The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tips on language teaching

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 01, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tips on language teaching

He is planning to develop software that will be useful for languages as well as other subjects.

K M Prabhu. — Photo: M.J.Prabu

The news from the Director of Collegiate Education that all colleges must have language laboratories made Prof. K. M. Prabhu sit up. For someone, who has always considered language labs integral to any effective learning process and has been trying to create awareness about them, this announcement came as a ray of hope. Despite being vision impaired, the man has acquired amazing proficiency in English language. In an informal chat with M.J. Prabu, Prof. Prabhu talks about the language teaching software he is planning to develop.

Prof. Prabhu is now working round the clock to set up a consultancy that would enable managements (of educational institutions and corporate houses) to try out software that could be used in teaching language skills.

He already has the support of Young India Films, Kankaria Computers and Globarena, which market language-teaching software. This consultancy service is absolutely free of cost. The various software provided by these companies are not restricted to teaching English or other languages. They are capable of teaching other subjects as well. But Prof. Prabhu admits, "I personally can't be of much guidance in anything other than English."

The man has unshakeable confidence in his abilities as an English teacher. He finished his master's in English with a gold medal. This was followed by distinction in the post-graduate diploma in teaching English (PGDTE) course from the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad.

But his most singular educational achievement is a doctorate in English language teaching, the first such to have been awarded to a visually challenged candidate in India.

For the last 26 years, he has been teaching at the Government Arts College, Nandanam. His passion for English language teaching extends beyond the time he spends at the college. He has written two sets of books for young learners - the Sangam Primary Series (from Class I to V) and Feathers Primary Series (while Class I to V books are in the market, those for students in classes VI to VIII are in the making). These books employ fairy tales and stories to teach English. Prof. Prabhu dictated these books to typists with knowledge of shorthand.

At present, Prof. Prabhu is working on an English language series for BPOs and call centres. He believes that when he gets busy with his language lab consultancy, writing will take a back seat. "This consultancy is my way of returning something back to society."

One-stop outlet

It is expected to function as a one-stop outlet for anyone trying to find a language teaching software suited to these needs.

"People go in for a piece of software paying a huge sum of money and throw it away as useless. This could have been prevented if they had had, prior to the purchase, a working knowledge of these software."

The consultancy would provide guidance on the uses of these software and also allow visitors to use them without having to pay a fee.

Prof. Prabhu can be reached at No. 221/350, Prabhu's Geyham, A-block second floor, Lloyds Road, Gopalapuram, Chennai 600086. Mobile: 9444066606.

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