Lucknow: Switch on the radio to learn English - this is the mantra of Uttar Pradesh education department for students wanting to learn the language.
In a bid to make the learning process interesting, the department has chalked out an ambitious plan to teach English language to students through FM channel.
"We are in the process of starting an English learner programme for students through radio in select districts of Uttar Pradesh," Principal of District Institute of Education
and Training (DIET) Lalita Pradeep told reporters.
"We have already roped in Rainbow, the FM channel of All India Radio, which will broadcast the programme in Lucknow. In rest of the districts it will be aired through
primary channel," she added.
Other than Lucknow, five districts which will be covered under the programme include Rae Bareli, Unnao, Hardoi Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur.
The DIET principal said that last year a pliot project was initiated to teach English to class four and six students through Akashwani in Lucknow.
"It was a 15 minute long interactive programme, wherein the students were asked to repeat what they have heard on the radio in the classroom," she said.
She claimed that the programme helped around 35,000 students in the state capital improve their spoken English.
To assess the impact of radio classroom programme, an internal study was carried out by the department.
The study revealed that 50 percent children in primary and over 56 percent in upper primary were able to give correct answers in English. Only 35 percent students found it difficult either to understand or reply in English.
"Encouraged with the initial experimentation, this year we have decided to launch the radio classroom project in a full fledged manner and extend it to six more districts," she said.
Except Lucknow, where the programme will target students of class five and seven, radio classroom for class four and six children will be introduced in remaining five districts.
"We will be introducing level two programme in Lucknow where it was equally hailed by community in general and to some extent boosted the attendance in class rooms," she said.
"A special software has been developed by a Pune based agency Centre for Learning Resources for radio classroom which incorporates how to learn easy English," the principal said.
She said that a special two-day training programme for master trainers is being organised by the department.
"Though date is yet to be finalised, we plan to start radio classroom from September 24," she added.
Bureau Report
