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Vol. 63/1 January - February 2021

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 Journal of English Language Teaching
Recommended by the Director of School Education ( Proceedings D Dis No. 75301/76 dt 21 March 1979)
and the Director of Collegiate Education ( RC No. 11059 / J3 / 2000 dt 28 February 2000 )

The English Language Teachers’ Association Objectives of the Association

of India was registered on August 7, 1974 l To provide a forum for teachers of
by the late Padmashri S. Natarajan, a noted English to meet periodically and discuss
educationist of our country. problems relating to the teaching of
Periodicity English in India.
Journal of English Language Teaching l To help teachers interact with educational
(JELT) is published six times a year: Jan.- administrators on matters relating to the
Feb.; Mar.-Apr.; May-June; July-Aug.; Sept.- teaching of English.
Oct.; and Nov.-Dec. l To disseminate information in the ELT
Contributions field among teachers of English.
Articles on ELT are welcome. Share your l To undertake innovative projects
ideas, innovations, experiences, teaching aimed at the improvement of learners’
tips, teaching-learning resources with your proficiency in English.
fellow professionals. l To promote professional solidarity
Length: 2000-2500 words among teachers of English at primary,
There should be an abstract in about 100 secondary and university levels.
words at the beginning and all the necessary l To promote professional excellence
information about all the references cited. among its members in all possible ways.
Articles should be sent only as an email The Journal is sent free to all the registered
attachment (AS A WORD DOCUMENT) to: and active members of the Association. In
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com (copy to: [email protected]). out three quarterly online journals: Journal
of Teaching and Research in English
CDs and hard copies will not be accepted.
Literature, The Journal of Taechnology for
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the article submitted is free from plagiarised
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and not necessarily those of the Journal. papers and conduct workshops.
 JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
(A Peer-Reviewed Journal)
VOLUME LXIII, NUMBER 1, January-February 2021
Our Founder Editor & Publisher: (Late) Padmashree S. Natarajan
Editorial 2

Teaching Reading Using a Literary Text in the English Classroom

Veena Selvam 3

Enhancement of Reading, Writing & Speaking Skills in Primary Online Class

Nilofer Rashid Reza, Anupama T. S., Lubna Khalil 12

PowerPoint Presentation and Online Teaching

Mukund B Gund 20

Grammar Guru 12
V Saraswathi 24

ELT for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Learners

L Vidhya 26

Language Learning: A Matter of Correct Attitude and Soft Skills

Anjita Thakur 32

The Predicament of Rural College Students during the Pandemic: An ELA Website for
their Rescue 38
Roopna Ravindran

Reading Activity – Setting Reading Goals 43

K Elango

ELT@I 51st Annual and 15th International Conference 45

Manuscript submission guidelines for authors 47

Printed and published by

Dr. K. Elango on behalf of the Society for the Promotion of Education in India
Correspondence relating to the journal, Journal of English Language Teaching, should be addressed
to the Editor at: [email protected] and that relating to the association, English Language Teachers’
Association of India (ELTAI) to: [email protected] or [email protected].
ELTAI Website: www.eltai.in ELTAI Office: +91-44-26172789, 9344425159
The views expressed in the articles published in JELT are those of the authors only and do not
necessarily reflect the stand of the editorial board.
 EDITORIAL
Dear friends ‘ELT for Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Learners’ discusses the notion of LEP based on
As of Jan 2021, I have been appointed as the new a review of the literature on LEP. ‘Language
Editor of JELT, an internationally recognized, Learning: A Matter of Correct Attitude and Soft
signature journal of ELT@I. JELT has become Skills’ is based on the observations made during
increasingly relevant in the context of diverse, an informal interaction with students to
real-world, complex problems and challenges in understand the reasons governing their choice
teaching English. Launched in 1965, the journal of English as an optional subject. ‘The
has published several influential and impactful Predicament of Rural College Students during
articles on English language teaching and the Pandemic: An ELA Website for their Rescue’
learning. Hence, it is my great honour and aims to show how a customised website is a
pleasure to serve this established, reputed boon for rural students during the pandemic,
journal. I seek your contributions, suggestions, with its video lessons, extracts from the
and involvement in ensuring that JELT remains textbooks, and other exciting learning
the best forum to discuss ELT-related issues. materials.
Allow me to present this issue, which will give ‘Grammar Guru’ begins with ‘Do you get tense
you an idea of how English language teaching about tenses in English?’ and makes you
is constantly evolving, especially in the light of comfortable while dealing with grammar rules.
technological advancements. You will agree that Dr. Elango provides guidance on reading
learning is more than just a recall of content; it practice and goal-setting to help readers set
entails the use of both mind and body, as well as goals for themselves before interacting with any
collaboration, discussion, and exploration. text. He points out that there are various genres,
Learners must be mentally, culturally, and each of which necessitates a particular reading
physically prepared. Several of these issues are style. Margaret Fuller once said, “Today a
addressed in the current issue of JELT. reader, tomorrow a leader.” I agree.
‘Teaching Reading Using a Literary Text in the Over the past few decades, learning has shifted
English Classroom’ examines closely the from a top-down, teacher-centred approach to a
theoretical perspectives on using literature in the bottom-up, student-centred approach, shifting
language classroom and then goes on to discuss the teacher’s position from knowledge-
the sub-skills approach to teaching the reading transmitter to consultant, guide, coach, and/or
skill. ‘Enhancement of Reading, Writing, and facilitator in many ways. While the future decade
Speaking Skills in Primary Online Class’ shows will be dominated by technology, one ingredient
an integrated approach to develop these skills has remained constant over time: outstanding
in primary school children. It gives a fairly good teaching and a supportive classroom
account of various online learning activities environment. We need to ponder the big question:
planned by the teacher for primary class How can we ensure these in 2021 and beyond to
students. ‘PowerPoint Presentation and Online build the ultimate classroom for learning?
Teaching’ reviews points associated with its use
in a teaching and learning context and suggests Happy Reading and Sharing!
some guidelines and pedagogical strategies that
need to be considered where it is to be used. Dr. Neeru Tandon

2 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 Teaching Reading Using a Literary Text in the English
Classroom
Veena Selvam

ABSTRACT
This paper attempts to present a sample module on teaching reading skills using an excerpt
from a novel by the Indian English writer, Manju Kapur. The paper examines the theoretical
perspectives on using literature in the language classroom and then goes on to discuss
the sub-skills approach to teaching the reading skill. Based on these theoretical
perspectives, the literary text is chosen and the module is designed, taking into
consideration the target learners and the skills to be focused on.

Keywords: Language Through Literature, Literature in the Language Classroom, Teaching

Reading Through Literature.

Using Literature in the Language methodological reasons advanced against the

Classroom inclusion of literature in the language
classroom.
The English classroom has often been a site
for experimentation, with different schools The primary argument against the inclusion
of language teaching experts proposing of literature in the language classroom is that
various materials and methods to make literature is irrelevant to the learners. It is too
language teaching effective. One of the most far removed from the experiences of the
contentious issues in the English classroom average language learner who cannot relate
has been the issue of using literature in the to the experiences described in the literary
language classroom. As Fitch O’Connell, piece that he/she is asked to read. Closely
BritLit Manager, ironically points out: linked to this argument is the point that the
“Literature. Quite a divisive word, that. language of the literary text is far too complex
Throw it through an open window into a and intimidating for the average language
room full of language teachers and most will learner to make sense of. The next argument
dive behind furniture, fingers in their ears and that may be advanced against the use of
looks of horror on their faces.” (O’Connell literature is that while the English language
NA) classroom should encourage the practice of
Arguments Against the Use of Literature all the four skills, listening, speaking, reading
and writing, literature prioritises reading and
Many arguments may be used to make a writing over the other skills. Also, the use of
strong case against the use of literature in the literature disturbs the teacher-student
language classroom. There are a number of equation in the classroom. While CLT and

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 3

other allied methodologies are in favour of a the language classroom: universality, non-
student-centric classroom, the use of triviality, personal relevance, variety, interest,
literature would make the classroom teacher- economy and suggestive power. and
centred, as the teacher would evidently know ambiguity (Maley 1989).
more about the literary text than the student.
Criteria for the Choice of Literary
Sandra McKay, in her article Literature in Material
the ESL Classroom published in TESOL
Quarterly, summed up the arguments against However, all these theoreticians have
the use of literature in the language classroom emphasised that the English language teacher
in the following words: or instructor should be very careful in the
choice of literary pieces to be used in the
First, since one of our main goals as ESL classroom. The material should be chosen
teachers is to teach the grammar of the after careful consideration of the language
language, literature, due to its structural skill that is going to be taught, the relevance
complexity and its unique use of language, of the text to the target learners, and the
does little to contribute to this goal. exploitability of the text itself for teaching
Second, the study of literature will the particular skill that is focused on.
contribute nothing to helping our students
meet their academic and/or occupational Reading Skill
goals. Finally, literature often reflects a As the focus of the paper is on teaching
particular cultural perspective; thus, on a reading, it is important to understand the
conceptual level, it may be quite difficult various theoretical perspectives about this
for students. (Mackay 1982) particular skill. Almost all ELT theoreticians
Arguments in Favour of Using Literature and practitioners agree that reading is a very
in the Language Classroom important skill. Jo McDonough and
Christopher Shaw sum up the importance of
However, many ELT theoreticians and reading in their book Materials and Methods
practitioners have made a case in favour of in ELT: “As a skill, reading is clearly one of
the use of literature in the English classroom. the most important.” (McDonough, Shaw and
Joanne Collie and Stephen Slater, in their Masuhara 2013)
book Literature in the Language Classroom,
list the following four reasons for the Sub-Skills of Reading
inclusion of literature in language teaching Though there is little difference of opinion
curriculum – valuable authentic material, among theoreticians about the importance of
cultural enrichment, language enrichment, reading, there is much else about the skill that
and personal involvement (Collie and Slater is debated upon. The reading skill itself can
1987). Alan Maley, in his article Down from be broken down into a set of sub skills.
the Pedestal: Literature as Resource, Urquhart and Weir, in their book Reading in
includes the following as reasons for the a Second Language, state “if reading itself
inclusion of literature as resource material in is a skill, it must be possible to break this

4 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

down into different level of component skill the novel, The Immigrant by Manju Kapur
categories.” (Urquhart and Weir 1998). There (2008), a contemporary novelist. (The excerpt
is no agreement among theoreticians about chosen is provided in the appendix).
these component skills, which have been
variously called sub skills, or micro skills. This excerpt is chosen as its narrative is well
F.B. Davis (1968) states that there are eight within the ambit of the Indian students’
sub skills, while Munby (1978), in his book experience and they can relate very well with
on Communicative Syllabus Design, it. They have also gone through schooling in
identified 19 sub skills which were required India and have experienced the angst of
to develop the reading skill. Heaton (1988) making choices regarding their future course
lists 14, while Hughes (1989) categorises of study. Many of them have had similar
them under four groups of skills. experiences as the character in the excerpt,
of not scoring enough to take up the courses
There are other theoreticians (Oller 1979, of their dreams and forced to settle for their
Lunzer, Waite and Dolan 1979, Rost 1993) second or third options. Many of them can
who challenge the entire sub skill view and also easily relate to the idea of parents and
state that reading is a single or unitary skill relatives playing a big role in making the
which cannot be sub divided into component decisions on what to study on their behalf.
skills. The excerpt also fulfils other criteria such as
readability, as it does not have complex
Contentious though the issue is, most ELT language structures which would be
practitioners fall in line with the sub skill challenging for low proficient learners in a
view, perhaps because teaching sub skills is heterogeneous classroom and can be
more manageable in the English classroom. exploited to practise various language skills.
Although, as stated earlier, lists vary, it is
generally agreed that prediction, global The target learners for whom this module has
comprehension or reading for gist, scanning, been designed are from the first year
intensive reading, reading to make inferences engineering stream (though it could be used
and extensive reading are some of the with students of any professional discipline,
component skills of reading. preferably those in the first year, who would
be able to relate the narrative to their own
Sample Module to Teach Reading Using
recent experiences. The text may also be used
an Excerpt from Literature
with students of later semesters with a
With the criteria mentioned earlier in mind, different set of activities.).
a sample module using a literary excerpt has
been designed and presented in this paper. The skills that are focused on are reading,
The skill that has been chosen is reading. along with incidental teaching of vocabulary
and writing as an extended activity. The sub
The following sample activities have been skills approach is adopted here with separate
designed using a literary excerpt to teach focus on scanning, intensive reading and
reading. The text chosen is an excerpt from reading to make inferences.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 5

Pre-Reading What were some of the words of advice their
parents gave them often? After giving them a
Before distributing the excerpt for reading, a couple of minutes to recollect these details, they
warm up activity for ten minutes is planned. are asked to jot down these facts.
The students are asked to imagine themselves
back in school during their 10th standard: What Then the students are asked to write down
did they look like? What was their uniform like? the following bits of information about
Who were their friends? Who were their themselves. This table may be provided to
teachers? What was their daily routine like? them as an aid.
Courses available Courses chosen Reasons for their Courses they would Reasons for
to them in 11th by them choice choose if given a revised choice
class second chance

The students are asked to discuss in small While Reading

groups of three or four their choices and the After this warm up activity, the excerpt from
reasons for their choices. They are then asked the novel is distributed for reading. Reading
to make a list of common reasons for choices may be done at three levels. The first level
made by students in general in their context. would be comprehension of the text at the
Finally, there is a general class discussion on literal level. The students would then move to
what are the factors that influence career the next level which would involve making
options of students in India. inferences from the text. After the students
This warm up activity helps the learners to have read and understood the text at both these
become comfortable with the literary text levels they would be ready to evaluate the text.
chosen as it calls attention to the fact that it This should stimulate them to think beyond
narrates an experience that is familiar to the text both imaginatively and critically.
them. It also helps them to reasonably In order to facilitate the comprehension of
predict that the excerpt that they are about the text at the literal level, the following
to read is connected to the educational worksheet may be used. This should take
system in India. about ten minutes.

