English is one of the most important Global language.

Most of the international

transactions of recent times were concluded in English. The language has
contributed significantly in narrowing the gap between the geographical
boundaries.

The benefits of learning English can be seen in the economic, social and political
life of the people of the country.

According to the most recent statistics, English is the mother tongue of more than
375 million people. English is the official language in 54 countries that cover
Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia, and which include countries
as diverse as New Zealand, South Africa, Belize, India, Malta, and Singapore. This
means that English is a truly universal language that makes communication across
the globe easy and convenient. It is all due to English. English is an international
language .English is the language of the Constitution, the Supreme Court, the High
Courts and official departments .English is now firmly rooted in the soil of India. It
has become a part of Indian life. Thus English has great importance for the
integrity of India. It has to be second language in our country for the better
development of the country.

Over the years English inarguably has reached a status of a global language and
commonly is characterized as a lingua franca. It has become the language that is
spoken by millions of people all over the world; as the mother tongue, as the
language used for international communication and as the language learned in the
millions of schools.

Today, the role of English as a foreign language (henceforth EFL) in the world is
influenced by many factors such as business, cultural, political and educational
factors.
In present world, English is not just a language rather it acts as indispensable
resource for the countries. Because First, English as a international language is
essential and common language in international communication. It provides a
common means of expressing views and voices of the people all over the world.
Thus, it is more essential for the people of a country like India.

Second, Unemployment is one of the greatest problems of our country. A large

number of our educated youths are unemployed. However, it is not that they are
not fit for competing in international job market. One of their incompetence in this
regard is lack of proficiency in English, although it is at a growing rate.

Third, the modern age is the age of science and technology. Almost all the
technological and scientific terms and versions are in English. Hence, those have
no proper knowledge of English language, we cannot acquire the knowledge of
science and technology. So, for a country like ours, where the level of scientific
and technological development is at an excessive rate.

Fourth, against the down fall of our garments sector, the most foreign exchange
earner, government should look for other options. In this regard remittance is the
second largest sector earning foreign exchanges. Thus government should
undertake effective programs to increase the export manpower all over the world
and seek for new markets. In this regards, priority programs is a must to make our
youths proficient in English and make them able to take raining in the technical
fields and communicate with the people of different languages.

The teaching of English in India has always been difficult circumstances. This is so
because of the large population of the country, bleak economic conditions, the
cultural and social diversities, insufficient men and material etc. One of the main
reasons for the poor standard of English is the lack of a clear-cut policy. There
have been frequent changes in the policy of the government towards the teaching
and learning of English. Though English is taught as a compulsory subject, only
the pass mark is taken into consideration. As the percentage of low achievers has
been ever increasing, the Government has decided not to consider marks in English
as essential for admission into a university course. The educationalists and
politicians differ on the role and status of English in India. If we are to aim at good
standards in English, it is high time that the Government takes a strong decision to
formulate and implement appropriate policies that promote students’ learning of
English.

Bilingual Education is an enriched model of education where two languages and

two cultures meet to create a unique quality school experience. Children who have
been educated through such a model will be able to function in two languages and
in two or more cultures, and will be better prepared to face up to the demands, the
new millennium places upon us. Bilingual Education strives not only for bilingual
proficiency, but also for high academic achievement and cross-cultural awareness.
For every child of pre-school age and up, regardless of his/her nationality,
linguistic or cultural background. It is a model of education where, every child,
growing in the ever-changing world with no frontiers, should have the right to
attend.

Being able to fluently speak two languages is a very demanding and competitive
skill. The capability to articulate thoughts to people who may not speak the same
primary language as us is very profitable not only in the work force, but also in
everyday life. Learning a second language also helps to shorten cultural gaps
between different countries. With the seemingly increased importance in learning a
second language, schools nationwide have implemented learning a foreign
language as a requirement, for graduation in High School. However, starting to
learn a second language in kindergarten is the most effective and beneficial
practice in leading a child on the path to fluently speaking another language. This
practice is more effective and beneficial on the grounds that children learn faster
and more easily during their first years of life, it produces a higher quality of
creative thinking and also cognitive development.
Four language skills contribute to proficiency as follows:-

1. Reading:

-the ability to comprehend and interpret text

2. Listening:

-the ability to understand the language of the teacher and instruction, comprehend
and extract information

Specifications under listening:

Distinguish the characteristics of English sounds

Understand the tone of the speaker who may express feelings of politeness,
fear, anger etc.

3. Writing:

-the ability to produce written text with content and format fulfilling classroom
assignments at the age and grade-appropriate level.

Specifications under writing:

Write grammatically correct sentences

Use appropriate words, phrases and sentence patterns

Organized writing

4. Speaking:

-the ability to use oral language appropriately and effectively in learning activities
within the classroom and in social interactions within the school.
Socio-cultural factors have an important effect on second language learning. In
particular, cultural exposure plays a significant role in the language learning
process. Cultural ignorance and prejudice may cause difficulties for language
learners and the degree of exposure also determines how fast a second language
learner can acquire a new language.