Right or wrong, English must be spoken

PATNA: “Spoken English� institutes have mushroomed all over Patna and have also succeeded in fishing a number of English-crazy youngsters in their net.
That these institutes collect fees ranging from Rs 600 to Rs 4,000 notwithstanding, most of them are being run by semi-skilled professionals who have little to offer. This hardly makes a difference, though, to the unsuspecting students.
Take this: One of the boards and banners of such institutes reads, “Improve your English from root to fruit written, spoken and competitive�.The ad of another institute,which seems to be quite popular among students, said it helps you “globalize your tongue�. Yet another institute’s ad reads, “Speak English har haal mein�.
These institutes have varied claims regarding the time period required for becoming fluent in English. Some claim they would teach “dharaprawah� (fluent) English in four months while some others say they take only hundred hours for the same. An institute in Sheikhpura can accomplish the feat for you in just ten hours.
Their prospectus and information brochures have some interesting contents. Reads one of the brochures: “Spoken English to improve the language, body language and style�. The MD of an “institute of institutes� writes in its prospectus: “Get yourself enrolled here and get a quick tongue, besides getting your tongue round globally, geographical boundary being no hurdle�.
The brochure of another institute has been titled “Director’s Vision� and it reads: “The way of teaching is glamorous enough to kindle your interest towards English�. The institute is located in a shabby place with cobwebs all over which hardly spell glamour.
Ajit Kumar Thakur, the MD of the institute, which has 250 students, says two hands are needed for clapping. “ student can learn the language only he is hard working and the teachers have the capacity to motivate him,� he says.
Most of the teachers at many such centres are merely a graduate in English.
The centre manager of an institute at Ashok Rajpath explains that more than the qualification of teacher what is required is that the students must like him. Pradeep Kumar Jha of British Lingua says the candidates, who come to him for the teachers’ job, are asked to give a demonstration lecture in the class. “If the students are satisfied, the person is recruited,� he adds.
Sarvendu Mishra, a teacher at Cambridge Communication Centre in Raja Bazaar, says language is just communication.
“Right or wrong, the idea must be clear.� He feels those who spend time learning grammar will never be able speak. He forces his students to speak whatever they know and punishes those using Hindi.