a.
A very small percentage from each group, favour the study of two languages only.
However, a larger percentage of teachers, in comparison to the students and parents,
desire the learning/teaching of only two languages.
b.
A very large percentage of students, parents and teachers (above 99% in all the
cases) desire the study of 3 and more languages. Among the three groups the percentage
for the students is the highest.
c.
A large percentage of teachers in comparison to the students and parents (teachers
53.2%, students 27.9% and parents 29.9%) favour the learning of three languages
only. However, when it comes to the preference for four and above, the position
is just the reverse.
d.
On the whole it appears that so far as the preference for the learning/teaching
of several languages is concerned the parents and the students are more liberal
than the teachers, who prefer the continuance of three languages only. A small
percentage among them even want less than three.
e.
The phenomenon of non-response is peculiar to parents only.
2.
Number Motivation for learning of languages
A number of statements relating to advantages resulting from learning of several
languages were presented with minor changes for each group, to the students, parents
and the teachers, who were expected to show either their agreement or disagreement
to each statement. It was presumed that motivation for learning several languages
arises from the advantages, which act as incentives, and motivate the pupils to
learn/teach several languages. These statements are as follows:
1.
It helps in studying different school subjects
2. It helps in scoring over
all good marks
3. It helps in higher studies
4. It helps in getting jobs
5. It helps in talking to people speaking different languages
6. It helps
in travelling to different parts of the country
7. It helps in enjoying cinema,
magazines, and radio programmes
8. It helps when migrated
9. It helps
in appreciating culture and literature
10. It is interesting to teach languages.
Since all the above statements were not applicable to the three groups, the present
comparison has been made only on the basis of the statements which were common
to all of them. The percentage distribution of responses of students, parents
and teachers for all the ten statements are presented in Table 14.
Table
14
Comparison of the opinion of Students, Parents and Teachers regarding
Advantages of Language Learning
| Motivation
| It
helps in
studying
different school subjects |
Helps
in
scoring over all good marks |
Helps
in higher
studies |
Helps
in getting jobs |
Helps
in talking to people speaking different languages |
Helps
in travelling to different parts of the country |
Helps
in enjoying cinema magzines etc. |
Helps
when migrated |
Helps
in appreciating culture,
&literature |
Interesting to teach languages |
|
Students |
96.9 |
95.2 |
96.9 |
96.9 |
94.3 |
95.9 |
97.9 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
| Parents |
NA |
NA |
97.9 |
96.5 |
97.9 |
98.6 |
95.7 |
97.2 |
91.9 |
NA |
| Teachers |
77.4 |
82.3 |
88.7 |
75.8 |
87.1 |
78.5 |
88.7 |
NA |
NA |
100.00 |
| (Figures
are in percentage) NA-Not applicable |
The
following important points of differences between the three groups emerge from
the above table.a. A very large percentage (above 75% in all the cases) from
each group - students, parents and teachers find multifold advantages emerging
from the learning of several languages. Among them, more of parents and students
(above 90% in all the cases) than the teachers agree to all the advantages that
were suggested to them. In the case of teachers the variation is very high varying
between 75.8% to 100%. This shows that there are a good percentage of teachers
(the maximum being 24.2%) who do not agree with the suggested advantages. This
does not mean that they are less motivated since all of them find the job of language
teaching to be interesting. It appears that they are only cautious in assessing
each item of advantage.
b.
All the three groups, particularly the students' and parents have shown a very
high preference for all the types of advantages like instrumental and integrative
and academic and non-academic. The responses of the groups therefore, are well
balanced between the different types of incentives offered by learning of several
languages. The teachers, however, have been guided more by realistic and practical
considerations in as for example instrumental there is variation, item-wise. Thus
under the instrumental incentive the percentage for the item 'help in higher studies'
is 81.7 percent. But for the item 'help in studying different subjects' the same
is 77.4 percent. The teachers, therefore, have discriminated between the items
more than what the students and the parents have done.
c.
Inter comparison of all the items show that both the teacher and the students
find lesser use of language as a medium of instruction, since comparatively a
lower percentage find learning of several languages to be helpful in studying
different school subjects.
3.