Worksheet 1
1. Find words in the passage which mean the c. having assets / ready money (6)
following. The number of the paragraph d. travelled (8)
in which the word may be found is given e. inculcate / teach while bringing up (9)
in brackets:
f. satisfaction of one’s desires (10)
a. commendable (3) g. independence (11)
b. misfortunes (5) h. meagre (12)

6 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 i. put up with (12) l. compassion and understanding (14)
j. ultimate (12) m. asset given as security at bank to
k. weak and defenseless (14) obtain a loan (15)

2. From the information given in the excerpt, fill in the following biodata sheet of Ananda.
Name: Place of birth:
Father’s name: State:
Father’s occupation: Educational qualification:
Mother’s name: College of study:
Mother’s occupation: Internship:
Number of siblings: Career:
3. Read the given excerpt and decide which of the adjectives given in the box would fit
Ananda and which would fit his parents. Some may fit both and some may not fit either.
(Use a dictionary if necessary.)
ambitious, diligent, obedient, concerned, imposing, conforming, rebellious, contented,
respectable, dutiful, devoted, money minded, insecure, unreasonable, responsible, narrow
minded, broad minded, single minded, pliable, reasonable
Ananda Ananda’s parents

This worksheet is graded from simple to intensive reading to comprehend the

complex and helps the learners practise the personality traits of the various characters in
different sub skills. The vocabulary exercise the excerpt.
helps the learners understand the meanings
of the given words in context which in turn After students understand the text at the literal
contributes to an overall understanding of the level, they move on to make inferences from
text. The datasheet focuses on the scanning the text. The following worksheet may be
skill, looking for specific details about the used at this level. This would require 15
persona in the reading excerpt. The third minutes with each statement being discussed
exercise involves the more complex skill of for its implications.
Worksheet 2
What are the inferences that may be drawn 2. It was the first disappointment he had
from the following statements in the text? known in anything that had to do with
reproducing large amounts of memorised
1. Her lack of academic brilliance was material.
compensated by the genius she exhibited
in choosing her partner. 3. His hand was deft, but with patients,

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 7

 strangers after all, his conversation was use of literature in the language classroom,
hesitant, his demeanour bashful. it needs to undergo trial in the classroom
before any claims can be made about its
This exercise would require the learners to effectiveness. The trial, it is also hoped,
discuss the underlying implications of the would give further pointers to the design of
statements in the text and draw inferences similar modules using literary texts.
regarding the social, educational and
employment contexts prevalent in the Conclusion
country. These inferences can also whet the
learners interest in thinking about socially This sample is an attempt to show that a
relevant topics and sharing their ideas. literary text may be exploited profitably in
the language classroom to teach specific
Post-Reading skills. The literary text is a rich resource and
may be used in different ways to suit different
After the students are able to make types and levels of learners. Literature
inferences from the text, they may be led to provides material like any other resource. The
think beyond the text. At this stage, students effectiveness of the material lies in the tasks
may be led to do a critical writing activity and activities that can be planned using this
(which would seamlessly move on to the material and the execution of this plan in the
writing skill) or a debate (which would actual classroom.
integrate the speaking skill) on various
topics such as the need for reform in the References
educational system in India and the social
prejudices for and against certain domains Collie, Joanne, and Stephen Slater. 1987.
of study. The text may also be used to Literature in the Language Classroom: A
stimulate creative writing (suggested topics: Resource Book of Ideas and Activities. Edited
Imagine what circumstances might have led by Michael Swan. Cambridge: Cambridge
Ananda to go abroad? / Write a dialogue University Press.
between Dr Chandra and Ananda, with the Davis, F B. 1968. “Research in
former giving Ananda tips on how to comprehension in reading.” Reading
become better at his profession.) Research Quarterly 3: 499-545.
Scope / Limitations of the Module Heaton, J B. 1988. Writing English Language
Tests. London and New York: Longman.
The test of the pudding is in the eating. The
success or lack thereof of a lesson or module Hughes, A. 1989. Testing for Language
depends entirely on the implementation in the Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University
actual classroom. Although this module has Press.
been designed with a specific group of target
Kapur, Manju. 2008. The Immigrant.
learners in mind, it is yet to be tested for its
London: Random House Publishers.
effectiveness in the actual classroom. As the
module is part of an ongoing study on the Lunzer, E, M Waite, and T Dolan. 1979.

8 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

“Comprehension and Comprehension Tests.” design. Cambridge: Cambridge University
In The Effective Use of Reading, edited by E Press.
Lunzer and K Garner. London: Heinemann
Educational Books. O’Connell, Fitch. NA. Get lit up: literature
as a teacher’s best friend. London, NA.
Mackay, Sandra. 1982. “Literature in the ESL Accessed March 31, 2021. https://
Classroom.” TESOL Quarterly XVI (4): 529- www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/get-lit-
36. doi:10.2307/3586470. literature-a-teachers-best-friend.
Maley, Alan. 1989. “Down from the Pedestal: Oller, J W. 1979. Language Tests at School:
Literature as Resource.” In Literature and the A Pragmatic Approach. London: Longman.
Learner: Methodological Approaches, edited
by Christopher Brumfit, Richard Walker and Rost, Detlef H. 1993. “Assessing Different
Ronald Carter, 10-23. Modern English Components of Reading Comprehension:
Publications. Fact or Fiction?” Language Testing X (1):
79-92.
McDonough, Jo, Christopher Shaw, and
Hitomi Masuhara. 2013. Materials and Urquhart, A H, and Cyril J Weir. 1998.
Methods in ELT. 3rd. Wiley. Reading in a Second Language: Process,
Product and Practice. London: Routledge.
Munby, J. 1978. Communicative syllabus doi:10.4324/9781315841373.

APPENDIX
Excerpt from The Immigrant by Manju Kapur

1. Far away, on the eastern seaboard of 3. But these exemplary aspirations were not
Canada, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a destined to be realised.
young man stood at the window of his
clinic and gazed at the trees lining the 4. His parents had been middle class
sidewalk. It was summer; the air was professionals, on the lower scale of
mild, the sun shining for a change. His things. His mother taught at the Convent
longtime friend and partner had just of Jesus and Mary, his father was a minor
walked home to his wife, child and lunch. functionary at the Forest Institute. They
had two children. The daughter studied
2. Eight years earlier, Ananda had been a at her mother’s school, and for her BA
practising dentist in small town went to Miranda House, Delhi
Dehradun. Unlike many of his friends he University. Her lack of academic
had never dreamt of leaving India. His brilliance was compensated by the
ambitions were simple. He wanted to genius she exhibited in choosing her
make enough money to look after his partner. The boy had actually been to
parents and repay them for the time, love Doon School with Sanjay Gandhi! Now
and hope they had invested in him. he was in the IAS, UP cadre. Success was

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 9

 bound to crown your career when you Dehradun. The career of a dentist
could claim some connection with The uncle in Canada was painted in
Family. glowing colours. Who knew, his future
might convey him across the globe. But
5. The umbrella of this marriage would cast for the moment, a stretchable moment,
its shade over the young brother as well. he belonged to his parents.
At all times the parents were keenly
aware of the potential calamities that 8. Dental courses ran on quotas. Ananda
could befall their children and a son-in- was from UP, so for him the obvious
law added to their sense of security. choice was the dental wing of King
George’s Hospital in Lucknow. He
6. Ananda was going to be a doctor. The passed the interview, and for the five
father spent hours going over the child’s years it would take to qualify he shuttled
lessons with him, making sure there was between Dehradun and Lucknow.
no question he could not answer, and the
son justified this attention by winning 9. From the moment of his birth Ananda
scholarships every year. He had to be had been surrounded by ... rituals. Before
something responsible, respectable, he left home, his parents did their best
solvent and being a doctor fit the bill. In to reinforce the practices of a lifetime.
class XII he had school in the morning, ... Boys in the college hostel might try
coaching classes for medical entrance and tempt him towards ... cigarettes and
exams in the afternoon and homework alcohol. Should he deviate from the pure
at night. But though he was a position habits they had instilled in him, his
holder in the science stream in the mother’s heart would break. She assured
boards, he didn’t score high enough in him of this with her disturbed, devoted
those other exams to make it to medical gaze.
college. It was the first disappointment
10. Ananda was put in a room with three
he had known in anything that had to do
boys who ... all smoked. The air was blue
with reproducing large amounts of
with the haze of constant indulgence. He
memorised material.
breathed deeply and smelled liberation.
7. Dentistry was the alternate option. The 11. From cigarettes he graduated to alcohol.
medical exam entrance forms had As he moved from first to second to third
demanded he fill in a second choice year at King George’s he found parents
and now he was forced to see the bright allowed their sons a certain autonomy if
side of things. He would not have to they were doing well. So, freedom went
do night shifts. He would get the same hand in hand with success. He absorbed
– almost the same – respect as doctors this lesson.
did, the same – almost the same –
money, but without the insane hours. 12. Most of his classmates aimed to go
With more economy and a bank loan, abroad. Were they to labour like donkeys
he could set up private practice in for the measly sums Indian doctors

10 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 commanded? No, never, not while they conversation was hesitant, his
had wits to fill in applications and demeanour bashful. Dr Chandra thought
patience to endure the year it took to get he would gain confidence with time, you
admission. They would have to qualify can’t be awkward around people’s
again once they were abroad, borrow mouths. Dentists have to be skilled at
money for tuition and living expenses putting patients at ease, especially since
and put in even more years if they wished they feel vulnerable as they recline,
to specialise, but the eventual reward mouths open, saliva gurgling in tubes
dwarfed these sacrifices. stretching across their chins. Each file
had to have notes about the client’s
13. If the love of his parents meant that profession, background, interests and
Ananda’s ultimate destination lay no family, so that small talk could be
further than the small town he had lived generated, empathy exhibited.
in all his life, he was son enough to
accept this. His parents found him an 15. Two years later Ananda felt he had learnt
internship with a reputed dentist in enough to be on his own. His parents
Anstey Hall in Raipur Road. His future broke their fixed deposits to help him set
was such a well understood thing up a dentistry practice further down on
between them that discussion was not Raipur Road. They applied for a one lakh
considered necessary before this was loan from the State Bank of India with
settled. their house as collateral to help finance
office equipment.
14. Ananda worked with Dr Chandra for two
years. His hand was deft, but with Dr Veena Selvem, Assistant Professor, Dept.
patients, strangers after all, his of English, CEG, Anna University.

The Journal of Teaching and Research in English Literature

(JTREL)
The Journal of Teaching and Research in English Literature (JTREL),
launched in July 2009, is an international double-blind peer-reviewed
open access journal aimed at encouraging scholarly exchange among
teachers and researchers of literatures written in English. It publishes
research articles of quality, reviews, author interviews, and poems and
other creative writings. It welcomes contributions not only from senior
scholars, but also from researchers who are in the early years of their
career.
The journal is published online four times a year by the English language
Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI). There is no access or publication
fee. Articles can be submitted throughout the year. They may be sent to:
[email protected] with a copy (Cc) to the editor Dr. Shaila Mahan at:
[email protected]. Visit our website (www.jtrel.in) for policies and
submission guidelines as well as for back issues of the journal.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 11

 Enhancement of Reading, Writing and Speaking Skills in
Primary Online Class
Nilofer Rashid Reza, Anupama T. S., Lubna Khalil

ABSTRACT
Learning a language opens the door to the contemporary world. This study is an integrated
approach to develop reading, writing and speaking skills in primary school children. The
techniques are strategically planned and applied in the same academic year through the
online platform, so that the subjects of the study are benefitted holistically. Numerous
activities are implemented with scientific insight throughout the study. The data collected
as part of two different studies to assess the number of children with difficulties in reading
and writing skills supplements this integrated study; two separate publications based on
these are listed below. Application of the strategies and completion of these activities,
with some ongoing, it is concluded, will enrich the interpersonal skills of communication
and nourish reading and writing capabilities of children at the primary level.

Keywords: LSRW, Study Methods, Activities, Worksheets, Methods of Teaching

Language.

