ELTWeekly

‘Primacy of English Language and Active ELT through Activities’ by A. Satya Phani Kumari

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:May 1, 2013
Post category:ELT Research Papers
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Abstract: In this present speedy world, everyone prefers to give concise answers and terse replies rather than chatty and prolonged answers. The prattle and protract answers waste the valuable time of the busy and successful people. For this we need proficiency in English. As English is the lingua-franca in this global village, it is essential for everyone to learn English. Now people think about the role of English teachers or ESL teachers. The predominance of communiqué in the scholastic, social and professional dome stimulates the English teachers to enrich the communication skills of their students in a foreign language by observing cognitive and meta-cognitive skills of them. This paper elucidates importance of learning English and the novel ways of teaching English which replace the old pedagogical methods of teacher-centered education. It also proves that through activities students get expertise and enthusiasm in learning English. (more…)

‘Teaching Speaking Skills to enhance effective Communication Skills’ by Heera G Rajwani

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:May 1, 2013
Post category:ELT Research Papers
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Abstract

Communication is an essential ingredient of any system. It’s effective use can enhance our efficiency in any field of endeavor and improper use can lead to disastrous consequences. Effective communication, therefore, leads to more effective performance and provides information necessary for an enterprise to adjust to changing world. Communication is effective if each step is completed properly and it can break down if any step is incomplete or blocked by barriers to effective communication. To avoid miscommunication or not to communicate at all one needs to learn to speak first. Many people are not able to communicate due to lack of developed speaking skill. This paper focuses on the strategies of teaching speaking skills in context to role play and communicative tasks. If speaking skill is developed properly the person will feel comfortable to communicate. This paper describes an investigation that was conducted on the students of engineering college.

Key Words: Strategies, Communicative tasks, Role play (more…)

‘A Critical Study of the Course in Communication Skills Offered in the Engineering Colleges Affiliated to Gujarat Technological University (GTU)’ by Pushpendra C. Sinora

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:May 1, 2013
Post category:ELT Research Papers
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Abstract

In this rapidly changing globalized world, proficiency in English is considered as one of the crucial employability skills. It is considered life skill or ‘survival skill’ in the 21^st century. Students of professional courses especially Engineering need to be able to think critically, solve problems, communicate clearly, be creative and work in a team in order to get placed in a reputed company. The need for the students of engineering to be trained in a multitude of transferable skills is high (Hatakka, 2005). While the demand for talented engineers is high in MNCs, there is a huge skills shortage in the country. Employers complain about fresh recruits from engineering colleges not being ‘industry ready’. The urgent need to improve technical students’ communication skills has been emphasized by educationists as well as employers. Narayanan, Chairman, NASSCOM, (Warrier, 2007) said “The industry has moved forward rapidly and technology also has changed but the educational institutions and the curriculum have not changed that rapidly. There is a dire need to bridge the gap by providing additional training to the people who are coming out of colleges so as to make them industry-ready.” This perceived problem of lack of communication skills among engineering students makes the researcher raise a key question whether there is a gap between the course of Communication Skills taught in the Engineering colleges affiliated to Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Gujarat and the academic and professional needs of the students and whether there is a need to revise the course of so as to meet language needs of the budding engineers for proper application in the workplace context and also in real- life situations. The study involves a survey conducted by administering questionnaires upon 60 students and 30 English teachers of various engineering colleges affiliated to GTU. The evaluation of the course has necessitated the urgency of implementing Course-Book to enhance teaching-learning process of Communication. (more…)