About this blog

Hello!

I'm Lavanya, known to EFL U distance-mode MA students as Monitor for the MA Part I course British Literature, and to PGCTE students as Monitor for the Interpretation of Literature course.

I've created this blog as a platform for interaction with me and with other participants in your course - to share information/ insights/ views/ suggestions about the course and the course material, to discuss your queries and to keep you interested and motivated throughout the course.

The purpose of this blog is to add the vital element of communication to distance learning, so do come here frequently to post your queries and comments, to see what others are saying and to share your own views.

I hope that you will find this a useful resource. Happy blogging!

28 comments:

  1. Sir

    I'm working as a tutor in BBA and BCA colleges for comunication skills. I did my MA English in 2006 as an external student at HNGU,Patan, and got only 51% despite my hard work.

    However, with a view to improving my grades (at least securing 55%), I've started my MA English through IGNOU. I really appreciated their study materials as a lot of research work has gone into making of the materials. Nonetheless, I feel very often my interest in studying literature gets marred by some detailed and irrelevant information on the historical/biographical background of the work and the author. Basically I want to study literature in English because certain literary quality of English language and creative use of it interest me and sometimes inspire me to scribble my own thinking in a creative way.
    But the tomes like "Tome Jones" and "Middlemarch" have dampened my spirit and fervent. There are nine novels and nine plays in MEG 3 and MEG 2 repsectively. And I really wonder if it is really possile to go through such mammoth tomes and ruminate on them...!

    Despite doing all these thing what is the appliation of what once studies in MA English in his profession i.e. teaching communication skills in colleges? There seems to be an abyss between what is taught in MA English and what better teaching of English at school and tertiary level demands.

    Again a big disenchantment comes when an English literature enthusiast encounters some doyens of English literature whom proficiency in spoken English eludes forever nothwithstanding the fact that they are PhD guides.

    Could you suggest any course and institution where there is no dichotomy between literature and language and proficiency in language culminates in literature? (I've met many professors who teach MA English course, but they've all disheartened me because they are not proficient in English themselves and they teach even Shakespeare in Gujarati. And thus study of Enlish literature does not result in language enrichment or proficiency.)They say, "We teach literature and not language."

    On the other hand I've also been at Centre for Advanced Study in Education, MSU Baroda in order to do MEd and undertake research in ELT. However, there I foud another problem. Those who hold no formal degree in English and have limited proficiency in English talk about how English "should" be taught....! :(

    Now one option (redeemer) that appears trustworthy to me is MA English on distance mode through EFLU because in their MA there is one paper on "Academic Writing and reading", which prepares students to study and respond to literature in English. Besides, there is a paper on ELT, which makes a student ready for his profession. And there is a paper on linguistic and phonetics, which enables a learner to become aware of scintific study of lanuage.

    I am desperate to know your suggestion.

    Regards.
    Hiren Bhatt

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    Replies
    1. Hiren,
      Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. First off, the author of this blog is female. :)

      I'm curious about how you've landed here. This blog as you can see is meant for our (SDE, EFL U)PGCTE Literature course. Your comment would have been more appropriate here: http://the-literati-eflu.blogspot.in/

      You seem to be enrolled in IGNOU's distance-mode MA programme, so I'd urge you to complete the course there. You are certainly welcome to enroll in our MA programme, if you've abandoned the one at IGNOU, but there is no guarantee that you will find what you're seeking here either!

      As for the rest of your comments, the state of English teaching in India etc., I'd rather not say much on that. But I don't think anyone should enroll for an MA in English Literature expecting to be taught basic communication skills. A study of literature in any language presupposes a command of that language in the first place. Of course your English might improve on exposure to different texts, but one certainly cannot insist that it should. There are plenty of private institutes offering communication skills programmes, and many universities also offer short modules that you can take along with your Master's. I suggest that you look there for your communication skills.

      Since you mentioned an interest in creative, literary use of language I'd recommend a course in Stylistics for you. We offer it as part of our postgraduate diploma in the teaching of English (PGDTE) programme.
      Details here: https://sites.google.com/site/lavanyaslitcourseseflu/courses/stylistics

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  2. Good Evening Madam!
    It's very nice interacting with you and other participants of PGCTE Programme. Thank you very much for opening this blog offering to guide us in the course.
    Regards,
    Hanmanth Rao M.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Hanmanth. The pleasure is entirely mine. I hope to be able to get to know all of you through this blog!

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  3. Mam, Thanks for your personal guidance through this blog. I had received a comment from the evaluator after grading one of my literature papers - "its more of a summary than interpretation". I thought I had done some sort of interpretation. Please let me know what he/she means? and what should a good interpretation of a play, story, novel, or poem should consist of elaborately. I would be very happy if you mention it in some steps or point form. Thanks/Regards, Sunitha.

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    Replies
    1. Sunitha,

      I've responded to your query in a new blog post. Please go to the Home page and read the new post titled "Literature Assignments" And do post any further queries/clarifications as comments.

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    2. Thanks for your response mam. Shall read the material and apply while writing my answers. Thank you very much.

