles of the tables consecutively in the
order of their first citation in the text. Be sure that each table caption is headed as “Table 1”, “Table 2”, etc. within each
chapter. Both figures and tables must be cited in the text

9. RESULTS

Results should be presented with clarity and precision. The results should be written in the past tense when
describing findings in the author(s)'s experiments. Previously published findings should be written in the present tense.
Results should be explained, but largely without referring to the literature. Discussion, speculation and detailed
interpretation of data should not be included in the results but should be put into the discussion section.

10. DISCUSSIONS

The discussion should interpret the findings in view of the results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic.
State the conclusions in a few sentences at the end of the paper. The Results and Discussion sections can include
subheadings, and when appropriate, both sections can be combined.

11. REFERENCES

References text type should be 10 point (Times Roman). In the text, a reference identified by means of an
author‘s name should be followed by the date of the reference in parentheses. When there are more than two authors, only
the first author‘s name should be mentioned, followed by ’et al‘. In the event that an author cited has had two or more
works published during the same year, the reference, both in the text and in the reference list, should be identified by a
lower case letter like ’a‘ and ’b‘ after the date to distinguish the works. References must be according to our style
guidelines

For Book

Alan Bryman & Emma Bell. (2007). Business Research Methods. New York : Oxford University Press

For PhD Thesis

Mcdonalds, A. (1991). Practical dissertation title (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Florida, Gainesville,
FL.

Article in a Journal

Rottweiler, F. T., & Beauchemin, J. L. (1987). Detroit and Narnia: Two foes on the brink of destruction.
Canadian/American Studies Journal, 54, 66–146

From Websites

McDonald, C., & Chenoweth, L. (2009). Leadership: A crucial ingredient in unstable times. Social Work &
Society, 7. Retrieved from http://www.socwork.net/2009/1/articles/mcdonaldchenoweth
 TRANSTELLAR JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH CONSULTANCY
PVT. LTD., (TJPRC)
www.tjprc.org

Company Profile

Transstellar Journal Publications and Research Consultancy Private Limited (TJPRC) is a privately
held company, dedicated to the global dissemination of information through an unparalleled commitment to quality,
reliability, and innovation. As of today, we are one of the leading national and international journal publishers and
distributors of our research journals and serve more than 10 million scientists, research scholars, educational
institutions, governmental bodies, corporate, scientific and engineering libraries and private research firms across the
globe. In addition to the research paper publications, company also provides consultancy to research projects for
various government bodies, research agencies etc and also assists Ph.D., scholars in their research papers and
dissertations. We seek to acquaint a wide spectrum of readers with the quality research being done in various
educational institutions, research bodies and intellectual firms. Therefore, we welcome wide comparative and
transnational studies, essays, research papers that are addressing this community’s qualitative and quantitative
concerns. Importance and preference will be given to those articles that address and contribute to important
disciplinary and interdisciplinary queries, clarifications, problem statements and controversies. The journal publishes
original research articles on a wide range of topics of contemporary relevance in the broad fields of Engineering &
Technology, Management, Arts, Science, Humanities, Health and Medical Sciences. We are establishing close links
with the scholars and the Universities through various activities such as seminars, workshops, conferences, training
and consultancy programs. We are closely associating ourselves with national and state level planning and
development agencies, and thereby strengthening links between research and policy making. We are a decisive, fast-
moving company open to new ideas and creative publishing. We are also committed to nurturing long-term
relationships with our authors and supporting them throughout their careers. We acquire, develop, market, and
distribute knowledge by disseminating scholarly and professional materials throughout the world. All of the journals
published by us maintain the highest standards of quality, with Editorial Boards composed of scholars from around
the world. Open Access Initiative (OAI) is a new paradigm in publishing domain. Its objective is to pioneer and
promote models that ensure free access to scholarly & research journals. Transstellar Journal Publications and
Research Consultancy Private Limited (TJPRC) is an electronic gateway to global journal literature in open access
domain. TJPRC provides seamless access to thousands of journal articles available online. We work closely with
authors and editors to produce the most outstanding work in all the fields.

