Curriculum English Senior Secondary NIOS

Sr. Secondary Course (Syllabus)

English 302

RATIONALE

In a multi – lingual society like India where different languages and diverse cultures interplay with each other all the time, learning second and third languages is becoming indispensable.

In India, English has been assigned the status of an associate official language. It is also an as for international communication. English gives access to a large wealth of scientific and technical literature. It is also the language of business communication all over the world. The study of English is profitable to learners in several ways.

The syllabus centers to the needs of National Institute of Open Schooling learners, the majority of whom are adults. They are able to use their mother – tongue proficiently although they may not possess adequate knowledge of English. In the syllabus, therefore, a special effort has been made to create a sound language base areas as separate components and also by strengthening them further through the textual content.

A special feature of this syllabus in the introduction of English for Specific Purpose designed to need the varied professional and academic needs of the learners.

Thus an attempt has been made, in this course, to meet the vocational needs of learners who are already employed or will join the world of work;

• Academic needs of learners who are already employed or will join the world of work.
• Academic needs of learners who plan to pursue a college / university education.

The course assumes that the learner.

• Can read and comprehend simple passages in English with ease;
• Is familiar with the basic elements of English grammar;
• Can communicate wimple ideas clearly in writing and speech.

SPECIAL OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of teaching English at the Senior Secondary stage are to enable the learners develop their:

• Reading ability, i.e. learner
• Locates important facts,
• Grasps the meaning, facts and ideas,
• Gets at the central idea of piece,
• Follows the sequence of ideas and events
• Identifies relationship between characters, facts and ideas,
• Compares facts and ideas,
• Infers meaning,
• Evaluates ideas, events and action,
• Interest non – verbal forms of presentations, develops the habit of reading for information& pleasure.
• Uses dictionary & encyclopedia
• Writing ability
• Writes simple sentences with correct punctuation and spelling
• Presents and develop simple ideas coherently
• Organizes ideas in to paragraphs using appropriate sentence linkers,
• Narrates event processes.
• Listening ability i.e. the learner
• Understands English spoken at normal conversational speed,
• Understands questions
• Follows directions.
• Understands the main ideas of stories, radio – broadcasts, commentaries and
• Academic pieces
• Speaking ability

COURSE CONTENT

The course in divided into four modules

Module 1. Reading and functional grammar.

This module emphasizes the development of different reading skills, enhancement of vocabulary and functional grammar.

Module 2 Functional writing and study skills.

This module is designed to equip the learner with the ability to write clearly and correctly.

Module 3 Listening and speaking skills

This module provides the learners with opportunities to develop their listening and speaking skills. This will be done through two audio tapes accompanies by worksheets.

Module 4 English for specific purpose

This module would help the learner to develop skills that are needs for academic and vocational purpose.

• English for Science
• English for Receptionists
• English for Office use

Total Study time

An approximate break up of the total reading time of 240 hours for the sections is as follows:

Distribution of marks

The total marks for English is 100. There will be one paper of 3 hrs. duration. The allocation of marks is a follows:

Module 1. Reading comprehension (prescribed texts) and functional grammar.

Study time 100 hrs.      Marks 20+15

A variety of genres – short stories, expository pieces, biographies, poems, plays, newspaper and magazine excerpts have been included. Teaching of grammar has been integrated with the reading texts. The emphasis is on functional grammar.

The following ten prose texts and five poems have been selected for development of different reading skills.

Prose texts (Prescribed)

• A warmer or a colder earth (popular science) Arthur – C. Clark
• The tiger in the tunnel (narrative) – Ruskin Bond.
• First two or four pages from Sunny Days (autobiographical) – By Sunil Gavaskar
• Case of suspension (narrative)
• Big brother (narrative) Shekhar Joshi
• Father, dear father (news paper article form the Hindu)
• Face to face (autobiographical) Ved Mehta
• I must know the truth (narrative) Sigrun Srivastva
• If I were you (play) Douglas James
• India, her past and her future (speech) Jawahar Lal Nehru

Poems

• Leisure – W H Davis
• The road not taken – Robert Frost
• Where the mind is without fear- Tagore
• My grandmother’s house – Kamla Das
• The night of the scorpion – Nissi, Ezekiel

Non prescribed

In this section learners will be exposed to newspaper, articles, tables, diagrams, advertisements etc. which they have to read carefully and interpret. In the examination similar pieces will be used.

Grammar and usage

• agreement/concord: number – gender etc.
• Tenses: simple past (negatives/interrogatives) present perfect, past perfect continuous, past perfect, expressing future time (will and going to)
• Passive voice (perfect tenses and modals)
• Modals (must, should ought to, would)
• Linking words (to like because although, instead of, if, as, since, who, which that, when however, inspite of)
• Reported speech, statements, questions (yes/no)

Module 2

Functional writing and study skills

Study time 70 hrs.      25marks

This module help the learner to write descriptive and narrative paragraph, letters, reports notices etc. and also practice skills of note making

1. Paragraph writing

• Describing objects
• Describing people
• Narrating events, stories

2. Letter writing

• Application for leave
• Application for jobs
• Asking for information form various agencies (e.g. Last date for getting prospects; price of items before placing doers etc.)

3. Note making

4. Ending (punctuation, spelling, appropriate vocabulary, structures)

Module – 3

Listening and speaking skills

In this module the learners will be exposed to a variety of listening activities recorded on audiotapes. These will be samples of good spoken English, which the learners can use as models. Work sheets will accompany the listening material.

This module will include the following:

• Introducing yourself/friends in formal and informal situations.
• Inviting people (over the phone and face to face) giving details of occasion, time place and date. Acceptance and refusal of invitation – formal and informal.
• Seeking and supplying information (example opening an account in a bank, applying for loans etc.)
• Talking and conveying messages (over the phone and face to face).
• Giving directions / instruction.
• Discussing contemporary issues related to environment, child labour, gender bias etc.
• Listening to excepts form television and radio.
• Listening to poems/plays (prescribed).
• Listening to speeches / talks.
• Listening to songs like “We shall overcome”.

Module 4 - 6

English for specific purposes

Study Time 40 hrs.      20 marks

There modules are being offered. A learner has to opt for any one. The first is for academic purposes and the next two are for vocational purposes. The focus is not on the teaching of the subject matter like science and literature but on the way in which language is used in the deferent subjects.

Module 4

English for Science

Study Time 40 hrs.

This course will introduce learners to some interesting pieces of popular science.

• Health and hygiene
• Conservation of (nearly extinct) animals.
• Plant life.
• Bio gas / solar energy.

These pieces illustrate the use of English in scientific writing: giving information factually, logically and objectively.

Module 5

English for Receptionist

Study Time 40 hrs.

This module will introduce the learners to a variety of exercises, tasks and meaningful activities related to the receptionist’s use of English. The printed course materials will be supported by tapes.

The following competencies be developed:

• Receiving messages, making request etc.
• Supplying information
• Giving advice and making suggestions
• Dealing with complaints
• Making entries in an appointment book, register etc.

Module 6

English for Office Use

Study Time 40 hrs.

This course will help the learner to use English effectively and appropriately in the office environment. The competencies will be developed.

• Using the telephone taking and passing messages.
• Receiving messages
• Marking noting on files and circular.
• Writing office notes, memos, notices, agendas for meetings.
• Telegrams and fax messages.
• Writing business letters, application enquiries, complaints.
• Filling in forms, cheques, pay in slips etc.