English labs to dot Andhra Pradesh govt schools from next academic year

Visakhapatnam: English language labs and workbooks are going to be the additional features in schools and curriculum from the next academic year.

With Andhra Pradesh government schools all set to make English the medium of instruction, commencing from 2020-21 and refurbish the institutions under Naadu-Nedu scheme, English language labs aim at honing the communication skills among the students from Classes I to V and nudge them to replace Telugu with ease.

Language laboratories, officials from the department of school education say, will help improve their expertise in English. "One of the existing rooms will be converted into an English language lab in the government schools. About 35,000 government schools to benefit across the state through such labs that will not only focus on improving the proficiency of the language but also on creative exercises, professional development and 21st century skills and collaborations," explains T V S Ramesh, academic coordinator of the State Council of Educational Research and Training.

As a part of the introduction of the language labs, a television set, computer system with customised software that contains storytelling apps, conversation apps and rhymes recitation apps will be facilitated in schools. "There is also a proposal to set up a projector for wider screens to enable language imparting in schools a pleasurable experience for kids. The prime objective is to create conducive environment for the students to shift their medium and make the learning process more fun-filled exercise, incorporating a bunch of activities to promote communication skills," elaborates Ramesh.

This apart, in addition to the regular subject-wise textbooks and notebooks, students will also get to flip through workbooks to help gain practical exposure to the content taught through a host of customised exercises. Officials say that workbooks would help the students think out of the box and beyond textbooks.