Today, 23rd April 2024 is celebrated as the World English Language Day. It coincides with Williams Shakespeare’s birthday (the Bard and Avon of literature) and the World Book and Copyright Day.
I am sure many people are not aware of this important day. This day is very significant in the UN’s calendar because English Language is one of the two working languages (the other is French) of the UN secretariat and one of the organization’s six official languages.
Why is this day important?
English Language is spoken in over eighty-eight (88) countries of the world. In Africa, twenty-four (24) countries use the English Language as their official Language.
English is often referred to as a “World Language” or the lingua franca (bridge language or common language used by speakers of different languages) of the modern era because it is widely spoken. Since Nigeria is an English-speaking country, celebrating this auspicious even is very important.
The UN first celebrated English Language Day On April 23, 2010. Since then, this event has been commemorated annually without a break.
What is the aim of the World English Day?
As you know, there is nothing without purpose. The world English Language Day become an important event in the UN’s international calendar to:
To entertain (serve some recipes, a la carte about English –see some drama scenes, movies, entertainment in English.
Inform people about history (how much do you know about the English culture, how our English came to us, people referred to as the native English speakers, etc.? This is one important feature of this day.
Know about the culture and achievements associated with the English Language.
How to create and promote the English Day
Celebrating this day is very important. But the question is: How do we celebrate this day?
- Watch English movies
- Play word game like Scrabble, SmartAleck, Grammarfunbia, etc.
- Listen to news on BBC, CNN, FOXTV, VON, Channel, Arise, TVC.
- Do Wordquest
- Organize English Quiz and ask student to name the English-speaking countries
- Organize debate, impromptu speech and award students
- Include this day in your school calendar and no vernacular, Pidgin English or any other languages should be spoken on this day. Fine offenders or violators by asking them to pay a fine (the class captain, prefect, year tutor could be in charge of this and decide what to do with this money afterwards).
- Organize an essay writing competition and award, student(s) with the best written essay(s). You could have first prize, second prize, and third prize.
- Appoint English Ambassador or Master English, Miss English, (or whatever name you choose to call them). These people should be proficient English speakers and those toping the grade in English Language/ English Studies.
- Get your students to research fun facts about English and present them to the class.
- Start a vocabulary book of useful words
- Write a novel, playlet or memoir.
- Send SMS, WhatsApp chat in correct English and with the right spellings (not in abbreviated form).
- Do more inquiry about English Language culture, etymology of words, vocabulary. Curiosity doesn’t really kill the call. The cat actually killed Curiosity!
- Speak right, pronounce correctly. In fact, be conscious of your pronunciation.
- Learn new words, write them in your vocabulary book, look up the meaning of these new words in your dictionary and try to use them to construct sentences.
- Be a custodian of the English Language. Correct any incorrect English (spoken or written) and encourage others (students, teachers, prefects) to do the same.
- Visit home of the native English people, the United Kingdom, Ireland, stay with families, learn the English culture, visit some historical places, take pictures, selfies and have fun.
- Parents could take their children for shopping, buy them novels, English books and give them a treat to celebrate this day.
Why the theme on “Multilingualism” and Using Technology?
The theme for this year’s World English Language Day, “Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: challenges and opportunities” is well – crafted, apt and timely.
Since the world is a global village, it is sine qua non that we understand the complex diversities of our world. The internet and social media give us the limitless access to connect to many people called, ”Netzines”. Your online friend might come from China, Trinidad & Tobago, Sierra Leone or Kenya. How do you flow with this person if you don’t have a lingua franca or common language? One Important feature of culture is “language”. That is why the English Language is the tool of commerce, trade and cultural identity. It is the number one official language of the UN.
As I write this piece, the number of people who are literate in English is also a concern. That is why the UN is promoting the mass literacy programme.
Technology is another important point in this year’s theme. We cannot overemphasize the importance of technology for classroom instruction and to prepare our learners for the world of work- in fact for the challenges of this digital age. Computer literacy is now becoming an “Old School”. We learnt than over twenty years ago, before the millennium bug. Now, the world is talking about AI (Artificial Intelligence).
As a teacher, how competent are you with the use of technology? Are you familiar with Google Education? There are also a lot of things for teachers and educator to do with Microsoft. Are you familiar with these tools?
Very soon the old method of writing lesson notes (on notebooks) will soon be phased out. Very soon, you will soon be going to the classroom with your notepad, I-pad, tablet or your smartphones (i-phone) installed with all kinds of educational apps to make learning more interactive and fun-loving. How prepared are you for this imminent challenge?
In a very short time, the white-board (using marker or chalkboard) would soon be phased out too. Some schools are procuring the multi-media projector to teach their pupils. This is because some diagram, pictorial charts and classroom instructions are better communicated using these instructional materials.
According to Karsh (1995),” The classroom teacher will never be replaced by programme of self-instruction. Rather, he will be freed to guide learning of his students in ways that only a human being can. In using computer for instruction, the teachers’ role is hypothesized as changed basically from that of informer to learning facilitator. His duty of delivering lectures changes to that of guide and problem solver.”
The term “Multilingualism” is defined as the ability of societies, Institutions, groups and individuals to engage on a regular basis with more than one language in their day-to-day lives.”
As we ruminate on the theme of the World English Day today, the question is are you multilingual is your teaching approach?
These days, English Language teachers have opportunity to do online teaching and get paid in foreign currency. Do you have all it takes to teach online student and make extra-income apart from your salary? While some teachers are complaining of poor salary, others are taking advantage of online teaching and raking money. During the lockdown, many teachers who took advantage of online teaching make a lot of money, while those who aren’t aware of this couldn’t survive during this period. It’s a challenge for us as teachers. You need to embrace the challenge of technology and maximize the opportunity for your advantages.
Lastly, let’s be custodians of the English Language. I wish you a Happy English day!
Olugbenga Adebiyi John is an English Language trainer, teacher-trainer, educational consultant, learning game developer, author, writer, blogger, journalists and entrepreneur. He has authored some books in English Language and taught in both secondary schools in Lagos because starting his company, Gemsland Nigeria Ltd, which has four auspices-Gemsland Learning &Development Centre, Gemsland Study Abroad& Tour, Mobile Teachers Network & School Connect Magazine. He lives in Lagos.
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