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V, Bose N. (1999). A Critical Study of the UGC Programs and Video Materials Available for ELT in India with a view to Preparing A Design for Such Material. Unpublished. Ph.D., Education. Sardar Patel University, Gujarat.

The objectives of study were: (1) To review the UGC programs in ELT in terms of objectives, content and formats. (2) To review the ELT video materials produced in India in terms of objectives, content and formats. (3) To design a set of communicative tasks of formats for TV and video software. (4) To tryout the communicative task with a group of ELT teacher trainees. (5) To produce a set of sample video materials for ELT teacher-trainees. The hypotheses of study was: The communicative task designed as formats for TV/Video software would not improve the ELT teacher trainees’ competence in English.

The sample for phase one comprised of randomly selected 50 eminent ELT experts and material producers from H.M.P.I.E.T. & R Vallabh Vidyanagar. The Sample for Phase II comprised of 34 ELT Teacher-trainees of Institute of Language Teaching, Jamnagar.

Tools used for data collection were open ended questionnaire, observation schedule, a self evaluation opinionnaire and achievement test.

The study was survey types which has been completed in two phases, namely, (a) the review of the existing software, and (b) the design and tryout of communicative task.

The data were analyzed with the help of percentages.

The findings of study were: (1) 65.52% of the experts feel the timing of telecast is not convenient. (2) The experts found these programs to be direct, verbal, bookish and hardly entertaining. (3) Often too much of discussion and less of visuals. (4) Some sessions are little vague and one is not sure which level they are meant for. (5) The objectives are not realistic because there is no proper selection and grouping of information. (6) The learner’s involvement is very limited because there is no direct interaction between the teacher and the taught. (7) Very few programs are learner centered. (8) These programs are presenter oriented. (9) These programs are artificial and formal. (10) The pattern of presentation is confined either to narration or to lecturing. (11) 86.96% feel that these programs are not effective to a larger extent. (12) Some programs are good as they deal with complex and ambiguous situations. (13) These programs provide a lot of information along with interesting visuals to the learners. (14) 20 to 25% of the UGC programs match very well with the international programs. (15) The programs produced by HMPIET & R have one common feature i.e. implicit theorizing. (16) Most of these programs are very lengthy and lack proper visual and audio quality. (17) Two programs i.e. ‘Teaching Reading’ and ‘Teaching Passive Voice’ are embedded with initial, mid and final explication. (18) The program formats are demonstrations and are based on communicative language teaching. (19) One common feature of all the programs produced by CIEFL and other EMRCs is initial explication i.e. the presenter introduces the topic. (20) All the programs are structured and expert oriented. (21) It is found that the tasks designed are effective in producing authentic communicative situation inside the classroom. (22) The test results are found to be highly significant at 0.01 level. (23) The analysis of the classroom procedures establishes that the activities based on the tasks foster greater language use with the classroom. (24) The learners response shows that problem solving tasks simulation and role-playing are the most useful task. (25) The tasks could be used as formats of ELT TV and video software.

Keyword(s): UGC Programs, Video Materials , ELT in India , Material Designing