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Practice of spoken English in Bangla medium schools
Ashequl Islam
7/30/2006
Survival for the fittest and to be fittest, one needs to be well-conversant in English, because mastery over English ensures one's better job in today's ever- competitive world. The spoken part of English is taken care of in English medium schools, but in Bangla medium school this is greatly neglected.
The introduction of communicative English from class nine to twelve definitely was encouraging for the practice of English in its oral form for our young students. But, in reality, there has been little implementation of the concept. Teachers were not trained enough about how to imprint the communication method on the young minds. The consequence is: there are good exercises in the books, but they are never rehearsed in school, so those exercises just remain exercises.
A strong body should be formed by the government for spoken English to be practiced at mass level.
Every Bangla medium school may take the following steps to ensure practice of spoken English:
First, students should be encouraged by allocating marks for spoken English in their year-end evaluation. There can be allocation of 10 or 15 percent marks in English subject.
Second, students should practice recitation, extempore speech, debating and drama on weekly or monthly basis. Through participating in these, they will have a greater involvement and they can develop their oratory power easily. The best performer should be declared 'student of the month'.
Third, a spoken English programme can be televised at a common time and that programme will be aired during school hour so that students in every school can see it, practise spoken English during and after the programme.
Fourth, schools need to arrange spoken English class everyday. Students of class three and onwards will enjoy the classes .
Fifth, students should be encouraged to watch BBC, CNN and English movies of good taste. Their watching habit can be tracked on weekly basis by the management.
Sixth, there should be awareness campaign amongst the students and guardians in this regard about the benefits of becoming proficient in spoken.
Seventh, competent English teachers should be appointed so that they can continuously encourage students in their practice.
Eighth, the 'Dialogue' question in the communicative English question paper should not have any alternative. It must be attended by the examinees. That way, students will have a greater obligation of developing spoken part.
Unless and until the Bangla medium schools take such steps, the students will lag behind their English medium counterparts and they will suffer continuously in managing and continuing in good jobs, especially in those jobs which demand a good skill of communication in English.
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