BEFORE THE second wave of COVID-19 infections hit the country in April this year, Leela O M, a biotechnologist from Bengaluru, would get in front of her computer a few times each week and connect with a laptop in a hostel for children of tribal communities in Alappuzha, Kerala. On the other side, a group of children with notebooks and pencils in hand would greet her in their native language, Malayalam, and then the class would begin for the day.
When I first began teaching English and Mathematics to these students of class 11 and 12, they were extremely apprehensive. But given that we communicate in their native tongue, they have gained confidence to speak up and raise questions, she says.
This story is from the November 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.
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This story is from the November 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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