How to Prepare for School Lecturer Exam (English) : Tips by Kewal Sharma Sir



So let's talk about grade first English exam...

I am writing this post as some of my friends have asked me to share my experience regarding this exam.....

Undoubtedly, being the exam for the highest teaching post at school level, it is not going to be  easy from any point of view. But at the same time it is not that much difficult also....

The best minds  across the state put everything at stake to be selected and this demands our hundred percent efforts. I myself faced failure in my first attempt as I could give my 90 percent... Let me point out it was 90 percent... Yet I failed in my first effort...

But then, learning the lessons from my own mistakes I tried again with my full force... You may say I gave my hundred percent and the result was quite different this time....

First Paper


So let's now come to the point...  The most common mistake the candidates make is to underestimate the First paper.
Paper first covers only one third marks but demands as much time as the second paper because the first paper has a lengthy syllabus. So I would discuss it first.

History, School Management and Current Affairs are the scoring topic for a candidate appearing in English. History demands exhaustive study. One should not rely on any single book/guide to prepare History. Apart from studying Rajasthan board books from 6th to 12, There are a couple of History books which should be thoroughly studied. They include Aaryam Guide, Raj Panorama, Lucent of India Gk(which is a key book for many topics for the paper I), Lakshya, University books prescribed at Graduation level. It is better to prepare chapterwise notes on History from all these books.
After History it comes to school management, and for this area, besides Raj Panorama and Lakshy, the help of Internet  should also be relied upon.
For current affairs, Chronology is enough along with Rajasthan Patrika/ Dainik Bhaskar.

There are five questions on Indian polity and these topics should also be prepared from the board books. For polity, besides board books  these topics must be prepared from Lucent and M. Laxmikant. For Hindi grammar, The board book हिंदी व्याकरण ओर रचना is enough.

In the same way for Science &Maths board books for class IX&X are enough.
Reasoning can be practised from any guide.


Second Paper


Now I come to the second paper.
In this paper, Literature plays a key role. Text for dramas should be studied thoroughly with paraphrase and explanatory notes. Text of the novels at graduation level should also be read thoroughly. For each of these topics, there are books by Rama Brothers Publications. If you prefer to read Hindi translation also then you may go through the Standard books by Ak Maheshwari.

Prescribed poems need to be scanned in an extreme careful way. These should also be studied from Rama Brothers' books.
Only guide for English which should be consulted is Rastogi. It need not be studied completely but it should be studied wisely.
In the same way one may study the prescribed essays. Chapters prescribed at PG level also should be studied in the same way. One may avoid reading the text of the novel Cry The Peacock and it can be studied from Rastogi's.
There is enough material on Creole&Pidgin and Code Switching & Code Mixing.

For phonetics and word stress Sethi and Dhamija is a very useful book, though these chapters require long and constant practice.

Grammar should be prepared from
1. Wren&Martin
2.  Practical English Usage
3. Thomson &Martinet
4. AS Hornby

For literary terms the key book is A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abraham and the help of 'Wren and Martin' should also be taken.
In Psychology the most important book is Advanced Educational Psychology By SK Mangal. Apart from this book JS Walia's book which is prescribed in Jammu B ed can also play a vital role. Still these books cover only 20 questions. For remaining 10 questions, you will have to depend upon a couple of guides like Vandana Jadon's and also on internet.

As far as the questions of  the method of preparation, study hours, coaching etc are, I can tell only that everyone has his/her own way and no particular or special method should be followed. You may do it in our own way. Initially 7-8 hours study is enough and the time of study can be extended to 13-14 hours in the last two or three months before the exam.

So my fingers are feeling tired now and I rest my case. Any question is welcome....
And also let me know if it is useful.

With Best Wishes....
(17 - 02 - 2018)
Kewal Sharma
Lecturer (English)
Swami Vivekanand Government Model School, Phalodi (Jodhpur)