GIJ takes steps to improve English language use

Accra, 24 Jan. GNA - The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) has increased the teaching hours of English language from two to four hours a week in order to help the students to develop the interest in improving their language pedestal.

Ms Regina Adadevor, Head of the English Department, told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday that the move was initiated in recognition of the fact that there was a high incidence of reports about bad usage of the English language in both the print and electronic media.

She said while the other courses maintained two hours a week, hours for teaching the English language had been increased to four hours adding, "now emphasis would be placed on the teaching of grammar because the bad use of the English language has more to do with grammar".

Ms Adadevor deplored the rampant wrong usage of the English language in the media, saying that it needed to be addressed by all institutions from the basic to the tertiary levels of education. "The problem of the English language has to do more with the grammar aspect. I think most of the bad English in the media has to do with grammar, people just don't have knowledge on the usage of words and in their right context.

"The problem needs to be addressed from the primary schools through to the tertiary institution and this can be done only when there is a change in the curricula to intensify the teaching of grammar in the English language," she said.

She said the Institute would do its best to help to solve the problem not because it was an institute for training journalists but because it had recognised its effect on the public.

Ms Adadevor said aside the Institution's effort to help to solve the problem; people should also make it an aim to learn the language, adding, "at least learn a word from the dictionary a day and do a lot of reading. This way we can all be involved in tackling the problem".