New Paradigms in Language Education

Abstract:

   Language education plays an important role in the process of education. Without strong language base students cannot excel in other subjects. Development of better cognitive growth, healthy interpersonal skills and conceptual clarity is possible through strong foundation of language. Hence to thrive academically, socially and cognitively language base is very essential.  NCF2005 states that, “It is common observation that language teaching is the most neglected area in our schools. The importance of language is undermined by educationists, teachers and parents as they ignore the fact that without strong language base child cannot do justice with learning other subjects as well”.

  The article emphasizes the importance of teaching language. The teaching should be   learner centered approach. Artistic forms like Drama, Music, Dance, Folksongs, Painting, etc…can be used to add colors in language teaching and learning.

Key words:  Language Teaching, Art Based Language Teaching Strategy, Music, Drama,  Painting, Audio-Visual materials

 

      Introduction

Language teaching plays an important role in the process of education. Without strong language base students cannot excel in other subjects. Development of better cognitive growth, healthy interpersonal skills and conceptual clarity is possible through strong foundation of language. Hence to thrive academically, socially and cognitively language base is very essential.

Language Teaching is a complex skill, it is an art. It is not everybody s cup of tea. It is a specific, objective and conscious process. It is not simply transforming and dumping the information mechanically. But it is a multi polar process based on psychological and philosophical foundations of education. 

               Language Teacher has to bring desired changes among the learners through teaching the content specified for language/literature students. The method/strategy used for teaching is very important because as  NCF2005 states that,” The language teaching class room has remained one of the most boring and unchallenging sites of education”. Hence the revolutionary changes in Language teaching are very essential to reform language teaching in our schools.  NCF2005 also states that, “it is common observation that language teaching is the most neglected area in our schools. The importance of language is undermined by educationists, teachers and parents as they ignore the fact that without strong language base child cannot do justice with learning other subjects as well”.

Importance of Arts in Language Teaching

Language teaching can be filled with colours through artistic forms like drama, music, role-plays, etc... These activities can create conducive learning environment in class-rooms National Curriculum Framework, 2005 states that, “Stories, poems, songs and drama link children to their cultural heritage, and also give them an opportunity to understand their own experience and to develop sensitivity to others. We may also point out that children may effortlessly abstract more Grammar from such activities than through explicit and often boring grammar lessons”.

Suzuki method of teaching mother tongue, Hypothesis of Krashen s theory (Use of music in language classroom) etc… theories stress on artistic skills in teaching language. According to the Dakar Framework for Action4, many factors are required as prerequisites for quality education. Learning in and through the arts (Arts Education and Arts-in-Education) can enhance at least four of these factors: active learning; a locally-relevant curriculum that captures the interest and enthusiasm of learners; respect for, and engagement with, local communities and cultures; and trained and motivated teachers.

The psychological point of view also artistic forms touch the hearts of students and motivate the students to learn the new knowledge.  Learning will be more joyous and enjoyable. It is observed that children, who are engaged in art activities, develop a better understanding of other subjects, right from languages to geography to even science. Studies have shown that students who are exposed to any of the forms of creative expression, be it music, painting, or drama, on an average achieve higher scores in standardized tests. Nuessel, Frank and Marshall (2008) found that songs and music offer a rich resource for the development of the three communicative modes viz., interpersonal, interpretive and presentational and enhances the basic skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. McIntire, Jean. M (2007) found that music develops reading, writing, speaking and listening skills and it develops the literacy skills of children with special needs. Drama is highly regarded as an effective and valuable teaching strategy because of its unique ability to engage reflective, constructivist and active learning in the classroom as well as enhancing oral skills development (Di Pietro, 1987; Via, 1976; Heathcote cited in Wagner, 1976; Mezirow, 1990; Schon, 1991; Donato and McCormick, 1994; Lukinsky, 1990; Miccoli, 2003). The use of drama techniques and activities in the classroom provides exciting opportunities for second language learners to use the language in concrete “situations”. Besides, some research studies (Maley & Duff, 2001; Phillips, 2003) suggest that drama activities can promote interesting ways of motivating language learners and teachers. With drama we can play, move, act and learn at the same time (Phillips, 2003).dance can be a highly successful method of instructional support in many core subjects. The English (or language arts) classroom is one excellent example. Dance can complement the teaching of several diverse elements of the English curriculum. Five “centerpieces” in the teaching of English that can be illuminated and enriched through dance are: the language of analysis; the explication of a specific text; comparative analysis of literature; the essay-writing process; and the nurturing of creative imagination.

