India being a country under the yoke of British Colonialism for almost two centuries, have accepted English language as a part and parcel of their day to day medium of communication besides the vast array of vernaculars spoken by the people belonging to various cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the country. It is very surprising that a country having so many languages, still has no single officially recognized national language which can technically be called as indigenous. That can be attributed to the factor that the unfathomable degree of diversity in the country makes it difficult to choose one language above the rest and bestow the status of being the officially recognized national language. The English language thus plays the role of one of the singular, homogenizing medium to communicate with all the regional specificities that exist in the country, for the sake of administrative convenience. There are also other reasons for retaining the colonial legacy in form of the all pervasiveness of the English language. By having the proficiency in English language in India, one can claim to have a higher social standing in the country; have better prospects of gaining an access to the channels of communication; be equipped with the capabilities required for making oneself marketable with regard to the matters of seeking respectable and lucrative job prospects; and also for the sake of overcoming the communication barriers which is inevitable in a multilingual and multicultural society. Thus one can might as well reach the conclusion that in India, it is not an unusual matter amongst the parents to expect that their children would pursue their education from institutions that offer English as the medium of instruction, right from the outset, keeping in mind the future prospects of the children. However, the problem in this regard is that the native language of the children not being English, special focus must be given to ensure that effective measures are taken to ensure that the children grasp the language easily. In common parlance, in informal conversations and in personalized conversations, the usage of vernaculars are very much in use in India. It is only for the sake of indulging in official conversations, or for academic purposes in some selected institutions for only the economically privileged sections of the society, that English is used. English not being the mother tongue of the people of India, and a sizeable section of the child population of India being sent to English medium schools it is important that the method of teaching the language be such which makes the factor of relateability much more convenient, especially when the subject is children falling within the age bracket of 5 to 9. One of the most convenient, and the ideal method that could be agreed upon is the method of using images and visuals to teach children the language. Images have this tendency to attract the fancy of the children, and that psychological phenomenon can be utilized in order to make learning language easier for them. The purpose of this essay is thus to assess the dynamisms involved in using visuals in teaching foreign language with a critical undertone. In the following sections a critical analysis of the views of the scholars with respect to using of visuals in teaching children within the age bracket English language shall be taken up for discussion.
Toumpaniari et al (2015) in their article talk of the method of using hand gestures and other forms of physical gestures in making the teaching and learning of foreign language effective. That method in their opinion is quite helpful in enhancing the element of cognition in students, and also in generating a profound effect in learning. The method that they have talked about has been from the premise of keeping in mind the fact that students having any physical disability with regard to hearing issue or some form of cognitive disability should not be left out. To justify their stance they make use of the logic that since ancient times the method of imbibing some form of physical activity in the process of teaching and learning has been used to ensure a healthy method of dissemination and imbibition of the study material to children. Backed by the logic, justification and inferences provided by scholars previously, and also of the inferences deduced out of their personally conducted quantitative research, the work of these particular scholar reaffirms the notion that use of visual symbolisms helps in enhancing the cognitive skills and learning capabilities of children, in a profound way. With regard to the critical analysis of this particular article, it can be said that the method of teaching with the help of visuals, and the kind of visuals which they talk about, it essentially being the gesticulation of body parts, is very symbolic and abstract, without any element of being either explicit or clear. That the method proposed by them is inappropriate, is not the idea which is being intended to convey. Rather, it is being said that this is not an ideal method of teaching English language to the children of India. The method can be appropriate for matured adults, but not for children as they would find difficulty in understanding things without the use of images as visuals. This factor of a lack of provisions for usage of any images in their research, and relying only on physical activeness on part of the teachers might as well not be very appropriate for other students, even if the research results been favourably disposed in their case. However, the fact has to be acknowledged that the scholars in this particular research have made a novel contribution by expanding the definition of visual tools for the sake of teaching foreign language from just being limited to images to gestures. The approach of using gestures is however not complete without the effective usage of visual tools in teaching children a foreign language. Just as without adequate visual tools the usage of gestures holds no ground or relevance, the usage of images or other visual tools is equally purposeless. A fine balance between the human element in the teaching process and the usage of specific visual tools is extremely necessary for a healthy pedagogical practice ideal for children, especially if it is concerned with teaching a foreign language.
