NCERT How I Taught My Grandmother to Read (Part - II) Subject: English (Grade: IX) Live

[00:00:16]Namaskar. Hello and a very warm welcome to CIANCERT's live phone in interactive program. I'm Tanvi Kurana and this is an English program for all the students studying in grade 9. Yes. And uh this is going to be one interesting story from your own textbooks. But the question is is it just a story? No, it is much more than that. The topic is how I taught my grandmother to read. Yes, you can see the topic on your screens as well. And this is the second part of this chapter.

[00:00:49]Now, every grandchild shares a special bond with the grandparents. Be the grandmother or the grandfather. The way they spend their time together, the way they share their secrets together, everything between them is special. And now here the author uh says that she has taught her grandmother to read. Now what is so special about it? Let's go through this chapter. Let's understand it much more better. [snorts] Okay. If you have queries, questions, you want to interact with us, you want to participate in this program, please feel free give us a call on our number which is800459.

[00:01:30]If you want to email us, the email id would be dth.class9 Class 9 at the rate cit.nic.in.

[00:01:37]Apart from this, you're watching us on PMEya channel number 9 and also on our YouTube channel which is NCERT official.

[00:01:46]In the live chat box, you can write down your queries, your questions and share them with us. We have a guest and she'll be more than happy to answer all your doubts. Before introducing our guest, let me introduce you to our sign language interpreter. We have with us Tamana. Tamana a very warm welcome to you. Tamana would be interpreting each and every word that we are going to discuss. Now let me please introduce you to guest to our guest for today. We have with us Miss Kulvinder Kore. Ma'am a very warm welcome.

[00:02:16]>> Thank you. Namaste.

[00:02:17]>> Namaskar ma'am. Ma'am is a TGT in English from SKV that is servidal number one Sagpur, New Delhi. So like I said ma'am this is the second part of this chapter and uh the viewers who have not uh watched the first part. Can you please sum up the story very briefly to all our viewers what exactly did we do in the first part? Yeah, that will be much needed and I hope our students might have read the chapter, they have read the story and as you have said that this is more than a story. It is a literal thematic deconstruction of the Sudham Morti's beloved story. It is one Sudha Morti is the author of this uh story and she herself is uh in this story a character and it is the story about Sudha and her aa that is her grandmother. She calls her grandmother Aa. And so today what we'll be doing, we'll be revisiting the story first as you have said and then we'll trace the transformation of the characters that we'll be inferring the feelings and the emotions and what are the character traits that are very specific to uh the character and we'll explore the themes that are hidden in this chapter. So means that is just not a chapter to read but much more though it is how I taught my grandmother to read but the chapter is more than a reading and we want our viewers to be more than readers they they need to be thinkers today. So for recalling they can just have a glimpse of the pictures on their screen and they just can think that what is happening what all happened in the story and for that we have some pictures over here as well. So we can arrange them so that they know that what happened first and what happened later. So over here also we have got these pictures we can arrange them.

[00:04:17]>> Mhm. So can you guess what is happening?

[00:04:22]>> Uh we can see there's a temple or a house where uh there are uh there's the author and uh her grandmother and one more person sitting.

[00:04:34]>> Yes.

[00:04:34]>> And then u multiple pictures are so I'll just explain all the pictures and then we can arrange them.

[00:04:41]>> Okay. Yes. So uh over here a girl is sleeping >> maybe Sudha.

[00:04:47]>> Yes. And her grandmother is beside sitting besides her >> and she's Sudha gets surprised and uh it is written that what is matter. So she gets surprised. And in the temple old ladies are sitting and Sudha is playing with her friends. And over here uh Sudha is laughing and grandmother is smiling and over here Sudha just fond of her grandmother >> and she is telling something. She's talking and she has a book in her hand.

[00:05:23]Yes. So we can arrange them first of all. Sudha is very fond of her grandmother.

[00:05:29]>> Yes, she loves to spend time with her grandmother. And so her grandmother was very fond of listening to stories.

[00:05:40]>> A particular story Kashi Yatri.

[00:05:43]>> Yes. Because she relates with the protagonist and Sudha because grandmother doesn't know how to read.

[00:05:51]Sudha used to tell her the story every week. It used to come in a weekly and what and after that grandmother used to talk about that story in the temple with her friends while Sudha used to play with her friends over there and but one day Sudha had to go out with her friends for the family wedding and when she returned her grandmother was very upset.