Difficulties in learning of several languages
The students were given a number of statements relating to the possible difficulties
faced in the course of learning several languages and they were asked to show
either their agreement or disagreement to each of them. Similarly both the parents
and the teachers were given several such statements and were asked to state the
possible difficulties faced by their wards/pupils in learning of several languages.
These statements, which were selected from three areas, pedagogic, environmental
and curricular are presented as follows :
A.
Pedagogic
1)
Language learning is difficult because learning of grammars for different languages,
at the same time, create confusion.
2) It is difficult because learning of
different scripts for different languages, at the same time, create confusion.
3) It is difficult because the lessons are not explained properly in the class.
B. Environmental
4)
It is difficult because there is no occasion to use the language for practice.
5) It is difficult because no extra coaching at home is available.
C.
Curricular
6)
It is difficult because there are many other subjects to learn.
7) It is difficult
because there are too many text books to study in each language
8) It is difficult
because time allotted in the school for language learning is not sufficient.
9) It is difficult because lessons are not interesting.
Except the students all the above statements were not asked from each of the three
groups. Thus statements 3 and 9 and 3 and 8 were not included respectively in
the parents and teachers list. The percentage distributions for each of the 9
statements for students, parents and teachers are presented below in Table 15.
Table
15
Comparison of the Opinions of Students, Parents and Teachers
Regarding
Difficulties in Language Learning
| Nature
of difficulty |
Specific
Difficulties |
Students
|
Parents
|
Teachers
|
|
A.
Pedagogic |
1.
Confusion in learning different grammars
2.
Confusion in script of different languages
3.
Lessons not explained properly |
50.5
16.4
8.8
|
37.7
19.4
NA
|
38.7
30.7
NA
|
|
B.
Environmental |
4.
No occasion to use the language for practice
5.
No extra coaching at home |
45.2
38.9
|
40.9
34.6
|
59.7
74.2
|
|
C.
Curricular |
6.
Many other subjects to learn
7.
Too many textbooks to study in each language
8.
Time allotted is not sufficient
9.
Language lessons are not interesting |
29.9
14.4
19.0
9.5
|
25.5
19.4
23.7
NA
|
43.5
33.9
56.5
41.9
|
(Figures
are in percentage) NA - Not Applicable
Looking
at the table the following points of differences between the groups emerge -
1.
There is difference in the emphasis given to the area of difficulty by each group.
The students emphasize most the pedagogic followed by the environmental and curricular.
The parents stress the environmental followed by the pedagogic and curricular.
The teachers, however, emphasize most the environmental followed by the curricular
and pedagogic.
2.
Except for the difficulty, 'confusion to learn grammars of different languages'
in all the other cases the percentages of teachers are higher than those of the
parents and students. Therefore, it appears that the teachers imagine the students
to be facing far more difficulties in learning several languages than what the
students themselves experience. The parents also do not consider the task of learning
several languages to be so much full of difficulties for their children.
3.
Though each of the three groups emphasize environmental difficulties the teacher
excel others in doing so. A large percentage of them (74.2%), in comparison to
students (38.9%) and parents (34.6%), consider 'no extra coaching at home' to
be a difficulty in the way. The percentage of parents considering so is the lowest
among the three groups. However, differences is narrowed down in the item 'no
occasion to use the language for practice' though the three groups maintain their
relative positions in percentage differences.
4.
A large number of students (50.5%) emphasize the pedagogic difficulty 'confusion
in learning different grammars. They are followed by teachers (38.7%) and parents
(37.7%). Of the three pedagogic difficulties this one has been considered by each
group to be the most important.
5.
All the four curricular difficulties have been stressed by a large percentage
of teachers which is for more than those of students and parents. The students,
in comparison to teachers and parents, consider the curriculum related factors
to be the sources of least difficulty.
6.
The above table distinctly brings out the three distinct ways of viewing the same
situation by three interested parties. It also focuses the gap that exists between
the students' assessment of their own problems and the assessment of the same
by others on their behalf.
4.
Comparison of Students' and Parents' Opinions
The reasons for a separate
section on comparison of parents and students' responses have already been explained.
