DRAWING A LEAF FROM OUR OWN FAMILY

 

DRAWING A LEAF FROM OUR OWN FAMILY

We had put both of our sons at the Christ Nagar English Medium High School for their schooling from the fifth standard.  It wasn’t co-ed at that time. I was happy they were in a premium English Medium School. I knew my failings, studying in a Malayalam medium Government High School. Though I had been a good student, though I had good teachers, though I had an exceptionally commendable result at the SSLC, though I could easily garner admission at the UCCollege, Aluva, a premium institution, I had been all at sea in the College atmosphere. I was lost. The abrupt shift from the Malayalam medium to the English medium had damaged my intellect and my career beyond redemption. I could not communicate well in English. I could not understand the nuances of the language. The deficiency had played havoc with my career too as I had found it difficult to land a job and finally my functioning when I had a job. I was happy my children would not have the hard grind I had. But it was not to be. They still do suffer from the Christ Nagar branded English medium.

‘SPEAK ENGLISH’, the School had written everywhere. But no one spoke English there.  The teachers communicated in Malayalam.

I found the going pathetic. I told my sons to speak in English at least when they were at home. I said their mother. PG in English, degree in English, (both from Women’s College), Pre-degree at All Saints College, and Schooling in Holy Angels was the apt person to bring them up in an English medium environment. But all the three were diffident. They confined themselves to Malayalam with a vengeance putting to naught my pleadings.

I did not let go. I asked a classmate of my elder son at the degree level whether he was well conversant in English. He said he was not. I asked him again whether he wished to acquire the skill. He said yes. I had asked him to bring a few of his friends if they were interested.

We had around ten young men at home. I invited my sons and my wife to join the group. I had been very concerned about my younger son who had been insecure to the core.

Well, the activity began.

I said each one had to speak. There would be a topic they themselves would choose the previous week. One person would speak on the topic for fifteen minutes in English. They would have to stand and speak and there would be no allowance on the fifteen minutes criteria. Once the speech was delivered, the rest had to do a critique. They should not speak in any other language than English, once session was on.

The young men took up the challenge sportingly. The improvement was clearly visible as time progressed.

After a while the sessions could not be continued.

One day, I and my wife were strolling on the road adjacent to the Secretariat. We saw someone riding pillion on a Scooter and waving.  They stopped the Scooter. It was one of the participants in our sessions along with his mother. As we stood there waiting both of them ran back to reach us. The youngster introduced us to his mother and said, ”Amma, these are the people who have made me what I am.”

We felt fulfilled.

I narrated the story solely to suggest we can extend the activity anywhere.. The participants would be better off if we do this. If feasible, the modality could be worked out. My only suggestion is the sessions should be confined to one hour with groups of ten students each, once or twice a week, monitored by  those who are well conversant in English.

I remember the words of the CSI Moderator while attending a Governing Council meeting of the KUT Seminary, Kannammoola, Thiruvananthapuram, “The graduates from KUTS should have the ability to lead Worship in English and deliver messages in English, just as they develop the proficiency in Malayalam or their mother tongue.”