Members of the faculty leaf through the course brochures. Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray

A new spoken English centre in the city will hone conversational skills and straighten out local accents using audio-visual aids.

Direct English, a network of English language training centres with branches in 30 countries, will start classes at eight levels.

The course will lay stress on multimedia as a teaching tool. “The aim is to put students in a real life situation, so that they understand the context before applying the rules of grammar,” explained Avrajit Dey, a teacher at the centre.

“We will take students through a recorded interaction. It might be casual banter over a cup of coffee or an “out to lunch” video of a family. After listening to it, students will work on its linguistic aspects like grammar and style of speech, added Dey.

Classes will begin by next week from centres in Kankurgachhi and Gol Park. Each level will have nine units. Students are enrolled at each level on the basis of proficiency.

The course fee is Rs 5000 for a single level. The two-hour classes will be held thrice a week. The course will combine tutored classes, conversation sessions, audio exercises, multimedia role plays and online English lessons. “We will also work on removing traces of the local accent from spoken English,” he adds.

For those who wish to take it, the centre will also offer a nine month course combining three levels of Direct English teaching and four modules of soft skill training, conducted in partnership with Rutledge Joblink, a UK based talent management company. The course will train participants in self-management, communication in a corporate scenario and team work.

JHINUK MAZUMDAR

MailBox

The article titled “Day of Reckoning”, published in the Young Metro section of The Telegraph on March 31, moved me deeply as it echoed my experience of dealing with autism. “Autism Awareness Day” is a good way of making people aware of the disorder, as many people have no knowledge about it and tend to think of an autistic as an alien.

As a working mother of a 10-year-old autistic child, I have to deal with the challenges it poses on a daily basis. They disturb me, but I try not to let them get the better of me. I tell myself that whether autistic or not, he is my child. If I as a mother, can accept him, it does not matter what others think of him.

The day my son was diagnosed autistic, I was shattered. I wondered why my child and I had been chosen for such a fate. But I have drawn strength from meeting other autistic children at special schools. My son has attended a few schools for autistic children, too.

Like many parents, I, too, was once ignorant about my son’s disorder. In the early stages, I presumed that he was only lagging behind, and thought things would gradually fall into place.

Parents of autistic kids need to love their children unconditionally and have patience with them, as I have learnt. Even when the going gets tough, it is important to treat them normally.

For, autism is about accepting, and not segregating.

Althea Scolt
7 Komedan Bagan Lane, Calcutta-16

Challenge for higher studies

Delegates at the seminar

The Centre for Academic Extension and Enrichment of Scottish Church College organised a three-day seminar for teachers, titled “In Pursuit of Excellence in Higher Education”, from April 2 to 4. Teachers from Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal participated in the seminar.

Member of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Xavier Alphonse highlighted the challenges facing higher education in the Eleventh Plan, that included the expansion of higher education in India. “Despite there being 20,720 colleges and 343 universities in India, people do not have access to education. One of the UGC schemes is setting up colleges in the districts where enrolment ratio is low, in partnership with the state governments.”

Dhrubojyoti Chatterjee, the pro vice-chancellor (academic) of Calcutta University, suggested strengthening the education system through e-learning materials, imaginative question papers and frequent revisions of courses.

“Programmes like this will encourage faculty members to take up challenges in higher education. In due course, foreign universities will make greater inroads into the country. Unless Indian universities have the potential to take up the challenge, it will be difficult to retain students,” said J. Abraham, the principal of Scottish Church College.

JM

CHIT CHAT

Reach for the skies

Beth A. Payne, the US consul-general in Calcutta, recently visited the Heritage school. She toured the school campus, including the pottery, textile, dance, drama, mime and instrumental music sections. She interacted with students, looking at the annual art and craft exhibition. Her message to them was to study hard and reach for the skies.

Dream your dream

To usher in the new academic session, Birla High School for Boys organised an orientation programme for parents of the freshers of the senior school on the April 4. It showcased the activities of the school through an audio-visual presentation, including co-curricular activities, and foreign language study like French and German. Said principal Mukta Nain: “Parents should let children pursue their area of interest, instead of forcing them to fulfil their own wishes.”