A threefold categorization of the parents for each urban and rural (semiurban
combined) area was done. Thus there were six groups of parents - U1, U2, U3, R1,
R2, R3, - representing various occupations and educational levels (cf. Chapter
2). The comparison of the two groups is being made for the dimensions, motivations
for learning several languages and the difficulties faced in this process. They
are now being discussed, one by one.
i)
Motivation for Learning of Several Languages
Both parents and students were
presented with a number of statements relating to the advantages of language learning
and they were asked to give their agreement or disagreement to them. The following
five statements, which were common to them, from the basis for the comparison
of the two groups.
1)
It helps in getting jobs.
2) It helps in higher studies.
3) It helps in
talking to people speaking different languages.
4) It helps in travelling
to different parts of the country.
5) It helps in enjoying cinema, magazines,
radio programmes etc.
The
first two advantages belong to the category of instrumental incentive and the
last three to that of integrative. The percentage distributions for students and
the parents are presented in Table 16 below.
Table 16
Comparison of Parents' and Students' Opinion regarding
Motivation
for Language Learning (Figures in %)
| Motivation
|
Agree/
Disagree
|
URBAN
|
RURAL
|
|
U1
|
U2
|
U3
|
R1
|
R2
|
R3
|
|
Helps
in future employment |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
82.3
--
82.3
|
70.6
--
70.6
|
89.0
--
89.0
|
87.0
--
87.0
|
79.0
--
79.0
|
92.0
--
92.0
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
--
--
--
|
17.6
5.9
23.5
|
2.7
8.3
11.0
|
--
--
--
|
10.5
---
10.5
|
--
4.0
4.0
|
|
Non-response |
17.7
|
5.9
|
--
|
13.0
|
10.5
|
4.0
|
|
Helps
in higher studies |
AGREE
YY
NN
TOTAL
|
85.3
--
85.3
|
100.0
--
100.0
|
91.7
--
91.7
|
|
84.2
--
84.2
|
100.0
--
100.0
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
--
--
--
|
--
--
--
|
2.8
5.5
8.3
|
--
--
--
|
5.3
--
5.3
|
--
--
--
|
|
Non
Response |
14.7
|
--
|
--
|
17.0
|
10.5
|
--
|
|
Contd...
|
|
Motivation
|
Agree/
Disagree
|
URBAN
|
RURAL
|
|
U1
|
U2
|
U3
|
R1
|
R2
|
R3
|
|
Helps
in talking to people |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
82.4
--
82.4
|
100.0
--
100.0
|
94.4
--
94.4
|
83.0
--
83.0
|
89.5
--
89.5
|
92.0
--
92.0
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
--
5.9
5.9
|
--
--
--
|
2.8
2.8
5.6
|
--
4.0
4.0
|
--
--
--
|
4.0
--
4.0
|
|
Non-response |
11.7
|
--
|
--
|
13.0
|
10.5
|
4.0
|
|
Helps
in tra-velling to diferent part of the country |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
85.0
--
85.3
|
94.1
--
94.1
|
97.2
--
97.2
|
82.6
--
82.6
|
89.5
--
89.5
|
100.0
--
100.0
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
--
2.9
2.9
|
5.9
--
5.9
|
--
2.8
2.8
|
--
--
--
|
--
--
--
|
--
--
--
|
|
Non-response |
11.8
|
--
|
--
|
17.4
|
10.5
|
--
|
|
Helps
in enjoying cinema, magazines etc. |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
85.3
--
85.3
|
94.1
--
94.1
|
91.7
--
91.7
|
78.3
--
78.3
|
84.2
--
84.2
|
87.5
--
87.5
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
--
3.0
3.0
|
5.9
--
5.9
|
5.5
2.8
8.3
|
--
4.3
4.3
|
--
5.3
5.3
|
--
8.3
8.3
|
|
Non-response |
11.7
|
--
|
--
|
17.4
|
10.5
|
4.2
|
YY
: Both Parent and Student say 'Yes'
NN : Both parent and Student say 'No'
YN : Parent say 'Yes' and Student say 'No'
NY : Parent say 'No' and Student
say 'Yes'
Looking at the above tale the following trends seem to emerge.
The agreement
between the parents and the students' responses is very high in all the six categories.
Both agree that learning of several languages is highly advantageous for instrumental
as well as integrative purposes. It is, therefore, expected that in thetask of
learning languages, other than one's own, parents from all the categories encourage
their children.