Locations

Transstellar Journal Publications and Research Consultancy Private Limited (TJPRC) is head quartered in India
and has international marketing & distribution offices in Texas - USA, California - USA, London - UK, Ontario -
Canada, Mesaieed - Qatar, Singapore and Chennai - India. It also has 14 journal editorial offices (research partners)
around the world dedicated to supporting the network of esteemed scientists, research scholars who read, write, review, and
edit the papers and manuscripts.

Key Audiences

• Professors / Lecturers / Academicians in various capacities & levels with research interests in Arts, Science,
 Engineering, and Technology disciplines.

• Research Scholars interests in Science, Engineering, and Technology disciplines.

• Corporate and Academic Librarians serving the needs in Arts, Science, Engineering, and Technology
disciplines.

• Industry experts leaders, Engineers and Managers.

• Management and Engineering consultants.

• Private & Government research firms / institutions / consultancies.

• Technological, Arts, Science, Engineering & Management Universities and Colleges.

• End User Organizations: Emerging technology development groups, Strategic technology planners, Strategic
business planners, CTOs, CIOs, lead architects and other senior IT staff. Vendor and Service Provider
Organizations: Strategic product planners and marketers in productor service provider companies, including
consulting and sourcing organizations.

Mission Statement

To position as an international center of excellence in Journal publications and Research consultancy with 100%
referenceable transactions.

Vision Statement

Transstellar Journal Publications and Research Consultancy Private Limited (TJPRC) will build its worldwide reputation
by helping Research Scholars, Educationists, Private research firms, Government research bodies, Universities and other
Educational institutions accomplish their objectives.

Core Values
Advancement
We are committed to the advancement of the Technology, Arts, Science, Humanities and Engineering disciplines for the
benefit of society through research, Consulting development, Education and Training services.

Leadership

We are committed to providing leadership within our industry, and developing leadership qualities in our members.

Integrity

We are committed to honesty in the practice of our profession as embodied in our Code of Ethics.

Service

We are committed to service to our students, Research scholars, Educational institutions, Governmental bodies and
Research agencies.

Excellence

We are committed to the achievement of technical quality and excellence in our programs, Publications, courses, Training,
Consulting and other activities.
 TRANSSTELLAR JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH CONSULTANCY PVT.LTD

*PUBLISHERS *PRINTERS *DISTRIBUTORS *RESEARCH CONSULTANTS

Journal Subscription Order Form for 2013 - 2014

We like to subscribe the following journal(s).Please tick the appropriate boxes

This rate is applicable for those authors and subscribers who are in India and SAARC countries viz., (India,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

IC Value Frequency
JCC- Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Index H-Half Yearly (Price (Price
Copernicus BM-Bi -
Factor In INR) In INR)
Value Monthly

International Journal of Applied

[] 2250-1584 1.6842 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Engineering Research and Development
International Journal of Computer
[] Networking, Wireless and Mobile 2250-1568 5.3963 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Communications
International Journal of Robotics
[] 2250-1592 1.5422 3.0 H 5000 4500
Research and Development
International Journal of Metallurgical &
[] 2278-2516 2.9076 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Materials
International Journal of Nanotechnology
[] 2277-4777 1.8003 3.0 BM 10000 8500
and Science and Engineering Application
International Journal of Semiconductor
[] 2250-1576 3.8869 3.0 H 5000 8500
Science & Technology
International Journal of Industrial
[] 2277-4769 4.3857 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Engineering & Technology
International Journal of Civil, Structural,
[] Environmental and Infrastructure 2249-6866 5.7179 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Engineering Research and Development
International Journal of Computer Science
[] Engineering and Information Technology 2249-6831 6.8785 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Research
International Journal of Electrical and
[] 2250-155X 5.9638 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Electronics Engineering Research
International Journal of Electronics,
[] Communication & Instrumentation 2249-684X 4.9467 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Engineering Research and Development
International Journal of Automobile
[] 2277-4785 5.1066 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Engineering Research and Development
International Journal of Bio-Technology
[] 2249-6858 2.8872 3.0 BM 10000 8500
and Research
International Journal of Chemical &
[] 2277-4807 2.9866 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Petrochemical Technology
 IC Value Frequency
JCC- Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Index H-Half Yearly (Price (Price
Copernicus BM-Bi -
Factor In INR) In INR)
Value Monthly
International Journal of Textile and 3.0
[] 2250-2378 2.9594 BM 10000 8500
Fashion Technology
International Journal of Food Science & 3.0
[] Applied - H 5000 4500
Technology
International Journal of Plastic and 3.0
[] 2249-6904 - BM 10000 8500
Polymer Technology
International Journal of Mechanical and
3.0
[] Production Engineering Research and 2249-6890 5.3403 BM 10000 8500
Development
International Journal of Earthquake 3.0
[] Applied - H 5000 4500
Engineering and Science

