Course Description:
The syllabus has been designed to develop linguistic and communicative competence of undergraduate students. The teachers also ask comprehension questions to stimulate discussion and based on the discussions the students are made to write short paragraphs /essays, participate in group discussions.
The course addresses the English language needs of the students at the undergraduate level. The focus will be upon four categories: Prose, Poetry, Vocabulary, and Grammar. In addition to these the last two units focus upon developing the writing skills of students by including essay writing and report writing. The content of the text raises questions of how English is used in India versus how it ought to be used, and thus engaging the debates about a “standard English” and the need of adapting English to the local cadence and culture of India. Similarly, the British and American variations of the language are included to orient the students to broaden their view of English as an International language. Overall the course will focus upon the critical thinking faculties of the students concerning academic, linguistic, political, literary and ethical concepts.
Course Outcomes:
The students will be able to:
- Read, interpret and analyze the implicit and explicit layers of meaning embedded in a poem.
- Identify poetic devices and the usage of unfamiliar language structure in poetry.
- Become more empathetic and question the various forms of discrimination that exist in society based upon caste, race, gender and culture etc.
- Engage enlightenment values (liberty, equality and fraternity) and the idea of the secular nation versus a nation composite of various groups divided on the basis of region, caste, creed and language.
- Understand the need for the English to be adapted to the local cultural contexts of India.
- Develop interest in questioning the purpose of existence of art, whether it exists to serve some purpose or is it just for delight and enjoyment.
- Learn and use synonyms and antonyms, phrasal verbs, idioms, technical and media vocabulary, and the differences between the British and American variations of the English language.
- Improve language skills by learning about prepositions, connectives, concord, reported speech and voice.
- Develop better writing skills and become adept in organizing one’s thoughts and ideas into essays.
- Enhance their report writing skills to use in official contexts.
UNIT -I
Poem: Life, Charlotte Bronte, Prose: A Wrong Man in Worker’s Paradise, Rabindranath Tagore, Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, Grammar: Prepositions
UNIT- II
Poem: Punishment in Kindergarten, Kamala Das, Prose: Toasted English, RK Narayan, Vocabulary: British and American English, Grammar: Voice
UNIT – III
Poem-As I Grew Older, Langston Hughes, Prose: Grammar of Anarchy (Excerpt), BR Ambedkar, Vocabulary: Phrasal Verbs, Grammar: Concord.
UNIT - IV
Essay writing: Discursive Essay, Argumentative Essay, Vocabulary: Idioms, Grammar: Connectives
UNIT - V
Report writing: Business Reports, Media Reports, Vocabulary: Technical Vocabulary (Business, Media), Grammar: Reported Speech (Including Reporting Verbs)
- Teacher: SAIKIRAN D