Tamil Language teachers use innovative methods such as storytelling with props to stir pupils’ interest in the language.

Thanks to the enthusiastic support received from schools and Tamil organisations for its 2006 activities, the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee (TLLPC) will launch another series of innovative programmes to promote the use of Spoken Tamil among students from pre-school to junior college level.

Last year’s programmes—which included drama and scriptwriting workshops, deejaying stints at radio station Oli 96.8FM, a language and cultural camp and a seminar for pre-school teachers—reached out to 460 students and 100 teachers from 78 schools and 20 organisations.

TLLPC hopes to provide creative opportunities that encourage young learners to use the Tamil language in different contexts.

At the press conference in February to announce the latest activities, Mr S Iswaran, TLLPC chairman and Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry, said that the committee hopes that by providing a diverse range of creative opportunities for the young to use the language in different contexts, it will help them to develop a natural instinct to use Tamil regularly. “To achieve this, we will be working with various Tamil community organisations and tapping on new technology such as podcasts on the TLLPC website, which parents can download and discuss with their children at home,” he added.

Among the new activities planned are the setting up of more Tamil Reading Clubs in schools, expansion of drama programmes for primary pupils, oratorical workshops for secondary students, overseas study trips to India, training for pre-school Tamil Language teachers and a Spoken Tamil forum for parents.

(Click to read more) :: Exciting Activities to Promote the Tamil Language 1) Pre-school Education • Training for Pre-School Tamil Language (TL) teachers; • Publish Big Books produced by Pre-School TL teachers; • Drama Workshop for Pre-School TL teachers; • Publish articles on Early Childhood in Tamil Murasu (monthly); • Produce ‘Parents As First Teachers’ booklet, which will be circulated to all Pre-Schools with TL. 2) Promotion of Spoken Tamil • Expansion of Drama programme for primary students; • Art of Speech programme for secondary students to promote oratorical skills; • Compilation of Resource Persons (comprising professionals from various walks of life) to promote Spoken Tamil in schools; • Forum for parents on Spoken Tamil. 3) Reading Programmes and Resources • Tamil Reading Centre Parenting Seminar; • Setting up of Tamil Reading Clubs in schools; • Expansion of Tamil Reading Centres; • Video Casting and Pod Casting via TLLPC website. 4) Promotion of Literary and Cultural Activities • Tamil Language Festival (Mar 31 – Apr 15) in collaboration with TLC. 5) Overseas Study Trips and Immersion Programmes • Overseas Study Trip to India for students; • Local Immersion Programme at Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre (UPTLC); • Students’ Festival/Language and Cultural Immersion Camp; • Students’ work attachment programme with Oli FM 96.8. Parents Play a Part Dr Chitra Sankaran, co-ordinator of TLLPC’s Spoken Tamil Working Group, emphasised the importance of parents encouraging their children to learn and speak Tamil. “Parents need to understand that effective bilingualism is important in a globalised world and is a vital skill to acquire in order to do well in society. They can do their part by encouraging their child to start using Tamil from a young age,” she said. Tamil Language learners can look forward to exciting activities like overseas study trips and cultural camps. Kicking off the 2007 programmes is a Tamil Language Festival to be held from 31 March to 15 April. Co-organised with the Tamil Language Council (TLC), it will feature a host of activities including a drama competition, a debate series, workshops by community leaders and a Family Day. The festival’s main focus is to promote the use of spoken Tamil, said TLC chairman Mr VP Jothinathan. “The TLC and TLLPC worked closely with 12 organisations to bring about a host of Tamil-related activities that we hope students, parents and teachers will be actively involved in. The festival will end with a Family Day at Downtown East at which we expect a crowd of about 3,000 to 4,000.” Mr Iswaran summed up, “Through these programmes, we hope to promote Tamil as a living and vibrant language among the younger generation. Basically it’s a case of ‘If you don’t speak it, you’ll lose it.’”