2.2. The Language Question: Anglo-Indian and non Anglo-
Indian responses
The question asked of all the adult respondents in the
field study was:
What Is your perspective o£ the Anglo-Indian
Community's need with regard to Language and
Education?
Respondents' reactions could be placed into two categories.
The first category was a brief response made to the
question; the second was a more detailed discussion about
what Anglo-Indians needed in their classrooms and why they
needed to learn English and an Indian language in India
today.
There were three types of responses to this question. The
first centred on the inadequate time spent on learning an
Indian language in an Anglo-Indian school.
Language education, that is, not only English
but learning an Indian language should take up
a substantial part of the Tknglo-Indian
student's time. (13)
The second response centred on the frustration felt by
Anglo-Indian teachers who were monolingual, and the
inadequate In-Service Training (INSET) offered to them to
learn an Indian language. Anglo-Indian teachers were
frustrated with language policies in their schools.
Language education in Anglo-Indian schools
encouraged the Indians and not the Anglo-
Indians to learn English and an Indian
language. When we were students, the Indians
were winning prizes in English and Indian
languages. (14)
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