Even though all the percentages of agreement are high, the variation among them
is very wide ranging between 70 percent to 100 percent. Among the urban categories,
except for one item (help in future employment), where the percentage of agreement
for U1 is higher than U2 but lower than but lower than U3, in all other items
the percentages are higher for U2 and U3. The same trend is found for the three
classifications for the rural area. From categories number 1 to 3 under each area,
urban and rural, there is upward mobility both in terms of educational level and
occupational status. The differences among the three categories from each area
are not very high to permit any definite generalization. However, even on the
basis of the present difference, a trend is noticeable that as the educational
level and the occupational status of the parents increase, the agreements for
the advantages of learning several langauges also increase.
The above trend is also found for the nonresponses which decreases with the increase
in the educational level and the occupational status. Therefore, the incidence
of non-response is highest in the U1 and R1 categories. A good many persons in
these groups, particularly in the R1, are not conscious enough of the problem
to react. In the R1 category the incidence of nonresponse is comparatively higher
in the integrative area for items like 'help in travelling and in enjoing cinema,
magazines etc.' Both these, particularly the former, are remote possibilities
fora large number of persons coming from R1 category. In the U1 category the nonresponse
is higher in the instrumental area for items like help in future employment and
in higher studies. This is surprising and it only shows lack of awareness among
these people of the role that learning of languages is likely to play in their
wards' future employment and higher studies. It is possible that since such children
seek employment in thier own region only and also hardly go in for higher studies,
the knowledge of only the regional language is considered to be sufficient. The
parents, therefore, have not thought over the problem at all. The percentages
of agreements for U1 and R1 have been reduced just because of the presence in
the group of a fairly large number of nonresponders. Otherwise a sizable section
even in these categories are getting gradually conscious of the importance of
education and the role of learning several languages which will open new horizons
for them.
Both in U2 and U3 categories the percentage of agreeement has decreased for the
item 'help in future employment'. These grops stand on the middle of the road.
They have acquired moderate education and are also settled in occupations like
small scale business, office assistants and other equivalent jobs. They are expected
to be conscious of the problem under discussion. It appears that the percentage
of agreement for this item has dropped down mainly because of the fairly high
percentage of disagreement (U2-23.5%, R2-10.5%) between the parents and their
children. The break-up for the 23.5 percent disagreement in the U2 category is
17.6 percent for parents and their children. The break-up for the 23.5 percent
disagreement in the U2 category is 17.6 percent for parents saying 'yes' and the
students saying 'no' and 5.9 percent for the vis-a-vis. The percentage of disagreement
for the R2 category is 10.5 percent where all the parents agreed with the statement
while their children disagreed. Therefore, it appears that the parents have disagreed
with their children that the learning of several languages is not helpful in future
employment. It shows that these parents have a vision for their children and language
seems to be partly instrumental in the fulfilment of this vision. It explains
why such a large percentage agree with the statement that learning of several
languages is helpful for future employment.
ii) Difficulties in Language Learning
Of the several statements relating to difficulties in language learning, separately
presented to the parents and students for knowing their agreement or disagreement
to them, the following were the common ones for both the groups.
a)
Pedagogic
1)
Language learning is difficult because of different scripts for different languages,
at the same time, create confusion.
2) It is difficult because learning of
different scripts for different languages, at the same time, create confusion.
b)
Environmental
3)
It is difficult because there is no occasion to use the language for practice.
4) It is difficult because no extra coaching at home is available.
c)
Curricular
5)
It is difficult because there are many other subjects to learn.
6) It is difficult
because there are many textbooks in each language.
7) It is difficult because
time allotted in the school for language learning is not sufficient.
The percentage distributions for each statement for each category of parents and
students for agreements, disagreements and no response are presented in Table
17.