Introduction prerequisite in developing and mastering the

subject. At this level where students of age
Reading, writing and speaking skills are group 5 to 7 are concerned phonetic grasp of
different facets of communication in any the language is what is needed. A student who
language and these receptive and productive is given enough reading practice at primary
skills are interrelated. Hence an integrated level slowly develops the ability to
approach in developing these skills in comprehend information given in the text
children of grades 1 and 2 of primary level they read. Discussions of what they read, like
in an International school in Saudi Arabia, is narrating the story read to the peer group and
the background study of this paper. Reading group discussions about passages read, help
and writing skills are inter connected, in greater comprehension of the content.
recognition of words and comprehensive These speaking skill practices also help in
reading is enhanced with more writing increasing the child’s interest in reading.
instruction. When children read and write the Inclusion of speaking skill competitions in
same words both skills are reinforced. co-curricular activities helps in the
Speaking and writing are productive skills improvement of verbal skills. Four letter and
too. What is received, as read by the brain is five letter Communicative Language
reproduced as oratory and writing abilities. Teaching (CLT) words introduced at this level
Reading and writing in every discipline is a as a part of the curriculum adds up to the

12 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

student’s word library. In primary children 2013, Children need to learn different reading
as a first step for improving retention of strategies in primary sections. Microsoft
knowledge and enhancing fine motor skills Encarta Kids 2007 defines writing as “a
handwriting practice is required. Usually method of communication”. It uses marks
handwriting worksheets are characterised by that we see and understand, the marks we use
repetition of spellings which helps in adding to write English are the letters of the alphabet.
to the vocabulary bank. Fun worksheets can They stand for sounds. Graham S and Harris
be an addition to leisure time activities which R., K (2000) reviewed the evidence on the
are meant for instigating an interest in role of handwriting in children’s development
writing. In this techno driven scenario when as writers in “The role of self-regulation and
the internet is the star of the era, showcasing transcription skills in writing and writing
oratory talents through dedicated channels development”.
can encourage the children to perform better.
Parent involvement is the need of the hour, Study Methods
when teachers can’t be physically present to
Method used for the reading enhancement in
motivate and monitor classrooms in this
the present study was a single-subject
pandemic situation. Testing is a part of any
research method and the between subject
curriculum which helps in evaluating
multiple baseline model associated with this
effectiveness of methods and strategies. So
method. The study was conducted with 78
students should be methodologically tested
participants. The cause and effect relationship
in all skills. Apart from this, competitions like
between dependent and independent
finding out the fastest reader among peers,’
variables was analysed separately for each
compliments to renewing interest in reading.
participant without making comparison
All these skills are required in any language
between the participants. Multiple baseline
which is a part of the curriculum. Literary
models consist of two phases: starting level
writing at this stage might be too early but
and application level. At the beginning of the
children should be encouraged to pen down
study, the reading levels of the students were
their creativity as stories, poems or riddles.
determined and then the enrichment reading
Rewards and recognition instils the young
program was implemented. Throughout the
minds. They should be applauded every time
application, the students’ word recognition
there is an achievement. Combining all these
and reading out loud performances were
factors and their application through the
compared with their initial performances.
online platform is expected to yield positive
results even in adverse situations. The method employed for writing was an
Related Studies action research in which the performance of
a class of students was studied and identified
According to Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & to be poor and an intervention of using early
Wilkinson 1985, reading is a vital life skill, writing preparatory activity was designed by
which ensures a child’s success in school and the researcher to assist the students to
even throughout his life. Sultana & Ahsan, improve their performance in handwriting.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 13

Sample Selection
For writing, a sample of 37 students,
including both boys and girls, was used for
the study sample selected from 11 sections
of class 2 and 21 sections of class 1. Their
ages ranged between six and eight years. A
purposive sampling method was used based
on the fact that the researcher was assigned
to handle that class. The mistakes committed
by the participants during reading were
identified, their responses to the reading
comprehension research focused on
designing an intervention to solving problems
in specific situations, class1 and class 2 is
its meaning. The class teachers managed new
deemed appropriate for the purpose of the
words every week under the guidance of CLT
study. It becomes imperative for the
WORD INCHARGE & HEAD MISTRESS.
researcher to stick to the primary students for
(JPS)
this study so that they could design an
appropriate intervention to assist students to 3) Handwriting Worksheets (MAY):
improve on their performance in handwriting. Exclusive designed handwriting worksheets
every alternate week which we gave to our
For reading, a sample of 78 participants was
Primary children to beautify their
used for the reading enhancement. The data
handwriting from May till now.
collected in the study were analysed through
both qualitative and quantitative methods and
the results were explained, questions were
evaluated and their reading skills were
analysed throughout the process.
Activities Conducted Online Between
April, 2020 and December, 2020, in JPS
1) CCA Activities (APRIL)
Designed exclusively to enhance reading
Skill: activities designed in such a way that
every week students will get a chance to
speak a few lines on the given topic. 4) Fun Worksheets (MAY): In this we have
2) CLT Words (MAY) taken up all four major subjects taught
lessons for the unit test and designed FUN
We started with four or five letter words with WORKSHEETS for our students, and based

14 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

on this, important lessons, exercises were
given to enhance their cognitive, reading &
writing understanding level. We have found
the result after collecting the data from it.

7) Motivational Video: Study Hacks

5) JPS YouTube Channel (MAY) (JUNE)

Our innovative ideas to start up JPS In this, HM Nilofar Rashid and counselor of
YOUTUBE CHANNEL for the Academic our school Dr Shanti Rekha addressed
year 2020. In this we have uploaded more students of JPS in a small video and gave
than 450 videos of our students of different them good motivational tips for the
activities, special assemblies, CCA capturing preparation of their exam.
their scholastic & co-scholastic area.
8) Subject-Wise Oral Test (JUNE)
In 1stterm we made sure that we will conduct
a number of activities exclusively designed
for the enhancement of Reading skill and so
we have kept our MONTHLY TEST
EVALUATION, as subject wise oral test.
This helped students to excel in reading &
speaking skill, for this remark was also given.
9) Lesson-Based Activity
6) Handwriting Webinar for Students’ In this lesson based activity we have given
Mothers (MAY) In this, various tips and
strategies we have elaborated to mothers of
our students with proper history & origin of
the same and within a few weeks with the
support of their mother, we started finding
good results in the handwriting of the
students.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 15

tasks to our students, to complete the task in 11) Inclusion of Games Period (AUGUST)
the specified time, under the supervision of
their parents. The teachers assessed their In this we have included ONLINE GAMES
students’ performance and gave them marks. CLASS for the complete all-round
development of the child so that they can play
10) Videos for Special Occasions & learn together in online class too.
(AUGUST)
12) Reading Comprehension Test:
In this type we have shot and designed some (SEPTEMBER)
videos for special occasions to inspire and
motivate our students from time to time like: Reading Week, we have conducted, based on
15 th August, Teacher’s Day, 2 nd October the circular dated acad62/2020 September 1,
(Gandhi Jayanti), 14th November (Children’s 2020. We have designed two activities for
Day) etc. each class 1 & class 2. We prepared E-
Reading Cards and informed students that
during 8-14th September, we will conduct
these activities. Students performed well and
on the basis of their speed & accuracy, three
winners from each class selected as Faster
Reader, forwarded to them E -Certificates.
We distributed around 100 certificates to our
students of class 1 & 2, respectively.

13) Hindi Diwas (SEPTEMBER): We

concentrated on English as well as Hindi
speaking and reading skills enhancement and

16 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

for that we have conducted HINDI DIWAS under which we have given our students a
on 14th September and in that Hindi teachers chance to contribute their small own short
conducted 2, 3 activities which includes story story, poems, drawings etc. and then we
telling in Hindi, short speeches, poem & compile it into E MAGAZINE and upload it
Thought of the Day in Hindi language. on our JPS YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
Students participated enthusiastically under
the guidance of HINDI TEACHER. 16) Rewards/Badges

14) Skechers Squad (NOVEMBER): For E-Certificates designed for E-Reading Week
Drawing and Colouring session, we have and CCA Activities and for subject
thought of very creative ideas to incorporate enrichment activity we have designed special
this in our online class too and for that we E BADGES to motivate our students in every
made in charges and given them aspect. Few examples were listed below:
responsibility to search DRAWING WITH * BEST SPEAKER
NUMBERS VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE and
then after verifying this, HM guided the * BEST READER
teachers to forward it in class group to * BEST STUDENT OF THE MONTH
motivate students to complete the drawing
and coloring during weekend. * UTTAM CHHATRA (HINDI)

15) E-Magazine:(NOVEMBER) * UTTAM PATHAK (HINDI)

* UTTAM PRAVAKTA (HINDI)
This activity we started in CCA Activities,

ACTIVITIES OF READING SKILL:

l READING LESSON FREQUENTLY IN
THE CLASS
l READING COMPREHENSION
l V O C A B U L A R Y- B U I L D I N G
THROUGH CLT IN THE CLASS.
«&READING CARDS.
l CONDUCTED READING WEEK
FROM 8-16 TH SEPTEMBER.
«&Distributed E READING
CERTIFICATES in
l class 1 – 21 sections (63 certificates – 3
for each class)
l class 2 – 11 sections (33 certificates – 3
for each class)
Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 17
 another hindrance as the students might have
found them confusing. Another question was
about the success of the students using the
comprehension approach independently
since many of the students were not familiar
with these reading comprehension
approaches. In order to overcome these
obstacles, I had to guide and monitor the
students in every step of the process
especially for the questioning, inferring, and
summarising.
Results and Discussion
This chapter is concerned with subjecting all
data collected from pre-test and post-test to
statistical analysis, interpretation and
findings.
Thirty-seven students took part in both pre-
Results and Conclusion test and post-test and their scripts were
checked out by the researcher with the help
The results of the reading awareness, of the teacher.
handwriting and speaking skill showed that
at the beginning of the study, there was a lack References
of knowledge in the area of handwriting Taylor, L. & P. J. Clarke. October 2020. We
talent, reading approach and speaking fluency read We write: Reconsidering reading-
in students. However, after a comprehensive writing relationships in primary school
study, there was an improvement in their children.
success.
Sreena, S. & M. Ilankumaran. December
Researchers implemented the English 2018. Developing productive skills through
reading writing and speaking approaches in receptive skills: A cognitive approach.
the classroom. After an intensive study, I have International Journal of Engineering &
found an unprecedented improvement in the Technology, 7(4):669-673. DOI:10.14419/
students’ reading and writing. This action ijet.v7i4.36.24220,
research was a productive experience. Thus,
we have observed an extensive understanding No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L.
of reading comprehension approaches as well No. 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425, 20 U.S.C.
as an improvement in English reading, (2001).
writing and speaking of the students.
Valentino, R. & Shores. Patterns of literacy
Moreover, a number of approaches were among U.S. students. (see note 1).

18 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

Snow, Catherine E., M. Susan Burns, and Peg the back burner: Impact of testing elementary
Griffin (eds.). 1998. Preventing reading social studies as part of a state-mandated
difficulties in young children. Washington: accountability program. Journal of Social
National Academy Press. Studies Research, 31/2 (October): 20-34.
Pressley, M., Nell K. Duke, and Erica C. Griffith, George and Lawrence Scharmann.
Boling. 2004. The educational science and 2008. Initial impacts of ‘No child left behind’
scientifically based instruction we need. on elementary science instruction. Journal
Harvard Educational Review, 74/1: 30-61. of Elementary Science Education, 20/3
(July): 35-48.
Cartwright, Kelly B. 2008. Cognitive
flexibility and reading comprehension:
Relevance to the future. In Comprehension Mrs. Nilofar Rashid Reza, Headmistress,
Instruction: Research-Based Best Practices, Junior Primary Section, International Indian
2nd. ed., pp. 50-64 New York: Guilford School, Al-Jubail, and a research scholar.
Publishing.
Mrs. Anupama T.S., Researcher in
Al Otaiba, Stephanie et al. 2008. Reading Geophysics & a teacher in Junior Primary
first kindergarten classroom instruction and Section, International Indian School, Al-
students’ growth in phonological Jubail.
awareness and letter naming-decoding
fluency. Journal of School Psychology, 46/ Dr. Lubna Khalil, Doctorate in Geography
3 (June): 218-314. and Post-Doctoral fellowship from ICSR, a
teacher in Junior Primary Section,
Vogler Kenneth E. et al. 2007. Getting off International Indian School, Al-Jubail.

