In a significant move towards enhancing students’ English language proficiency among students, the Department of School Education in Andhra Pradesh has introduced the ‘Mentor a Student’ initiative. The programme aims to empower students and boost their performance in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination.
According to the report, Principal Secretary of School Education Praveen Prakash has urged teachers, parents, and department officials to participate in this state-level initiative. The unique approach involves teachers as mentors for students in Classes VI to IX, focusing mainly on refining their listening and speaking skills in English. The initiative aims to build students’ confidence in using the language effectively.
Setting a commendable example, Praveen Prakash personally mentored a Class VI student named Santosh. This move serves as a call to action for others to follow suit and actively contribute to the success of the ‘Mentor a Student’ initiative.
The department has been instructed to incorporate a separate period for the TOEFL within the daily schedule. Similarly, a different exam (English Paper-II) will be conducted in the formative and summative tests. Still, the classes will be confined to listening and speaking skills as the components of vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension are already part of the regular English course, the report added.
The ‘Mentor a Student’ initiative is part of a five-year partnership with the US-based Educational Testing Service (ETS). This collaboration aims to provide comprehensive training in English-speaking skills to students in state-run schools. ETS will be crucial in evaluating and certifying students’ English language proficiency through its TOEFL Young Students Series assessments.
This creative project promotes a cooperative and encouraging learning atmosphere in addition to meeting the requirement for better language proficiency. The Department of School Education in Andhra Pradesh is implementing proactive measures to empower students and prepare them for success in English language proficiency examinations by actively involving teachers, parents, and officials.
