3.Report of meeting : 13 June 2009

[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]

Venue: Govt. College of Teacher Education, Trivandrum .

As per the intimation letter dated 4.6.09 mailed to over 40 members and reminders by telephone, from Ms. Anila Chacko, the Treasurer, KUETEF, sixteen members assembled in the Seminar Hall of GCTE, Trivandrum on 13th June 2009 at 10.30 AM


The President of KUETEF, Dr. M.S.Geetha, welcomed the members present. She also expressed her concern at the poor turn out of the members for an important meeting which intends to discuss transactional strategies for the newly introduced Standard 8 Course Book.

Dr. M.S.Geetha also informed that there is an urgent need to nominate / elect a new Secretary for KUETEF as the person who was serving as Secretary Ms. Bindhu.T.S, has taken up appointment in a school in the Gulf. This was treated as the first agenda of the meeting and the discussions based on the new Course Book and Practicum, the second agenda.

Ms. Anila Chacko , proposed the name of Mr. C.Praveen, Lecturer in English of Government College of Teacher Education, Trivandrum as the new Secretary. But when Mr. C.Praveen expressed his apprehension of his lack of familiarity with the Kerala University syllabus as he was recently transferred from a Govt. CTE, affiliated to Calicut University some members considered it too insignificant and insisted that Mr. C. Praveen be appointed as the Secretary. As none of the members present expressed a different opinion, Mr. C.Praveen was declared elected as the new Secretary.

At this juncture, Ms Anila Chacko , the Treasurer proposed that the accounts of KUETEF be audited. Accordingly Mr. Prashanth. of Fathima Memorial College, Umayanalloor, Kollam was nominated as Auditor of the accounts of KUETEF through common consent of the members present.

Next, Dr. M.S. Geetha congratulated the newly appointed Secretary and Auditor, and expressed her hope that both of them would help in the smooth functioning of KUETEF. Then she introduced Mr. C.Praveen to the members. She spoke at length about the professional background of Mr. C. Praveen- his experience as a former faculty of the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore, and participation in curriculum related work in the SCERT which could be well utilized by the members. Then Mr. C.Praveen was asked to take over the proceedings of the day.


Mr. C.Praveen, began by thanking the members for electing him as the Secretary, despite his reputation as a critic of the New Curriculum. He also expressed his desire to perform his duties as Secretary of KUETEF to the satisfaction of the members albeit, his recent appointment as Professor on deputation in the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore.


Next, the newly elected Secretary, C.Praveen objectively reviewed the current ELT curriculum being implemented at the Secondary level in Kerala. References were made to Critical Pedagogy, Issue-based curriculum and the pattern for Lesson Plan writing suggested during Cluster Meetings. He also made references to the clash in views regarding class room strategies with regard to the teaching of English experienced by the teacher educators and trainees during Practice Teaching.

Next, the Secretary distributed Xerox copies of the first unit of the newly introduced Course Book for the members who had not yet seen the new Course Book. After the members present had a look at the new Course Book, Mr. C. Praveen, based on his discussion with the faculty of SCERT, explained the proposed transactional strategy. Next, Xerox copies of relevant pages from the Source Book suggesting steps for transaction for Standard 8 were distributed.


The members did express their anxiety with regard to the kind of problems the trainees are likely to face when they go for the second spell of the Practice Teaching. Ms Meenakshi, a member present, clarified doubts raised by the members with regard to the Practicum on ‘Module Writing’ and ‘Film Review’.

Though a formal workshop was proposed earlier for writing a Lesson Plan, paucity of time forced the participants to identify the stages to be reflected in a Lesson Plan that intends to transact the prescribed unit in 30 periods. Discussions were also held regarding the ways of incorporating issues and Critical Pedagogy during class room transaction.

By 1.15 PM, the members decided to call it a day. Ms. Anila Chacko, thanked the members present for their active participation in the discussions. She also specially thanked Mr. C.Praveen and Ms. Meenakshi for briefing the participants on Curriculum transaction. Before adjourning, the members expressed the desire to keep in touch for clarification regarding teaching of the new Course Book and so it was decided to launch a web site for KUETEF in the immediate future. And as a preliminary step the Secretary proposed the launching of a blog for the benefit of the members. The meeting adjourned at 1.30.PM. -C.Praveen