Journal of Technology for ELT

The Journal of Technology for ELT is an open-access research journal for
teachers of English. It is published four times a year by the English
Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI). It aims to promote serious
discussion and sharing of experiences on the use of technological tools
and resources for teaching and learning English effectively, either in an
online mode or through blended learning modules. The emphasis is on
application and judicious use of technology for the purpose rather than
on mere descriptions of the tools and devices available for use globally.
Articles can be submitted throughout the year. They may be sent to:
[email protected] with a copy (Cc) to the editor Dr. Jaya
Ramakrishnan at: [email protected]. For submission
guidelines, visit the journal website: https://sites.google.com/view/
journal-of-technology-for-elt/home. There is no access or publication
fee.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 19

 PowerPoint Presentation and Online Teaching
Mukund B Gund

ABSTRACT
The use of PowerPoint for teaching presentations has considerable potential for
encouraging more professional presentations. This paper reviews points associated with
its use in a teaching and learning context and suggests some guidelines and pedagogical
strategies that need to be considered where it is to be used. It summaries some of the key
principles of presentation that are frequently ignored and suggests some of the approaches
that need to be incorporated into good practice in Life Science teaching and learning. Its
use is often limited to an information transmission mode and this paper emphasises that
this is a very restricted pedagogical use of a very powerful and flexible teaching and
learning support tool. The impact of technology on language learning and language
teaching proves to be a fortunate thing in case of English. TELL, i.e. Technology Enhanced
Language Learning, has changed the entire language classroom environment. The present
review paper is an attempt to put in the picture the latest technology enhanced language
learning facility made available by the use of PowerPoint.

Keywords: PowerPoint Presentation, Effective Teaching and Learning.

Introduction should be let down, since they obstruct man’s

progress towards common understanding and
Robert Frost, ‘the voice of America’ in his brotherhood.
celebrated poem ‘Mending Wall’ made a few
convincing comments on human life and Teaching aids in current scientific and
demeanour. He gave two contrasting opinions technological advancement: The progress
of the two neighbours. One saying: “something and prestige of every educational institution
there is that doesn’t love a wall” - and the other: is dependent on the effectiveness in teaching.
“Good fences make good neighbours.” Students and soci et y attract towards the
Obviously this is a dramatic poem about two institution having effective teaching. So,
fanners facing a problem. But just peep in every educational institution struggles to
words, you’ll find that the poem states one of improve, bring variety and effectiveness in
the greatest problems of our time. The question the teaching. Different useful teaching aids
of World unity and universal brotherhood have been developed from current scientific
dominate the attention of the intellectuals, and and technological advancement. Computers
Frost’s poem is a contribution to the discussion are useful in educational administration,
held on this subject. He asks the vital question, organisation, teaching, research etc.
whether the walls of nation should be made
stronger for our protection, or whether they Computers can be used in teaching in two ways:

20 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

1. Computer-Aided Instruction technology like PowerPoint is provided the
traditional teaching strategies get support. The
2. Computer-Assisted Instruction teacher’s command over language and Power
Computer-Aided Instruction: A teacher Point can’t perform magic. Power Point is
needs various references when he teaches in becoming more commonly used in college
a traditional way of teaching. It is convenient classrooms for various reasons. Even students
to refer to the encyclopedia then to see a are now interred as they are enthusiastic to know
number of books. But to use a computer and more of presentation technologies. Use of
to get the desired information quickly is better PowerPoint is helpful for following
than that. Here we expect the help of the characteristics:
computer in which the information is already 1. Easy renovation and portability of
stored: Hence it is used as an aid and not materials.
directly used in the process of teaching.
Teacher uses it as an assistant. 2. Time and energy saving.
Computer-Assisted Instruction: Just as a 3. Enhancement of the teaching and learning
computer helps the teacher as an experience on the part of teacher and
encyclopedia it is actually used in giving student.
instruction to the student to be precise
teaching. The features of the computer- 4. Varied learning styles can be encouraged
assisted instruction are: i) This technique is by combination of media.
dependent on the interaction between 5. Can be useful in Virtual Learning
computer and the student. Its objective is Environment.
learning. ii) In this technique the computer
directly instructs the student. Sufficient 6. Polished handouts can be easily provided.
information is stored in the computer to take Creating a successful PowerPoint
the student to the expected level. iii) special presentation: Microsoft has provided 12 tips
provision is made in the computer to enable for creating better PowerPoint presentations.
the student to study at his own speed. Nay, it These tips include selection of theme, use of
is an aid of self-learning / study. video and audio, use of graphics, animations,
Increased use of PowerPoint in college transitions, outlining, layouts, differences
classrooms: The use of PowerPoint has between print and on-screen presentations,
increased in the present decade. There is use of notes pages and handouts, keeping
considerable decline in the attendance at manageable size of the file, use of the tools
lectures throughout Higher Education. available, use of auto correct layout options,
However, with the help of technology enhanced identify the viewers’ expectation etc. In
teaching, such as PowerPoint there is every addition to these important tips, we can also
hope to retain the attendance at lectures. Of add some more:
course, the quality of lectures in general is 1. Use the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep it short
responsible for this. Where advanced and simple)

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 21

2. Use keywords or phrases with deliberate humour. Voice modulation
converts the teacher into a ‘charmer’ as your
3. Talk to audience not to Screen and Don’t enthusiasm and energy is reflected into your
place yourself in front of the screen voice.
4. Use pointer and switch off instrument Crystal-clear idea of the topic and apt
when not required collection of material are must for
Considering the tips mentioned earlier, it is organisation of presentation. The significance
necessary to prepare the slides with perfect is given to the rational progression of the vital
care. concepts. Unnecessary details and
description must be avoided. A powerful
While making the slides, remember: Use presentation is near to our routine talk, so the
minimum words as less is more on slide, use presenter must keep his sentences short.
bullets, content of the slide must be readable. Ambiguity, obscurity and use of unfamiliar
l Content of the slide must be visible so use terminology or short forms harm the
at least 18 to 24, font size, use short comprehensibility of presentation. The
sentences; restrict the content of a slide to picture or graphics speaks more than the text.
six lines, use soft background, Contrast So the presenter must not worry about adding
the text with background. much text or data. The presenter must
stimulate and not puzzle the audience. Use
l Use larger font size to highlight the of clear, simple visuals and sometimes even
important information, Use minimum the clear screen can be sufficient to the
essential animation. requirement. When the presenter expects the
audience to concentrate on his speech he can
l Keep the number of slides in control to
temporarily clear the screen by Pressing W
maintain proper.
or B. The presentation can be resumed by
Actual presentation: The impact of your pressing the same or any key. The overall
PowerPoint presentation is not just dependent impact of the visual depends on background.
on technology, but your efficiency as a public Viewers have the benefit of light colour
speaker plays a vital role. A PowerPoint background with dark text. In projection stage
presenter must Wow: “Perfect practice makes colors appear lighter or even white, so care
man perfect.” So he must not present directly must be taken while selecting the colour of
but has to make a mock presentation. Practice the background. Specialised impact can be
enables him to mentally run through brought by keeping an unvarying
presentations. He must be able to predict background.
likely questions and prepare for answers. The
Conclusions
best way to practice is to evaluate and prepare
in front of a mirror. A powerful presentation PowerPoint is an outstanding aid to
is not a matter of chance, a lot of preparation presentations. PPT tries to give learning
and practice is required. The presenter must experience and avoids the drawbacks of
dress smartly. He has to entertain the audience

22 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

passive knowledge communication. The use University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN,
of PPT improves teaching and makes it more UK.
effective. Proper use encourages the teacher
as it gives the freedom from conventional 12 lips for creating better PowerPoint
monotonous teaching activity. It improves presentations,
the professionalism and quality of their httpt/www microsoft.com/atwork/
instruction. Significance and flexibility of genvorkdone/presentations.mspx.
PowerPoint enhances creativity of the user.
At this instant we expect every teacher h t t p / / w w w. c o b . s j s u . e d u / s p l a n e _ m /
engaged in utilisation of new technology in presentationtips.hun - United States.
his routine task as in the words of Allan M Satya, R.K. 2009. Modern methods of
Jones we must emphasise the dictum teaching. New Delhi: APH Publishing
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. Corporation.
Right now due to the educational needs of
the globalised scenario of education the use Das, Bikram, et al. 2009. An introduction to
of computers in language teaching has professional English and soft skills. New
become inevitable. Educational institutions Delhi: Foundation Books.
using distance mode of education can be
Sethi, Ashok, K. 2011. Teaching of English.
largely benefited by it. Particularly the
New Delhi: AM Publishing Corporation.
students from abroad can have it like a boon.
At present some Open Universities have Denisia, S.P. 2012. Breaching of English
brought out the concept of virtual through multimedia. New Delhi APH:
classrooms into the practice. Language Publishing Corporation.
teachers must accept the reality of virtual
classrooms as a challenge. A language Gadkari, Suryakant. PowerPoint
teacher must get himself trained to face the presentation: An effective teaching tool. In
challenges of teaching English in the ICT and Teaching of English Language and
changing scenario. Therefore, it is desirable Literature: An Interface. Chinmay
to adopt new technology in the teaching Prakashan, Aurangabad.
learning process.
References Mukund B. Gund, Assistant Professor in
Jones, Allan AL ‘The use and abuse of English, Agriculture Extension and
PowerPoint in Teaching and Learning’, Life Communication RCSM College of
Sciences Teaching Unit, Old Medical School Agriculture, Kolhapur.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 23

 Grammar Guru 12
V Saraswathi

Do you get tense about tenses in English? v For actions happening around the moment
All of us do, mainly because we confuse time of speaking (longer duration): My friend
and tense. We assume that the present tense is preparing for his exams.
refers to what happens at present, but it is
not always so. The English language often v For referring to trends: Most people are
cheats us. Further, we are not sure how many using computers to listen to music.
tenses there are in English. Traditional v For repeated actions irritating to the
grammarians say there are three tenses: Past, speaker: Mano is always coming late.
Present, and Future. Modern linguists assert
that there are only two tenses: Past and Non- When should you not use the Present
Past. Do you know which is the most Progressive?
favourite tense of Indian speakers of English? v With verbs of perception: hear, see, smell,
The present continuous tense, also known as etc.
the present progressive.
v With verbs expressing feeling: love, hate,
In his ‘Very Indian Poem in Indian wish, like, etc.
English’, Nissim Ezekiel satirises our
predilection for this tense form: v With verbs denoting possession: have,
own, belong, possess, keep, etc.
Other day I’m reading in newspaper
v With verbs describing mental activity:
(Everyday I’m reading Times of India think, feel, know, forget, remember, mean,
To improve my English language) suppose, etc.

How one goonda fellow Here are some examples from Indian English,
where native speakers would have preferred
Throw stone at Indira Behn the Simple Present tense instead of the
Must be student unrest fellow, Present Progressive:

I’m thinking. v Punctuation is A1, I am telling you.

v Everywhere, as far as I am seeing, there
When should we use the Present Progressive?
are lights.
v For actions happening at the moment of v I am not knowing where to start.
speaking: I’m writing Grammar Guru
now. v What other items are you having?

v For fixed plans in the near future: They v We are staying in Chennai since 1989.
are leaving for New York tomorrow. Michel Swan identifies three contexts where

24 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

the Present Progressive is used: That man has been fiddling around for an
hour, wasting his time.
1. For telling stories, Present Simple for the
events and Progressive for the How do you know?
background: There’s the Scotsman, you
see, and he’s walking through the jungle. I’ve been watching him!

2. In commentaries, Simple present for Dr. V. Saraswathi, (Formerly) Professor of

quicker actions and Progressive for longer English (ELT), University of Madras.
actions and situations: Oxford are pulling
slightly ahead of Cambridge now. They’re
rowing with a beautiful rhythm. [Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of
articles contributed by the author and
3. For instructions and demonstrations: published earlier in The Times of India,
While the butter is melting, I break the Education Times from May 2008 to May
eggs into the bowl. 2013. We are thankful to the author for
Let’s close with one more instance of the permitting us to publish those articles in our
Present Progressive: journal.]

The ELT Practitioner

(The journal that values classroom practices over theories)

The ELT Practitioner, started in 2014 (https://sites.google.com/view/

theeltpractitioner/home), is an online journal published by the English Language
Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI). It is a quarterly journal – January-March,
April-June, July-September, and October-December: – brought out every year. It
aims at providing opportunities for English teaching practitioners in schools and
colleges, especially school teachers, to share their actual classroom practices with
their fellow teachers across the country and across the world.
The journal invites articles – two-to-four-page descriptions of real time classroom
practices relating to the teaching and learning of English at any level of education.
These descriptions may articulate briefly the assumptions of the teachers underlying
the activities/practices reported, or mention very briefly the theoretical
underpinnings. The journal does not expect elaborate discussions of ELT theories;
in fact, it discourages such theoretical discussions in the articles submitted to the
journal for publication.
This means that teachers at any level of education are encouraged to write about
any experience of classroom teaching that has proved to be effective in the classroom.
The focus is on the practitioner and classroom practices.
Submissions to the journal are invited from teachers throughout the year and they
may be sent to: [email protected] with copy (Cc) to the editor Dr. Harleen
Kaur at: [email protected].
Use this golden opportunity to share your classroom practices as a teacher of
English with others in the profession and benefit from their feedback.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 25

 ELT for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Learners
L Vidhya

ABSTRACT
English, being considered the resourceful language of the globe, takes the attention of the
students who are learners with limited English proficiency. The term Limited English
Proficiency with acronym LEP originated from the United States with a reference to an
individual who does not have a good command over the English language due to the fact
that it is not their native language and the term is widely used by the Office for Civil
Rights, a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Education. In learning a language, the
roles of teachers and learners need to be focused. Transition from primary to secondary
then to tertiary level of education with different medium of instruction, environment,
need, social background, parental education, teachers’ interest to teach, students’
interest to learn and all other things that are faced by an individual in the process of
learning makes him either flourish or fail in life. This review paper discusses and reviews
the concept of LEP.

