Chennai school to conduct literary congress

CHENNAI: Concerned about the limited use of English by students, a school on the outskirts of Chennai is planning to conduct a literary congress for students of Classes 9 to 11. “In recent years, there is a tendency to limit the use of English to only its functional relevance. The rich layers of the language are being lost in the institutional culture of our schools,” said a release from St John’s Public School at Medavakkam. The congress is expected to expose students to the variegated use of English as a powerful and globally relevant language.It will introduce participants to the four genres of the language – prose, poetry, novel and drama. It is also expected to help them realize the importance of being proficient in the language to be successful global citizens in the 21st century. Another objective of the event is to help revive the interest of present-day students in English literature and inspire them to cultivate the habit of reading literature and making it their hobby. The event will highlight the elements of formal and creative use of the language to help participants become authors. It is being projected as a unique platform to bring out the innate talents, aspirations and skills of participants who are gifted with a flair for the language, but who are denied an opportunity to do so in regular classroom experience.The two-day congress will have six literary-cum-learning sessions, including a workshop on creative writing, symposium on the topic ‘English as a World Language,’ a talk show, debate, an interactive session with authors and an entertainment session on the fashion, lifestyle and sophistication of the native English. The event will feature competitive sessions, including a stage play, creative writing contest and a visual illustration of poems.Schools can call (044) 6548 4433 /4499 for registration details. Registration closes on January 30, and the event will be conducted on February 6 and 7.