Joyful English learning for primary school kids

In an attempt to introduce joyful learning, the students of government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will now get audio content to help them learn English.

The Prayagraj-based English Language Teaching Institute (ELTI) has developed audio content for children that is rich in infotainment and will help students master the language with greater ease.

ELTI principal Skand Shukla said, "These audio content will have short stories and rhymes narrated/recited in an entertaining manner to make children enjoy them as they learn English language and good values."

The recorded stories/rhymes would be mixed with music and a signature tune is created in the beginning and end of these narrations.

Not only new stories, these five to ten minutes audio content include re-telling of stories from classics like Panchatantra, Hitopadesh and folklores. The move is aimed at creating English language environment for primary level students, he said.

Earlier, the government had roped in ELTI for an online spoken English course for government school teachers.

"Language is acquired from environment and since English is not part of our natural language environment, its acquisition is difficult for children. To give an everyday example - we find small children repeating advertisement jingles or nursery rhymes even though they do not understand the words and with time the words being repeated become part of their vocabulary," he said.

Shukla said, "For this, it is necessary to create an artificial environment that is interesting, able to garner attention, nurture values and help them acquire English language unconsciously."

So far, over 90 per cent of the audio contents have been prepared and are being vetted by a team of academics from Allahabad University and retired teachers of St Mary's School, Prayagraj. By the end of December, it will be hosted on ELTI's YouTube channel from where teachers can download it.