[00:06:20]She had seen her grandmother as a very strong woman. So she was very worried that my why grandmother is upset.

[00:06:26]Grandmother was upset because she felt dependent on Sudha and she told Sudha that I want to start reading. I want to learn reading so that I shouldn't be dependent. Sudha laughs initially but grandmother smiles because she was very determined that she wants to read and she did that and Sudha helped her in that. So that is the story it moves how it is all going on. Yes. So this is the recalling and we can make a timeline our viewers can make a timeline of this like one format I have given over here and I have got a sample also made for them over here just like this in a word they can write what is happening the event and what is happening over there she loves stories listening to stories and then there was separation because suda had to leave and then determination. She decided to learn to read karnner and to be independent. Then she practiced a lot. It didn't happen all of a sudden.

[00:07:40]After determination, she practiced a lot and she became independent and the goal was achieved and there's a digital version as well of the timeline.

[00:07:53]So this way students can also make the their timeline and they can create the timeline and then they don't have to go read visit the story all the time. It is the short notes as well for them to recall and tell to anyone.

[00:08:11]>> That's a great way to go through the entire story through just notes.

[00:08:17]>> Yes. And now uh we we talk we we have seen the in every event we see there's a theme hidden. So when we look at the themes we understand. So one of the theme was that life teaches through absence.

[00:08:34]>> Yes. Means have you seen that when there was absence sudha went away >> and grandmother aa she decides now I have to do something. She felt embarrassed that I can't be dependent.

[00:08:50]How mean she she said it over there that what is use of all this money?

[00:08:56]>> What money can bring us if it can't give us independence.

[00:09:00]>> True.

[00:09:00]>> She was so she felt so dependent and helpless. So she wanted to read.

[00:09:07]>> She wanted to study. So this absence was crucial catalyst for change. She really because anytime when there was there was support and she was she felt dependent but when the support went away she realized that I need to be independent.

[00:09:26]I asked my viewers I asked you Tanvi do you remember when you had to be dependent on anyone for learning anything for doing anything maybe for tying laces >> for doing your work.

[00:09:38]>> Yeah.

[00:09:39]>> So how did you feel? Uh of course I felt the same that the grandmother was feeling in this story. Yes. Uh you want to be independent. Um that's what uh these days every woman uh goes through that you have to be financially independent. You don't have to uh depend on any man or any person.

[00:10:00]>> Exactly. Because it gives you freedom.

[00:10:03]And even I remember from my childhood days I uh wanted my parents to help me in drawing or making posters but they used to tell me that you do it independently at that time I used to feel so bad that why can't they help me but it helped me later on and because I could I knew how to do things how to make how to measure so but I don't say that dependence is bad >> depend Initially dependence is there when we are learning but dependent should not dependence should not be forever >> after some time we should learn from that dependence and become independent >> it should lead to independence.

[00:10:47]>> True.

[00:10:48]>> Yes.

[00:10:49]>> So for means for anything for so this is the way that how we make a decision.

[00:10:56]there's an event and from that event there is a feeling attached to that means when that uh sudha author went away. So imagine that how grandmother felt so she might have felt very helpless >> that she took a decision. So it is not that event or that feeling but what happens after that what what what decision do you make >> to overcome that feeling that means everyone comes uh faces challenges in their life.

[00:11:37]>> Yes. So how to face those challenges >> that that is important >> and here like you said ma'am many people face challenges and different kinds of challenges but then the question is do everyone transforms just the way the grandmother did or um I should ask uh is the grandmother different from others?

[00:12:00]Yes or this is a great question Tanvi because it is not that maybe students may think that she was Sudha's grandmother that's why she is posing her that way but no grandmother was different and what you know what made her different >> her feeling led to overcome that challenge that she faced so means if people face challenge and they cry over that and they say that I can't do anything and why I am having these difficulties all the time I can't do anything so that is difficult but if you analyze that feeling and you make a decision no I have to be strong so that this challenge I should overcome this challenge so that is then there is success so that that made grandmother different just she had that event and that feeling and then she made a decision. So over here you see that there was a barrier and that barrier made her dependent on others to read to her. She was dependent on sudha. She'll come from the school and she'll read on Wednesdays and she was always waiting for the anxiously for the next issue and feeling entirely helpless without Sudha.

