| USING LOCAL LITERATURES IN ENGLISH OR | | | | associated with Lord Shiva with the objective of |
| TRANSLATIONS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH | | | | teaching English, he found this is really a rewarding |
| | | | | experience to himself too. According to the legend, |
| Professor Dr.S.Elangovan,P.T.Lee Chengalvaraya | | | | Lord Shiva offered to judge the superior between |
| Naicker Engineering College, | | | | Brahma, the God of creation and Vishnu , the God for |
| Oovery. Kanchipuram, Tamil | | | | Protection. Lord Shiva gave them sort of test to pass |
| Nadu State, India. | | | | out. Suddenly Shiva took gigantic proportion and his |
| e.mail: | | | | head went beyond the sky and feet penetrating |
| mobile:+9500687897 | | | | the earth. Brahma had to touch the plaited hair of Lord |
| 27- 07 - 2009 | | | | Shiva and Vishnu had to feel Shiva's Lotus feet. In |
| Introduction | | | | the Process Brahma assumed the form of a swan |
| 1. This study aims at elucidating the universal | | | | and searched Lord Shiva's matted hair. When the |
| phenomenon that native literatures and translations can | | | | flying got tough, Brahma asked the cactus flower, |
| be beneficially and effectively used as a launching pad | | | | which was then falling from Shiva's hair, to lie to Shiva |
| to learn a foreign language like English. The source of | | | | that he had touched his hair . When the cactus |
| inspiration is the ardent students, willing to learn more | | | | flower lied to the Omniscient Shiva, he became angry |
| and more English but hailing from rustic | | | | and first Changed himself into a massive column of |
| surroundings in Tamil Nadu, India who have English | | | | fire and later to Mount Arunachala. People even now |
| as their second language. The primary objective of | | | | circum ambulate this Holy Mountain Arunachala. Earlier |
| any language is to serve as a vehicle of thoughts and | | | | Vishnu masqueraded as a wild- boar, dug the earth in |
| ideas. When this is best served during the teaching of | | | | his pursuit of the Lotus feet, but finally admitted his |
| English through native literature and translations it can | | | | fruitless endeavour to Lord Shiva and bowed down in |
| expediently be adopted in class room situations. | | | | all his belated humbleness Lord Shiva blessed him with |
| Our students feel very much at home with our | | | | as many temples as there are for Lord Shiva. |
| own native literature. More over it is familiar to them. | | | | In my venture to teach English to my students with the |
| When the same native literature is used in the teaching | | | | above reference from the Local literature, the first |
| of a foreign language like English, the task is much | | | | thing students learn is enriching their vocabulary with |
| easier. I tried this method to develop communication | | | | new words such as “ gigantic, penetrating, matted- |
| skills and to enrich their vocabulary among students | | | | hair, plaited -hair, assumed, Omniscient, massive , |
| and found to be very effective. | | | | endeavour and circumambulation “ etc. |
| What is already known to students may be taken | | | | When I planned to use this legend for English Teaching, |
| readily to teach English in an Understandable way. | | | | invariably I had to include new vocabulary at the same |
| Interesting and funny stories , anecdotes may be | | | | time in such a way as it will be easily digestible by the |
| expediently taken to make English teaching interesting. | | | | students. In the process I found and used more and |
| Jokes from native language also will serve the | | | | more new words but in a slight dose. |
| purpose. Word punning will not work in bilingual | | | | Do learners associate positively when the teacher |
| situations. Very rarely brilliant teachers find opportunities | | | | uses native literature and Translations in class? |
| in this realm also. | | | | Yes. Many of our students who are in a quite |
| Personal Experiences of this English Teacher: | | | | precarious situation, have their own wishes to pursue - |
| The theme of one of the original Tamil literature | | | | to leave and start new lives in Greener Pastures like |
| works insists to “search not only food but | | | | America, Singapore etc. These are their dreams and |
| also God”. It says in Tamil verbatim “ | | | | they are preparing displaying these aspirations partly |
| Besides searching food, search God too ”. When | | | | by studying English. Such students are self-motivated |
| teaching this maxim, this English teacher used the pun | | | | and even small encouragement from teacher's side will |
| of the Tamil word “ Irai “ (which interestingly | | | | work wonders. |
| mean both food and God in Chaste Tamil) which in | | | | Knowledge of native literature is a path- laid in |
| turn in English also both mean “Prey” and | | | | advance: |
| “Pray” (of course pronunciation wise same). In | | | | Aspiring students enthusiastic to learn English are |
| the class this application had tremendous effect. | | | | already familiar to some extent with their native |
| When we teach English through Local literature, we | | | | literature and translations of other literatures into their |
| create a sort of homely atmosphere at the same time | | | | first language. This condition is like a road laid f or the |
| to prepare themselves with a smooth transition for a | | | | passage of traffic. Now Riding or driving the English |
| foreign language. This process works slowly but | | | | vehicle is comparatively a smooth affair. |
| sometimes instantly with desired results but steadily. | | | | Local- Literature serves as a bridge connecting mother |
| Local literature is taught from tender age onwards to | | | | tongue and English |
| children in any country. So it is well entrenched in their | | | | They say 'the giver adds value to the gift' Same |
| minds if used in learning English. | | | | way if the teaching of English is given through local |
| Local food served in Foreign Plates. | | | | literature then it must be interesting and enjoyable |
| Teaching English through the use of Local Literature is | | | | experience to the students. |
| akin to serving local and customized food through | | | | Native bodies in exotic outfits : |
| foreign plates. When a difficult- to – swallow pill is | | | | Learning and teaching a foreign language like English |
| coated with sugar, then the job is made easy | | | | throughnative literatures is as simple a process as |
| Same is the case with Teaching of English using native | | | | wearing foreign -styled dress materials by native |
| language and translations. | | | | people. Student can easily digest what they have been |
| Our students had better be introduced other family | | | | familiar with. |
| Relatives such as English only from the Parent | | | | “Appropriate” contextual support |