Alqahtani (2015) begins his article by making a very vital point that the learning of vocabulary is central to learning any language. In his scholarly work he provides a critique of some chosen methods used by teachers to teach foreign language to children, and thereby he aimed at reaching at a conclusion that shall be the ideal method for the purpose, comprising of different elements cherry picked from eclectic sources. In his analysis he had chosen Saudi Arabia, another country like India where one can find a cosmopolitan environment. That situation is created by the lure of having a dream job in the oil rich country, which attracts immigrants from several countries of the world, both from the third world and from the first world to lead a good familial life there in Saudi Arabia and also to earn enough for sending back to the native country. Arabic, the national language of Saudi Arabia being very difficult to grasp, minimal interaction with the native Saudis, different ethnicities living in virtually ghettoized and esoteric communities, English has assumed to claim the position of being the common medium of communication, and also of instruction in several schools of the country. Not only that, wealthy Saudi citizens who aspire to pursue education abroad also faces the need to the lingua franca, English. These are the situations which make learning English in the country extremely important. Alqahtani speaks of several visual methods of teaching English used in the country which include, usage of objects and images; usage of expressions and gestures; and spelling of words both in written and audible form. The conclusion which he reaches does not keep up to the claim which he makes, that is of finding an ideal method of teaching English language. He talks a lot about the qualities a teacher is supposed to have in order to be a good English language teacher, as in having quite a lot of confidence in what the individual is delivering as a teacher, alongside being equipped with a good vocabulary. Though he mentions of the usage of visuals in teaching English language, he treats it tangentially without giving any importance to the technique or linking it up with pedagogical practice for the concerned purpose. However, the strength of his research lies in the fact that he had made an effort to provide a list of various methods in which the technique of using visuals to teach English to children could be employed, and they are ideal for children falling between the age bracket of 5 to 9, as well as for adults. The author could have related the techniques which he had mentioned of theoretically, to actual practice, in that case it would have provided for the ideal method which he had talked of. The matter of concern should have been on the mode of teaching using visuals instead of the knowledge and capabilities of the teacher. A teacher can might as well be extremely qualified and knowledgeable, but if he or she is unable to maneuver the techniques of disseminating a course material pertaining to teaching of English language to children using the visuals effectively, then it is definitely not going to be of any use.
Hafner (2014), begins his analysis by mentioning of the scientific revolution the age has been witnessing, which makes it mandatory for teachers to use computerised visuals to teach children English language. This particular method which he mention of has a connection with the concept of digital literacy. The definition of literacy which Hafner wants to convey is quite generic and does not require much expertise which is expected of a teacher in order to be deft at teaching a foreign language to children. The techniques which he mentions of include interactive session via internet supported media portals, and also the videos which are present in Youtube and serves as language learner’s guide for beginners. He mention this technique as a gradual shift from the traditional practices involved in teaching English language to students to a more scientific and digitized method which befits the age of information to keep in touch with and to make full use of the technological advancement that is taking place in today’s world. In his opinion that is necessary as that the work of the teacher easy and also enhances the communication between the teacher and the students. The aspect of clarity is made use of this method of teaching, thereby removing the chances of any ambiguity and miscommunication between the teacher and the student. The matter which the teacher intends to convey to the students is clearly visible to the students, and they being available in the digital world can be accessed any moment. The kind of visuals that Hafner talks about includes both pictures and texts and all of it being in pictographical format, rather than in a monotonous, unattractive textbook like format, which shall be quite helpful in attracting the fancy of the little children who shall be delighted to come across such wonderful thing, and that shall enhance their learning capabilities. On critically analyzing the article by Hafner, it can be found that he has mentioned of a very holistic method of teaching English language to children, which involves an admixture of both technological innovation and psychological machinations. This method of teaching is quite versatile and thus it can be applied for not just teaching a foreign language, but also for delivering other study materials. Another advantage of the method is that it can be applicable for all age groups and can be shaped and transformed as per the set of requirements, depending upon who is the target audience, what age group do they comprise of, and most importantly, the subject matter that is being intended to convey. The materials being sourced from the internet from, from the various social networking sources, there is every possibility for the teacher to get access to materials as per the demand of the children within a short span of time. The disadvantage of this method is that, it can turn out to be extremely robotic if the human element remains absent from the process of teaching. It is extremely important that the teacher involves himself or herself in the process of disseminating the necessary course material, or else it shall turn out to be very difficult for the children to grasp the language. The method could turn out to be an impediment, if not employed properly keeping in mind that a fine balance between mechanization and personalization is involved in the entire procedure of teaching. That is however not an unsurmountable impediment, it can be overcome with the correct approach, and by employing the correct person for disseminating the lessons who knows the correct method of making use of the required technology, and at the same time proficient, patient and empathetic enough for understanding child psychology, and their needs.
