Introduction

With ever growing value of the English language, the scenario of English classes and classroom teaching methodologies too have undergone several experimentations over the ages. However, the traditional methodology in English classes still holds its rigid position in many parts of the world. In fact, the conservative school of teachers still believes that too many of infrastructural and teaching aids distract students from internalizing the language and their focus shifts from the learning process to the technicalities used in the classroom.

However, frequent and massive human movement globally and the steady growth of English have made it almost mandatory that one – obviously whose mother tongue is not English – learns the language with care for his/her own prosperity, especially when entering a territory where the dominant language is English. Ordinarily too – even when within his own linguistic domain – a person does not have the liberty to think globally without English.

Conventional English Classes

The conventional English classes depend much on the old chalk-and-talk methodology and a healthy personal relationship between the teacher and the taught. Ordinarily, a traditional English class comprises:

• A teacher and a few students.
• A blackboard, chalk and duster.
• An Exercise book, pen and pencil with the students.
• A good grammar book and some text books.
• A Teacher with a long stick using as pointer.

The methodology is simple: (i) Either an English sentence is written on the board by the teacher and the students copy the same in the note books or (ii) students are asked to translate a sentence from their mother tongue text book. (iii) Reading of good texts and the act of comprehension of the text adds to the efficacy of the English language classes. To make the process clear, let’s see the stages involved in it:

• In the first stage, i.e. a sentence is written on the board; the teacher tries to explain the syntax and explains grammatically the formula how the relationship among the words in the given example gives a complete sense or meaning. Once this part is done, the teacher further clarifies the same rule by more examples and exercises of similar constructions.
• In the second stage, i.e. in the translation method, the use of mother tongue is accepted as more of a help than hindrance. A passage from a text written in the mother tongue is given to the students to convert it into the English language. This method is helpful for those who learn English as a second language and are less exposed to the natural English surroundings. Once it is done the teacher explains problem areas and goes back to the first step, if necessary.
• The third stage, i.e. comprehension of a passage written in English, gives some proof if the students have learned something at all. At this final stage, an English passage is given to students to read and understand the meaning in the passage. Now, the students are asked to answer certain questions that are carefully prepared from the given passage. The comprehension part is a little complicated because the selection of the passage for comprehension must be in tune with the stages of progress and the area of learning of the student. The questions from the passage too should be appropriate in terms of the content and linguistic standard of the students.

Conclusion

It is quite understandable that the methodologies adopted in English classes nowadays, in many advanced countries, are different from the one discussed above. Modern ELT (English Language Teaching) or the CLT (Communicative Language Teaching) or the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) may have often replaced this method in English classes; but the old school of teachers still believes this method of classroom English teaching still to be the best option for the second language teaching. It is so well tested and well established that it cannot be simply dismissed. The method helps the learner recognize a text as a coherent body and it gives basic theoretical premise for learning a foreign language under any circumstances, anywhere. In a big country, where high-tech facilities are not easily available everywhere, this old method is really a great relief.