| –Native Literature , | | | | Here I deliberately use the word “appropriate” |
| Methodology | | | | because I have chosen the vocabulary understandable |
| I just observe students with a syllabus containing | | | | to even below average students in the class ,to teach |
| mostly materials from Local literature and with certain | | | | English through stories taken from local literatures. |
| dose of Translations from local literature. They have | | | | When I teach English vocabulary, this method comes in |
| enriched their vocabulary considerably. | | | | handy. Students have the twin benefit of firstly enjoy |
| Similarly those students who have different set up of | | | | the stories and literature which they know already but |
| syllabus with very little exposure to native literatures | | | | in a different medium and they also learn English |
| and translations or thereof , though subject wise | | | | unwittingly. |
| smart score poorly when it comes to English and also | | | | Using Translations for the Teaching of English |
| their vocabulary range is.very limited. | | | | Using Translations of native literatures as a tool to |
| Use of the Bhaghawat Geetha to Teach English: | | | | teach English involves minimum effort with maximum |
| 1. I have used the Hindu scripture the Bhagawat | | | | results. Of course there are certain things to be taken |
| Geetha abound in Lord Krishna's wise counsels to | | | | care of in this method. As far as possible the teacher |
| mankind , to teach English. It has permanent impact | | | | should use a vocabulary that is within the range of |
| on the minds of callow, young students both | | | | students' comprehending capacity. Native literature |
| linguistically and Anglically. Some of the verses are | | | | mainly revolves around a culture which is quite |
| simply jugglery of words. “ I am in everything and In | | | | indigenous. In a diversified culture there are certain |
| everything am I” “ He who sees me in | | | | terms for which we cannot find equivalents in English. |
| everything and in everything myself, is a real sage” | | | | On such occasions the English Teacher can give |
| “ He who sees action in inaction and inaction in | | | | allowance to the students to clear their doubts when |
| Action, is a real sage”. These quotations taken from | | | | they don't understand a particular expression or |
| the original native literature is really useful in the | | | | expressions. As far as possible the English teacher |
| teaching of English vocabulary with an alliterative style. | | | | can use one word substitutes and when this is not |
| Usually Lord Krihna is loved by students for his | | | | possible the teacher can explain the concept in a clear |
| resourcefulness and cleverness and for the strategies | | | | manner. |
| with which he had fought the eipic | | | | What are the stumbling blocks in this method |
| Mahabharatha war. When their English learning centers | | | | The teacher should judiciously select new dimensions, |
| round their ideal, role model hero, naturally they | | | | approaches and unknown anecdotes from an |
| become absorbed with the teaching. | | | | otherwise known native literature and translations |
| Stories from native literatures told in English: | | | | because certain students likely to develop boredom |
| Stories create sort of interest in the minds of both | | | | towards what they know already. For example a |
| children and adults. The known and thought provoking | | | | teacher can start Adam and Eve and man's downfall |
| stories are told in English, students slowly pick up | | | | story, which is known to every student, with a different |
| words from English and understand with their mother | | | | start. The teacher can take a cue from the quotation |
| tongue equivalents. In this method the teacher must be | | | | “ If knowledge can create problems, it is not with |
| fluent in both English and the native language. | | | | ignorance, we find solutions”. That the” tree of |
| Stories are told from childhood onwards to children by | | | | knowledge only is the cause of miseries” is a kids |
| their mothers with warmth and affection. As such, | | | | play. |
| when the same is used inside the class room in the | | | | Uses of different forms of Local literatures and |
| teaching of English, it is quite effective. | | | | translations in the teaching of English. |
| Effective literature-based lessons engage learners and | | | | Different forms of native literature and translations |
| capture their interest. They make the learners | | | | serve different purposes. For example in the study |
| excited when they understand how language is | | | | conducted, it is found that to develop conversational |
| used to express an author's expressions. They | | | | skill in English, translations of dramas and plays from |
| make learners active participants in tasks that lead | | | | Local Literatures are very useful as they are mostly |
| them to discover objective language features and | | | | written in dialog forms. Devotional songs translated into |
| arrive at their own well-supported interpretations of a | | | | English are approached by the students with as much |
| text. They teach learners that their own understanding | | | | veneration as they are read in the original lingua franca. |
| of a text is worthy of respect, if it is supported by | | | | When stories from Local literatures are used to teach |
| evidence from the text as narrated by the teacher in | | | | English, students find words with their English equals |
| English. They are the springboards for creative | | | | and thus slowly English Language becomes their |
| communicative post-reading activities. They make | | | | second nature. |
| learners want to read further literary texts on their | | | | Conclusion: |
| own. | | | | Would it be expedient to use native literatures and |
| Such lesson outcomes do not happen by accident; | | | | translations thereof to teach English? |
| teachers must carefully plan for them. This article is | | | | 1. Yes it is a wise move and it helps students two |
| firmly based on the theoretical principles behind such | | | | fold. Inculcating values and moral practices |
| lessons, but it will focus most heavily on experiential | | | | according to the native culture in the students' mind |
| learning in a workshop format. So, participants will apply | | | | is the bye product apart from making them |
| the theory to create highly motivating lessons with | | | | conversant and knowledgeable in English the main |
| interesting stories that teach specific language features | | | | benefit of this method. This method of teaching English |
| as a means of understanding poems, short stories etc. | | | | also gives lasting benefits to both students as well as |
| English Teacher also learns in this Method | | | | to the teacher. |
| 1. When this teacher was teaching the local-legend | | | | |