How to teach English to Elders?

You really need to contact some NGO involved with adult education in your area (Indore)... and see how they go about, if you're seriously interested in teaching. Be a part of their set-up and study the methodologies they adopt and your learning will be far more relevant than asking bloggers for random perceptions.

Thanks for the advice. I will get in touch with the centers who speciallize in training English to Individuals of higher age. 

Shubham, you can try transliteration. Like you've already said, writing English words in Hindi, or other native language. This can easily help those who know atleast the script of a native language, if you can transliterate the English word/text in that language. Other than that, Dictionaries to help a lot, beyond meanings, one can get the pronounciation as well.

And while transliterating, you need to be pretty sure as to what exactly the word is pronounced as, like here, you've put up - Get is गेट  while Gate is pronounced as गेट.

Thanks for the reply. I will try to be more clear with the way they pronounce homosonic words and does not mess it up. 

I remember asking my parents the same question and they used to tell me "English is a broken language." So I don't think there is a set rule to read English. But listening to English can be a great help. The more we listen, the more we get used to the words. You can start by speaking yourself, or you can use BBC plays as reference. (I mention them specifically because they are spoken in slow speed for intermediate/beginner English people, and they are interesting as well.)Some of them are available here: http://www.fluentu.com/english/blog/esl-english-podcasts/. There are other chapters available as well, but I haven't *taught* anyone that old and I'm not sure what will be the best way to do so. I do know my aunt used "Rapidex" to learn English.

Language cannot be explained-- be it Hindi or English. Don't fall into the reasons for why this and why that with English. You might have to say that "English is a stupid language. That's why" or something of sort.

Thanks for the suggestion and the link. 

Yeah, English is indeed stupid. 

So I guess it finally boils down to the fact that a person has to by heart the the pronunciation of a lot of words like Could, Should, Sure, Vision etcetera. 

I am stressing on the fact of reading because then they would be able to use Internet, Smartphones, visit any place without fear English Sign boards. 

Try to arrange the class (around 10 elder students) for Teaching English pronounce and reading etc. for the elders, but the class must be co-education or else it won't work out for elders or they won't learn correct English from class .

Shubham, these plays come with transcript. I gave the special reference to the play because otherwise it's difficult to capture interest of people but six-seven minutes of reading along with the transcript can make a difference, or so I feel. I remember hearing Christmas Carol on the play and it was awesome to hear it being read.

Or you can make poems like "C-A-T" Cat, cat maane billi."R-A-T"  Rat, rat maane chooha.  :P

Okay jokes apart, but I don't think things like you mentioned above needs proper pronounciation. FB, set top box etc etc doesn't need speaking at all. On the other note, I know my friend learned English quite late by speaking only in English at home. You can try that. Use simpler words like come here, do this, look here kind... small things make big difference.  

@ Hafeezur @ Parichita 

Thanks for the suggestions. I would try to encourage them to use more English words or sentences. @Parichita

As you said FB and set top box does not need speaking knowledge of English at all. I just want to know if you know of any interesting ways to help them with the reading. Play with transcripts is a fine way. 

Thanks once again

Why not try doing the way we teach children? You can look for videos on youtube to actually help them learn. There are number of lessons commercially available as well, if you are willing to pay for it.

Really disappointing, Cyber - is this all you had to say?

Yes TF, I guess that helps, so there's no need to say more. 

@CK

I have referred to a couple of videos in the past. But they were only a little help. 

I was looking forward to some practical daily life ways that a person can implement to teach his/her relatives or parents or any other individual of great age because many a times these individuals are the ones who don't have time for class and tution. And I have started this thread to teach english to my aunt(s).They don't want to be blog writers or something, they just want to be able to use their simple bar phone, operate their airtel set top box, use Facebook. These are the pretty basic uses of English for them.  

Thanks for the reply.

Indiblogger.in question is still not the right category. I have changed it to content and inspiration. Actually could not slot this query anywhere - guess content and inspiration is best given one can write on this topic. (Actually General and Off topic would have been more accurate given this question is not directly related to blogging.) But as Ranjith said - no one reads topics there.

Thanks for helping me out with the thread and changing the category. 

If you are trying to teach English Vocal by writing in Hindi, it will make things complicated. Go through with a way how we are taught in our pre-schools, and stuff. Starting with Alphabets, Nouns, Verbs, Adverbs etc. You can try getting course book from the 1st Standard onwards. It will be difficult if you are trying to directly convert the English words to Hindi, because they are never meant to. 'My' directly translates to "मेरा" instead of writing something which would sound "My" in Hindi. So perhaps, you can try teaching them english as a whole new block or concept instead of this translation. The most you can explain them certain words in Hindi.

Thanks for the reply. 

The main problem that I am facing is teaching them to read. Tha anamoly in the pronunciation is making it real difficult. That is the main reason I have given those examples of Gesture and Get. Could, Should, Would are quite basic and common words but an individual who is not famaliar with the world would always read it incorrectly. 

Is getting a primary level story book a good choice to make them famaliar with the language? 

Yes, more than reading if you talk to them in english in every small thing, show them people speaking english, english videos, movies, speeches etc. What matters most is that the more they hear english, the more they understand to speak certain words, phrases.

Yeah I understand and agree with the fact of making them more famaliar with the language but I also want them to read correctly because then they will be able to read the simple instructions in a smart phone or on computer and use that gadget without any hassle. 

Change the Category to something other than 'General and Off Topic'. G & OT threads are not visible on the main forum because of which you may not receive and responses.

Thanks for the advice.

Can anyone reply to this post please.