The School of Laguanges

INTRODUCTION
Since language is a barrier to understanding others, the Institute regards the teaching of languages as an integral part of its work in the field of intercultural exchange.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Institute is rooted in the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna which, among other things, stress the unity of mankind and the equal validity of all religions and cultures. The study of culture as the common heritage of all mankind is the specific field of this Institute and by teaching languages the school makes intercultural exchanges easier
Moreover, with the rapid development of communication, growth of international trade and commerce, widening scope of specialised studies and job opportunities in the developed and developing countries, more Indians are now travelling abroad and for them knowledge of foreign languages is becoming an essential requirement. This social need is reflected in the growing number of students seeking admission to various language courses of the School of Languages of the Institute
Moreover, with the rapid development of communication, growth of international trade and commerce, widening scope of specialised studies and job opportunities in the developed and developing countries, more Indians are now travelling abroad and for them knowledge of foreign languages is becoming an essential requirement. This social need is reflected in the growing number of students seeking admission to various language courses of the School of Languages of the Institute.
LANGUAGES TAUGHT
The following 17 languages are taught at the School of Languages.
Foreign Languages : Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Persian, Russian and Spanish.
Indian Languages : Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Urdu.
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE
The English Language course is of 20 months' duration comprising 5 levels divided into semesters - Pre-Beginners', Beginners', Intermediate, Senior and Advanced. Each semester is of 4 months' duration-January-April, May-August, September-December. Classes are held thrice a week -Monday, Wednesday, Friday/Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Each class is of 2 hours. Classes are held between 10.10 a.m. and 8.10 p.m. on all days except Sundays and special holidays. Freshers are admitted to the Pre-Beginners' Course before each new semester that starts in January, May and September. At the end of each session the student will sit for a written and an oral examination. One is promoted to the next session when one passes these examinations. A certificate is given to a student who has passed the English Senior course and another certificate is given to him/her after passing the Advanced Course.
LANGUAGE COURSES OTHER THAN ENGLISH
Junior Courses
Indian :
Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit,Tamil,Urdu.
Foreign:
Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish Junior courses are divided into two semesters each of six months' duration.
Senior Certificate Course
A Senior Certificate Course of one year's duration is provided in the following languages:
Indian :
Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit,Tamil,Urdu.
Foreign:
Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Advanced Certificate/Diploma Course
An Advanced Certificate/Diploma Course of one year's duration is provided in the following languages : Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Sanskrit and Spanish.
Communicative Courses
A Communicative Course of six months' duration is provided in French and Spanish Languages commencing in January and July.
SCOPE OF THE COURSES
The one-year Junior courses of all languages except English are designed to give the students a good grounding in the elements of the language. The emphasis at this stage is on grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, and phraseology to enable the students to understand simple texts.The Senior Certificate courses are a follow-up of the Junior courses and only those who have passed the Junior course examinations at the end of the first year are admitted to them. These courses are designed to help the students acquire a working knowledge of the language. The students' knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation is further improved and they are helped in developing the speech habit at this stage.
In the Advanced Certificate Course, the functional aspect of the language is given prominence. Translation of specialised texts and interpretation are particularly emphasized. It develops the skill of students to consult the source material in their respective fields of study. The main purpose of the Advanced course is to provide a sound base of the language with practical orientation so that the students can gainfully utilize the knowledge of the language in life. Regular audio and video classes supplement classroom teaching.