[00:13:32]You know when Sudha was away she just browsed through the magazine and she looked at the pictures she touched but she couldn't even understand even a single word and she was so embarrassed to ask anyone else. Though there might have been situations at her time she told Sudha that at her time she wasn't allowed girls weren't allowed to go to school but then she made a decision at that time that she would ensure that her children and her grandchildren would get the best education and that's why she she ensured that Sudha gets educated and that that was the bond she was having with that and Sudha used to read to her and then when she decided that I want to change that was the spark she she decided that man you know that deciding was never easy it was tough but she made the tough decision at this age of 62 it is not easy to start studying and reading the alphabets at this age but she made that decision she didn't think of anything else. She thought that I just wanted to be independent and that was the conscious and the courageous choice that she made.

[00:14:55]>> Absolutely.

[00:14:56]>> Over here on the screen we can see that this is the way this is the character development. This is not a place that the stairs are taking us to >> and this is the character of grandma.

[00:15:10]>> That is different means you see on the first step she was dependent. We all are dependent at the first step.

[00:15:16]>> Yes. So, but she rose to success. She realized that I need to study and then I said as I said that it was a courageous this uh decision courage she took. She said no I want to study and practice.

[00:15:34]Practi practice means you must be wondering that why practice twice.

[00:15:41]>> Practice twice. Yes. Because one-time practice doesn't make a man or a woman perfect.

[00:15:48]>> It needs conscious efforts and regular practice, consistency >> and that practice will lead you to success.

[00:15:58]>> We need to practice again and again.

[00:16:02]Virat Kohli main artist big artist they were not made in one. They were not made in one practice session. They had to regularly practice. So we need to practice again, again and again.

[00:16:17]>> And they say Rome was not built in a day.

[00:16:19]>> Rome was not built in a day. So just like this the grandmother, she loved stories. She felt helpless. She decides to learn. She practices daily daily first words, letters, words, then sentences and then she could read independently on the Sera. So that is the character of grandmother. It wasn't luck. It wasn't magic.

[00:16:49]>> She practiced each and every day to achieve that success.

[00:16:54]>> Yes. And that was the consistency.

[00:16:57]And this makes builds up a habit in a person. We all can do that and we must do that. Even if we must realize that I want to get good marks in my exam. I want to do something good in my sports then we need to have the courage decide to begin practice and get the success in that. And definitely anyone practice and hard work will definitely lead you to success because it is not a magic.

[00:17:33]>> Mhm.

[00:17:34]>> Now over here we have four dos.

[00:17:38]So here respect for knowledge. Do you think that this respect for knowledge was visible in this chapter?

[00:17:46]>> Absolutely.

[00:17:48]>> How? because uh she wanted to read and uh she wanted the knowledge, she wanted uh uh to know more about uh that story.

[00:17:59]Yes, that was great. She wanted to learn and she made her children and grandchildren learn.

[00:18:07]more than that >> on Dera when she could read when her [clears throat] granddaughter [cough] sorry gave her that uh novel >> magazine >> novel she gifted the novel [cough] >> sorry >> so on the sher uh [cough] the way [clears throat] the story says that uh the grandmother touched the feet of the granddaughter because uh we respect the goddess of knowledge and that's Saraswati. Goddess Saraswati and >> she didn't touch the feet of her granddaughter.

[00:18:49]>> Yes, that was that because at that time it was not her granddaughter, >> it was the teacher who taught her.

[00:18:57]>> So this way respect of knowledge and uh uh now only children can learn. No, >> anyone can.

[00:19:07]>> Yes. So this shows the theme of lifelong learning.

[00:19:13]>> Learning continues as long as the curiosity. So we must always be curious to learn. We must ask questions. Think why whenever I must say that the our students whenever they are reading any story they must uh feel that how the character is feeling what the character is feeling >> that will help them know uh more about that character. So what they would feel if they would have been at the character's place.

[00:19:45]>> Yes. So what do you think?

[00:19:50][cough] Uh the grandmother wanted to read not to score marks, not to pass any exam but for herself, for her freedom, for her independence.

[00:20:01]>> So this is the fourth door, fourth theme that freedom.

[00:20:06]>> She wanted to become independent.

[00:20:09]>> She wanted to have her own freedom to enjoy the stories on her own. her on her own and not be dependent on anyone. She wanted the freedom to read anything that she wanted and whenever she wanted.

