Factors affecting language transaction in classrooms (Political, social, cultural and linguistic) in relation to changing needs of society

(Prepared by Dr. Beena Rani S, Associate professor, NSS Training College, Changanacherry)

                 Classroom teaching, in general, involves three basic functions: transmission, transaction and transformation. Most of the teachers are good at transmission of knowledge where as some others stress on transaction of content which presupposes the involvement and participation of learners in the teaching-learning process. Very few teachers take up transformation as their target. Transmission of knowledge purports to make use of the behaviourist theories whereas transaction and transformation of content uphold the constructivist paradigm.

                     Language transaction is the process of conveying or transferring the language content in the classroom with the active participation of learners. The curriculum prepared by the experts give an outline of the content in the form of syllabus. The language teacher has the responsibility of transacting the content using appropriate methods and strategies. Here, the learning experiences provided by the teacher help the students achieve the learning objectives in the form of desirable changes. The teacher invariably takes into account the influence of various factors viz. political, social, cultural and linguistic dimensions of learning while transacting the language material for the learners.

                           Political factors are those that are related to political ideologies, principles, beliefs, values, thoughts etc. They normally play a significant role in deciding the content of the syllabus. The curriculum framers are directed to exclude content material that may hurt the interests of the ruling class. The ideology of the rulers could be transparently reflected in the learning material. Hence while providing the learning experiences, the teachers are constrained to abstain from making comments and remarks that would be disliked by the ruling class to be transmitted. It is important to note that teachers  should always discourage students from voicing their displeasure regarding political beliefs and ideologies. In certain places, where religion and politics are deeply connected, the situation is even more complicated. It is not uncommon that the teaching community are dictated as to what to teach and what not.

              Recently, the concept of ‘critical pedagogy’ as advocated by Paulo Freire was introduced into the school curriculum of Kerala by the LDF government. This targeted the development of critical thinking skills among students. Gradually, the teachers began to feel the heat when the students profusely asked creative questions and doubts in the class rooms. They started questioning almost everything under the sun. On certain occasions, the discussions that ensue on certain topics in the syllabus might invoke critical comments which could be emotionally objected to by students who follow that particular ideology or religion. That could well lead to some unruly scenes in the classroom. Consequently, the next government led by the UDF removed the concept altogether from the curriculum. It was clearly a political decision on the basis of the pressure exerted by the parents, teachers, organizations and the general public.

                      Teachers should bear in mind that the fundamental values enshrined in the constitution of the country such as equality, fraternity, national sovereignty, secularism, freedom of expression etc. should not be underestimated or compromised during content transaction in the classrooms. Students might hold on to deviant political views or value systems which could be put to scrutiny on the basis of facts and figures. This is an exposure the students badly need. Political ideology or beliefs should never create any uneasiness or enmity in the minds of students. They should be trained to handle discussions on such topics which would ultimately result in the correction and reorganization of their individual self.

                  The class room interaction should take a different shape while dealing with social factors. Social factors are those that are related to an individual’s social status, income, education level, occupation, food habits, lifestyle etc. It also includes social values, principles people espouse. Most of our classrooms are heterogeneous in character where the students belong to various social strata of the society. Classroom discussions, while focusing on contentious topics and themes should not result in hurting the feelings of students coming from the different strata/classes of the society. The learning experiences should be articulated in such a fashion that the students learn to respect one another irrespective of their social differences and economic barriers. It is too transparent that negative remarks on the part of the teacher on the social and economic status of students and parents are not helpful. Such things are beyond the scope of class room interactions.

                        The correction process should be carried out with clinical precision. It is imperative that the students be taught to respect the various occupations and jobs. When a teacher deals with a poem on the topic ‘goldsmith’ for instance, the dignity of labour and the importance of hard work need to be emphasized. At the same time, the unsatisfactory work conditions and low income, if any should also be cited. There is scope for discussing the significance of values like truth, love, honesty and many others during classroom teaching. The inculcation of values is a process to be managed with caution and the negative attitude of teachers towards students could derail this process. There is always a chance of students picking up wrong attitudes and values when teachers overlook their sentiments and feelings.

                The cultural factors include art, language, religion, region, literature etc. The cultural upbringing of students belonging to different religions can be palpably different. They must receive equal consideration in the classroom. The opportunities should be equally distributed among students without any discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed etc. The discussions on religious topics are supposed to create unity in diversity and harmony. The teacher can maintain positive neutrality without getting prejudiced towards opinions or individuals. Healthy discussions on various topics in this regard can be focused on enlightening learners about the cultural vivacity of different places, religions, art forms and literature. Utmost care may be taken in the conduct of such discussions in societies which consume an overdose of religiosity and holding to superstitious world views. The college professor from Kerala who got his hands chopped off by religious fanatics for framing a question paper for a midterm exam is not a distant memory.

                         The real potential of students can be genuinely tapped only by teachers. There can arise situations during the transaction process where certain students may take up the task of envisaging the merits and demerits of art and literary forms. Each learner needs appreciation to perform even better on future occasions. Students belonging to cultural minority groups might face issues related to peer responses. There should be guidelines issued by teachers with regard to the etiquette, decorum, civility and manners in inter- student interactions. That will give them an idea as to how they have to put up with the situations during language interactions in the classroom.

                       Language essentially embodies the culture of the group which speaks it. Linguistic factors in language transaction include appropriation of dialect, register, slang, pronunciation, eloquence, voice modulation, lexicon, pause, stress, rhythm etc. Students coming from various regions using different dialects and slang should never feel rejected in the classroom while participating in discussions. The attainment of standard language may not be easy in the case of mother tongue, let alone a foreign language. In spite of all the efforts taken by the teacher, it is commonly seen that students who lack linguistic ability prove unsuccessful in achieving required linguistic standards.

                    For the students to acquire native like pronunciation in a second or foreign language, teachers have to be either ideal role models or should provide learners with suitable models. Providing adequate exposure to language is seen to be effective for the students to become fluent or eloquent in the language. Hence suitable strategies for language transaction will prove fruitful in this regard. Due to the difference in linguistic abilities, all the learners may not attain language habits to the desirable extent.

            In the formal classroom situation, students consider it as an insurmountable task to use English language. In such a situation, any intimidating, infuriating or insulting comments from the part of the teacher or the peers would only make the learners all the more diffident. Some students may be proficient in using correct pronunciation, intonation etc. and as a result, may be good at articulating ideas more fluently than others. Those who lag behind, deserve special care and concern to boost their confidence during language transaction.

          The language classrooms have to be flooded with language. This responsibility is more profound with English language teachers. The above mentioned factors have to be kept in mind by teachers while transacting the content to facilitate the successful attainment of the enlisted behavioral changes.