Mangalore (Karnataka): 'Language teaching needs holistic approach'

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Mangalore: 'Language teaching needs holistic approach'

MANGALORE March 18: There is a need for all stakeholders to adopt a
holistic approach to the vital issue of teaching languages, especially at
the primary school level, former Vice-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of
Higher Education B.M. Hegde has said. Children had the inherent capacity
to learn at least 10 languages and it was important for planners and
academicians to facilitate such a process, he said after inaugurating a
two-day seminar on "English language teaching at the primary school level"
organised by the Mangalore Taluk Retired Teachers' Association at
Iddya-Surathkal near here on Saturday.

Education should strive to help each individual to manifest his or her
inherent perfection as stated by Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Hegde said. Noting
that the issue of introduction of English at the primary school level was
being unnecessarily debated, Dr. Hegde said that the focus should be on
ensuring that children picked up the basics of the language and were not
burdened by rules governing its usage. Dr. Hegde advised teachers to take
active interest in helping the underprivileged children learn in an
informal community education set up. K. Damodhar Shetty, honorary
president of the association,stressed on the need for governments to take
people into confidence before taking policy decisions on emotive issues
such as language.

Hindu

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=40671#

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