MANAGEMENT

IC Value Frequency
JCC- Library Personal
Index H-Half Yearly
Journal Name ISSN Impact Copernicus (Price (Price
BM-Bi –
Factor In INR) In INR)
Value Monthly
International Journal of Business
[] 2249-6920 4.9926 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Management & Research
International Journal of Sales &
[] Marketing Management Research and 2249-6939 5.3064 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Development
International Journal of Human
[] 2249-6874 4.9135 3.0 BM 10000 8500
Resource Management and Research
International Journal of Accounting
[] 2249-6882 4.4251 3.0 BM 10000 8500
and Financial Management Research
International Journal of Retail
[] 2277-4750 1.6953 3.0 H 5000 4500
Management and Research
International Journal of Information
[] Systems Management Research and 2250-236X 1.4174 3.0 H 5000 4500
Development

ARTS, SCIENCES, HUMANITIES, HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES

IC Value Frequency Library Personal

JCC-
Index
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Copernicus
H-Half Yearly (Price (Price
Factor BM-Bi -Monthly In INR) In INR)
Value
International Journal of English and
[] 2249-6912 4.0867 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Literature
International Journal of Economics,
[] 2250-0006 4.2234 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Commerce and Research
International Journal of History and
[] 2249-6963 1.2452 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Research
International Journal of Applied, Physical
[] 2277-4793 1.1514 3.0 BM 10000 7000
and Bio- Chemistry Research
International Journal of Physics and
[] 2250-0030 1.9845 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Research
International Journal of Mathematics and
[] 2249-6955 4.2949 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Computer Applications Research
International Journal of Botany and
[] 2277-4815 1.6913 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Research
International Journal of Zoology and
[] 2278–8816 1.6864 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Research
International Journal of Biological
[] 2250-0022 - 3.0 H 5000 4500
Research and Development
International Journal of Library Science
[] 2250-2351 3.2349 3.0 H 5000 4500
and Research
International Journal of Educational
[] 2249-6947 3.9678 3.0 BM 10000 7000
Science and Research
 IC Value Library Personal
JCC- Frequency
Index
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Copernicus
H-Half Yearly (Price (Price
Factor BM-Bi -Monthly In INR) In INR)
Value
International Journal of Agricultural 3.0
[] 2250-0057 4.3594 BM 10000 7000
Science and Research
International Journal of Medicine and 3.0
[] 2250-0049 5.1064 BM 10000 7000
Pharmaceutical Sciences
International Journal of Political Science, 3.0
[] 2278-8832 1.6729 BM 10000 7000
Law and International Relations
International Journal of Communication 3.0
[] 2250-0014 - H 5000 4500
and Media Studies
International Journal of Environment, 3.0
[] 2250-0065 3.0965 BM 10000 7000
Ecology, Family and Urban Studies
International Journal of Dental Research 3.0
[] 2250-2386 1.6658 H 5000 4500
& Development

Total Amount (Rs)

All Subscriptions are Payable in advance all rates include postage and taxes. Subscribers are requested to send payment with their
order whenever possible. Issues will be sent on receipt of payment. Subscriptions are entered on annual basis, i.e. January to
December and are subject to renewal in subsequent years. Prices are subject to change without notice.
 Journals Subscription Order Form

We like to subscribe the following journal(s).Please tick the appropriate

boxes. This rate is applicable for following countries:

• Afghanistan

• Bangladesh

• Bhutan

• India

• Maldives

• Nepal

• Pakistan

• Sri Lanka

NATIONAL JOURNALS

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Frequency Library Personal

Journal Name ISSN H-Half (Price (Price
Yearly In INR) In INR)
[] Journal of Automobile Engineering Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Aeronautical Engineering Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Engineering and Technology 2250 -2394 H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Industrial Engineering and Research Applied H 3500 3000
Journal of Civil, Structural, Environmental, Water resources 3500 3000
[] 2277-4815 H
and Infrastructure Engineering Research
[] Journal of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Research Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Plastic and Polymer Technology Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Food Science & Technology Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Textile and Fashion Technology Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Chemical Engineering and Technology Applied H 3500 3000

