For many years, the issue of teachers’ training and devising teaching strategies has been the most considerable subject in the field of education. It is important not to forget the purpose of teaching-learning English in India, because the purpose not only enables students to learn, but also orients the teachers’ behaviour. In the present scenario, the teachers and the students seem to be confused about the selection and usage of proper methods, approaches and techniques that are used and ought to be used to in the processes of teaching and learning of languages and especially of English. This book is an attempt to help them reach their goals. The original impetus for the present book has been provided by the basic issues discussed with the fellow teachers in different universities and the affiliated colleges, the need of a new programme for English language and literature teachers and students especially in India. This is an era of internationalization of pedagogical strategies and we have to be part of it.

The book in the form of a series of brief essays takes into account the trends and developments in the present teaching-learning scenario which is characterized by the processes of globalization. The most basic and contemporary issues such as- the purpose of teaching-learning English in India, the Challenges before Indian education system, the Assimilationist view of English and the demands of globalization, Pragmatic competence, Cognitive and communicative development, English in Management Studies, ICT as alternative pedagogy, Nativism and Trans-nationalism, Non-Verbal Aspects, Personality development, Women empowerment, Multi-dimensional Evaluation tools, Privatization of Higher education, Indian writing in English, Promotion of peace through language and literature etc. have been discussed. The reflections are made to correlate the major issues, their causes, effects and would be solutions in local as well as global context as these issues become clear in the discourse of the items to which they are related.

The selection of essay form is done to make the contents more lucid, simple and illustrative. The most convenient way to go through the book is to refer first to the title and the subtitles given at the beginning of each essay. Each of the essays is accompanied by subtitles and preliminaries to take a tour into the issues discussed within. In order to update oneself and to investigate the topic further, the bibliographical references are given at the end of each essay. The focus here lies on the practical aspects and user-friendliness as linguistic discourse is a social behaviour. Rather than contributing one more book into the existing material, the author intends to make the book more utilitarian digging out the roots in order to solve the problems, expand, clarify and sharpen the scope of the subject incorporating practical, down-to-earth and highly scientific solutions.

Once we come to know the requirements of the time, it becomes rather easier to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the present system and search for the effective measures to nullify the challenges we may face. The complexity of issues leads to a constant demand on the teacher to improve English learning by creating the productive learning situations and by considering the needs of the students. It is imperative for them to be proactive and develop an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. The need is to know the soil and prepare it adequately for what it requires to become capable of serving the goals effectively.

At the very outset, I am especially grateful to the Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj, Nashik, and then the English teachers who have been providing me opportunities for participating in the seminars, workshops or symposia to ventilate helpful strategies or solutions to the problems and difficulties in teaching and learning of English in India; and their active and unfailing assistance helped me reach the goal of the book.  Unfailingly, I express my gratitude towards my family-Pournima, Pawan and Parvani who have always been in the chain of efforts, troubles and gains of such academic activities and Dr. Sachin Rajole for his prompt assistance in editing the texts. I am thankful to Dr. Kalpana Nehere of Gatha Cognition for their interest and efforts in bringing in the book.

I hope the book will help the common readers in general and the teachers and students of English language and literature in particular to meet the future requirements and face the challenges before Indian education system reasonably.