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A Blue Print For Teaching Telugu To Young Children In The US
 

Dr. Gavarasana Satyanarayana

Brief Biography:

Dr. Satyanarayana Gavarasana: Born in Pithapuram, East Godavari District, A.P., India on September 4, 1936. Living with wife Subhadra in Norwood,MA, USA. Parents: Srimati Appalanarasamma and Sri Venkanna. A graduate of Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, A.P. Fulbright Scholar –1966. Practised as a surgeon in Gollaprolu village of East Godavari District. Founder Managing Trustee and First Medical Director, Lions Cancer Hospital, Visakhapatnam. Co-founder of Dr. M. V. R. MPP School in Gollaprolu. Donated half a million Rupees to Malireddi Umamba MPP Upper Primary School, Gollaprolu in March 2003. Interested in preservation and propagation of Telugu language and in cancer research.

Introduction

Many years ago I conducted a survey among Telugus living in the US to find out about their attitudes and aspirations about teaching Telugu to their children. Most of the parents desired their children to learn Telugu language but they complained that no suitable instructional materials were available in the US. They wished to have books and teaching materials to teach Telugu language for exclusive use in the US. With the dawn of new millennium, many new resources are now available to teach Telugu. Enthusiasts like Dr.Seshu Sarma of Atlanta, Georgia, Sri Mandapati Satyam of Austin, Texas and Dr. Kovvali Gopala Krishna, Edison, New Jersey started Telugu schools with success. Dr. Velcheru Narayana Rao of University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin and Prof. V. Rao Vemuri of University of California at Davis, CA. conducted Telugu language courses. Telugu, as a foreign language, is also taught outside India in countries like Mauritius Islands and Malaysia. Our efforts here today are devoted to draft a syllabus to teach Telugu to children with ages from five to 12 years. There are successful programs in the world to teach Telugu and yet, with all the gizmos and educational resources available in the US, we are unable to teach Telugu. Why?

Life styles in the US

Life style of elementary and secondary school going children in the US, in my view, is the first hurdle to teach Telugu language. They have to attend games, gymnastic practice, take music lessons etc after the classes are over from the school. Second hurdle is the ambivalent attitude of parents towards Telugu as a language. Third one is the lack of knowledge of Telugu among the English medium school educated parents who studied in India. Children in the US are willing to learn a new language, as a second language. In fact many US high schools offer French or Spanish as a second language and encourage their students to go to France or Spain to practice and polish their language skills. Let us revert to the life style of students in the US. During the five days of a week, children are busy from morning 7 o’clock till 3 PM with school. After 3 PM, some students attend after school programs and some ride a school bus back to their home. Parents, who are employed, arrive at home after 5 PM, usually around 6 PM, after a long commute. Students spend their evening doing homework or watching TV or play Video games. Parents are busy with daily chores in the evening and some help their children with homework, if they are so inclined. On the weekends, usually on Saturdays, children are hauled to a playground either to participate in football or basketball games or in sports. Some manage to go to music classes or to dance classes. Sundays are usually spent either at a place of worship or at a temple. Or parents may attend social gatherings or go shopping. With this kind of busy schedule where is the time for parents to teach Telugu to their children, even if they have a wish?

Environment

We have to be creative to formulate a syllabus to teach Telugu to our young children in the US. Children can learn on their own if we provide teaching materials that provide fun and entertainment. I am informed by friends and supported by their children that Telugu movies of yester years have acted as teachers of Telugu language! Let us not forget that parents are the first teachers and parents can create an atmosphere conducive to learning Telugu at home. And parents can organize a Telugu school in their communities and act as volunteers or recruit someone who is knowledgeable in Telugu to teach Telugu. If they have enough political clout, they can induce their school to include Telugu as part of their children’s curriculum.

Societal needs

We have to take the desire of parents and the wishes of young children in drafting a syllabus to teach Telugu. It is the wish of many parents to preserve Telugu heritage that is rich with music and artistic forms. Telugu language has enlightening as well as entertaining literature. I spoke to some children at New Jersey Telugu School to find out why they wanted to learn Telugu. One child replied that she wanted to learn Telugu so that she can speak to her grandparents and the other “ because it is my mother tongue.” A syllabus is designed to accommodate the aspirations of parents as well as the needs of children. This syllabus is aimed to transmit one's own heritage ie., Telugu heritage, to children and an outline of syllabus is presented to reflect this basic concept.