[00:20:27]>> So literacy you see is not just reading not decoding the words. It is much more than that. It is independence. It is dignity, selfworth and confidence that we gain with that. So these are some of the themes and messages. So you see how deep is that that it is just a bond between a granddaughter and the grandmother and where it leads to.

[00:20:56]>> So it helps us learn that self-reliance that once grandmother uh learned to read she became independent and confident and learning is lifelong. Anyone can learn anything at any time. Yes, Danvi, we do learn.

[00:21:14]>> We learn how to make PPTs. We learn how to means uh how to uh browse things on internet. That is something new in this era that we are still learning.

[00:21:27]>> So anyone can learn anything at any age.

[00:21:31]And these children, new generation children, they help us learn. So they learn from us and they make us learn. So now uh for our viewers you all know who's the author.

[00:21:45]>> Sudha Morti she was the character and it is the it is her one of her most beloved story about her grandmother.

[00:21:54]>> But here's a twist. I want my viewers to be the author. [snorts] >> Yes. And I would ask them would they end the story differently?

[00:22:07]Can they think of some different end to the story?

[00:22:10]>> I think ma'am uh everyone would imagine the story in a different manner and they'll put some or the other uh no twist in the story and they'll I think end it differently.

[00:22:23]>> Okay. What could you think of?

[00:22:24]>> Uh I'll take some time and then I'll think about it.

[00:22:28]>> Okay. I give you the hint. You can think that uh maybe grandmother had given up after one week >> or maybe the grandmother is that educated and literate and that independent that she has started writing her own story.

[00:22:42]>> Great. So she or she would go to Kashi Banares and some other place and write about that as well.

[00:22:51]>> Her own experience. Yes.

[00:22:52]>> Great. Marvelous. So you see that there are so many ending and even students can write from their own experiences. If they can teach anything to their grandparents >> then they can write about that. So you see the stories over here when we are talking that these stories become memorable because characters refuse to give up and that is special about grandmother.

[00:23:16]>> Absolutely.

[00:23:17]>> Yes. [snorts] So these are some of the characteristics of grandmother that she was diligent, she was emotional, she was determined, she was very patient, she practiced every day and she was courageous, she took that first step that at the age of 62 I want to learn and she was dedicated and sudami and grandmother characters she was caring, supportive, patient and grandmother was and over here I must ask my uh viewers to take out the evidences from the chapter. Mhm.

[00:23:54]>> Now it's a challenge time or homework whatever you say that I would ask uh challenge my viewers to ask an elder at home that what is one thing that they still want to learn and write the answer in five to six sentences and share with us means and also uh ask about their feelings >> that what they want to learn and how would they feel when they do it >> and they must write their journey.

[00:24:26]>> Yes.

[00:24:30]>> Anything else >> we want to talk about that means it is how they are feeling. So I must say that this is uh this celebrates the joy of independence.

[00:24:41]>> True.

[00:24:42]>> Yes.

[00:24:42]>> Absolutely.

[00:24:43]>> This is true independence and true freedom in all terms all means.

[00:24:48]>> Yes. So I think uh our viewers the children they are going to talk to their grandparents and uh you never know what uh their wishes are. So here we can see the final word on the screen. Yes, we all must remember every time not only for the chapter but learning begins with a single courageous decision. Practice and patience builds true confidence and education grants us independence and dignity regardless of our age. So keep reading, keep learning.

[00:25:23]>> Perfect. Perfect. Thank you so much ma'am for this uh wonderful chapter for teaching us so many things and uh for uh highlighting the themes of this particular story. Thank you so much.

[00:25:34]>> Thank you.

[00:25:35]>> Thank you to all our viewers. I really hope that you enjoyed this story. Just the way ma'am said this story is very dear to the author which is Sudha Morti and uh she writes wonderfully she writes in a very different manner which I think children can easily connect with. So if you also can connect easily with this story or you have a special bond with your grandparents please go ahead and read this chapter watch this program for queries for questions for participation you can always reach out to us. With this we have come towards the end of this program. Let me please thank our sign language interpreter Tamana for staying with us throughout the program and let me just show you the glimpse of the schedule that we have for the entire day. You can watch that the next program lined up is uh a science program for all the students studying in grade 9. This is the topic is tissues in action part two. Thank you so much once again. Have a great day ahead and keep watching CIT NCERT's uh live sessions. Thank you.

[00:26:39]Namaskar.