Keywords: Limited English Proficiency, Education, English Language, Tamil Medium

Students.

Introduction National Education Policy, 2019 Part-I sub

section of section 4. Curriculum and
Right to education or compulsory education Pedagogy in Schools explains about
is an Act of the Indian Constitution which Education in the local language, mother
was brought to proposal and implemented on tongue; multilingualism and the power of
4 th August 2009, which emphasises the language. This section expresses that
essentiality of education for children between Language is the means of expressing self,
6 and 14 years of age under Article 21a of reflecting society and its collective
the Indian Constitution. Our country has community. Language is the biggest
become one of the countries to make instrument of communication. The child’s
education a fundamental right to all children receptiveness is best seen through the local
of the nation irrespective of any sect which language i.e. the language of their own,
came into existence on 1 April, 2010. especially termed as mother tongue. Children
Children are put in private schools based on between the ages 2 and 8 are too young to
their socio-economic background and are have the flexibility of learning multiple
allotted with seats in the government schools languages.
based on the caste based reservations. The The concept of bilingual approach is also

26 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

encouraged so as to have a flexible language language proficiency they become someone
approach in the classroom, where teachers not much in need in the job market.
and the students are allowed to use two
languages one the mother tongue and the Limited English Proficiency
other the second language which they have What is limited English proficiency? It is a
to learn ensuring calm and peaceful learning term referring to a person who is not fluent
atmosphere, this is similar in case of students in the English language, and it is obvious that
with disability whose mother tongue or the it is not their native language. The terms LEP
first language is the sign language. This and ELL are terms observed by the office for
method ensures smoother transition from Civil Rights, a sub-agency of the U.S.
home language to the medium of instruction. Department of Education. Many studies have
Multilingualism is of great support and an been conducted in the foreign context in the
extensive chance for acquiring and expanding system of healthcare, with a mounting
one’s knowledge. Despite the nature of the description that patients need to communicate
Indian languages, there has been an with a language concordant not just mere
unfortunate trend in school and society interpreters in order to receive quality care.
towards English as a medium of instruction It is highly expensive to have a language
and as a medium of communication. discordant and most of the Asian Americans
English as the Global Language are not comfortable with their physician,
resulting in a gap with health care facilities.
English, considered the richest and the most Limited English Proficiency is not only the
resourceful language in the world, is in problem of the not native speakers but also
demand in all fields, like education, with people who are comfortable using
business, healthcare, law, and so on. English English when they face trouble identifying
is learnt by many in India as a channel of and describing different symptoms,
instruction and conversation, whereas the medications and health conditions.
other countries have their own native
language as the mode of communication. One of the studies done on Limited English
There is a contradictory statement that Proficiency states that a seven-month period
English has no added benefits over other of audio typing and transcribing at an
languages in presenting thoughts. outpatient clinic in a hospital faced by the
children at the paediatric ward, where a
English is looked upon as the language of Spanish interpreter was employed to
the elite or the educated, and a necessity for transcribe every transcript, and it was
jobs. This attitude is reflected in all sects of categorised with error in medical
society causing socio-economic issues. This interpretation and determined that it had a
notion segregates the economically poorer potential clinical results. The most found
sections of people into strangers in their own errors were fluency (16%), substitution
home land. Though they are hard workers, (13%), omission (52%), editorialisation
with skill and efficiency, without English (10%) and addition (8%), on the whole 63%

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 27

of all errors had greater clinical by the ad hoc interpreters were more likely
consequences, with a mean of 19 per case. greater than that committed by the hospital
Also it was found that the errors committed interpreters (77% vs 53%).

The above representation shows that the the interpreter substitutes a word or a phrase
errors of clinical consequences happen for a different word or a phrase uttered by a
because of variables like omission: omission parent, clinician and the child.
of questions about drug allergies, instruction Editorialisation, where in the interpreter
about the dose and its frequency, where the provided his or her own personal opinions
interpreter has omitted a word or a phrase as the interpretation of a word, phrase said
said by the clinician, parent, or the child, by the clinician, parent or a child.
secondly false fluency where the interpreter
attempts to utters with fake commands The Springer briefs in Education: Corporal
leaving out the history of present illness and Punishment in Rural Schools Student
the past medical history, the interventions, Problem Behaviours, Academic Outcomes
parental understanding of the child’s medical and School Safety Efforts states that LEP
state, etc. On the contrary, the use of medical students who sought an effective instructional
jargons and the idiomatic expression and its method were given little attention in
interpretations were not considered to be the discipline or school violence studies. Most
medical interpreters’ error. The medical of the studies on disadvantaged students
interpreters can also work as a cultural broker included LEPs associated with lower
or an advocate and the utterances that are achievement which reflected in school
interpreted as cultural explanations are not disorder and violence, this disorder is not
taken as interpreters’ errors. Addition, where because of the LEP students but when the
the interpreter added a word/phrase to the interaction happens between the LEPS and
interpretation that was not uttered by the the peers of them this conflict arises and
clinician, parent or child. Substitution, where causing victimisations due to the following
reasons cultural differences, accents,

28 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

nationality etc. as said by Haynes, 2014. English, resulted in most of her classes being
Besides the LEPS are very vulnerable when classes in name only. This focus was turned
English becomes the only instructional policy to bilingual classroom teaching where the
inducing in higher rates of suspension, rural teacher is efficient in delivering the content
schools have fewer LEPs than the non-rural both in the regional and English language.
schools. The English language learners are Mangala, an award-winning Activity Based
observed with a much negative attitude in the Learning teacher, agreed that English as the
classroom giving disruptive talks, sleeping medium of instruction in primary schools is
in the classroom, getting absent or not doing a “real problem”. This made Mangala switch
the homework rather than acting violently as from English to the vernacular that enabled
said by Wadden and Megovern, 1991. the students to understand and engage with
the lessons taught. Mangala’s spoken English
Students with Limited English Proficiency was insufficient for a conversation. The
in Our State state’s policy is symptomatic of undervaluing
The state government of Tamilnadu, realising language education, as reported by the
the need to fulfill the desires of the parents historian AR Venkatachalapathy. He attended
in getting their children educated in English a government-funded school in Chennai and
medium, introduced it in a few (14,636) of worked in both Tamil and English. As a
the government schools in the year 2018- university teacher observing the school
2019, with 6,34,110 children enrolling children at the government-funded school, he
themselves in to the medium. The teachers noticed that the children lacked the ability to
employed have been given regular training. read even a newspaper. He also stated that
The state education department’s policy notes “Language is germane to thinking and no one
for 2013-14 listed the introduction of English seems to understand this”.
medium instruction as the final of nine
welfare measures ensuring to attract the English is poorly taught and barely used in
children of rural areas. However, there is a communication. An English lecturer at
major issue of whether this produces ‘quality Chennai’s District Institute for Education and
education’. Teachers complained that the Training said that most trainee teachers, even
change in policy was not discussed before after studying English for 12 years at school,
implementation. For instance, Supriya, who had practically no communication skills. This
teaches classes 3-4, felt that children would is because they get through the English paper
be better off learning in Tamil. “But we are by cramming. She said that expecting fluency
afraid they will leave, so we do not say from adults in a short time is impossible.
anything to their parents,” she said. Teaching Difficulties Faced by Rural Students in
simple words through an activity-based Learning the English Language
learning system and teaching English as the
second language from class 1 to make them The students from a rural background, though
understand the concepts in English where she given free education are not properly taught
herself had difficulty in explaining it in at schools as there is a lack from the teachers’

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 29

side to teach the second language. The most do not speak their mother tongue.
spoken about issue is the NEET examination.
Although children score well, the state says 14. Lack of fighting spirit, willingness to
NO to NEET. Is it because the question paper learn.
is in English? And, is it possible to clear
NEET without any coaching? The
government has submitted a report stating Conclusion – “Change in the Changes”
that only 2% of the medical students cleared All good changes are for the betterment of
NEET without private coaching. the nation and its people. It is good that policy
The major problems to be kept in mind with makers think, discuss, and then implement
regard to the rural students in learning the the changes needed to enrich their state. To
second language are: conclude, the political system and the
education policy of the nation plays a major
1. Their way of looking at the language, role in the uplifting of its people. Education
since it is not their mother tongue. is the right of any individual. It is high time
2. The way it is taught. to equip teachers with a good command of
the language, which will result in better
3. Difficulty in understanding the teaching, thus reducing the rate of limited
translation from Tamil to English. English proficiency.
4. Difficulty in understanding the lessons
delivered with English as the medium
of instruction. Personal Experience

5. Lack of communication. I have been in the field of teaching for nearly

12 years and have had a chance to teach the
6. Lack of exposure. technicians in a medical college, who take
up the course which is for a year. The students
7. Socio-economic status. hail from economically and socially poor
8. Lack of parental education and care. sects. I have asked the students why they find
learning English tough, how many do not like
9. Fear and anxiety of being introduced to the subject, did they learn English at school,
an alien language. were they taught well, and what was the
10. Lack of motivation and an indifferent medium of instruction. The responses given
attitude towards the language. were that most of the English language
classes were free periods and the teacher
11. First generation school or college goers. would just give the answers, not bothering
to check if the child has really understood or
12. Exposure to a new atmosphere from
not. With these responses in mind, I
village to city life.
encourage them by making them read and
13. Difficulty in mingling with peers who speak about what they know, even if they read

30 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

from a paper. I use the bilingual method of Seunghee Han (ISSN 2211-1921)
teaching, to explain words, teach them simple SpringerBriefs in Education ISBN 978-981-
sentences, and motivate them. There are 10-2446-7, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-2448-
many other good techniques to enrich them 1.
in the learning of the English language. It is
important to make our nation literate and our en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_English_
children competent when it comes to Proficiency. thewire.in/education/English-
education in English, abolishing the thought medium-schools-new-education-policy.
that English is the prerogative of the elite. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic-rights
References https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
Kirupa, A., Pathinathan, T. “A study on the 262551855_The_impact_of_teachers’_limit
problems faced by rural Tamil medium ed_English_proficiency_on_English_second_langua
students in professional Engineering college ge_learners_in_South_African_schools
using CETD matrix.” International Journal https://www.newsclick.in/why-neet-failing-
of Computing Algorithm, Volume: 2, October tamil-nadu
2013, pp 184-189.
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/just-
Taira, B. R., Orue, A. Language assistance 2-medical-students-tamil-nadu-cleared-neet-
for limited English proficiency patients in a without-private-coaching-111758
public ED:determining the unmet need.,
BMC Health Serv Res 19, 56 (2019) https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/just-
doi:10.1186/s12913_018_3823_1 2-medical-students-tamil-nadu-cleared-neet-
without-private-coaching-111758
Wilson, E., Chen, A. H., Grumbach, K.,
Wang, F., & Fernandez, A. (2005). Effects of https://cms.tn.gov.in/sites/default/files/
limited English proficiency and physician documents/sedu_e_pn_2019_20.pdf
language on health care comprehension.
Journal of general internal medicine, 20(9),
800–806. doi:10.1111/j.1525- L. Vidhya, Senior Lecturer in English,
1497.2005.0174.x Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Sri
Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education
Corporal Punishment in Rural Schools: and Research (Deemed University).
Students problem behaviours, Academic
outcomes and School Safety Efforts by Email: [email protected]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Members of ELTAI who read the contributions to the journal are free to
give their views on the contents of the articles/papers published here.
The letters should reach the Editor ([email protected])
or ELTAI ([email protected] / [email protected]) within a month
from the date of receipt of the journal.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 31

Language Learning: A Matter of Correct Attitude and Soft Skills
Anjita Thakur

ABSTRACT
This article is based on the observations made during an informal interaction with students
of English language and literature at the graduation level, to understand the reasons
governing their choice of English as an optional subject and the main problems they face
in achieving their goal of acquiring fluency in it as a second language. Students have an
adequate theoretical knowledge of grammatical structure but hesitate when it comes to
using the language actively as a medium of communication. On further probing, it is
apparent that the stumbling block lies more in the attitude of the learners, which results
in their inability to grasp adequately the nuances of the language. The article outlines the
skills required by second language learners for effective acquisition of English and the
skills developed as an additional outcome of their language learning efforts.

Keywords: Second Language Learning, Fluency, Medium of Communication, Attitude,

Soft Skills.

