Other ways of learning the English language

There supposedly exists, according to conventional academic thought, a set number of ways to acquire a language and become proficient in it. These are most often linked with Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing and have been reiterated manifold times in one way or the other, but do there exist other exiting and less pursued paths that do lead to Rome, being more exciting, unorthodox, unacademic or even borderline rebellious? Maybe…

Over my years as a teacher, these questions often visited my mind when I perceived the not so unusual distaste, expressed by students through the common groans or grimaces when served with regular language learning exercises such as essay writing or speech writing or anything appearing to be laborious. Why then do these conventional ways still exist, well because it is surmised that apart from being just that- exercises- they help us explore our thoughts and serve as a mode of articulating them. They help us develop as individuals and also serve as a reflectionary tool to see the uniqueness of our individuality; the facets that we would not have known existed, in the corpuscular depths of our very own personality, if not be tapped on and given expression to. If totally extirpated from the academic highway, students, I feel would be deprived of tools that assist in the process of holistic growth or evolution of the human personality.

Nevertheless, considering the goal of academic pursuit- the all round growth of the student- the alternatives that do or possibly do lead to the same do I dare say, merit reflection. In a few particular instances, I have come across unconventional methods followed without any academic goal, that did in fact lead to a fairly strong acquisition of language. There was once an MBA aspirant, who shared with me his ordeal of ostracism for not know the vernacular in his school. He would spend most of his time journaling his thoughts and experiences of the day- it became his much-loved pass time. Over the months which turned into a few years, his pastime saw him using quite exquisite allusions, analogies and humorous suspenseful use of personifications that he was kind enough to share with me. Still a little while later, his verbal faculty now found expression, spurred on by the desire to talk about his manifold writings. Since it was my intention to hear him out, I noticed the passion for writing had now transferred to and overlapped with his skill of speaking and I was now listening to a quite natural, energetic and engaging speaker. He regaled me many amusing instances of his life and I realized that his academic goal of language acquisition was reached not through academic writing but rather, a private hobby that became a bridge to proficiency.

I am also reminded of a similar instance some years ago that also quite amusing. The student and I were roughly the same age and was pursuing the Chartered Accountancy course. He divulged to me one day that right till his SSLC, he was only conversant in the vernacular of his region; the medium of instruction till that time was also in that language. His engagement with English began only in the First Year of college. It so happened that he developed a passion for alternate rock ballads and would listen to it day and night, so much so that he would sing those songs verbatim. He also took up guitar and demonstrated his skill and proudly sang one or two number. He then told me that his engagement with those songs was the turning point for him in learning English. Initially, it was just a way to unwind and indulge in his love for music, but before long, he found himself not just memorizing lyrics, but understanding the nuances of pronunciation, rhythm, and even the deeper meanings behind the lyrics. Slowly but surely, his vocabulary expanded, and his understanding of sentence structure grew. And, more importantly, he became comfortable expressing himself in English, albeit through the medium of song. What started as a hobby eventually became his language-learning gateway. By the time he was preparing for his final exams, his English proficiency had surpassed that of many of his peers, who were relying on more traditional methods.

These examples make me wonder: how much potential do we leave untapped when we rigidly adhere to conventional approaches? How many students are there who could benefit from exploring language acquisition through their passions, hobbies, and personal interests? Is the traditional classroom the only way to foster language development, or could the world outside provide avenues just as effective, if not more so?

It is clear that language learning is not a one-size-fits-all process. Sometimes the most unexpected roads lead to the most rewarding destinations. Whether through the rhythm of a song or the solitude of journaling, language acquisition doesn’t have to follow a prescribed formula. If we encourage students to pursue what excites them, to find the intersections between their passions and their language learning, we might discover that the journey to proficiency can be far more engaging and profound than we ever imagined.

In my experience, these unconventional paths are not just about getting to the destination — they’re about how the journey transforms the learner. Perhaps it's time we broaden our understanding of language acquisition and allow ourselves to explore paths less traveled. After all, language is not just a tool for communication, but a key to unlocking the world — and sometimes, the most powerful keys are found in the most unexpected places.

Memoirs