It is that phase of life which prepares us for life. But, the most important aspect comes when we have to prepare for this phase. College life is full of excitement. In the midst of this excitement, a dash of anxiety prevails. This anxiety of the unknown clouds the young minds. But the most affected are the students from “vernacular medium” – the students who have studied in English medium.
There are many reasons for a student to feel anxious about this new world. The first issue is – the anxiety level of students from the vernacular medium is very high considering that the entire medium of instruction is going to be different from their earlier medium of instruction. There they face the first ghost – English!!!
English has been the most widely used, yet one of the most feared languages. There is a certain amount of hype and expectation attached to this language. Somehow the concept of intelligence, abilities, and competencies take a backseat and only the competency to communicate in a certain language takes the forefront. Yes, it is true, that communication in English is an essential and a part of today’s survival kit, the lack of the same does not mean failure. Students should remember that the initial days will be difficult to cope with the new language; as the medium of instruction and expression and communication is going to be English, so one must view this opportunity to prepare for future. It may happen that the fear of the language may divert the attention from studies and the student may sulk on the fact that he/she does not know the language.
The way to handle this concern is – start reading which will help one to increase his /her vocabulary. Read anything that comes your way – from newspapers to novels. This will not only help one to develop language skills but also enhancing the thinking skills. Verbal expression requires the wings of words, and these words will come from daily reading.
The other aspect is speaking – actual speaking!! One should speak, as it not only makes one understand ones capacity, but also helps one to be confident while speaking. Actual speaking is the remedy to overcome the fear of speaking. Concentrate on the formation of sentences, tenses, and the pronunciation. Try to avoid using “the”, “a” which unknowingly are used before proper nouns.
Here the student needs to remember one very important thing about thinking pattern. A student from vernacular medium is used to thinking in that language. So whenever a question is asked or a concept is explained, immediately the thinking happens in that language and then the translation happens – at times it takes the form of literal translation! So, a student should try to think in the language of the medium of instruction used, in most cases – English. The usage of a good dictionary may be of very good help in finding new words and their application.
Think of English as another language which is used worldwide opening many opportunities. So go ahead and learn the language without feeling distant with it or fear, as the earlier you learn, the better will you be able to grasp it and certainly master it.
Suchitra Surve
Director
www.growthcentre.org