Mukta Dausoa –
While there is an increasing interest in learning Hindi, teachers should understand the proper techniques to impart knowledge, participants at a recent Hindi Workshop have said.
Participating in a Hindi Workshop for Hindi Teachers in Wellington at the Fiji Indian Association Hall on January 31, they said that as the fourth largest spoken language in New Zealand, Hindi deserved a better status.
Improving capability
Manisha Ramrakha, an experienced Hindi teacher and Senior Curriculum Development Advisor at the Education Ministry in Fiji facilitated the workshop.
A lecturer at the Fiji National University, Ms Ramrakha has a thorough understanding of Hindi and hence can monitor the evolution and use of this language at different levels.
She outlined the strengths and inadequacies that would help teachers improve their teaching methods and techniques.
The Workshop aimed to broaden the knowledge and skills of Hindi teachers and improve their written and spoken communication ability.
Different spheres of teaching processes were discussed, including the role of the teacher in finding various ways of raising students’ motivation, emphasising grammar, teachers’ scheme of work as well as class management.
Teaching techniques
The Workshop also dealt with the adaptability of teaching techniques and genres through different levels of grammar and teaching style whilst reading short stories and prose.
The participants, who were highly motivated, agreed that teaching and learning Hindi is a slow process since it is not part of the curriculum in New Zealand.
However, learners are evincing increasing interest in learning this language.
Discussions have also revolved around highlighting the advantages of learning a new language and most of all, the sense of pride in mastering their mother tongue.
Participants agreed that even if they come fully prepared with their scheme of work or are ready to adapt their class according to the students’ needs, the problem of grasping and mastering Hindi grammar continues to pose a challenge.
Wellington Hindi School Coordinator Sunita Narayan, who organised the Workshop, said that there was a need for such training programmes.
Mukta Dausoa, a parent at Wellington Hindi School is a linguist, speaking six languages. She is a strong advocate of learning languages. She has just completed her PhD in French Literature.
