Their story telling was flawless, so was the English literature produced by them in the form of stories and dramas narrated in a unique style. But English was neither their mother-tongue nor the medium of instruction. Still they amazed everyone with their skills in English language picked up very late compared to their peers.
The English Festival, organised by the Telangana Residential Educational Institutions Society (TREIS) for the residential schools across Telangana at the Telangana State Residential School, Sarvail in Nalgonda district provided an opportunity for students to showcase their English language skills and compete with others in various events.
The students hailing from the 10 districts of Telangana presented the magazines prepared by them apart from performing dramas and choreographies providing a feast to the eyes. The literature produced by the child authors was presented in various stalls.
The chief guests, Burra Venkatesam, Home Secretary of Telangana and M. Mahender Reddy, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, who are the alumni of the TSRS, Sarvail, were amused by the quality of the products and appreciated the efforts to impart the much needed English language skills among the rural poor and meritorious students who opt for the residential schools.
They also released the children literature consisting of 30 story cards and seven booklets produced by children.
The English Fest mainly focused on the new pedagogy that was adopted by the newly formed State as per the National curriculum Framework 2005. “This new paradigm enables the children to excel their creative writing skills by expelling the age-old practice of mugging,” said TSREI Society Secretary, B. Seshu Kumari.
The festival was the culmination of 18 months Special Package for Acquiring Competency in English (SPACE) programme. Under the SPACE programme all the English teachers of TSR schools were trained by K.N. Anandan on the pedagogy keeping in view of revised text books. Upender Reddy, Coordinator of SCERT; Jani Reddy and Sudhakar, who was with EFLU, were among present.
