Advantages and limitations of Virtual Classroom in Telugu Language Teaching

Abstract

children today don't learn the way they learned 50 years back, said Pitroda, Teaching remains confined to blackboard, chalk, exams, marks and the like. The IT revolution has arrived and the internet, today, enables loads of packets of information to be accessed and explored. So, herein lies the need for generational changes. ICT can provide opportunities to enabling solutions for improving various existing approaches to content development and improve the quality of education, communicative skills must be incorporated in the present modern language curriculum and content development to protect the endangered Indian languages by updating the language technology. This paper analyses the challenges to present day curricular trends of Telugu language teaching and scope for the use of virtual classroom, which is the second largest spoken language in India listed in UNESCO atlas of endangered languages. I. Introduction Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man Swami Vivekananda. Manifestation of education in 21 st century is possible with the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and use of multimedia which accelerated the education sector. The curriculum and content should be developed on the basis of present day needs of society. ICT can provide opportunities for improving various existing approaches to content development and improve the quality of education. It also improves the quality and efficiency of teaching learning process. Effective language teaching is depending on effective teaching learning communication. " One of the most neglected aspects of teacher training is thorough preparation in the diverse communication skills that are needed by good teacher in today's schools (Morgan, 1989). So these communication skills must be incorporated in the present modern language curriculum and content development. As the age of computer-assisted and adaptive language learning become real concerns of the modern language teacher, it has become necessary to investigate the ways in which the computer can enhance existing teaching methods to improve the overall quality of language instruction. Many researchers have attempted to add their own electronic components to their favourite exercises [1] Telugu is the second largest spoken language in India and 10 th largest language among 16 major languages of the world. But modern language concepts and language teaching approaches have not been inserted in Telugu Language curriculum, same concepts of content and subject topics were taught since last 5 decades. A new paradigm is developing in Indian education system with the influence of computer and internet. Now there is a necessity of shifting of chalk-black board teaching to mouse-monitor teaching to make teaching more effective and efficient. The gadget which the child uses for entertainment at younger age can be effectively used in helping to learn at secondary level of schooling and most effectively used in higher education. All these tremendous changes have been neglected in Telugu Language Teaching (TLT) in higher education so that the students are running far away from learning in their Mother Tongue Telugu. Today Telugu Language classrooms moving towards from full of students to nil of students. By the way Telugu Language is listed in the UNESCO atlas of endangered languages. There is an urgent need to incorporate modern language technology in Telugu Language curriculum and provide opportunities for e-content development and use of ICT in TLT.