Table
17
Comparison of Parents' and Students' Opinion regarding
Difficulties
in Language Learning (Figures in percentage)
| Types
of Difficulties
|
Agree/
Disagree
|
URBAN
|
RURAL
|
|
U1
|
U2
|
U3
|
R1
|
R2
|
R3
|
|
Many
other subjects to learn |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
2.9
53.9
55.9
|
5.9
70.6
76.5
|
2.8
66.7
69.5
|
8.7
30.4
39.1
|
5.3
57.9
63.2
|
12.5
58.3
70.8
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
20.6
8.8
29.4
|
17.6
5.9
23.5
|
22.2
8.3
30.5
|
4.4
21.7
26.1
|
5.2
15.8
21.0
|
20.9
8.3
29.2
|
|
Non-response |
14.7
|
--
|
--
|
34.8
|
15.8
|
--
|
|
Contd...
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
Time
allotted is not sufficient |
AGREE
YY
NN
TOTAL
|
--
52.9
52.9
|
--
82.3
82.3
|
--
61.1
61.1
|
4.3
43.5
47.8
|
--
52.6
52.6
|
8.3
50.0
58.3
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
14.7
5.9
20.6
|
--
11.8
11.8
|
30.5
2.8
33.3
|
17.4
8.7
26.1
|
15.8
15.8
31.6
|
20.8
12.5
33.3
|
|
Non
Response |
26.5
|
5.9
|
5.6
|
26.1
|
15.8
|
8.4
|
|
Confusion
to learn different language grammars |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
5.9
35.3
41.2
|
11.8
17.6
29.4
|
11.1
33.3 44.4
|
8.7
21.7
30.4
|
5.3
31.6
36.9
|
29.2
25.0
54.2
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
14.7
23.5
38.2
|
11.8
58.8
70.6
|
27.8
25.0
52.8
|
8.7
17.4
26.1
|
10.5
26.3
36.8
|
29.2
16.6
45.8
|
|
Non-response |
20.6
|
--
|
2.8
|
43.5
|
26.3
|
--
|
|
Script
of different language is confusing |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
--
55.9
55.9
|
--
70.6
70.6
|
--
66.7
66.7
|
4.4
34.8
39.2
|
5.3
68.4
73.7
|
4.2
50.0
54.2
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
20.6
8.8
29.4
|
11.8
17.6
29.4
|
11.1
19.4 30.5
|
8.7
13.0
21.7
|
--
5.3
5.3
|
25.0
16.7
41.7
|
|
Non-response |
14.7
|
--
|
2.8
|
39.1
|
21.0
|
4.1
|
|
Too
many text books in each language |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
2.9
70.6
73.5
|
--
70.6
70.6
|
2.8
75.0
77.8
|
--
39.1
39.1
|
--
73.7
73.7
|
8.3
54.2
62.5
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
8.9
2.9
11.8
|
17.6
11.8
29.4
|
11.1
11.1
22.2
|
13.0
--
13.0
|
--
5.3
5.3
|
33.3
4.2
37.5
|
|
Non-response |
14.7
|
--
|
--
|
47.9
|
21.0
|
--
|
|
No
occasion to use the language for practice |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
8.8
47.1
55.9
|
5.9
41.2
47.1
|
19.5
36.1
55.6
|
34.8
--
34.7
|
42.1
21.1
63.2
|
29.1
12.5
41.6
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
8.8
20.6
29.4
|
11.8
35.3
47.1
|
22.2
22.2
44.4
|
4.4
21.7
26.1
|
5.2
15.8
21.0
|
29.2
29.2
58.4
|
|
Non-response |
14.7
|
5.8
|
--
|
39.1
|
15.8
|
--
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
No
extra coaching at home |
AGREE
YY
NN
Total
|
2.9
47.1
50.0
|
11.8
47.0
58.8
|
8.3
63.9
72.2
|
26.1
8.7
34.8
|
26.3
42.1
68.4
|
37.5
25.0
62.5
|
|
DISAGREE YN
NY
Total
|
20.6
14.7
35.3
|
5.9
29.4
35.3
|
13.9
13.9
27.8
|
8.7
21.7
30.4
|
5.3
10.5
15.8
|
16.7
20.8
37.5
|
|
Non-response |
14.7
|
5.9
|
--
|
34.8
|
15.8
|
--
|
YY
: Both Parent and Student say 'Yes'
NN : Both parent and Student say 'No'
YN : Parent say 'Yes' and Student say 'No'
NY : Parent say 'No' and Student
say 'Yes'
The
following important trends emerge from the above table.