As a teacher of English language and The strange anomaly here is that these
literature in a Hindi-dominated state, dealing students are not lacking in intelligence and
with students who by and large have received know the rules of sentence construction and
their school education in the vernacular, and grammatical structures fairly well, and yet fail
are second language learners, I have had to miserably at putting them into practice in
encounter major problems in achieving a speaking or writing correct sentences that
standard level of effective and meaningful may express the sense of what they wish to
intercommunication in English in the convey. If viewed in accordance with the
classroom, sometimes having to totter on the second language acquisition model of
brink of becoming unintelligible and Krashen, such students or learners have not
incomprehensible to the students, due to their been able to advance beyond the early
inability to grasp the language adequately and production stage, or at the most, are stuck at
the consequential decline in their marks and the Speech Emergence stage This issue is
results. Idealistic attempts to avoid the critical in the teacher-taught relationship and
translation method and conduct the class in the smooth conduct of the process of
purely in the language to be learnt while imparting knowledge meaningfully. The
teaching texts have been disastrous, with challenge for the teacher is how to work
students failing to make sense of the content through this problematic situation and lead
or even going to the extent of complaining the learners towards a realisation of actual
against the elitism of the teacher who refuses goals, namely the acquisition of fluency in
to teach English to them in the vernacular. the language, to be able to put it into use for

32 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

all social, academic, and professional is a two-way process that not just needs inputs
purposes. On deeper analysis, it is understood of skills but results in an amazing generation
that the crux of the matter rests on the fact of competence, accomplishment and finesse.
that the use of certain soft skills is more
crucial than pedantic skills to learn language Theories about language learning have been
in a more productive and expeditious manner, advanced by many philosophers and
with positive outcomes, which in turn would linguists. Plato and Descartes were of the
be the catalyst for the development of further opinion that language (first language
life-enriching soft skills. specifically) is innate and natural while others
like Locke forwarded the concept of tabula
The role of the English teacher gets magnified rasa (blank slate) implying that no knowledge
in leading the students to that desirable level is innate, everything is acquired through
of language proficiency where they have sensory experience and the same applies to
acquired the requisite knowledge to be able learning language too. The most quoted
to pass through the exams with flying colours theory of second language learning is the one
and more than that, are armed with sufficient put forward by Stephen Krashen of the
skills that will help them cope with the University of Southern California.
situations they will encounter in their work
and career or in any aspect of their lives, even Of the five hypotheses Krashen speaks of, I
if it is being teachers to their own children. would emphasise upon the Input hypothesis
Language learning by itself is an empowering and the Affective Filter hypothesis. Krashen
skill as it refines personalities and enhances explains how second language learners can
career opportunities, but the process requires acquire and progress in their goal with the
concerted effort and dedication. It becomes aid of Comprehensible Inputs that are of a
the responsibility of the teacher to provide level higher than their existing level of
the correct orientation to the students and linguistic competence. This hypothesis
inculcate in them that bent of mind which pertains to the listening and reading exercises
will help them acquire and assimilate that need to be practiced. Krashen further
knowledge in a more substantial manner and explains how ‘affective variables’ have a
through continuous guidance and support facilitative role to play in second language
keep them on the right track for desired acquisition. These variables are factors like
progress. motivation, self-confidence, extroversion, a
low level of anxiety and a high level of self-
The basic skills for SLA, i.e., second esteem. The absence of these factors can
language acquisition, are LSRW (listening, create a mental block that would prevent
speaking, reading, writing) which address the comprehensible output from being used
academic requirements but a diligent appropriately. In the last hypothesis, namely
pursuance of these activities requires the Natural Order hypothesis, Krashen
primarily an approach to the problem through discusses a very interesting aspect of
the correct attitude and a combination of language learning. He explores the role of
winning soft skills. In fact, language learning grammar in language acquisition and finds

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 33

that the study of grammatical structure may good writer it is essential for them to be
be desirable but not essential to the process focused, coherent and correct.
of learning any language because such a study
firstly cannot be placed in the category of Underlying the effort in learning a language
language learning but is rather language through these exercises or in inculcating all
appreciation and therefore would accrue these specific language learning skills, learners
advantage to the scholar only if they have a have to awaken a greater sense of motivation
good familiarity with the target language and and exercise a set of interpersonal attributes that
be able to absorb the difficult and complex will bring them to a realisation of their goal.
rules. According to Stephen Krashen’s Monitor
hypothesis of second language acquisition,
The second point related to this is that the language is acquired through natural and
teaching of grammar can cause language informal communication in a subconscious
proficiency only when it is taught in the target manner. Krashen’s theory points to a monitor
language which once again brings the which is basically anything or anyone that keeps
argument back to the contention that watch over, or ‘monitors’ the learner’s
grammar can be understood only when performance and stresses upon correct
language fluency already exists, or in other communication. Thus, learned grammar has a
words, grammar is of little effect without very minimal role to play, serving only as a
proficiency in the language. Progress in check or an editor in second language
language acquisition can be brought about acquisition. In fact, Krashen points out that
mainly by the medium of instruction not as over-use of the monitor may even lead to a lack
much by the subject matter. of self-confidence. Therefore, the attributes or
soft skills required for a language learner which
Let us look briefly at the soft skills required are broad and comprehensive need to be
to follow the basic processes of language developed through continuous practice and
learning. While listening and reading are under the guidance of an instructor to become
receptive inputs, speaking and writing are a habit that may prove beneficial. These
productive outputs. For successful, outcome attributes can be listed as follows:
generating combinations of all these, a set of
personal attributes are required that will Focus: Attention to the correct method and
ensure a more efficacious and productive concentration on the process without
learning process. In order to be a good listener distraction is essential to the achievement of
one has to be attentive, receptive and the goal of language proficiency. A regular
comprehensive, to be able to absorb the habit of reading newspapers and magazines
content. Similarly, to be an effective speaker (or even their course books in English) will
one must be confident, articulate and be immensely beneficial to language learners,
enthusiastic, to be able to communicate ideas as the written word will form a visual image
effectively. A good reading skill would in their minds which will leave a stronger
require the reader to be discerning and impact and will also give knowledge of the
imaginative. Similarly, for a person to be a correct spelling of words. To learn speaking

34 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

students must listen to all the audio inputs Trust in one’s self to be able to achieve the
available to them, of which there is no dearth set goal is a strong booster of confidence and
in this digital world. The correct makes overcoming difficulties a challenge
pronunciation, nuances of speech such as that can be positively taken.
intonation, modulation of voice, stress
patterns can be learnt by students only by Flexibility: The process of learning a
listening to quality speeches. In order to learn language or inculcating any skill requires
speech, one must follow the process of untiring effort and a willingness to follow all
imitation or mimicry of their teachers or the necessary procedures. To be able to adjust
speakers they listen to, in conversations with and adapt to different learning schedules with
others or if alone, by recording their own varying methods and timings, a flexibility of
speeches and listening to these recordings in mind and habits is important. The enthusiasm
order to identify their mistakes. The practice or zest to experiment with new methods and
of writing down events and thoughts in a techniques can be enriching in terms of
diary daily, is a very fruitful one in learning information and experience and can open
to be an expressive writer. All these require new paths to travel on.
a concerted and focused effort on the part of Positivity of mind: A positive mind-set is
the learner who needs to avoid all distractions what will enable the learner to overcome all
that may weaken their resolution. hurdles and awkward situations in the process
Commitment: A pledge to bring to of learning any language. Disappointment,
completion the task undertaken will ensure frustration, fear of failure can all be overcome
success. A never say die attitude is the key to by the sheer will to persevere with hope of
open the doors of success. Half-hearted success and will always bring renewed vigour
efforts will not be of any consequence in and energy to the effort.
achieving the goal of acquiring language Organisational ability: It is necessary to go
skills. Complete devotion to the task about one’s efforts in language learning in
undertaken will definitely bring rewards. an organised manner by maintaining a proper
Persistence, willingness and a certain level file and record of all exercises undertaken
of daring are the prerequisites of a language and all schedules followed, to be aware of
learner who is not shy of making mistakes in exactly where one is in the process as well as
public but is willing to rectify their mistakes for the sake of ready referencing. The
in pronunciation, spelling and grammar in organisation and management of time is also
order to reach excellence. an essential part of organisational ability.
Confidence: The faith in oneself and the Collaboration: The ability to work with
courage to overcome all obstacles is essential. others for the realisation of common goals
A language learner, in the beginning is bound without allowing a negative sense of rivalry
to make a lot of mistakes but the ability to and competition is a commendable skill and
continue unfazed and without can also work wonders in the achievement
disappointment is the mark of true spirit. of the goal. To be able to accept constructive

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 35

and honest criticism and to be able to offer Mnemonic technique and the Spaced
sincere assistance to another person helps to Repetition System that are used for language
develop a conducive and positive learning learning are techniques that can help one
atmosphere where everyone can be a winner. learn long lists of anything from any field.
Moreover, language learning which is an Becoming a good listener: In the process of
interpersonal and communicative skill cannot listening to speeches for the sake of learning
be pursued in isolation. It requires interaction the language, a person becomes an attentive
and feedback from others (teacher or peer listener to other people’s ideas which is a virtue
group) will be the best way of measuring in today’s world where there is a clamour to be
progress and identifying weak points. Team heard but not to listen. A patient listener is a
work always results in improved outcomes boon to any organisation or group as this skill
and greater mastery over the work undertaken goes a long way in easing tension and resolving
Patience: The task of learning a language conflict. This skill effectively completes what
through all its aspects can be a long drawn is called the communication loop where, by
out and laborious process that can take its careful listening, the message of the speaker is
toll on one’s patience and weaken the resolve well received and proper response given that
to continue. However, the will to continue leads to the establishment of a positive
with patience is the true test and rewarding. connection between speaker and listener. This
critical skill brings many advantages on the
Language learning is actually an empowering professional as well as personal front such as
and enriching exercise because in addition increasing popularity, developing leadership
to activating the above mentioned personal and boosting self-esteem.
and interpersonal skills, it also leads to the
development of some very practical and Becoming a problem solver: In the process of
advantageous qualities in us that enhance our learning and acquiring language, a person can
personalities and ensure success in all walks develop very strong problem- solving ability
of life. Let us take a look at these habits and through experience in the necessity of coming
mannerisms that are a rewarding up with creative methods and hacks to find
consequence of the earnest and diligent solutions to difficult language problems. Studies
efforts to learn a new language. have highlighted that language learners do have
a greater cognitive and higher order thinking
Building up a very good memory: While ability. Also, an understanding of the culture
learning a language, vocabulary building can associated with the new language gives them
be done in the most fruitful manner by an added perspective into a different way of
memorising the meanings and pronunciations looking at things and adds a larger dimension
of new words. The simple exercise of to their personalities. This means they (language
committing to memory five to ten new words learners) develop more tolerance of different
every day and remembering specific phrases and alternate view-points, increased empathy,
is a way of accomplishing the feat of learning higher degree of adaptability and a higher
a language as well as polishing and activating degree of perceptiveness as well as the capacity
the memory power of the mind. The for lateral thinking. Language learning

36 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

contributes immensely to an enhancement of effort and acquire a mastery over it for
social mannerisms as the learner develops skills academic success as well as personal and
of conversation and the art of expression. professional benefits.
In conclusion, it can be said that the process References
of language acquisition or learning is a life-
enriching one and worth the effort. The Krashen, Stephen D. 1987. Principles and
cognitive benefits are multi-dimensional and practice in second language acquisition.
undoubtedly boost mental powers. Studies Prentice-Hall International.
have stated that the elasticity of the brain is Krashen, Stephen D. 1988. Second language
increased through the study of a second acquisition and second language learning.
language so much so that it can even delay Prentice-Hall International.
the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
by a few years. Therefore, students who have
elected to study English but are weak in it Lt. Dr Anjita Singh, Associate Professor,
must be guided about the correct approach Acharya Narendre Dev Mahila
and must be motivated to put in that extra Mahavidyalaya, Kanpur.

ELTAI READING CLUBS

ELTAI has launched Reading Clubs in educational institutions with the primary
objective of creating a ‘culture of reading’ among school and college students. This
initiative is based on a research-based framework that takes into account differences
in age, gender, interests, and location.
Objectives of the Reading Club:
q To create a love for reading in students and enable them to become better,
lifelong readers;
q To enable them to reflect on what they read in order to lead them to become
effective writers and speakers;
q To familiarize them with different text types (genres) and enable them to engage
in appropriate reading strategies; and
q To employ synchronous (both virtual and physical meetings) as well as
asynchronous modes – Web tools, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Blogs, Reading
Logs, MOOCs (audios, videos, quotes, blurbs, reviews, etc.) to sustain their
interest.
ELTAI would like to have MoUs with institutions that are willing to implement
this initiative and help to achieve these objectives collaboratively. Institutions
interested in this project may please write, expressing their interest, to:
[email protected] with a copy (Cc) to Dr. Zuleiha Shakeel, the Coordinator of
the project at: [email protected].
For a brief description of this initiative, visit our website at: http://eltai.in/
reading-clubs/.
For an outline of the respective roles and responsibilities of the host institution
and ELTAI, visit the website at: http://eltai.in/roles-and-responsibilities-of-the-
host-institution-and-eltai/.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 37

 The Predicament of Rural College Students during the
Pandemic: An ELA Website for their Rescue
Roopna Ravindran

ABSTRACT
This paper aims to show how a website created by an English teacher helps rural college
students to improve their proficiency in English. This customised website is a boon for
the rural students during the pandemic, with its video lessons, extracts from the textbooks,
and other exciting learning materials. Fiction, comics, poems, audiobooks, auto-updated
short news clippings, dictionaries, reference books, verbal reasoning materials for
competitive exams, and so on, are available on a single online platform. Students can
make use of this simple and user-friendly website at their own pace.

