Books Review

Learning English - Book 1: A sensible approach to communication

Authors: DCRA Goonetilleke,
Mona Gooneratne,
Mirelle Jayawardene
Publisher: Vijitha Yapa Publishers
Year: 2006
Price 199.00
 

Reviewed by Dr. Gamini Fonseka

Learning English - Book 1 authored by former Head of the Department of English at the University of Kelaniya, Emeritus Professor DCRA Goonetilleke, et al helps to fill a sad gap developed for a considerably long period of time in the absence of a proper supplementary textbook series easily accessible for the average learner of English in Sri Lanka.

The requirement to learn English has become a challenge to many learners today owing to the emergence of numerous course books without a focus and the farce made by certain textbook designers lacking in pragmatic knowledge about Sri Lanka, with their misinterpretation of the communicative approach to language learning.

For example, the liberty of presenting authentic materials for communicative learning has been exploited by certain textbook writers to win prominence for their personal interests to an extent that most of the crucial aspects of the learner situation are forgotten in the outcome of their efforts.

In most textbooks, no attention has been paid to the nature of the learners exposure to the language, the complications created by the interference of his/her mother tongue while expressing himself/herself in English, his/her socio-cultural background that sets barriers to his/her use of English in public, the impediments imposed by the economic conditions on his/her acquaintance with various elements in the lifestyle of certain affluent segments of English-speaking societies etc.

In their work, most textbook designers tend to impose their own values on the learners rather than help them out in tackling problems of learning. While the entire enterprise of learning English in Sri Lanka has become such a disastrous confusion, Learning English Book 1 has been able to provide clear solutions to some actual problems the learners are faced with today.

As its dust jacket displays, the book features as the constituents of its approach, communication, structure, activities, spiral learning, grammar, and word study. Professor Goonetilleke's introduction clarifies the bearing these have on the learner's progress in the language.

In fact, whereas the communicative approach to language learning is in vogue today in many advanced educational settings, what Professor Goonetilleke calls eclectic figures prominently through these foci in the book. While communication is the major focus, the identifiable and definable language skills - reading, listening, understanding, interpreting, speaking, writing, and talking are given an equal weightage as they all need to be developed on an equal scale to be a competent user of a language.

What matters in a textbook is the approach to developing these language skills. In this case the 46 Lesson Units play a very important role as Part 1 of a series of textbooks. They can be used, depending on the learner's competence level, throughout the period of a semester or an academic year, as they have been designed to fit a clear approach to teaching English with a positive impact on the learner.

Each Unit in the book begins with a staple material which is either a dialogue or a prose text, or a poem that efficiently illustrates the key learning elements the authors have aimed at presenting. For example, the dialogue that opens Lesson Unit One foregrounds the relevant language elements effectively.

The simple dialogue is followed by a display of the alphabet, the numbers, the ways of talking about the time, the application of be in the simple present tense, and questions with "What" and "Where", as lesson highlights for easy understanding. Further, there are carefully developed exercises that help comprehension, reflection, internalization, retention, and application of the new language elements.

Thus all lesson units are designed in a consistent pattern to provide an effective approach to communication. The dialogue can be dramatized to begin with; the lesson highlights can be studied with the teacher's help or through discussion with peers; and the exercises can be carried out in the process of testing and evaluating the learning. Each lesson unit in this order supports the grasp of some key notions and functions of the language in developing a sensible approach to communication.

The staple materials consist of 12 dialogues; 12 situational descriptions; 4 stories; 3 biographical sketches; 2 letters; 3 poems; 8 scientific descriptions; a recipe; and a worded diagram. They are all very carefully presented and do illustrate the relevant language elements effectively.

Thus the lesson units maintain variety in terms of the topics the staple materials deal with; the language elements that lesson highlights illustrate; and the exercises that involve the learner in a multiplicity of activities.

Moreover, all materials represent language related to a variety of situations and topics that a young person in Sri Lanka would happen to reflect on, read, listen, write, or speak about. These materials demonstrate a generous fund of notions and functions that a learner needs to be conversant with, while gathering fluency and competence in the process of communicating in English.

Had the grammatical descriptions been directly connected with the notions and functions they deal with, the pedagogical value would have increased further. Maybe the authors have their own reasons for dispensing with such an effort. However, the exercises steadily compensate such a lack in the work.

What Professor Goonetilleke talks about in terms of spiral learning operates well with the exercises that give opportunity to the learner to practice, to apply, and to test the new language they learn repeatedly.

Answering scanning and skimming questions, forming questions, describing various concepts in the texts, producing texts by following models, interpreting information in a controlled way, providing meanings to words, applying language knowledge in answering extended questions from real life - all these processes help the leaner to personalize and internalize the language and cultivate expertise as a user of English.

All in all, the book serves the very important purpose of boosting the current national drive to teach English to all young people of Sri Lanka. It remains a great contribution, therefore, to the development process of Sri Lanka by boosting the Government's effort to teach English to all young people in terms of increasing their employability.

The book distinguishes itself from the many in its category with its sober and attractive layout, remarkable for its clear and pleasant illustrations and its neat display of texts and exercises. Another good quality of the book is that the authors have not made any extremist attempt to make the presentation of language sound Sri Lankan which leads to an unnecessary dialectological confusion, causing detriment to the average learner's effort to learn English.

