Vijayawada: Principal secretary (School Education) Praveen Prakash said AP government led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy aims to address the absence of standardised assessments for English language skills. The government has thus implemented the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) training at school level itself for the students. He observed that TOEFL not only accelerates English learning, but also equips students with internationally recognised proficiency in the language. Praveen Prakash said this is among the slew of reforms introduced by the government of Andhra Pradesh in last four years.
The other elements are introduction of bilingual textbooks, CBSE affiliation for government schools, curriculum alignment with NCERT, and the adoption of English as the medium of instruction in government schools. The principal secretary said to facilitate seamless integration of TOEFL across the state, state government has collaborated with an expert organisation to procure extensive e-content LIQVID, specifically tailored for TOEFL training. LIQVID's digital content serves as a valuable resource, guiding students through TOEFL exam formats while enhancing their language skills.
Its modules are carefully designed to mirror the TOEFL test, aiding students in becoming familiar with the exam format during their learning journey. With specific objectives in mind, LIQVID's lessons assist students in acquiring the necessary skills. Praveen Prakash pointed out that sessions are strategically organised to progress from simple to complex content at a suitable pace. Additionally, the vocabulary employed in these sessions has been thoughtfully chosen to be appropriate for learners at a specific level of English proficiency. “To ensure effective implementation, our team has conducted a training workshop for the teaching staff and government officials. The workshop was attended by approximately 120 teachers from diverse regions of Andhra Pradesh,” said Vivek Agarwal, MD and Chairman, LIQVID English Edge. The training focused on key aspects like understanding the TOEFL primary and junior exam format, communication goals of the TOEFL exam, target language to achieve communication goals, progression of language complexity from classes 3 to 9, LIQVID's content mapping to question types of TOEFL primary and junior, and deployment of content in schools.
“Introduction of TOEFL training with support of LIQVID's comprehensive e-content and teacher training workshops will significantly contribute to elevating English language proficiency across Andhra Pradesh. This initiative aligns with the state government's vision for comprehensive economic and social growth in an increasingly globalised world,” Praveen Prakash underlined.
