What this unit is about

In this unit you will explore ways to teach English using the spoken and written English that you and your students come into contact with every day. This ‘everyday’ English can provide you with interesting teaching resources that can be motivating to students.

English is used in India for different purposes and in different ways in each part of the country. In the big cities, many people use English every day. English is seen on street signs, in advertisements, newspapers and magazines, and is heard on FM radio, in popular music and at the cinema.

In remote villages, English in the community is less common but is often present. English words like ‘bus’, ‘car’, ‘phone’, ‘TV’, ‘radio’, ‘fridge’ or even ‘school’ are now a part of the everyday vocabulary in most parts of the country. When you look for it, you may find more written English than you expect – on food packets, tickets and clothing labels, and in music. Every village has a bus or train link where people come and go to nearby towns or cities. Such people can be resources for English. They can share their experiences about communi­cating with people from outside their own village, and how they use English and other languages to do so.

As a teacher, you can bring English from your immediate community and from the wider community into your classroom. This unit is designed to help you get started.