Hence the above studies showed that Artistic skills like Music, Drama, have positive           effect on language teaching and learning. Language class rooms can be filled with colors          teaching language through Arts.

Brain research also supports the value of integrating the arts in language teaching as well as in other subject areas. Stanford University conducted a study to measure the

relationship between reading and the arts and found “likely connections among brain regions involved in the development of reading skills…[and] how exposure to the visual arts might relate to phonological awareness (the ability to manipulate speech sounds), which is correlated with reading ability.” The study involved children who were enrolled in an examination of reading skills and associated brain structures, and sought to see how the arts affected children’s reading fluency, by comparing students with arts training to students without an arts education over a three-year period. The study also involved interviewing the children’s parents, testing reading scores and improvements over the test period and studying the brains of the children through scientific imaging. By measuring the parts of the brain that connect the two hemispheres –“communication cables,” differences between strong and weak readers in connection to experiences in the arts were observed.

Many teachers may feel integrating arts in language teaching as a troublesome thing to implement, hence some suggestions have been given to solve the issue.

Suggestions:

Many studies have been done at international level but there is scarcity of the research work in Indian context. Hence there is urgent need to take up the below said area of research to bring revolutionary changes in language teaching and learning.

Ø  Encouraging to conduct research in below said areas:

      Dramatization and Language teaching

      Music and Language teaching

      Music therapy and language teaching for mentally challenged children

      Language games and language teaching

      Dance, gestures and communication

      Dance and language teaching

      Painting and language teaching

      Sculpture and language teaching

      Commonalities between Language and Arts

Ø  Produce the Art Based Language teaching Audio-Visual materials (using the components of Music, Drama, Dance, and Painting in Language Teaching.

Ø  Engaging the Language experts with back ground knowledge of of Music, Dance, Drama and other artistic forms to produce art based audio-visual materials.

Ø  Arranging workshops for language teachers to train to use the Art Based Language teaching Audio-Visual materials in the classrooms.

Ø  Inviting experts and specialists from other countries, who have done commendable work on this area.

Ø  Art Based Language teaching Audio-Visual materials can be used at all levels of education including nursery to secondary level, from special education to higher education. Materials should be prepared according the need and abilities of the students.

Ø  Encouraging Researchers to take up experimental studies and case studies in this regard.

Ø  Developing Language testing tools to measure the language abilities of students according to their standards and grades of study.

Ø  Arranging workshops for Researchers to analyze the data using appropriate statistical techniques. (SPSS Package). The data can be interpreted exactly, when it has been analyzed properly with suitable statistical techniques. Hence the training should be given in this area.

Conclusion:

Integrating Arts in language teaching creates emotionally pleasing environment and most conducive for learning language. Arts can be integrated with language teaching at all levels, from kindergarten classes to secondary classes, from special education to higher education. It is the responsibility of educationists, teachers, parents and education department to bring revolutionary changes in Language Education in the context of universalisation of secondary education as it stresses the importance of learner centered approach. Arts is a powerful vehicle of portraying feelings. Integrating Art in language teaching attracts language learners. Hence it is one of the most powerful learner centered approach to teach language.

References

Ø  National Focus Groups Position Papers, Vol. I, curricular areas, NCF, 2005, New Delhi: NCERT.

Ø  NCERT (2005) National curriculum frame work 2005, New Delhi, NCERT.

Ø  NCERT (2006) Sixth Survey of Educational Research, New Delhi, NCERT.

Ø  Dissertation abstracts international (2005), vol.65 no.9 march, vol.65 no.10 April, vol.66 no.3 September 2005.

Ø Gayathri.S(2012)Music Approach For Quality In Language Teaching And Learning, Empowering teachers, enhancing quality in teacher education, P-76, (Chapter in an Edited Book),  Bangalore, Prism books Pvt limited. ISBN81-7286-745-x