Why average Indian students lack in communication skills?

If at present you are reading my blog, let me assume that you must be a Profesor,Teacher,Student or any person interested to learn a language.Lets say you are a student of Degree last semester irrespective of any streams. Well,what it means is till date 15 English teachers have nourished ,taught or trained you. The same is also applicable to any student of Class 10 or  12^th standard . It means approximately 10 or 12 teachers have nourished ,taught or trained you.

Now, its time to introspect or ask a simple question to yourself. At which stage do you stand in learning English? How much have you accomplished till now ? How would you like to rate yourself? Can speak English fluently? Are you capable to express the desires of your mind in any situation ? May be it’s a “Yes’ or  a “No” from your side. I know what you as a reader must be wondering right now. You must be thinking that you have scored well in your last English examinations and have achieved flying grades or marks in you academic certificate.

Ok, here let me put it straight again, where is your academic certificate at present? Unanimously, all will agree that the certificates are perfectly laminated and kept safely inside your file cover. So, how do you face real life situations? When you meet a random person from our countries southern belt, if he asks you tell me what makes North East so special . Do you feel confident enough to answer such questions abruptly?

 At that moment when you mostly feel hesitated to speak and fall short of words . Does your perfectly laminated academic certificates help you . What is your next step to avoid such embarrassment in front of that person who has raised a simple question and you are unable to answer it at all. Would it be a nice idea to tell the person that right now you are not able to express it in English language but in your class 10 boards or 12 boards you actually had scored nice grades or marks in English. So, as if you want to justify your flaws by pretending that you have scored well in your English academic subjects so you are also fine to speak in English.

Now, let me demystify this. Since many years may be person is teaching English as a teacher or any person is learning English as a student. We actually have forgotten the main purpose of a language. Caution: Here I have used the word “Language” by which I refer to all the languages prevailing in our human civilization. But in this blog I will specifically talk about our English Language. What is the main purpose of a Language?

The main purpose of any language is to communicate. What are the modes of communications? Few we all know like a person can communicate only by speaking, by writing, by displaying human gestures or postures which separately is included under Non-verbal ways of communications.

Most students or teachers have not focused on this second question which is of utmost importance for a language nerd. What is English?

I am sure instantly most will answer that English is a language but here I must say that it’s a mistake. Can you identify the mistake? Lets’ not forget that right now I am typing this blog content from my city –Tezpur, which is situated in Assam and Assam itself is situated in India. So, by birth we are Indians and within the boundaries of India if this question is raised than we have to reframe it in this way that –“English is a foreign Language”.

Since it is a foreign language so learning or acquiring a foreign language has many hidden factors to be considered .We need to understand that to acquire any language we need to follow 4 important unskippable steps . Those steps are listening first,speaking second,reading Third and writing Fourth.

The present age is the age of globalization and the four basic skills in learning English are listening, reading, speaking and writing. Proficiency in English language is considered an indicator of success in India. One of the greatest widespread problems among learners of English is their considerably lower speaking skills, majority of Indian students particularly from rural areas considers the word of English as a magical and a mystical word.

English is taken into consideration to be one of the maximum vital languages globally, and its proficiency is essential for educational success and career boom. Indian college students are known to excel in lecturers, and English is no exception. However, despite having appropriate grades in English, many Indian college students struggle with communication abilities in the language. In this article, we will discover the motives behind this problem, such as negative guidance from instructors and the negative impact of old teaching techniques.

The importance of English language proficiency in today’s globalized world cannot be overstated. However, Indian students face several challenges in acquiring the necessary skills to communicate effectively in English. One of the primary reasons for this is the prevalent use of mother tongue in classrooms and outside. While it is important to preserve regional languages and cultures, it is equally important to provide students with ample opportunities to learn and practice English.

Reasons for Lack of Communication Skills in English

1. Poor Guidance from Teachers: One of the primary motives for the dearth of communication talents in English amongst Indian students is the terrible guidance provided by teachers. While Indian colleges faculty’s cognizance on teaching English as a topic, they often forget the realistic components of communication skills. As an end result, college students can also have terrific lack of information on English grammar and vocabulary. However this lack is an obstacle to speak and write fluently. The shortage of competent English language teachers is another significant challenge. Many teachers who are teaching English do not know the techniques of language teaching, resulting in poor learning outcomes for students. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct training programs for teachers to enhance their teaching skills and make these programs mandatory for all teachers.

2. Outdated Teaching Methods: Another motive for the lack of verbal exchange talents in English among Indian students is the outdated and obsolete teaching strategies used in colleges and schools. Many establishments nonetheless rely on traditional strategies of coaching, which include rote learning and memorization, which do not inspire college students to communicate in the language. As an end result, students can also have a restrained understanding of the language and conflict to use it in real-lifestyles conditions. Another major problem facing Indian students is the lack of proper infrastructure in colleges and universities. Language labs, which are essential for enhancing language skills, are often missing. Moreover, the government’s policies regarding English implementation are often inaccurate and do not align with the needs of students. Politicians and educationists have different ideas regarding English implementation, leading to confusion and chaos in educational institutions.

3. Bilingualism Methods: In many instances, Indian college students are taught English as a 2nd language that can create a linguistic barrier to conversation. Teaching bilingualism strategies usually focus on translation and grammar requirements, while ignoring the relevance of conversation skills. As an end result, students may additionally have problem talking and writing in English, even if they’ve correct grades within the situation.
4. Lack of motivation and encouragement: there is a lack of motivation and encouragement for students to learn and excel in English. In a multilingual country like India, students may not feel the necessity of learning English at an initial level. Family environment, economic and social conditions also contribute to the declining interest in English. Therefore, it is important to provide students with the necessary motivation and encouragement to learn English.

Impact of Poor Communication Skills in English

The loss of conversation abilities in English can have a large impact on the educational and profession fulfillment of Indian college students. In today’s international economic system, English is the language of enterprise, and the ability to talk efficiently within the language is critical for success. Students who lack communication talents in English may additionally locate it hard to secure jobs and possibilities in aggressive fields, proscribing their profession increase and potential.

Furthermore, terrible conversation competencies in English also can affect students’ instructional overall performance. Many higher schooling programs require college students to talk efficaciously in English, each in written and oral forms. Students who struggle with communication abilities may also find it hard to participate in discussions and specific their thoughts efficaciously which directly affects their grades and educational development. In conclusion, while India has made significant strides in education, there is still a long way to go when it comes to English language proficiency. Addressing the challenges mentioned above and implementing effective solutions will go a long way in providing Indian students with the necessary skills to compete globally.

References

1. L.Tickoo, Teaching and Learning English,Sangam Books Ltd,London, UnitedKingdom, 2003,ISBN:9788125025030
2. Kalia, English language Teaching in India.Trends & Challenges, International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2017, Vol. 2, Issue 3, Pages 33-37