Language, Cognition, and Teaching

Abstract

The present thesis investigates the relationship between language, cognition, and teaching in the context of learning English as a second language (ESL) in a multilingual setup like India. The study was conducted among the 9th-grade students in Kerala, India, mainly due to their age and development. Using a mixed-method approach, 89 students across two schools (semi-urban and semi-rural) were asked to fill out the structured questionnaire, which assessed their reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, grammar knowledge, and self-reported challenges in a Likert scale format. The data analysis revealed the challenges in remembering grammar rules, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension of fast-spoken English, where memory played an important role. Also, socio-cultural-economic and environmental factors all play an essential role in overall proficiency. This and previous studies advocated for a change from the traditional teaching practices, making the classrooms more interactive and moving from a teacher-centered to a student-centric pedagogical approach. CLT and memory-enhancing activities can be employed in the classrooms. Additionally, the study stresses the impact of environmental factors, which is shown in the data where the semiurban school outperforms its corresponding semi-rural space. This research contributes to the ongoing discussion and studies on ESL learning, especially in a multilingual setup like India. The study can provide recommendations to researchers, educators, and policymakers to improve the efficiency of English language teaching and learning in India.