From pre-primary to class 5: CBSE sets stage for teaching in mother tongue, asks schools to map languages
Currently, English is the dominant language of instruction in primary classes in CBSE schools across the country. The CBSE is the largest national school board with over 30,000 schools affiliated to it.
The CBSE circular states that from pre-primary to Class 2 — called the 'foundational stage' under the National Education Policy 2020 — teaching should be in the child's home language, mother tongue, or a familiar regional language. This language, referred to as 'R1', should ideally be the mother tongue. If that's not practical, it can be the state language, as long as it's familiar to the child, the circular adds.
For classes 3 to 5, the circular says students may continue to learn in R1 (mother tongue/ familiar regional language), or may be given the option of studying in a medium other than R1 (that is, R2).
Although the circular, dated May 22, states that teaching in the mother tongue may 'commence from July', it leaves room for flexibility for schools that may need more time to transition.
This is the first time the CBSE has indicated it may make mother tongue-based teaching compulsory in its schools. Until now, following the release of the NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, the Board had only encouraged its use through advisory circulars.
Both NEP 2020 and NCFSE 2023 recommend using the mother tongue in early education, especially at the foundational stage, up to the age of eight years. 'Since children learn concepts most rapidly and deeply in their home language, the primary medium of instruction would optimally be the child's home language/ mother tongue/ familiar language,' the NCFSE 2023 states.
Students in Classes 1 and 2 primarily study two languages and mathematics, a CBSE official said, adding that the circular means mathematics instruction in these classes can now be in the mother tongue or a familiar regional language.
At this stage, the focus is on familiarising students with two spoken languages — R1 and R2 (a language other than R1) — the circular states. A senior official in the Ministry of Education said that NCERT's textbooks for Classes 1 and 2 are already available in 22 Indian languages, and textbooks for higher classes are being translated.
The circular asks all schools to form an 'NCF implementation committee' by the end of May. This committee will map students' mother tongues, align language resources, and guide curriculum adjustments. Schools have also been asked to complete the language mapping exercise at the earliest.
'By the end of summer break, schools should achieve realignment of the curriculum and teaching materials to reflect the use of R1 as MoI (medium of instruction), and to ensure structured introduction of R2 at appropriate stage. Teacher orientation and training workshops should also be completed before the implementation begins, focusing on multilingual pedagogy, classroom strategies and language-sensitive assessment,' the circular reads.
While implementation may commence from July this year, the circular also states that schools which require time to transition may avail of additional time to ensure resources are available, teachers are allocated, and curriculum is realigned. 'However, care may be taken that the implementation is not inordinately delayed,' it says.
The CBSE has asked schools to submit monthly progress reports to it, starting from July. 'Schools may also be visited by academic observers for support and guidance,' the circular states.
Pointing out that the circular is meant to ensure that schools make an effort towards language instruction, the CBSE official said they are to begin collating their resources, and will have to indicate a time-frame if they need additional time. While schools with more resources are not expected to run into hurdles, smaller ones may need more time to ensure resources are available, the official said.
The official in the Ministry of Education, meanwhile, said the NCFSE asks that students be offered the option of learning in the mother tongue, and the CBSE circular marks a beginning in that direction. The mapping will decide which languages are taught in a school, the official said.
Meanwhile, Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Chairperson and Executive Director, DLF Foundation Schools, pointed to the challenges schools could face in implementing the CBSE's instructions.
'Choosing a single R1 can be difficult. Some students may feel alienated if their home language is not chosen. Maybe for the sake of convenience, parents might say let's carry on with Hindi, though our mother tongue is different. Families may also prefer English-medium instruction. There may be a conflict between home aspirations and school policies. Transition to the mother tongue would have to be gradual, and well-supported. Also, how are classrooms to be structured, if there are students from different linguistic backgrounds,' she said.
'Gurgaon, for instance, has a particularly mobile population. There are young people coming in from all states, and there's a variety of languages in Gurgaon. Accessing the linguistic profile of the student can itself be difficult — parents will have to declare what they speak, sometimes parents may not be speaking the mother tongue at home. In urban spaces, you have mixed-language classrooms and our resources are limited. We will have to recruit teachers who not only know the language but also know how to teach in that language. We will have to engage with parents, and have an orientation to explain the rationale of this,' she said.