Keywords: ELA and the Covid-19 Pandemic, Learning English by Rural College Students;
Online Solution for ELA.

The revelations the Indian democratic society acquainted with browsing and online
had during the COVID-19 pandemic are searching for learning resources. So, they need
myriad. The pandemic has had its ghastly guidance from the teachers to make use of
touch in every sector. In the field of Higher relevant online resources. Teachers were given
Education, we could observe a raging battle the training to equip themselves with tech
between the government, academicians, and skills to face this new normal.
students to ensure that India will not lose a The government was heading towards a
generation to the pandemic commotion, digitally equipped society before the
making 2020 a zero academic year. pandemic. Free Online Tools and e-Learning
The pandemic brought out an abrupt shift in have been in existence since the beginning of
the mode of learning in the Higher Education the 21st century. However, these tools were
sector. The government recommended a move leveraged during the unprecedented Corona
to online learning to evade any disruptions. times more than ever. A majority of the
The urban population welcomed this move students in rural India could not make use of
and the digital natives reaped the benefits. At virtual learning during the lockdown as many
the same time, rural colleges went through of them did not own a smartphone. They relied
unique challenges. They did not have adequate on their father’s or brother’s phone, with a
online teaching-learning facilities, limited limited Internet data package, which kept them
availability of digital devices, lack of proper away from attending zoom classes. The
Internet connections, or digital libraries. Also, financial scenario was bleak during the
the rural students are not familiar with digital lockdown and there were a few instances of
technology. A majority of them are not generous people donating smartphones to the

38 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

students. classroom.” mentions The Hindu Editorial
Many students in the rural colleges could not dated 3 October 2020.
attend a single online class during the whole The situation of first-generation learners with
year of the pandemic. Though attendance was none in the family to support their learning is
not made mandatory then, 70 per cent of the too scary. Accessibility, Affordability,
students had to write the semester exams with Flexibility, and Learning pedagogy inclusive
minimal support. The feeling of exclusion and of the local learners are to be brought forth.
loss in the marginalised students cannot be Not much qualitative research has been done
neglected. Discussions came up regarding the in this area. College teachers had to conduct
mammoth digital divide existing in Indian online classes every day to cater to the needs
society. A combination of the rural-urban of 30 per cent digitally equipped students as
divide, gender divide, and digital divide per the instructions of the higher authorities.
contributed to pushing the marginalised The Commissionerate of Collegiate
sections of the society to the dark corners, with Education, Telangana, in association with
not much hope about continuing their UGC-HRDC, Osmania University, and
education. Many brilliant students belonging Dhyanahita Professional Studies has
to socially and economically backward conducted Faculty Improvement Programme
communities committing suicide gave India (FIP) for all the teachers of Government
a tremor. Degree Colleges on ICT Tools. Google
The inequities in terms of access to academic Classrooms, Zoom, Google Meet, Google
content, affordability of digital devices, and Forms, and WhatsApp have all become
availability of learning opportunities are stark familiar to teachers and students as well during
realities. The rural students, who have faced the COVID-19. Educators were instructed to
inequality and inequity throughout, tend to be use ICT tools beneficial to their students.
diffident while interacting with their peers in This resulted in teachers resorting to
the urban areas, the reasons being numerous. innovative alternative methods of teaching and
They need continuous motivation. Hence, it learning catering to the current and local
is certainly the responsibility of society to try needs. Teachers conducted Zoom, Google
and make ways to bridge the gaps. Meet classes in which attendance of students
“In a year of severe disruption for schools hovered around 30 to 40 per cent in rural areas.
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students Teachers recorded voice messages of
in rural areas have received only marginal important topics and sent them to the students
assistance in the form of structured learning via WhatsApp, especially to help those who
materials from teachers, and have had to rely did not have the network speed to watch
more on parents and siblings to study at home. YouTube video lessons created by their
This unsettling finding by the Annual Status teachers. Images and data from the textbooks
of Education Report 2020, should prompt the were shared via WhatsApp.
Centre and the State governments to plan This is a paradigm shift, a kind of positive
remedial measures for the future when it will transformation at the tertiary level of
be safe again for students to return to the education. Rural areas have begun to

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 39

transform traditional education into a digitally their real life. The set of post-reading activities
enhanced process. Educational institutions in make students enthusiastically relate to the
Telangana have again shut down in response lessons. Video lessons are added unit wise and
to the pandemic and there is a return to the it is easy for students to watch, take
online learning adaptations, recently. Virtual screenshots, and prepare notes on their own.
learning methods suitable to the local needs The curriculum-based learning materials and
have become the need of the hour. video lessons constitute only a quarter of the
A website created by a teacher in a rural area resources offered on this free Google site. The
helps the less privileged to gain proficiency remaining three quarters contain exciting
in the English Language in a seemingly learning materials, activities, games, films,
interesting way. The students who have stories, songs, speeches, and other similar
minimal Internet access can utilise these materials beneficial for any ESL Learner in
resources on this website at their own pace, India. Activities and games are structured to
as there is no real-time involvement through have the desired outcome. Regional, Indian
zoom classes, games, activities, or quizzes English, and Hollywood films (with and
here. The advantage of this website is that it without subtitles) are added, with an option
is customised to be inclusive of the learning to select what is interesting to the learners.
needs of the UG students in India. However, The website intends to make the learning
scaffolding is essential as one cannot expect process enjoyable. Stories and songs promote
the target rural UG students to be self- a love for the language.
motivated to move towards self-learning. A majority of the UG students are habituated
MOOCs, Courseera, Udemy, Dualingo, and to reading only subject-related books. But, no
so on are useful for learners who are familiar one can love a language by reading grammar
with technology. But, this simple and books and reference books written in it.
attractive website with a mobile view offers a “Learn English” page on this website is to
convenient opportunity to the UG students. introduce learning materials that create interest
Recorded video lessons and PDFs of lessons in the target learners. In this way, language
based on the curriculum of Osmania acquisition becomes a subconscious process.
University are made available on the first two A survey conducted among 170 UG students
main pages of the website for the comfort of from varied backgrounds revealed that 60 per
students. Many of the students in the rural cent of them preferred the “Learn English”
areas do not generally buy English textbooks. section of the website, which had exciting
And a few of the rural colleges do not even learning materials in it. Fiction, comics,
have a good library with new textbooks poems, audio books, and so on are inserted
stacked on their shelves. So, these extracts for a wide choice. Auto-updated short news
from textbooks will be a boon to the students clippings, dictionaries, reference books, and
who do not have any other means to read verbal reasoning materials for competitive
textbooks. The extracts also have a set of pre- exams are also included to help students who
reading questions to prepare the students to otherwise do not have the access to good
read, understand the lesson and connect it to libraries. Many of the strategies followed

40 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

while developing the Google site may apply websites found all over the world is mostly
to several other institutions, not restricted to developed by a centralised body and not an
rural students. individual teacher. For instance, Japan,
WhatsApp groups have been created on an France, Austria, Costa Rica, Guyana, and
experimental basis to generate structured India have used educational websites during
discussions among students visiting the the pandemic. For instance, The National
website. A teacher monitors the WhatsApp Repository of Open Educational Resources or
groups. Communicative Language Teaching the DIKSHA portal for school students is
activities are posted to the groups daily. managed by the MHRD. The problem here is
Content-based on the real-life experiences of that a student with minimum technical skills
students are used on WhatsApp. Students are will find it difficult to identify the relevant
given time to work on these activities. They information. Most of the educational websites
are encouraged to take the help of family are bombarded with learning resources and it
members, friends, or others, if necessary. The gives a complex look to the students. As many
students post their findings and give answers of them will be accessing the website from
to the reasoning questions asked by the their phone, it is better to keep the structure
monitor. The WhatsApp group is kept open and content simple and student-friendly.
daily for an hour for lively discussions related The benefits of learning from this website are
to the given activities. These kinds of manifold. A lot of brainstorming and redoing
interactive and collaborative activities help the of lesson plans have gone into the creation of
students to improve their language skills. this website. Pandemic will slowly fade, but
There are plans to move to a Kaizala blended learning is here to stay. So, this
discussion group to accommodate a large website aims at the transmission of learning
number of pan-Indian participants interested materials virtually to the less privileged in a
in utilising the website. At present, the user-friendly, simple, and easy to understand
WhatsApp group contains a mix of UG way. Now that it is not a complete lockdown,
students from Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, students can share and access these resources
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, at their convenience from their friend’s/
Manipur, and Telangana. The survey also relative’s phone. Students have an option to
validates that the parents of 70 per cent of the take screenshots or download the activities
students completed only High School and learn offline at their convenience.
education. The language activities discussed The use of appropriate methods based on local
in the WhatsApp groups are updated on a readiness and flexibility of the online platform
separate page on the website regularly. A highlights the purpose of this website. The
feeling of togetherness and interactions vision is to place maximally useful student-
through the WhatsApp group is intended to oriented resources on a user-friendly platform.
reinforce a kind of community feeling in Compilation of resources and their
students. This will give a sense of confidence presentation in a student-friendly manner by
to the marginalised students. an adept educator who is deeply involved in
A majority of the English Language Learning the field is the uniqueness of this website.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 41

This website saves the precious time of otherwise makes students not valued, scared,
students who otherwise have to surf among less confident, and difficult to learn and grow.
numerous English learning websites and If necessary measures are not taken, the
YouTube videos. An online search for quality existing socio-economic gap will keep
content is a cumbersome task for a digital widening. In the contemporary scenario, the
alien. Real-time face-to-face learning cannot ease of using technology and the Internet is
be replaced by online learning. Blended of considerable importance to students.
learning is the key. Learning English using References
the Grammar-Translation method, which is Harmer, J. (1999). The practice of English
widely used by teachers of rural colleges, language teaching, London: Longman.
needs to take a back seat. Judicial interference
of the mother language is suggested. Krashen, S.D. (1981), Second language
acquisition and second language learning.
The video lessons are presented with an US: Pergamon Press Inc.
acceptable Indian accent without marked
regional flavour, so that it is intelligible to Oxford, R. (1997). Cooperative learning,
students and they feel connected to the collaborative learning, and interaction: Three
speaker. This is a first of its kind in Higher communicative strands in the language
Education in Telangana. There are numerous classroom. Modern Language Journal, 81(4),
ways to build English Language Skills 443-456.
interestingly and excitingly. This is just the https://sites.google.com/view/gdc-chevella-
beginning and the website will be english/english-video-lessons
continuously updated. Google’s site is free to https://www.mdrc.org/publication/covid-19-
use, anyone with basic computer and internet and-rural-higher-education
knowledge can create it. With the right https://eltexperiences.com/10-websites-for-
knowledge, teachers can embrace various english-language-students/
alternative possibilities. Text is only a pretext. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/
Also, there is no performance assessment on gaps-in-learning-the-hindu-editorial-on-rural-
the website and one can find only entertaining students-and-the-pandemic/
pedagogy with songs, films, activities, and so article32975943.ece
on. The intention is to love the language and
learn it naturally. They can listen to the https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/
speeches/playlists, listen to songs, sing them, brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-
record, and playback again. Play snake and support-remote-learning-during-the-covid-
ladder games involving their friends, family 19-pandemic
members. Learning becomes enjoyable.
Still, there is a large population who lack Ms. Roopna Ravindran, Assistant Professor
access to smartphones and electricity, to of English, Government Degree College,
charge phones. Alternative ways need to be Chevella, Telangana, India.
found to minimise the Digital Divide, which Email: [email protected]

42 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 Reading Activity – Setting Reading Goals
K Elango

Objective : To facilitate readers to set goals prior to engaging with any text; there are
different genres, which demand different reading styles.
Participation : Individual
Material : Texts of different genres
Preparation : Identifying different reading styles matching the text types
Procedure:
1. Familiarising readers with the variety of text types – samples of each type to be provided.
Some of the types that are popular with readers are as follows:
Mass Media – newspapers, magazines, radio, television, films, advertisements, etc.
Social Media – messages, chats, tweets, posts, blogs, Instagram, discussion forums,
etc.
Literature – fiction, short stories, prose, plays, poems, biographies,
autobiographies, etc.
Academic Texts – textbooks, journals, project reports, dissertations, articles, guides,
etc.
Scientific Texts – research articles, manuals, reports, reviews, work-in-progress reports,
etc.
Business Writings – proposals, reports, minutes, newsletters, memorandums, emails,
letters, memos, press releases, technical documents, etc.
Reference Texts – dictionaries, encyclopaedias, brochures, catalogues, timetables,
indexes, atlases, etc.
Children’s Writings – stories, cartoon strips, songs, fairy tales, folktales, flash fiction,
riddles, picture books, etc.
Religious Writings – sacred books, scriptures, pamphlets, prayers, translations,
interpretations, etc.
Legal Writings – judgements, case filings, case summaries, judicial reports, FIRs,
deeds, wills, sale documents, petitions, affidavits, etc.
(Note that all these differ in format, layout, and content.)
2. Familiarising readers with different strategies of reading – demonstration for each type.
There are broadly two kinds: Intensive reading and Extensive reading.
Some of the useful reading strategies:
Skimming, scanning, speed reading, inferential reading, creative reading, parallel reading,