[] Journal of Bio-Technology and Research 2278-3571 H 3500 3000

Journal of Electronics, Communication and Instrumentation 3500 3000

[] 2278-3598 H
Engineering Research
[] Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering 2250–2424 H 3500 3000
Journal of Computer Science Engineering and Information 3500 3000
[] 2250-2416 H
Technology Research
Journal of Computer Networking, Wireless and Mobile 3500 3000
[] Applied H
Communications
[] Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering 2278-3512 H 3500 3000
MANAGEMENT
Library Personal
Frequency
Journal Name ISSN (Price (Price
H-Half Yearly
In INR) In INR)
[] Journal of Business Management and Research 2250 – 2343 H 3500 3000

[] Journal of Sales and Marketing Management 2250–2432 H 3500 3000

[] Journal of Human Resource Management and Development 2277-4742 H 3500 3000

3500 3000
[] Journal of Accounting and Financial Management Research 2278-3555 H

ARTS, SCIENCES, HUMANITIES, HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES

Library Personal
Frequency
Journal Name ISSN (Price In (Price In
H-Half Yearly
INR) INR)
Journal of Biological Research and 3000
[] 2278-4918 H 3500
Development
[] Journal of English and Literature 2278-4896 H 3500 3000
Journal of Economics, Commerce and H 3500 3000
[] 2278-4977
Research
[] Journal of History and Research Applied H 3500 3000
Journal of Applied, Physical and Biochemistry H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Research
[] Journal of Physical Science and Research Applied H 3500 3000
Journal of Mathematics and Computer H 3500 3000
[] 2250–2408
Applications Research
[] Journal of Botany and Research Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Zoology and Research Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Library Science and Research Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Educational Science and Research 2278-4950 H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Agricultural Science and Research Applied H 3500 3000
Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Sciences
Journal of Political Science, Law and H 3500 3000
[] Applied
International Relations
[] Journal of Communication and Media Studies 2278-4934 H 3500 3000
Journal of Environment, Ecology, Family and H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Urban Studies
[] Journal of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Dental Research & Development Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Biological Research for Nursing Applied H 3500 3000
[] Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice Applied H 3500 3000
Journal of Pediatrics Research and H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Development
Journal of Psychology Research and H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Development
Journal of Surgical Pathology and H 3500 3000
[] Applied
Development
Total Amount (Rs)

All Subscriptions are Payable in advance all rates include postage and taxes. Subscribers are requested to
send payment with their order whenever possible. Issues will be sent on receipt of payment. Subscriptions are
entered on annual basis, i.e. January to December and are subject to renewal in subsequent years. Prices are subject
to change without notice.
 Journals Subscription Order Form

We like to subscribe the following journal(s).Please tick the appropriate boxes

This rate is applicable for those authors and subscribers who are from the countries other than India and
SAARC countries.)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
IC Value Frequency
JCC-
Index H-Half Yearly Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Copernicus
Factor
BM-Bi - $ $
Value Monthly
International Journal of Applied
[] Engineering Research And 2250-1584 1.6842 3.0 BM 750 650
Development
International Journal of 3.0
[] Computer Networking, Wireless 2250-1568 5.3963 BM 750 650
and Mobile Communications
International Journal of Robotics 3.0
[] 2250-1592 1.5422 H 750 650
Research and Development
International Journal of 3.0
[] Metallurgical & Materials 2278-2516 2.9076 BM 750 650
Science and Engineering
International Journal of 3.0
[] Nanotechnology and 2277-4777 1.8003 BM 750 650
Application
International Journal of 3.0
[] Semiconductor Science & 2250-1576 3.8869 H 750 650
Technology
International Journal of 3.0
[] Industrial Engineering & 2277-4769 4.3857 BM 750 650
Technology
International Journal of Civil, 3.0
Structural,Environmental and
[] 2249-6866 5.7179 BM 750 650
Infrastructure Engineering
Research and Development
International Journal of 3.0
Computer Science Engineering
[] 2249-6831 6.8785 BM 750 650
and Information Technology
Research
International Journal of 3.0
[] Electrical and Electronics 2250-155X 5.9638 BM 750 650
Engineering Research
International Journal of 3.0
Electronics,
[] Communication & 2249-684X 4.9467 BM 750 650
Instrumentation Engineering
Research and Development
International Journal of 3.0
[] Automobile Engineering 2277-4785 5.1066 BM 750 650
Research and Development
International Journal of Bio- 3.0
[] 2249-6858 2.8872 BM 750 650
Technology and Research
International Journal of 3.0
[] Chemical & Petrochemical 2277-4807 2.9866 BM 750 650
Technology
International Journal of Textile 3.0
[] 2250-2378 2.9594 BM 750 650
and Fashion Technology
International Journal of Food 3.0
[] Applied - H 750 650
Science & Technology
International Journal of Plastic 3.0
[] 2249-6904 - BM 750 650
and Polymer Technology
 IC Value Frequency
JCC-
Index H-Half Yearly Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Copernicus
Factor BM-Bi - $ $
Value Monthly
International Journal of
Mechanical and Production BM
[] 2249-6890 5.3403 3.0 750 650
Engineering Research and
Development
International Journal of
H
[] Earthquake Engineering and Applied - 3.0 750 650
Science
MANAGEMENT

