Everyday English made easy

KOCHI: Do you know what the art of pouring tea into one cup from another from a height is called? “Pulling the tea,” answers Kavitha Niroop, a Thiruvananthapuram-based language trainer. Through a series titled Talk-Ease, Kavitha elaborates everyday conversational English phrases in simple Malayalam. 

“Though Malayalis are well versed in English, many run out of words in particular instances. Many are not confident to converse in the language. The lockdown period gave me time to release videos on conversational structures that may not be available in grammar textbooks or spoken English classes,” says Kavitha, who runs the Pragathi skill hub in Vellayambalam. 

She says the only way to develop proficiency in speaking is to do it over and over. “Many speak in passive vocabulary gained from dictionaries or reading a book. But the beauty of speaking lies in active vocabulary. For example, instead of ‘it’s very cold’, we can say ‘it’s freezing’. My short videos have explanations in Malayalam, as the mother tongue plays a huge role in helping someone learn a new language,” she adds.

According to her, to make kids comfortable with English, they can be exposed to cartoons and kid’s shows on OTT platforms. “But parents have to make sure content is age-appropriate,” she concludes.