ENGLISH TEACHERS AT CROSS ROADS

There is no gainsay about the important place of English in our school and college curricula, It is an inevitable as the proverbial shadow of an object in light. The question of “Why English”? has been long settled. Intact even the thought of education without English is nightmarish and suicidal. Teaching represents the core of any educational system. The objective of teaching is the transmission of knowledge from the teacher to students. Apart form classroom lectures, more innovative teaching can be imparted through other modes including discussions, case study analysis, presentations, field projects, role play, simulation methods amongst others. Teaching methods in synchronization with the learning objectives will facilitate better teaching-learning process. Teachers are more than workers. They are also members of a profession. Their occupation renders definite and essential services to society. As a profession, however, teaching has had a long and difficult history. Its social and cultural functions have never been critically challenged, but nevertheless the public has not adequately supported teaching. Compared with other learned professions - such as medicine, law, engineering, and architecture - teaching ranks rather low. Some teachers are dissatisfied with, and even depressed about their professional standing. They feel that the work load is too heavy, and the recognition and appreciation are too limited. They think that they do not have sufficient opportunities to advance in their careers and that they have no power to control the content and form of their work. They resent prohibition against their direct involvement in policy making in educational affairs. Time and again, they ask: is teaching a profession? More adequately, what is a profession? Occupational status depends on the public valuing' of the competence, role and overall contribution of a particular occupation to individual and societal welfare. Language is often called a 'skill' rather than a 'subject'. It is a matter of 'doing' than of 'knowing'. It's development should follow the pattern of skills of listening, speaking , reading. And writing. Let us teach the language English, also about the language English.