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 43

SQ3R strategy, PQRST strategy, scaffolding, visualisation, intertextual reading, critical reading,
DRTA strategy, reading for synthesising, summarising, and so on.
3. Identifying the strategies appropriate to texts and purposes, for instance, a travel brochure
and a manual.
a) Strategy for a travel brochure: It depends on the time and the purpose.
Brochures are usually written in an enticing language with appealing photographs, and are
often bulky (some of them are 100 pages), as they have to provide travellers with all the
details required.
Suppose that a traveller has to decide on the accommodation, he has to scan only for that
particular information and does not have to focus on the other details, which may be of
importance at other times. So, the strategy of scanning has to be employed.
b) Strategy for a manual:
In a user manual (for instance, an electronic gadget), every instruction counts. The gap between
the product and the user is filled in by the manual and, hence, it has to anticipate all the
queries and doubts of users and answer them. If the users are novices, they have to read every
word carefully.
Manuals often contain, besides the instructions, health and safety measures, which the users
have to familiarise themselves with. It is said a company’s manual is “like a travel guide to a
foreign land – it makes the unfamiliar manageable.” Hence, it requires intensive reading –
word by word.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Learners recognise that they need to have reading goals depending on their purpose and
the text type to avoid the common mistake of following the same strategy for all the reading
texts.
2. Learners realise that setting goals prior to reading a text can enable them to decide on the
strategy, to maximise the benefits of time and energy they have invested in reading.
Further reading: Readers need to read texts of various genres to get to know the distinctive
features of each.
______________________
*Reading Goals are not the same for all readers; they vary from person to person, and from
time to time. Even among the same age group of readers, goals might vary, as their interests
and reading ability could differ.
Dr K Elango, National Secretary, ELTAI & Professor of English (Formerly), Anna University.
Email: [email protected]

44 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 15th International & 51st Annual Conference of ELT@I-2021
at
GLA University, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
Dates: 7–9 October 2021
(In both online and onsite modes)
[NOTE: THE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN POSTPONED IN VIEW OF THE SECOND
WAVE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY.]
Theme: ELT in India – New Needs, New Demands, New Trends
Sub-themes:
H Language Teaching and Learning: Theory H Language Teaching and Philosophy
and Practice H Language Teaching and Culture
H Language and Technology H Language Policies
H Materials Production H Language and Translation
H Language Testing and Assessment H English Language and Literary Studies:
H English Language and Literature Curriculum, Methodology, and
H English Language and Society Assessment

H English Language Teaching and History H Researches in English Language Teaching

H Language, Psychology, and Sociology H And other related areas.

A Glimpse of the Programme

Plenary Sessions
Lightning Talks
Workshops
Panel Discussions
Action Research Reports
Poster Presentations
Face-to-Face Interviews
Roundtable DiscussionsResource persons are drawn from National Educational Bodies like
the UGC, AICTE, NIOS, CBSE, and so on; Social Media such as Bloggers, YouTubers, etc.;
Educational Learning Startups; International Associates of ELT@I; and Talent Acquisition
and Management Companies.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 45

REGISTRATION FEE Early bird registration until 14th June, 2021
Category ELT@I Members Non-Members
Undergraduates, Masters & Ph.D. Students `1,000 `1,200
Faculty/Post-Docs `1,200 `1,400
Participants from Abroad USD 40 USD 50

From 15th June to 30th June, 2021 – additional fee of `200.

On-the-spot registration – additional fee of `500.

Registration form available on the conference site (Fill in the form)

Registration fee to be paid into:

Account Name: English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)
Savings A/C No: 30870397943
IFSC: SBIN0007108
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Villivakkam, Chennai – 600 049
SUBMISSION DEADLINES FOR ABSTRACTS/PAPERS
Important Dates:
Submission of Abstract : 30 April 2021
Notification of Acceptance : 15 May 2021
Submission of Full Paper : 15 June 2021

ABSTRACTS/FULL PAPERS TO BE UPLOADED AT:

[email protected], [email protected] & [email protected]
Selected papers may be published in Scopus indexed/UGC-Care listed journals, or in the
form of a book, with an e-ISBN.

AWARDS
Best Paper Award & Best Poster Award

ACCOMMODATION at University hostels & Local hotels

[Access the conference website for more details]

46 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 The Journal of English Language Teaching (JELT) – ISSN-0973-5208
[A publication of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)]
Manuscript Submission Guidelines

SUBMISSIONS Please see the checklist for reviewing

The JELT is an international, peer-reviewed manuscripts, given at the end of these
journal published by the English Language guidelines.
Teachers’ Association of India based at
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, but with about GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS
50 chapters in different parts of India.
Please see the front inner cover for Ther e i s no speci fi c deadl ine for
detail s of the est abl ishment and manuscript submissions for each issue
objectives of the association. and authors may send their submissions
anytime.
The JELT is published six times a year –
February, April, June, August, October and Authors are expected to follow these
December. The overall aim of the journal is guidelines while preparing their articles for
to promote the professional development of submission:
its readers, namely English teachers teaching 1. The article should not have been
at all levels, researchers and teacher trainers published previously in any form (print
around the world. The journal, therefore, or online). A short declaration to this
accepts submissions on all aspects and effect should be given on a separate page
issues relating to the teaching and learning at t he beginning of the article
of English in ESL settings. submitted.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING 2. The maximum length of the article
SUBMISSIONS including figures and tables should be
Each submission will be evaluated for its 2000 words (excluding the abstract).
suitability for publication in terms of the The manuscript should contain an
following criteria. abstract in 100-150 words).

The article should: 3. All pages should be double-spaced with

a clear margin of 1 inch on all sides.
l Reflect current theories and practices in
English language teaching. 4. The title should be brief and focused,
not broad or vague.
l Be relevant and appeal to the wide
readership of the journal. 5. The article should carry only the title,
abstract and the main paper.
l Be well written and organized, with
sufficient explanation and examples to 6. The title, author(s)’ name(s) [the last name
enable readers to apply the ideas and first], affiliation [i.e., the name of
insights in their own classes. institution(s) the author(s) belong(s) to;
city, country] and email address should
l Discuss the topic in the context of other be provided on a separate cover sheet for
work related to the topic. the article.
l Be written in clear and concise language, 7. Only sources cited in the article should
making it easy to read. be listed as references at the end of the
l Be edited for language and style. article.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021 47

8. The article should use the author-date cover email to: indiaeltai@gmail.
format for citations and references com or eltai_india@ yahoo.co.in with a
(e.g., Anderson 1997; Anderson 1997, copy (Cc) to the Editor Dr. Neeru
p.17). See the Chicago Manual of Style Tandon at: neerudlitt88@gmail. com.
(15 th edn.) f or more detail s and 13. The filename of the article (in MS Word
examples. format) sent as an email attachment
9. The tables and figures used in the should contain key words from the title
manuscript should have numbers in and the (lead) author’s name.
sequence and clear, descriptive titles.
The titles should appear above the CHECKLIST FOR MANUSCRIPT REVIEW
tables and below the figures. The tables
should NOT be sent as images; the 1. Does this article present and/or
contents of the tables should be typed discuss issues that are important
and included in the manuscript. and relevant to the teaching and
Reference to the relevant table or figure learning of English in an ESL/EFL
should be made in the text. context?

10. If authentic samples of students’ 2. Is the title clear, short and appropriate
written output are included, they for the content of the article?
should be typed. The scanned copies 3. Is the abstract brief, clear, inclusive
of such mat er ial should be sent and consistent with the content of the
separ at ely as at t achment s f or article?
verification. 4. Is t he intr oduct ion relevant,
11. A list of all the references cited in the meaningful and purposeful?
text should be given at the end of the 5. Is the literature review relevant to the
article. article and focussed?
In each reference: 6. Does the article establish a clear
l Only the author’s last name and initials rationale for the study and state the
are to be provided. problem clearly?
l The year is placed after the author’s 7. Are the techniques and tools used
name. appropriate for the study?
l Only the first word of the title and the 8. Are the results clearly presented and
sub-title (after a colon) are capitalized discussed?
along with proper nouns. 9. Are the findings based on a robust
l Titles of books and journals should be in analysis of the data and clearly presented?
italics. 10. Are the conclusions appropriate and
l Quotation marks are not to be used in reasonable, and linked to other studies
the title. on the topic?
l For electronic sources such as websites, 11. Are implications of the findings
the date of accessing the source should discussed in the article?
be given in brackets after the URL. 12. Are t he references appropriate,
12. The article (in MS Word format) should current, sufficient and consistent with
be sent as an email attachment with a in-text citations?

48 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 63, No. 1, January-February 2021

 JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING (JELT)
Journal of English Language Teaching (JELT), launched in 1965, is the oldest and
flagship journal of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI).
EDITORS PUBLISHERS
Prof. R. Krishnamurthy (June 1965 - Oct. 1984)
Prof. B. Ardhanareeswaran (Nov. 1984 - Oct. 1985) Sri. S. Natarajan (June 1965 - Apr. 1974)
Dr. K. K. Mohamed Iqbal (Nov. 1985 - Dec. 1994)
Prof. M. Duraiswamy (May 1974 - Oct. 1984)
Mr. Francis P. Jayachandran (Jan. 1995 - June 2001)
Dr. V. Saraswathi (July 2001 - Aug. 2013)
Ms. N. Krishna Bai (Nov. 1984 - Dec. 1992)
Dr. P. N. Ramani (Sept. 2013 - Aug. 2016)
Dr. Albert P. Rayan (Sept. 2016 – Feb. 2019) Dr. S. Rajagopalan (Jan. 1993 - Mar. 2004)
Dr. P. N. Ramani (Mar. 2019 - Dec. 2020)
Dr. Neeru Tandon (Jan. 2021 - till date) Dr. K. Elango (Apr. 2004 - till date)

EDITORIAL BOARD
Dr. Neeru Tandon (EDITOR)
Dr Uma Maheswari Chimirala Prof. Prantik Banerjee
Prof. Binod Mishra Dr Vasistha Bhargavi
Dr Sudhir Arora Dr Veena Selvam
Dr Vandhana Sharma Dr Anjita Singh
All correspondence relating to the journal, JELT, should be addressed to the Editor,
Dr. Neeru Tandon, at: [email protected]
English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)
PRESIDENTS PRESENT OFFICE-BEARERS
Prof. R. Krishnamurthy (Aug. 1974 – Oct. 1985) Patron - Dr. S. Rajagopalan
Dr. S. Rajagopalan (Nov. 1985 - July 2008) President - Dr. Sanjay Arora (Jaipur)
Dr. Amol Padwad (Aug. 2008 - Mar. 2012) Vice President - Dr. Shravan Kumar (Greater Noida)
Dr. Sanjay Arora (Apr. 2012 - Dec.2014) Vice President - Dr. Reddy Sekhar Reddy (Bangaluru)
Secretary - Dr. K. Elango
Dr. G. A. Ghanshyam (Jan. 2015 - Oct. 2018)
Joint Secretary - Dr. Ramakrishna Bhise (Mumbai)
Dr. Sanjay Arora (Jan. 2019 - till date)
Joint Secretary - Mr. R. H. Prakash (Raichur)
SECRETARIES
Treasurer - Mr. P. R. Kesavulu
Prof. M. Duraiswamy (Aug. 1974 - June 1981) Coordinator - Dr. J. Mangayarkarasi
Prof. B. Ardhanareeswaran (July 1981 - Oct. 1985) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EC
Dr. K. K.Mohamed Iqbal (Nov. 1985 - Aug. 1989 Dr. P. N. Ramani
Dr. V. Saraswathi (Sep. 1989 - Mar. 2007) Dr. S. Mohanraj
Dr. K. Elango (Apr. 2007 - till date) Dr. C.A. Lal
We sincerely appeal to ALL teachers of English as well as post-graduate students and research scholars
to become members of ELTAI and strengthen the association so that it may serve the cause of English
language and literature education in India.
ALL correspondence relating to the association should be addressed either to: [email protected] or
to: [email protected].
Website: www.eltai.in Ph.: 044-26172789 / 9344425159
 RNI No. 8469/1965

JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING, English Bimonthly

Journal of English Language Teaching (JELT) is the oldest journal

A forum for professional development

of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India. It is a

bimonthly, which offers a forum for teachers and researchers
to voice their views on the teaching of English language and
literature.
ELT@I

English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)

16/20, Sowrashtra Nagar, II Street, Choolaimedu
Chennai - 600 094.

E-mail: [email protected] & [email protected]

Web: www.eltai.in
Ph: 044-26172789 / 9344425159

Printed and Published by Dr. K. Elango on behalf of the Society

for the Promotion of Education in India. Printed at SRI
AIYNAR PRINTERS, New No. 10, Sowrashtra Nagar, II Street,
Choolaimedu, Chennai-600 094.