Cavus and Ibrahim (2017) talks of the usage of mobile phones in teaching children English language through recounting stories. They opine that by recounting stories, the teacher shall be able to teach more effectively with a more profound effect on the students. The supposed benefit of the approach as per their opinion is children acquiring better communicational, imaginative and linguistic faculty, apart from the course material being quite attractive. The purpose of learning a language in their opinion should be to equip the students with the capability to be expressive and use words to create amazing compositions in order to cherish the beauty of a language. On critically analyzing their article it can be deduced that the scholars have a futuristic vision. However there are some lacunas in the system which needs to be addressed in order to derive the best out of it. First of all, it is with regard to the usage of mobile phone and the issue of limited visibility because of the small size of the screen. Instead of mobile phones, smartboards or computers could be used. Secondly, the idea of using story telling as a tool to enhance learning among children is very beneficial, but that can be employed only after acquiring a certain degree of proficiency in the language, hence the method is not ideal for children of India whose mother tongue is nit English. After having reached a certain age, and grasp over the language, can story telling be employed.
Erdener (2016) makes an important contribution to the genre of literature that deals with the usage of visual tools for the purpose of teaching English language to children, by opining that the usage of visual tools are incomplete without balancing it with audio tools. He calls involving both audio and visual tools as the balanced approach for teaching children a foreign language. The justification which he provides harps upon both the psychological make-up of the children, as well as functional aspect of learning a language. With regard to the psychological make-up of the children, he opines that the senses of the children are more alert than adults, which aids their learning capabilities to a great extent. With regard to the functional aspect of learning a foreign language, he says that a child is made to learn a new language for the sake of communicating in it for some specific formal and impersonal purpose. Hence, just knowing a set of words is not enough, the child must also know how to pronounce the word in the correct way, which is why the utility of audio tools besides visual tools comes into the picture. Thus it can be said that he necessitates the involvement and laying emphasis on all the sensory physical features for a wholesome pedagogical practice, and that makes his approach quite unique. With regard to the critical analysis of his article, it can be said that it is replete with effective examples and techniques that a teacher ought to employ in order to teach children a foreign language. His approach also a fine balance of both the human element and the usage of physical and technological tools, which justifies his claim of his approach being balanced. It also would not be unjustified to call his approach as the ideal approach for teaching children of India English language, as not only English is an alien language to them, which makes them face a situation calling for learning synonymous words in a different language, but also pronounce it properly, due to difference in terms of phonetics. The only impediment that lies in the approach is the factor which has already been mentioned in one of the previous sections, that is of the efficiency on part of the teacher to maintain the balance. The teacher must be sensitive, and at the same time technologically equipped. It is not exactly a shortcoming, but a recommendation cautioning against the potential impediment jeopardizing the prospects of getting the maximum benefits out of the approach.
Having reached at the concluding section, it can be said that for effectively teaching the children of India the English language, it is however not enough that the usage of only visual tools be used. The specific approach to be employed for the purpose has to be balanced with other ancillary methods to ensure that pedagogical practices fetch the children with the maximum amount of benefit. The children of India being born and brought up in a specific environment, has special need in order to learn the language properly and achieve their targets through it. Thus the bottomline is that just visual tools are not enough, it must be balance with audio, and most importantly the involvement of the teacher, emotionally and physically.
References
Alqahtani, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught. International journal of teaching and education, 3(3), 21-34.
Cavus, N., & Ibrahim, D. (2017). Learning English using children’s stories in mobile devices. British Journal of Educational Technology, 48(2), 625-641.
Erdener, D. (2016). Basic to applied research: the benefits of audio-visual speech perception research in teaching foreign languages. The Language Learning Journal, 44(1), 124-132.
Hafner, C. A. (2014). Embedding digital literacies in English language teaching: Students’ digital video projects as multimodal ensembles. TESOL Quarterly, 48(4), 655-685.
Toumpaniari, K., Loyens, S., Mavilidi, M. F., & Paas, F. (2015). Preschool children’s foreign language vocabulary learning by embodying words through physical activity and gesturing. Educational Psychology Review, 27(3), 445-456.
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