Sudha Acharya, Principal, ITL Public School, Dwarka said: 'We did a language mapping in April. The most spoken regional language is Hindi. For us, R1 will be Hindi and R2 will be English. Here, in the foundational stage, it is always bilingual. When children come in at three years, they usually speak the language that is spoken at home. For classes 3 to 5, classroom instruction may be bilingual, but we are an English medium school and our medium of instruction is English. So for these classes, we will stick to English.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Govt, Ignou release textbooks in Odia for diploma in early childhood care & education
Bhubaneswar: To enhance early childhood education, state govt, in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou), on Monday released course books in Odia for the diploma in early childhood care and education (DECE). The initiative aligns with the state's efforts to establish Sishu Vatikas (pre-primary), aiming to equip anganwadi workers and aspiring nursery educators with necessary skills. The course has already attracted over 53,000 applicants, highlighting its demand and relevance. Release of the textbooks follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 9 between the higher education department and Ignou. The agreement facilitates the introduction of various Ignou courses in Odia, including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, diploma and certificate courses across diverse fields such as travel and tourism management, BBA and MBA. Previously available in English, Hindi and Tamil, the DECE course is now accessible in Odia. The one-year diploma, open to students post-Class XII, focuses on early childhood education, child health and nutrition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist: Pink Salt, The Greatest Enemy of Body Fat (Watch) GoldenEraCoverage Undo It offers a comprehensive learning experience with textbooks, audio cassettes and video tutorials, integrating both theoretical and practical components. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida, who attended the event, emphasised the importance of offering the DECE course in Odia, stating that it will greatly benefit anganwadi workers, trainers and pre-school educators by allowing them to study in their mother tongue. She noted that the move simplifies learning and makes it more accessible, benefiting individuals and organisations involved in child education and nutrition. Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj highlighted the foundational role of early education in the broader educational framework. He asserted that the DECE course would enhance the skills of educators and trainers, enabling them to deliver education through practical and straightforward methods. He also referenced the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020, which advocates for strengthening early education and promoting mother tongue instruction to foster creativity and grassroots education. The event also saw virtual participation from anganwadi workers enrolled in the course, underscoring the programme's reach and impact. Keeping the demand in mind, Ignou extended the July admission deadline for different courses, including DECE, till Aug 31. Ignou vice-chancellor Uma Kanjilal and other dignitaries were present. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
With 3 teachers for 3 students, this K'pada school is staring at closure
1 2 Kendrapada: In most schools, the teacher-student ratio is often a cause of concern. But the 91-year-old govt primary school at Badahat village in the district has three teachers teaching just three students. While two students study in Class III, the third is in Class II. But this was not always the case. Earlier, it had a healthy number of students, but enrolment declined steadily over the years as many parents began sending their children to English-medium schools that have come up in the district. Sayed Mohammad Khalid, one of the teachers, said, "Last month, I joined the school and it felt very strange because there are only three students. The rest of the children from the village and nearby areas study in private schools. We have highly qualified teachers. Efforts are being made to encourage parents to enrol their children in the school. We are expecting positive outcomes." Besides Khalid, Priyambada Sundarray and Susanta Kumar Sahoo are the other two teachers. "We have been visiting homes in the village to convince parents to send their children to the govt school. All the facilities are available in this govt primary school. But villagers consider it better to send their children to private English-medium schools," rued Sahoo. A few years back, around 30-40 children used to study in the school, but now only three children come to school. District education officer (DEO) Pabitra Mohan Barik said following govt guidelines, the school will be closed. "It will be merged with another school soon for better use of resources, efficiency, and education upgrade," Barik said. Asked about the criteria to determine merger of schools, Barik said the strength has to be less than 20 students. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
Will broligarchs ruin language? What the Cambridge Dictionary's new words tell us
Among the words now recognised by the Cambridge Dictionary are skibidi, broligarchy, delulu, and tradwife. Apart from the growing power of Internet-speak, these words are testimonies to the various social and political wars the world has been fighting recently. What do these words mean, and what does their inclusion in the dictionary say about the evolution — some might say dissolution — of the English language? We explain. What are some of the newly chosen words? Interestingly, many of the words compliment or act as foil to each other, denoting the looping nature of Internet discourse. Take Tradwife and broligarchy, both portmanteaus, or words made by a combination of others. Tradwife comes from 'traditional wife', a woman who believes being a mother and wife are her main roles in life. Tradwives on the internet can generally be found cooking or playing with their small children in flowy outfits and pinterest-perfect homes, while their husbands are presumably out earning money. The tradwives will tell you about 'leaning into their feminity', about choosing a 'real man' who 'protects their softness', and then probably try to sell you an online course about making money from home. On the other end of the spectrum are broligarchs, a combination of bro and oligarch, denoting the 'tech-bros' who have money and are now assuming greater political power. These bros are rich and successful members of the tech world, still predominantly a boys' club. Either through personal political ambition or through the massive reach of the platforms they own, they are also serious political players, thus combining multiple types of power and influence in the sphere of the 'outside', far removed from the tradwives' curated cosiness. Delulu is short for delusional, used for people who are choosing to stay ignorant of reality. Skibidi, on the other hand, distorts reality. It is a nonsensical word, attached to nothing but absurdity. The Cambridge dictionary describes skibidi as 'a word that can have different meanings such as 'cool' or 'bad', or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.' It first became popular around 2023, through the 'skibidi toilet' videos on YouTube, where human heads poked out of toilet bowls and sang. Don't ask why, the randomness is the point. Delulu, meanwhile, came to us from the K-pop fandom, where some fans were mocked for deluding themselves into thinking they could date the stars they so loved. Why these words specifically? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, 'We have a team of lexicographers who are always on the lookout for new words appearing in the English language. They look at the Cambridge English Corpus to check the frequency of the word, and where it is used (in newspapers, in casual conversation, in academic texts, etc.). If the word is used in many different contexts over a period of time, the lexicographers add it to the dictionary. If the lexicographers think that a new word might be ephemeral, they keep a record of it to review at a later date.' Basically, an important test is whether the word is likely to last. This was reiterated by Colin McIntosh, Lexical Programme manager at the Cambridge Dictionary, who told AFP, 'We only add words where we think they'll have staying power. Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary.' A language is always evolving, and a dictionary's job is not to gatekeep, but record and explain what words people are using. However, the new inclusions point to a force that is shaping so much of what we consume and discuss — social media algorithms. Words like delulu or tradwife became popular once content creators on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc. realised these were being flagged as 'trending', and content using them could get greater visibility. Thus, the wind behind the sails of these words' current popularity is not spontaneous human usage, but a nameless, shapeless formula. However, if they prove Cambridge Dictionary right by displaying 'staying power' even after the algorithmic wheel turns, they will demonstrate that human articulation can indeed be enriched from a wide variety of sources.
