Reaching the World through English language

It was six men of Indostán, to learning much inclined,

who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),

that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,

against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:

"God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!"

The second feeling of the tusk, cried: "Ho! what have we here,

so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,

this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!"

The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,

the squirming trunk within his hands,

"I see," quoth he,the elephant is very like a snake!"

The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:

"What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain," quoth he;

"Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree."

The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; "E'en the blindest man

can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!"

The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,

than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,

"I see," quothe he, "the elephant is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostán, disputed loud and long,

each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,

tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,

and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!

“Too many students are like blind men in the fable, each one having a limited and truncated experience of the language elephant.” Andrews (1995)

Language Exploration and Awareness

This is a different approach that Andrews show us, with a view of the study of English Language from a broader perspective. For this reason, Andrews (1995) says, “Students are taught only about parts of language. They need instead awareness of the whole elephant.” This is a view which helps learners to experience more of the language elephant, and it helps the students to be aware of the wholeness of language, with a social and communicative purpose and not as many teachers do when they apply the traditional approach and just teach: grammar drills, the usage of worksheets and so forth.

Andrews tells us some exercises or explorations (as he uses to call them) to do in order to practice and recognise of where the words come from, in special the words that we use everyday. Here one of those exercises or explorations:

Exploration: Selective

Direction: Make a list of your most frequently used slang expressions.

1. Who else used these expressions? Be specific by listing (a) the names of other people who used them, and (b) their relationship to you (best friend, cousin, neighbor).

2. Are there similar expressions you hear everyday but would you never use? Why? Who use them?

3. How do you determine when, where and with whom certain expressions can or not be used?

By: Deisy Ramírez & Tiffany Rangel (2010)