The introduction of the subject materials in a clear dialect is important today as Sri Lanka aims at going international in her education and especially in the use of English.

Based on all these virtues of the book in its entirety, I recommend it warmly to youthful and adult learners who have become tired of learning English with incongruent approaches and methods and who are in need of a fresh start, and to teachers.

Life in highrise apartments

Highrise Disasters: How to be ready; what to do
by Dr. Kingsley A. De Alwis
Printed and Published by Vishva Lekha Press
Rs. 300.00
 

Reviewed by Dr. Premilla Senanayake

Living in highrise apartments has become a way of life whether we are looking at Abidjan, Barcelona, Colombo or Tokyo. However, for many this is a new experience, an experience that may have many benefits. However, one needs to be prepared for the adjustments in lifestyle that are required when moving into a highrise building.

When you move into an apartment in a highrise condominium building you are moving into living in a whole community under one roof. For many who have previously lived in single homes this is a new experience. If one is prepared to make the necessary adjustments this would be a pleasurable experience for you and your neighbours. If you do not then life could be hell for all concerned.

Dr. Kingsley de Alwis, has in his book Highrise Disasters : How to be ready: What to do, clearly identifies potential risks that can occur and what can be done in many cases to prevent or address these risks.

As Dr. de Alwis explains in his well written, easy to read book, no matter where you live - your home could be subject to disasters - fire, earthquake, bomb blasts, etc. Disasters can strike anywhere, anytime and can affect anyone.

Some disasters, such as earthquakes, may give little warning - often only split seconds - before they hit. Others, like hurricanes, may give you enough time to take emergency measures. However, the loss of life, injuries and damage from all types of disasters could be minimised if people are prepared to take precautions and respond appropriately to an emergency.

In this fifty three page book he covers a wide range of topics especially those related to disasters and those for which one could be particularly prepared. These include Fire, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, Lightning, Gas Leaks and Explosions, Bomb Blasts, Terrorist Attacks and Hold-ups, and Hazardous Material spills or contamination. Precautions that you should take and the immediate measures required for each type are covered in a clear and concise manner.

As the author explains, in the event of one of these disasters occurring, you may be required to evacuate the building. Dr. de Alwis has provided some helpful tips for developing an Evacuation Plan which he believes should be practised from time to time by all concerned.

I would recommend this publication as an essential survival handbook for all those living in highrise apartments. Condominium managers in particular should study this book to ensure that all residents are aware of the precautions to be taken and emergency procedures to be followed if and when disaster strikes.

Remember that disaster preparedness planning can save your life and those of your loved ones.

Immortal music

Mukesh Chand Mathur (formal name Zoravar Chand), (July 22, 1923, Delhi, India - August 27, 1976), popularly known as Mukesh, referred to as the man with the golden voice, was one of the finest Indian playback singers along with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar.

Mukesh's voice was noticed by Motilal (a popular actor in Hindi films, also a distant relative of Mukesh) when he sang at his sister's wedding.

Motilal took him to Bombay, let him stay with him and even arranged for singing lessons for him. During this period, Mukesh managed to bag a role in a Hindi film, Nirdosh (Innocent) (1941). He got his break as a playback singer in 1945 with the film Pehli Nazar (First Look).

The first song he sang for a Hindi film was Dil Jalta Hai to Jalne De (If the heart burns, let it burn) , which was incidentally picturised on Motilal.

He is best known for the songs he sang as a playback singer for Raj Kapoor, a legendary actor/director of Bollywood in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1974, Mukesh received a National Award for the song Kain baar yoon bhi dekhaa hai from Rajnigandha (1974), and Filmfare Awards for the songs Sab Kuch Seekha in the movie Anari (1959), Ganga Ram Ki Samajh in Pehchaan (1970), Jai Bolo in Be Imaan (1972) and Kabhie Kabhie in the film of the same name (1976).

He died of a heart attack on August 27, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan, USA where he had gone for a concert. His body was carried back to India with Lata Mangeshkar, where a grand funeral ceremony took place as many famous actors, personalities of the Indian film industry, and fans paid tribute to the late singer.

When the news of his death reached Raj Kapoor, he remarked that he had lost his voice, which is a testimony to the timeless and unforgettable association of Mukesh's voice (in playback) to the immensely popular songs of Raj Kapoor's films.

After Mukesh's death, his newer unreleased songs came out in 1977 with films like Dharam Veer, Amar Akbar Anthony, Khel Khilari Ka, Darinda, and Chandi Sona. The year 1978 also featured a good number of Mukesh songs , films like Aahuti, Paramatma, Tumhari Kasam, and Satyam Shivam Sundaram, where Mukesh sang his last film song "Chanchal Sheetal Nirmal Komal." From 1980 onward, Mukesh's voice was heard in many late films like Shaitan Mujarim, Premika, Patthar Se Takkar (1980), Sanjh Ki Bela, Maila Anchal (1981), Aarohi (1982), Chor Mandali (1983), Nirlaj (1985), Love and God (1986), Shubh Chintak (1989), and his last known release of Chand Grahan (1997).

Now, a book of songs written in Sinhala titled Mukesh Nomiyena Gee, written by veteran journalist Viveka Samarasinghe is out on the shelves.

The sixty two songs, will be an interesting read for fans of Mukesh who wish to learn the words of his most popular songs like ....."O mere sanam, O mere sanam/Do jisma magar..."