LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13 : 1 January 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Overcoming Mental Inhibition through an English Language Lab Module

Krishnan Namputhiri. M.R., M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate

Introduction

In spite of its troubled journey in India during the last four centuries, English language has retained its distinctiveness and uniqueness in India. Besides, during this lengthy sojourn in India, English has shaped the communicative capability of Indian minds and in turn it has been influenced by the Indianness of society in India. At present the evolving status of English as a leading global language further strengthens the position of English in India.

In his English as a Global Language David Crystal states: “Indeed, if there is one predictable consequence of a language becoming a global language, it is that nobody owns it any more. Or rather, everyone who has learned it now owns it – ‘has a share in it’ might be more accurate – and has the right to use it in the way they want” (2003:2&3).

>Crystal also says that some countries use English as second language “because it is seen as a complement to a person’s mother tongue or ‘first language’ (2003:4). Joshua A. Fishman in his “Sociology of English as an Additional Language”, categorically puts forth the following: “The growth of English speaking “false foreigners” in various parts of the non-English mother-tongue world (e.g. West Africa, East Africa, India, Puerto Rico) is an indication that a non-native variety of English may succeed not only in stabilizing itself cross-generationally (i.e., in nativizing itself), but also in becoming a mother tongue in certain speech networks…. Steps have been taken to make sure that English does not intrude upon the domains of local ideology, literature, history and citizenship” (Kachru, ed., 2001:20&21).

Experiential Learning Method (ELM)

Having accepted “mental inhibition” as a serious ‘communication barrier’, I make an attempt in this paper to introduce English Language Lab with a specific teaching module to overcome the same inhibition. The focus is to enable a learner at the college level to effectively bring out his or her understanding of a topic without any mental inhibition and assert himself or herself as a ‘creative person’.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Krishnan Namputhiri. M.R., MA., M.Phil.
Associate Professor of English,
Sreekrishna College Guruvayoor
Thrissur
Kerala
India
knamputhiri@hotmail.com
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