Nasira Jabeen
Even before Pakistan’s inception as a dominion state the would-be Pakistani nation had an intimacy (perverse though) with a foreign language that was to occupy an important space in its curricula and to play a major role in defining the nation’s advancement and ultimate fortune in the years to ensue.
We are into 79 years of independence with English holding an official status, majority of us still struggles with learning basics of English; sizeable portion with composing and articulating in it. Teaching methods, environment and exposure issues, no reading culture, psychological and social barriers, resource and policy confusion are some of the real hurdles in the way of English learning that need urgent attention now.
With the Aligarh Movement of Sir Syed Muslims of the subcontinent witnessed their renaissance. From a downtrodden community they were raised into their past position of eminence. Their hatred and conservative attitude were diluted into amicable and lenient bearing towards English education. In short, their resistance worn thin in the course of time but the initial ostracism of English language by our forefathers at the expense of the many privileges in their favour has as though gone into the veins of their descendants, moulding their linguistic faculties less responsive towards it and rendering its thorough acquisition harder. But this language like a kind yet obstinate spirit is ever haunting; bent on getting itself involved and impressing on its worth and invincible hold.
People are now more conscious of its importance.
As a lingua Franca, It is the source of international communication and connectivity. Being a language of science, technology, commerce, the rich foreign literature, politics and diplomacy, it has opened both our casements and doors to a wide realm of knowledge and opportunities in health, trade, tourism, higher education, scholarships, business travel abroad, and international relations.
With us, the problem lies in our wish to acquire it to the level of Standard variety or even speaking it with the ease of Urdu. Lest we will not move our lips. If we mess up with the grammar or sentence construction, there will be our great embarrassment. This ‘log kya kahenge’ culture hinder English language learning. If still you dare speak in English it will look like showing off and you gradually end up speaking your native language to look more humble.
English language acquisition and proficiency is a complex process, involving many interrelated factors, particularly in Pakistan, which is an English norm developing country in the outer circle. (Braj Kachru´s model) As against our first language or mother tongue, or even our national language Urdu, we learn English with reference to a speech community outside national or territorial boundaries. We may create context for it but its success in terms of speaking, comprehending its literature, trying a hand in English composition, when contrasted with Urdu, is not absolute. For Urdu has its full participation in the political, economic, social spheres and in media and recreational fields.
It is the mother tongue of some section, second language for the rest with diverse first languages, as they acquire it within the country with the context and contact group as environmental support.Urdu can be learnt informally too, can be ‘picked up’ without much effort. On the other hand English here has on the average no more space and environment outside the classroom.
Individual learner difference is also a factor affecting the acquisition of English language. Age, aptitude, cognitive style, motivation and personality retard and accelerate the acquisition accordingly. It is a commonly held view that children learn quickly and things learnt in childhood last for long. However, their memory capacity, experience and exposure is not as great as adults’ to have an in- depth and extensive exercise in the language and to use its formal features in appropriate places. With aptitude or special ability for English, some steer their ship smoothly not even undergoing any systematic learning for it.
Learners who are interested in the language, who have a yearn to gain more from the native speakers’ way of academics, politics or business; who see themselves prosper only in English garb, are prone to learn more successfully as compared to the less motivated learners.
Similarly worldly wise, adventurous and extrovert personalities are generally believed to learn English with ease as they remain ready to take any risk and are curious and hardly sedate in the face of any mystery that they must unravel. (Here, introvert personalities can also be good at the language acquisition, for they are the quiet observer and have quite a store of contents, provided they don’t let them grow stale within them).
The role of the input for English language on the part of the teachers impede the acquisition of English. Teachers here mostly teach English like mathematics – grammar rules and formulas to memorize — not like a language to use in ordinary life. They do not practice listening and speaking, rather they focus on translation. This may get their students good grades but they cannot converse in English. In addition, teachers often teach English in Urdu, so students never hear it used actually. The input must center on more listening/ speaking practice and work that is more creative but it will not prove fruitful if the learners sit waiting to be spoon- fed and writhing when it comes to any overture they are to make for the purpose.
Students should read English materials more and practice speaking outside classroom in order to speak and write in it perfectly. Otherwise, if it were possible to be an English fluent speaker or author by reading just one book or taking the 40-minute class only, we would be abounded by English speakers and authors.
English is not applied equally as medium of instruction in all the schools and colleges across Pakistan. Costly private schools and Aga Khan Education System strictly use English medium, government schools are mostly Urdu-medium.
Acquiring the language is more demanding in remote areas of the country like Chitral, where environmental support equals to naught and where students are subject to no exposure comparatively. Above all the students in general wait only for the intervention of a teacher for the development of their English language skills. The artificial intelligence of today’s digital age can be of great help for them but they need to become AI-literate first.
To address the aforementioned issues in the language acquisition students, teachers and parents need to work with cooperation, perseverance and with an undivided mind. They must break the psychological and social barriers. Government should make clear policies regarding English medium of instruction and educational institutions should strictly follow it from grade 1.
Parents instead of voicing complaints about their children’s poor performance in English speaking and writing should ensure the environmental support for them. Parents and students themselves should see to it that English is practiced not only in the learning institutions and with peers upon restriction but in relaxed and leisure times at homes too. Establishing libraries at homes would not be more costly than other extravagance. Equipping it with thought-enriching books, used for pruning skills and potentials for better growth, would be providing only healthy occupation to the children.
For learners I must say that you cannot both have your cake and eat it. Compromises on your part with respect to learning English would herald your success. You must be prepared to resign any claim on the free time at your disposal to use it in meaningless things.
Reading English newspapers, magazines, novels, studying English usage books with due measure of care and zest, building sound vocabularies, exposure and speaking practice, listening to English documentaries, watching cartoons and stories in English and the like will help entertain command of spoken and written English. We can curve a name in this field – which to a willing heart is not something of a herculean task. Only through consistent practice and reading, we can learn this language of opportunity.
(Ms Nasira Jabeen is Lecturer in English at
GGDC Booni).