Monthly Archives: February 2012

Teachers who cannot teach

Children and Youth, Education, Social Issues

By Zubeida Mustafa

THE Annual Status of Education Report 2011 (ASER) — the second in a row — that was launched last week should be an eye-opener for those who do not know much about how the children of the ‘other’ learn.

In a country where even the decennial census cannot be held on time for fear of the truth being exposed, credit should be given to the group of courageous educationists who undertook this massive exercise to assess the knowledge of our schoolchildren. Surveying 146,874 children (three- to 16-year-olds) in 84 rural and three urban districts, Continue reading Teachers who cannot teach →

So your child will be starting school – what language will he learn?

Children and Youth, Education, Language

By Zubeida Mustafa

When your child is old enough to go to school and you are planning the start of a new adventure in his life and your own, you would do well to learn something about the role of language in learning. His success in life would depend on that. As the school-going age becomes younger and younger and the demand on nursery pupils and pre-schoolers increases, the quest for knowledge about language has acquired a new urgency.

What is most surprising is that parents weigh all the pros and cons that have a direct bearing on their child’s formal education and his future but they remain so misinformed about language acquisition. They look into the school environment, its pedagogy, the teachers’ approach, teaching aids used, etc. However when it comes to language, they just want to be sure that English is the language their child will be taught. Continue reading So your child will be starting school – what language will he learn? →