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The Spoken English initiative
Monday, 19 July 2010 - 9:50 AM SL Time
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There is near unanimity locally on the need for the widespread use of English in Sri Lanka, but what seems to be in dispute is what kind of English needs to be inculcated in particularly the young of the land. Is it Sri Lankan English or what some sections of our intelligentsia refer to as Standard English? As could be gauged by the current content of newspaper opinion columns, the question has generated a great deal of public interest and debate but the issue is not showing signs of easily going away , on account of its high complexity.
As we could ascertain, taking the English Language to the people is the principal challenge. The people in this context needs to be construed as the masses of the people who cannot be associated with the so-called social elite or the privileged, who, over the years, have proved fairly competent speakers and writers of internationally-accepted English on account of the social position they enjoy and the material resources they could bring under their command. Why our educational authorities have failed to take Standard English to the majority of our people, who are of non-elite status, is one of the conundrums of our times.
To President Rajapaksa s credit, it must be said that he has been giving this problem some thought. The proof of this is the establishment of the Presidential Task Force on English and IT which has been, reportedly, making some headway in working out the means of imparting an English Language capability to the average primary and secondary school student. Considering the daunting challenge of taking this capability to thousands of students, who, for no fault of theirs, have been thrust to the margins and beyond of the so-called English speaking world, the Task Force and the government agencies collaborating with it have to begin somewhere and it needs to be conceded that this beginning cannot be made with King s English or Shakespearean English , however valuable these species of English may be.
English continues as the predominant means of international communication, but for the average Lankan it is a foreign language a language which is approached with great trepidation. Small wonder it is compared to a sword locally. The aptness of this metaphor could be gauged when the local non-English speaker s psychological challenges of mastering it are taken into consideration.
The truth of the matter is that English is a symbol of power in the local social context. It was not only the language of governance until 1956, but continues to this day as the veritable key to social prestige and educational accomplishment. In other words, without an English Language capability, upward social mobility is not possible. In short, no English, no progress, as generally understood.
It is this association with power and privilege that makes English a difficult language to learn in the local social sphere. Since it is synonymous with power, it is generally viewed with awe and debilitating inhibitions. Needless to say, teaching the language in its internationally accepted forms in this psychological environment would prove an uphill task.
This is the reason why the local authorities would need to begin small when the enterprise of taking English to the masses is launched. They have no choice but to begin with English as it is generally spoken in this country but their vision should not stop there. Ideally, within the primary and secondary school career of a student, an effort must be made to make him fully competent in spoken and written English, for, communicating internationally would require the acquiring of what is considered Standard English. So, the latter should be our long term aim but there is no getting away from the need to begin at a basic level and this would involve the inculcation of what is popularly known as Sri Lankan English.
Accordingly, there is some merit in the theory and methodology adopted by the Presidential Task Force in the English as a Life Skill project and the sensible approach now would be for the educational authorities and the totality of the public to back this initiative which was launched an year ago and would be getting into its second phase tomorrow at Temple Trees under the aegis of the President.
The Lankan polity would need to see this initiative as a national need on account of the implications an English Language capability has for the employability of the younger generation. Hopefully, the long term aim of inculcating in our students a Standard English capability would be kept in mind by the authorities but common sense would dictate that the Spoken English initiative should be given a good try. Any efforts to thwart it would only betray a non-egalitarian, selfish mindset on the part of those resisting it.
We are not making unfounded presumptions when we speak of resistance. Our polity has never been short of resistors. For instance, what became of the once-thriving Central School system which produced women and men of great repute, who were eloquent Standard English speakers to boot? Why was it allowed to go into decline and virtually die out?
These are interesting research questions for our social scientists and educational planners. It is plain to see that if the Central School system and the Free Education scheme, in the truest sense, were allowed to flourish, the privileges today enjoyed by a few would be widespread, so much so, equity would be well entrenched.
We need to agree with some of those critics who see English as a Kaduwa , that a too narrow, rules-based approach to the inculcation of English, from the very inception, among those whose first languages are either Sinhala or Tamil, could really be a covert attempt by some sections to protect their social privileges.
Resistance to positive change could also be seen in the current indifference towards the establishment of quality National Schools islandwide. What is preventing the implementation of these schemes? The educational sphere, therefore, presents us with a Gordian Knot. This Knot must be cut pronto, if we are to be taken along the path of progress.
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Dengue
Joined: Jul 2010
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 19 Jul 2010 11:47:33 GMT Report for Abuse
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The Spoken English initiative
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I wonder what relevance it is the above to your article?
Thank God, Jesus Christ was not an ENGLISH MAN . |
saleemtariq
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 19 Jul 2010 22:48:53 GMT Report for Abuse
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The ruling class educate their children in English medium while preaching how rich and beautiful our national languages are. So the rural children learn Sinhalese and Tamil and become pundits only to find their English educated counter parts are still occupying influential positions. Spoken English initiative is another gimmick to maintain the status quo.
Why cannot there be good English teachers to teach English all over the country instead of just in the cities? Re-prioritise the entire budget.Instead of being paranoia our leaders must follow other developing countries. Embrace multi-culturalism, treat citizens as equals instead of heaping army in Tamil speaking areas. Divert half of the Defense budget into education, we can produce civilised citizens who project the country in the league of nations as one of the best and be proud of. Racism is buried everywhere but in Sri Lanka the leaders give it a new life. |
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