A letter to the teachers of English: 36Understanding and memorization [Archives:2003/696/Education]

Dr..M.N.K.Bose ([email protected])
Associate Professor of English,
Faculty of Arts, Ibb.

Dear Fellow teachers,
Writing in the Culture section, Mr Rayan Mohammed (Yemen Times, 25 August 2003), has convincingly argued that memorization is overtaking understanding these days in the classrooms, mainly because there is a lot of memorizing in the learning culture of Islam such as memorizing the verses of the Holy Qura”an and the sayings of Prophet Mohammed(PBUH). He has, rightly I suppose, pleaded for changing the classroom teaching and testing methodologies in order to develop understanding of the learners. I would like to thank him for his thoughtful suggestion, for such suggestions coming from the public would definitely make our classroom teaching easier.
One of the reasons why most of the teachers load the students with materials for memorizing is to satisfy the parents, especially in the private schools. I still remember my teacher friends who were severely blamed by the parents for not giving a lot of homework to their children specially for memorizing. Some of our elders equate memorization with learning, wrongly I think, for that has been the learning tradition in many cultures. In India, for example, in the past, learning was nothing but memorizing what the “gurus” recited from the Vedas and Scriptures. Such a tradition has taken strong roots in the educational system and we find it difficult to root it out.
Another reason for memorization to occupy the front stage is that it demands less work from the teachers. On the other hand, making students understand, especially in English classes, is really a difficult task and the teacher has to work hard to achieve it. Most of the teachers take the easy way out: read, translate and ask the students to memorize the answers for the sake of examinations. Most of the time, the exams demand only memorization and very little understanding.
But, as pointed out by Mr. Rayan Mohammed, understanding has clear advantages over memorization. First of all, it has a long-term benefit, helping our students lifelong; secondly, it gives our students a good support in life, because one has to understand things for better living; thirdly, a language is meaningfully learnt only when the learner understands it, not just memorizes something; fourthly, how long can one memorize and how much? It may be possible for someone to memorize answers when he/she is in the preparatory or secondary classes, but it is not going to possible in higher classes, is it?
So, why don”t we teach English in order to develop understanding? How to do it? The use of the mother tongue is helpful in this regard, BUT, as I have already pointed out, using it only when necessary. The use of teaching aids such as drawings on the blackboard, pictures in the book, pictures cut out of magazines, real objects etc. will improve understanding. Using English in situations familiar to the learners is an important technique in the development of understanding. In addition to introducing Fatma”s family (Unit 3 Pupil”s Book 1), make them say something about their own families through questions such as “How many brothers do you have? What is the name of your sister?” In addition to Saleh telling Tim where he can buy orange juice (Unit 7 PB1), let Wafa(in your class) tell Fatma (in your class) where she can buy a good dictionary. Activities of this kind will ensure and enhance the learners” understanding in the English classes. After all, the main objective of teaching English is to make our learners understand, isn”t it? Try your best. Good luck.

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