IC Value Frequency
JCC-
Index H-Half Yearly Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact
Copernicus
Factor
BM-Bi - $ $
Value Monthly
International Journal of Business 3.0
[] 2249-6920 4.8712 BM 750 650
Management & Research
International Journal of Sales &
3.0
[] Marketing Management 2249-6939 4.8723 BM 750 650
Research and Development
International Journal of Human 3.0
[] Resource Management and 2249-6874 4.6794 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of 3.0
[] Accounting and Financial 2249-6882 4.2123 BM 750 650
Management Research
International Journal of Retail 3.0
[] 2277-4750 1.6825 H 750 650
Management and Research
International Journal of
Information Systems 2250–236X 3.0
[] 1.1832 H 750 650
Management Research and
Development

ARTS, SCIENCES, HUMANITIES, HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES

IC Value Frequency
JCC-
Index Library Personal
Journal Name ISSN Impact H-Half Yearly
Copernicus $ $
Factor BM-Bi -Monthly
Value
International Journal of English and 3.0
[] 2249-6912 4.0867 BM 750 650
Literature
International Journal of Economics, 3.0
[] 2250–0006 4.2234 BM 750 650
Commerce and Research
International Journal of History and 3.0
[] 2249-6963 1.2452 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of Applied,
3.0
[] Physical and Bio-Chemistry 2277-4793 1.1514 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of Physics and 3.0
[] 2250-0030 1.9845 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of Mathematics 3.0
[] and 2249-6955 4.2949 BM 750 650
Computer Applications Research
International Journal of Botany and 3.0
[] 2277-4815 1.6913 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of Zoology and 3.0
[] Applied 1.6864 BM 750 650
Research
International Journal of Biological 3.0
[] 2250–0022 - H 750 650
Research and Development
International Journal of Library 3.0
[] 2250–2351 3.2349 H 750 650
Science and Research
 JCC- IC Value Frequency Library
Journal Name ISSN Impact Index Personal $
H-Half Yearly $
Factor Copernicus
International Journal of
3.0 BM
[] Educational Science and 2249-6947 3.9678 750 650
Research
International Journal of Agricultural
3.0
[] Science 2250 – 0057 4.3594 BM 750 650
and Research
International Journal of Medicine 3.0
[] 2250 – 0049 5.1064 BM 750 650
and Pharmaceutical Sciences
International Journal of Political 3.0
[] Science, Law and International Applied 1.6729 BM 750 650
Relations
International Journal of 3.0
[] Communication and Media 2250–0014 - H 750 650
Studies
International Journal of
3.0
[] Environment, Ecology, 2250 – 0065 3.0965 BM 750 650
Family and Urban Studies
International Journal of Dental 3.0
[] 2250–2386 1.6658 H 750 650
Research & Development

Total Amount (Rs)

All Subscriptions are Payable in advance all rates include postage and taxes. Subscribers are requested to
send payment with their order whenever possible. Issues will be sent on receipt of payment. Subscriptions are
entered on annual basis, i.e. January to December and are subject to renewal in subsequent years. Prices are subject to
change without notice.
 Journals Subscription Order Form

We like to subscribe the following journal(s).Please tick the appropriate boxes

This rate is applicable for those authors and subscribers who are from the countries other than India and
SAARC countries.)