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  4. hi miss lavanya...
    I am Aiswarya Rao (roll number 13227) PGCTE 2013-2014 batch. I feel very happy to be connected with u through such a medium. I amworking as an English teacher in an Indian School in Kuwait. Meanwhile I thought of joining for this course. Now am in India for my vacations. I have just started going through the materials. I hope to be regular and up-to-date in presenting myself for the course. Thank u so much.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Aiswarya, and welcome to the programme. I hope you will find it useful.

      And by the way, it's 'Dr. K. Lavanya', not "Miss Lavanya". I'm a faculty member (Assistant Professor) at the Lit. Dept. of the School of Distance Education, EFL University.

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  5. Dear Mam, Thanks for this blog, i request you to help all the pgcte programmers to help so that they feel comfortable while pursuing this course

    Thota Rajani

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Rajani,

      I will be happy to help anyone who asks for help! You can send me an email, or post a query here and I will be happy to help in any way I can.

      I have already responded to your email.

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  6. gud mrng mam.....
    mam i have missed my two assignment question paper...plz tell me can i get them online?

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    Replies
    1. Please contact the School office: 040-27689431; eflu_sde@rediffmail.com

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  7. Dear Ma'am Lavanya
    Hello.
    I am thinking of pursuing PGCTE from EFLU but I am a bit hesitant about the distance mode. Is there any difference in value between PGCTE( regular mode) nd PGCTE (distance mode)
    Regards.
    Sumana

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  8. Dear Ma'am Lavanya,
    Hello.
    I am thinking of pursuing PGCTE from EFLU but I am a bit apprehensive of the distance mode.
    Is there any difference in recognition between PGCTE pursued in distance mode and PGCTE pursued in regular mode at EFLU?
    Earnestly awaiting your reply
    Regards
    Sumana

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    Replies
    1. Sumana
      There is no PGCTE course offered in the face-to-face mode. What we do have at EFLU is the PGDTE in the face-to-face mode, which is of two semesters duration, with the first semester being the same as the distance-mode PGCTE.
      As regards recognition, our distance mode PGCTE and PGDTE courses are very old and reputed courses, the only ones of the kind in the country! So there is no issue with recognition, rest assured!

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  9. Dear Lavanya ma'am,
    I have enrplled for the PGCTE course 2015-16 batch. I write this post to inquire if I get back corrected copies of my assignments to find out where I have made mistakes.
    Regards,
    SHUBHA ACHARYA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Shubha. Evaluated assignments are sent back to the candidates.

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  10. Dear Lavanya ma'am,
    I have enrplled for the PGCTE course 2015-16 batch. I write this post to inquire if I get back corrected copies of my assignments to find out where I have made mistakes.and guide me for contact programme also
    regards
    inderjeet kaur

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    Replies
    1. Inderjeet
      Evaluated assignments are being mailed back to participants...so you will get them shortly. Assignments that come back late from our external evaluators will be given to you during the contact programme.
      You will also be receiving a letter from the School regarding the contact programme...if you have submitted all assignments within the due date. The dates for the contact programme are 21 June 2016 to 19 July 2016.

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  11. Dear Mam,

    I wish to apply for MA Linguistics through distance mode and have a few questions/doubts regarding the procedure. I would be very grateful for your guidance.
    1. Do we have an entrance exam? I could only find the duration within which applications were accepted: Aug to Oct. If you could send me a link regarding the process, I would be glad.
    2. I have come across model papers for the entrance exam. I have seen the ones for Linguistics, English literature and English. This leads to the next question: are these options also available to applicants via distance mode?
    3. How would I know which among the three would be suitable for me? Is there a brief description about the course to enable candidates to make their selections?
    I admit that these are some fundamental questions and thank you for taking the trouble to answer them.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Vani

      The EFL University does not offer MA (Linguistics) through the distance-mode. The only MA programme being offered in the distance-mode is the MA (English) programme, which includes one paper on Linguistics.The entrance exams you have mentioned are all for the face-to-face mode, and are over for this academic year.

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  12. Good morning mam I am happy as well as thankful to you for your assistance to your students I am pursuing Pgcte from eflu Roll no 15084 mam can it be possible to write about interpretation on syntax analysis in about 300 words I am.confused with what to write n how to write please guide me

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    Replies
    1. Kusumalatha
      I am not sure what you mean by "interpretation on syntax analysis' Can you be more specific? Which course? Which assignment? which question? Or are you referring to some concept in the course material?

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  13. Dear Ma'am,

    Thanks a lot for this blog!

    Basically I stay in Nagpur city and wish to pursue MA English in distance mode from EFL University.Would you please help me understanding,what exactly is contact programme,and is it mandatory to attend? In a two year degree course how many times the student is called for this programme?
    Regards,
    Ridhima

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  14. Respected Mam, thanks for making such a place for us. Actually I was searching a blogspot or website which is about EFLU Distance Courses like this one. I have completed BA(H) in English from University of Burdwan previous year. I want to pursue MA English from EFLU in distance mode. But I belong from West Bengal. So it is difficult for me to know about MA English course informations. If you please tell me about contact classes, evaluation of marks, and also about examination schedules of every year then I will be very obliged to you.

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