Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Chennai Corporation launches spoken English course

— Photo: R.RAVINDRAN

Love to learn: Mayor M. Subramanian with students at the Corporation High School, Wall Tax Road, during the launch of the spoken English programme in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation launched a spoken English programme for students of classes VI, VII and VIII on Tuesday.

The programme, being offered by the Institute for Languages and Skills (ILS), Chennai, will cover 4,000 students - 50 students in 80 batches.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor M. Subramanian said while Tamil was very important, learning English would give students an added advantage.

The event was held at the Corporation High School, Wall Tax Road.

“We decided to hold this event here, since a 100 per cent pass was recorded by students of this school in last year’s SSLC examination,” he said.

Private schools often demand that the parents have to be well educated if the child is to be admitted.

“But here, we admit underprivileged children, and teachers are giving their best,” he said.

Last academic year, the Rotary Club offered a similar programme for students, he said.

D. Muralidharan, director of ILS, said small booklets had been prepared with modules on basic spoken English.

“Students would be given many activities, role plays and home assignments,” he said.

For class VII student Sowmya, all this sounded quite exciting.

“Though we have English as a subject, to learn to speak the language well is a different thing.”

Senior officials of the Chennai Corporation were present.

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