Learn English, But need not learn in English
Michael D’Cruz
CDO Education
From the caption it is
clear that the writer is not against the international language English. I am
not even hiding the fact that the writer got a chance to go abroad and pursue
the teaching profession just because of the limited knowledge in English. Even
after drinking a chalice full of benefits of English, I have the opinion that
one must learn only in the language in which one thinks.
In Kerala and elsewhere
people have the notion that the quality of education is good if the medium
through which one does the learning is English. The question of medium
instruction does not arise at all, if the instruction is carried out in the
same language, which the child uses for thinking. Unfortunately, in Kerala most
of the children in English medium haven’t got this opportunity. These poor
children think in their mother tongue but learn in English. The so-called
English medium teachers are also doing the same thing ie, they are thinking in
mother tongue and teaching in English.
Understanding the
significance of language in education, one must know what is meant by education
and what the aims of education are. Education aims at the over all development of
the thinking capacity of the child. I am talking about the intellectual
processes or the thinking processes like analysis, synthesis, problem solving,
creative thinking, critical thinking, evaluation and application of knowledge.
As a result of this process the child does the cognitive construction or creates
knowledge. This brings out what is in the child, the true ingenuity of the
child which when nurtured; the child comes up to the potential level of achievement.
This process fulfills the ultimate aim of education; drawing out what is in the
child.
Construction of knowledge
results in neuron bindings in the brain and they set in the life long. It is
not like filling the memory with alien knowledge and it goes to oblivion as the
time lapses. Memory capacity is to be developed. The whole aim of education is not
to develop memory alone. How many children in English medium have this ability
to think in English and construct knowledge in that language? As we know that
the thought predominates language and language predominated thoughts. In both
cases the English medium children are deterred by the language factor. They
have restrains in carrying out thoughts in alien language as the genetically triggered
mother tongue comes in between. On the other hand the outcome of the thought
processes cannot be wholly expressed in any form because of the inadequacy of
the language compelled to use. This is a dangerous situation leading to many
undesirable traits in the person. Language is for communication and the
language one opted is not serving the purpose. This results in a lot of stress
and strains in the child. Imagine of a small tot having this pent up emotion in
him and year after the discontentment brews up, the child is not growing up
with a balanced mental set up. In the learning process the child resort to
memorization as the construction of knowledge is beyond his capacity and thus
endangering the natural intellectual growth. Majority of English medium
children lack the capacity of free and spontaneous expression of their ideas.
Recently I saw PG students, conducting comparing in an international conference
venue with prepares scripts. This sort of incapacitated state of mind
reverberates with a sense of rebellious attitude: rebellion against what;
nothing in particular but to everything in general.
Do you think that the
above stated remarks have crossed the limits of exaggeration? Then try to find
the reason for the following observation. In majority of college unions and
university unions, the leaders elected are from student organizations having
allegiance towards leftist ideologies. The NRIs and other aspirants who get into
these institutes of higher studies, professional and non-professional courses,
are from affluent families and products of English medium schools. Yet these
budding personals joints hands with organizations alien to their faith,
ideology, custom and culture. What is the reason? I don’t give much heed to irresistible
love they have for socialism or like factors but a vent for release for the suppressed
emotions accumulated by the years of strain education through restrained
medium. When they are free from institutes with enforced discipline and start
enjoying relaxed state of discipline, this is what they feel to do in the new
atmosphere.
I dream of children in
my beautiful state receiving quality education in the language in which they do
their thought processes and acquiring efficient working knowledge in English
for deep study and communication. I am inviting you to dream of this situation.
An in your dream, if language used were Engligh, I would presume that you are
the right person to do your education in English
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