An Outline Of Syllabus To Teach Telugu Language To Children Of 5 to 12years Of Age

Aim:

1. To enable young children understand what their parents and grandparents are talking and to interact with them.
2. To appreciate Telugu songs along with their meaning.
3. To understand and appreciate Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam dance forms.
4. To enable children read children’s magazines in Telugu.

Content:

1. Introductory lessons to spoken Telugu language.
2. Introductory lessons to writing and reading of Telugu language.
3. Children’s songs in Telugu
4. Telugu ‘Satakamulu’ (Compilations of Telugu verse)
5. Introductory lessons to Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam dance forms.

Resource Materials:

1. Books and magazines in Telugu language
2. Videos with
(a) Introductory lessons to spoken Telugu language
(b) Children’s songs in Telugu
(c) Introductory lessons to Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam dance forms.
(d) Classical Telugu movies suitable for children and for instruction in Telugu speech.
3. Computerized lessons to teach Telugu language: Both passive and interactive.

Time span:

First year: Introduction to Telugu language and artistic themes.
Second year: Introduction to Telugu language grammar and introduction to Telugu composition.
Third year: Advance lessons in Telugu language and introduction to Chandassu and poetry writing.
Fourth year: Advance lessons in Telugu history and culture in Telugu language
Introduction to PrabhandAlu.
Fifth year: Proficiency in writing, reading and recitation of Telugu songs/verse.
Ability to read a Telugu newspaper to understand current events.

Definition of a school year:

A school year consists of 40 sessions of two hours each, held on every Saturday and is co-terminus with the academic year.

Teachers of Telugu language:

Teaching is a learned profession and individuals with academic qualifications are to be recruited as Telugu teachers. There can be volunteer teachers or teachers are paid a monthly salary.

Funding:

1. Funding is to be obtained primarily from parents.
2. Secondary sources of funding:
(a) Associations of Telugus
(b) Local government
(c) State government
(d) Federal government

Management:

A Telugu school has to be managed by a committee consisting of parents and teachers. The Telugu school has to have independent consultants to tender advice to the management and these consultants have to meet at least once in a year for on the spot assessment and advice.

Conclusion:

Seventy million people speak Telugu language. Population of Andhra Pradesh has a larger population than the populations of individual European countries like France and Spain. France had a population of 61.1 million in 2002 and Spain had a population of 39.9 million in 2000. Yet languages like Japanese, Swedish and Russian (with smaller number of speakers) are taught in the US, whereas, Telugu language is not taught in the US. Telugu deserves to be taught in the US as it has abundant literary works, unique musical and novel dance forms. It would be worthwhile for the children of Telugus to learn Telugu language to understand their roots as well as their cultural heritage. A unified syllabus to teach Telugu will hasten the process of teaching Telugu language all over the US.

Reference:

1. Gavarasana Satyanarayana. Future of Telugu in USA: Report of a Survey, opinions and essays. In the Proceedings of First Telugu Literary Symposium of America, May 23-24, 1998, Atlanta, GA. Editor: Dr. Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao. Pages 188-214. Publishers: Vanguri Foundation of America. Houston, Texas. Oct. 1999.
2. K.V.S.Rama Rao. “Uttara AmericAlO pillaku Telugu nErpatam” In the Proceedings of First Telugu Literary Symposium of America, May 23-24, 1998, Atlanta, GA. Editor: Dr. Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao. Pages 92-97. Publishers: Vanguri Foundation of America. Houston, Texas. Oct. 1999.
3. S. Jayaprakash. “TamilanAdulO rendO BhashagA Telugu bOdhana.” In Telugu Jagati. W.T.F. Fourth World Telugu Conference 2000 Souvenir. World Telugu Federation, 2nd Floor South Wing, 52 G.N.Chetty Road, T.Nagar, Chennai – 600 017, India.
4. Buddharaju Jyothirmayi. “A Survey in teaching methods in Telugu.” Rs. 80. Visalandhra Book House, Hyderabad. 1994.
5. V Rao Vemuri. English-Telugu and Telugu-English Dictionary and Thesaurus. Asian Educational Services, New Delhi. 2002
6. N.C.Parthasaradhi. “GAnaKalA bOdhini.” Balasaraswati Book Depot, No.4, Sankurama Chetty St., Chennai –600 001, India. Rs.300. 1995
7. Kathleen Strassen Berger. “Learning a Second language.” In The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence. 3rd Edition. Page 383. Worth Publishers, 33 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003. 1995
8. Phillip C. Schlechty. “Schools for the 21st Century.” Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers, 350 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94104. 1990.


Prepared for presentation at a Symposium to be held in Edison, NJ on July 19, 2003 under the banner of www.balabharati.org

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