NATIONAL JORNALS

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Frequency Library Personal

Journal Name ISSN H-Half (Price In (Price In
Yearly US$) US$)
[] Journal of Automobile Engineering Applied H 275 225
[] Journal of Aeronautical Engineering Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Engineering and Technology 2250 -2394 H 275 225

H 275 225
[] Journal of Industrial Engineering and Research Applied
H 275 225
Journal of Civil, Structural, Environmental, Water
[] 2277-4815
resources and Infrastructure Engineering Research

H 275 225
Journal of Metallurgical and Materials
[] Applied
Engineering Research

[] Journal of Plastic and Polymer Technology Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Food Science & Technology Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Textile and Fashion Technology Applied H 275 225

H 275 225
[] Journal of Chemical Engineering and Technology Applied

[] Journal of Bio-Technology and Research 2278-3571 H 275 225

H 275 225
Journal of Electronics, Communication and
[] 2278-3598
Instrumentation Engineering Research

[] Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering 2250–2424 H 275 225

Journal of Computer Science Engineering and H 275 225
[] Information Technology Research 2250-2416

Journal of Computer Networking, Wireless and Mobile H 275 225

[] Communications Applied

[] Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering 2278-3512 H 275 225

MANAGEMENT

Frequency Library Personal

Journal Name ISSN (Price In (Price In
H-Half Yearly
US$) US$)
[] Journal of Business Management and Research 2250 – 2343 H 275 225

[] Journal of Sales and Marketing Management 2250–2432 H 275 225

Journal of Human Resource Management and H 275 225

[] 2277-4742
Development
Journal of Accounting and Financial H 275 225
[] 2278-3555
Management Research
ARTS, SCIENCES, HUMANITIES, HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES

Library Personal
Frequency
Journal Name ISSN (Price In (Price In
H-Half Yearly
US$) US$)

Journal of Biological Research and 275 225

[] 2278-4918 H
Development
[] Journal of English and Literature 2278-4896 H 275 225

Journal of Economics, Commerce and H 275 225

[] 2278-4977
Research
[] Journal of History and Research Applied H 275 225
Journal of Applied, Physical and Biochemistry H 275 225
[] Applied
Research
[] Journal of Physical Science and Research Applied H 275 225

Journal of Mathematics and Computer H 275 225

[] 2250–2408
Applications Research
[] Journal of Botany and Research Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Zoology and Research Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Library Science and Research Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Educational Science and Research 2278-4950 H 275 225

[] Journal of Agricultural Science and Research Applied H 275 225

Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical H 275 225

[] Applied
Sciences
Journal of Political Science, Law and H 275 225
[] Applied
International Relations
[] Journal of Communication and Media Studies 2278-4934 H 275 225
Journal of Environment, Ecology, Family and H 275 225
[] Applied
Urban Studies
[] Journal of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Dental Research & Development Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Biological Research for Nursing Applied H 275 225

[] Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice Applied H 275 225

Journal of Pediatrics Research and H 275 225

[] Applied
Development
Journal of Psychology Research and H 275 225
[] Applied
Development
Journal of Surgical Pathology and H 275 225
[] Applied
Development

Total Amount (Rs)

All Subscriptions are Payable in advance all rates include postage and taxes. Subscribers are requested to
send payment with their order whenever possible. Issues will be sent on receipt of payment. Subscriptions are
entered on annual basis, i.e. January to December and are subject to renewal in subsequent years. Prices are subject
to change without notice.
 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

SUBSCRIBER TYPE: (Check one) [ ] Library/ Institution / [ ] Personal

Name _ _ _
Affiliation _ _ _ Dept _
Address _ _ City/
State/ Zip Country _
Phone _ Fax _ E-
mail _ _Signature _Date _

PAYMENT DETAILS

Demand Draft (DD) is enclosed (payable to” Transstellar Journal Publications And Research Consultancy Pvt
Ltd” , payable at “Chennai”)

DD No _ _ Dated _ _
Drawn on bank_ _ _

Send this form with payment to: TJPRC Pvt. Ltd., No 153 First Floor, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar, Velachery,
Chennai,Tamil Nadu,PIN-600042 India.