It appears that for several items of difficulty quite a good percentage of both
the students and parents agree that these do not offer obstacles to the learning
of several languages. This trend is particularly noticeable for the items of curricular
difficulty and also for one item ('script of different languages is confusing')
from the pedagogic area. For the environmental problems this type of agreement
is particularly found between the parents and their children form the urban area.
On the contrary, most of those from the rural areas agree that environment is
a source of difficulty.
It appears that both the parents and their children consider the curriculum related
factors to be offering the least impediment in the task of learning several languages.
As one moves upward in the ladder of the socio-economic categories, i.e., from
U1 to U3 and R1 to R3, there is a tendency for the curriculum to be perceived
less and less difficult. This only shows that the upper sections of soceity, both
in the rural and urban areas, are in a position to provide better facilities experienced
by their children. In any case the curriculum is perceived by all socio-economic
categories as offering the least difficulty in comparison to other areas of difficulty.
This fact has also been supported by the separate analysis of thetwo groups on
the question of difficulties in learning severallanguages (cf. Tables 3 &
8). However, on the question of environment which has been earlier emphasized
as an important impediment separately by both the groups, the urban and rural
categories differ. For the rural parents and students it is natural to find that
the social environment is not so encouraging for the learning of several languages
as it cannot provide the necessary feedback. However, the urban environment is
different and does offer the necessary feedback because of its cosmopolitan character.
The parents are also relatively more educated. As a result, the urban parents
and their wards do not see the environmental factors to be as much of an impediment
as their rural counterparts.
One striking feature is that the agreement between the parents and the students
for difficulties is language learning is not as high as it was in the case of
motivation (cf. Table 16). In general the parents do see the difficulties facing
their children. The students have also reported the difficulties experienced.
However, when taken together the two viewpoints do not correspond on particulars.
It has already been emphasized earlier that, to a great extent perception depends
upon personal factors and there may be two ways of pereiving the same situation.
However, there is one reason more which also explains why there was so little
of disagreement in the case of motivation and so much in the case of difficulties.
The section on motivation involved theadvantages of language learning which did
not directly and immediately hit either the students or the parents. However,
with the difficulties the entire context is different. While the students are
daily facing the problem, for the parents it is a question of impression and hearsay.
A gap normally exists between impression and reality. Therefore, the parents do
see the difficulties which their children are facing but when it comes to specifying
them they depend mainly on impression andhearsay while the students on direct
experience.
The disagreement between the two groups jjis particularly very high in the case
of the pedagogic difficulty-'confusing to learn grammars of different languages'.
The rate is specially very high for the categories U2, U3, R2, R3, (U2 - 70.6%,
U3 - 52.8%, R2 - 36.8%, and R3 - 45.8%). It will appear from the table under consideration
that while most of the students agreed with this statement of difficulty theparents
disagreed. Similarly, disagreement is also found for the two items from the environmental
area. For both these items of difficulty most of the students report their agreement
but not their parents. It is, therefore, evident that while the parents are guided
by their impressions the students have the advantage of direct experience. In
such circumstance a gap in the assessment of thetwo is bound to exist. For both
kinds od difficulty - pedagogic and environmental - the disagreement is higher
in the U2, U3, and R2, R3 categories which represent the higher socio-economic
categories. It may be that the upper crust of soceity has higher expectations
from their children leading to over-estimation of their capacities. They, therefore,
underestimate the difficulties faced by them particularly in the pedagogic and
environmental areas.
The third important phenomenon is that of non-response which is peculiar only
to the parents. Its incidence is more in the lower socio-economic categories particularly
from the rural areas. This goes along the expected patern. Those from the upper
crust of society have also the advantage of higher education and, therefore, they
are expected to show better awareness for the problems under discussion. Similarly,
the urban parents are exposed to comparatively a far more complex environment
yielding possibilities of interactions with those who are aware and conscious
of these issues. There is highest incidence of non-response in the R1 category.
The first three items for which the percentages are higher than others, in order
are 'too many textbooks in each language' (47.9%), 'confusion to learn diffierent
grammars' (43.5%) and 'no occasion to use the language for practice' (39.1%).
These represent all the three areas of difficulty showing that quite a sizable
section of parents from R1 categoryare unaware of the several types of difficulties
that their children are facing in course of learning several languages.