
KRISHNAGIRI: The walls of a small, once-unused classroom of a government school in D Kothanur now stand adorned in vibrant yellow and green. Origami skills have found its spot wherever possible; a white guitar, books and board games remain meticulously arranged in the cupboards; all without jeopardising the chairs set in line to accommodate visitors. Adding to one’s curiosity are the students showing up with puppets in their hands, well set to make new memories at their very own language forum.
The English Language Forum at D Kothanur Government High School in Krishnagiri, the handiwork of English teacher S Roopa Sree, offers a beloved space exclusively dedicated to boost the language skills of students. Established in November 2024, it offers a safe learning space through various activities such as sentence-making, word families, word ladders, word games, crosswords, puppet shows, among others.
A 41-year-old Roopa Sree, who has been teaching at the D Kothanur High School since 2022, came up with this initiative after the district administration suggested teachers to figure out and implement measures to aid slow learners. However, in lieu of setting up a space only for slow learners, Roopa Sree decided to develop a language forum that could be beneficial for all students.
“I found it odd to create a space just for one category of students. Hence, I developed this forum with the support of two class 8 students — P Jai Shree and M Lakshmi. It took us over a month-and-a-half to set up the forum with decorations and colourful interiors,” says Roopa Sree, who spent approximately `2 lakh from her personal savings for the facility, which was inaugurated by Chief Education Officer A Muniraj on Children’s Day, last year.
Around 45 slow learners of the D Kothanur Government High School, which has a strength of 253 students including 150 studying in class 6-8, make use of the forum after their lunch from 1 pm to 1:30 pm. Apart from them, several other students also utilise the facility, and over 15 of them have shown significant improvement in their language skills.
Initially, Roopa Sree, a resident of Kelamangalam, had planned to build the forum two years ago but personal issues delayed the project until last year. Now, students eagerly await their turn to enter the facility, often finishing their assignments and classworks quickly to do so. The forum is open during school hours, allowing even class 9 and 10 students to access storybooks from the library and read during their free time. A small room featuring masks and toys for puppet shows adds to the curiosity of the young minds as well.
For P Jai Shree, who played a significant role in assisting her teacher in setting up the forum, the whole process has been a humbling experience. “While developing the forum, we got to learn several new words. Apart from our syllabus, we have started reading new books from the library, and newspapers. Our parents too supported us,” she said.
Though it may sound easy, the entire process of setting up the forum required perseverance. Roopa Sree had researched numerous videos and study materials before jumping into action. The aim was to build a facility similar to those in private schools, thereby making students eager to enter and learn without boredom, and ultimately help them develop a fondness for English language.
In addition to being a dedicated space for polishing children’s language skills, Roopa Sree’s brainchild also offers students opportunities to exhibit their performing skills. For instance, a group of students, including Jai Shree, Lakshmi and Y Mohammad Fairoz, had recently staged a puppet show at the forum. After practising for weeks, they performed for their peers, with Roopa Sree correcting their mistakes and appreciating their efforts.
“The puppet show helps students overcome their stage fear, and by watching the show, others will also come forward to exhibit their talents. At present, the shows are based on textbook exercises, but soon the students will start creating plays from short stories by popular writers,” noted Roopa Sree, who stands by her students as their guiding force.
The forum, which makes our school stand apart from other schools in the Thalli block, is a major strength of our institution, opined N Munireddy, school headmaster.
(Edited by Arya AJ)