Reconsidering English Language Teaching in Vernacular-medium Schools of India with an Emphasis on Employability

Abstract

Although there have been recurring reforms in the policy of Indian government
towards the teaching and learning of English and currently English is taught as a compulsory
subject in all schools (Unnisa, 2012), students from vernacular-medium schools suffer as apart
from total unfamiliarity with the language, the pedagogies used to teach English do not enable
them to speak the language fluently. Albeit, the demands in India for better teaching and
learning of English are not being met meaningfully in vernacular-medium schools (Gupta, 2012;
Javalgekar, 2013; Kumaran, 2011; Ramanathan, 2007). Vernacular-medium students in India
mostly leave school speaking a language that would not be recognised in the job market (Pathan
& Shiakh, 2012). This paper is a review of related literature to suggest a reconsideration of
English language teaching in vernacular-medium schools of India with an emphasis on
employability.