Launch of Bilingual Dictionary for Grades I-V & VI-VIII to Aid Language Efficiency in Government Schools

Bengaluru, December 24, 2024

Bal Raksha Bharat, in collaboration with the Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT), Karnataka, has unveiled a curriculum-based bilingual dictionary designed for students in grades I-V and VI-VIII. This unique initiative addresses the bilingual and multilingual challenges faced by government school students, especially in areas with a significant number of migrant families.

The dictionary, available in Kannada and English, aims to improve language efficiency among young learners, helping them cope with the challenges of learning in multilingual settings. It will assist children in grasping new words, understanding their meanings, and using them in sentences in both Kannada and English, without the need for separate subject-specific dictionaries.

The bilingual dictionaries cover key subjects such as languages (Kannada and English), mathematics, environmental science for primary grades, and social studies, science, mathematics, and Hindi for higher grades. The content is designed using a child-centric pedagogical approach, incorporating relevant illustrations and pictorial representations of words to enhance comprehension.

The project, which has been in development for two years with input from subject experts, teachers, and faculty, aims to provide marginalized children and those from diverse backgrounds with a valuable learning tool. The initiative follows a successful model implemented in Andhra Pradesh for primary schools and extends it to a broader age group in Karnataka (6-14 years, grades I-V & VI-VIII).

The launch ceremony took place at the DSERT Conference Hall, Bengaluru, where Sri Gopala Krishna, Director of DSERT, delivered the keynote address on the dictionary’s significance and its future rollout. Sri B. Srinivasa Rao, IAS, State Project Director, Samagra Shikshana, Andhra Pradesh, joined the program virtually and shared insights into the development of the bilingual dictionary concept in 2018.

Mr. Avinash Singh, Director of Programmes, emphasized the importance of simple solutions for children's education, highlighting the dictionary's potential for impactful outcomes. The program was attended by key DSERT officials, including Deputy Directors, Joint Directors, Department Heads, and over 150 participants, including teachers and mentors.

DSERT has announced plans to pilot the dictionaries in 100 government schools this academic year, with plans to expand access to all children in Karnataka after the pilot phase concludes in March 2024. Additionally, Samagra Shikshana, Karnataka has outlined a roadmap to adopt the dictionary in 400 primary schools as part of its quality initiatives under the PMSHRI program.