Learning English the right way
A.A. MICHAEL RAJ
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For non-native speakers of the language, the examinations offered by Cambridge University are of enormous help
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THOSE WHO start learning to think and speak in English when they are still little children, usually have an edge over others who try to master the language later on in life. Far from learning the rules of the language early in life, it is the additional years of practice that tilt the balance in favour of those who begin early.
For non-native speakers of the language, the examinations offered by Cambridge University are of enormous help in assessing language levels and providing an opportunity to come up to international standards.
Far from being a one-point assessment, the examinations are conducted at incremental levels according to the age of the learner. Students get feedback on the four essential language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
British Council trains teachers in schools that opt for the programme, so that the students develop their skills more efficiently and score well in the tests. Language certifications are valid for life and globally recognised by educational institutions and commercial organisations.
Among the institutions whose students have been regularly sitting for the language examinations every year in Tamil Nadu, according to the British Council, are:
Nirmala Matha Senior Secondary School, Coimbatore, Vidya Niketan, Coimbatore,
Suguna Pip, Coimbatore, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Erode, Indian Public School, Erode,
Malco Vidyalaya, Mettur, AKT Academy, Kallakurichi and Kamala Niketan, Trichy
Schools found that students who took the test sustained their interest in English and kept enhancing their skills continuously. Most of the participating schools opted for an English language lab and some even incorporated the teaching programme into the regular curriculum. Teachers gained through upgrades and updates.
The Global School Partnership programme enabled schools in India and the United Kingdom to collaborate on subjects of mutual interest, work on common projects and get to know about other cultures. Under the programme, schools received grants and guidance on developing an international dimension to the curriculum.
Brindavan Vidhyalaya, Trichy, had been receiving the Global Schools' Partnership Grant for two consecutive years and coordinating with their partner school, Edinburgh Primary School.
Through the Teachers' International Professional Development Programme, teachers would come to know of good educational practices in various countries around the world through short-term visits and exchanges. Visits and exchange programmes laid the foundations for long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.
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