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[HCDX] English radio lessons a hit in India
English radio lessons a hit in India
By Amarnath Tewary
Patna, Bihar
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7391742.stm
Teachers say the programme is a hit with students Pics: Prashant Ravi
There is pin drop silence in a crammed classroom at a primary government
school in the northern Indian state of Bihar.
The students are looking inquisitively at a radio set perched on a plastic
chair in the middle of the classroom in the capital, Patna.
They are all waiting for a new English lesson to begin - on the radio.
The lesson is called 'English is Fun' and teaches the basics of the language
to primary school students.
"It is very easy to learn English on radio. Everyday we wait for this class.
Even if the teacher is not in the class we learn and enjoy the programme," a
student, Sakshi Kumari, said.
Interestingly, backward and dirt poor Bihar appears to be a trend setter here
- a recent federal government report found that school students in the state
are now faring better in English and Mathematics than anywhere else in the
country.
This, in a state, where a lowly 47% of the people are literate as against the
national average of nearly 65%.
So, for half-an-hour, four days a week, millions of primary students in Bihar
today learn English through this radio lesson.
Ever since the programme began in November last year it has become an
instant hit with the students.
The Bihar Education Project launched this English teaching radio
programme in collaboration with a Bangalore-based organisation
Educational Development Centre and the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) to boost primary education in the country.
'Big hit'
The year-long interactive radio lessons are being broadcast by the four
regional state-run All India radio stations. The lessons cover seven million
students attending 65,000 primary schools in all the 38 districts of the state.
Studies reveal students in Bihar are faring well in English
"After 25 episodes of the programme, we found that it is a big hit among the
students," director of the programme Rajesh Bhushan said.
The state government has given 1000 rupees ($25) to every primary school
to purchase a radio set for the 122-episode English learning programme.
Starting with songs called 'Good morning' and 'Goodbye', the programme
teaches alphabets and words.
There are interactive lessons in which students also pick up useful tips
about traffic rules, health and hygiene.
Teachers find the lessons useful.
"The programme provides poor students of government schools an
opportunity to learn the English language, brush up their grammar all while
having fun", said English teacher Archana Kumari.
Encouraged by the response, the state government has decided to set up
community radio stations at some schools for broadcasting lessons.
The government has identified 11 schools in Patna and neighbouring
Nalanda district for setting up these radio stations.
Getting children educated continues to be a daunting challenge for
authorities in Bihar.
The state government recently hired over 300,000 teachers but over a
million children still remain out of school in the state.
Back at the primary school in Patna, students say they would like the "radio
class" to continue.
"Now listening the radio we can already say things like good morning, good
evening, hello and other things like that. We enjoy learning English through
this radio class," says Mohammud Abid.
Please read my aricle on SINPO at http://tinyurl.com/yt7qjd
________________________
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........
Zacharias Liangas , Thessaloniki Greece
greekdx @ otenet dot gr ---
Pesawat penerima: ICOM R75 , Lowe HF150 , Degen 1102,1103,108,
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Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian loop
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