Saturday mornings can be busy for thousands of children pursuing extra-curricular activities and their parents.
On one such Saturday morning, SBS Hindi visited Blackburn High School in Melbourne’s East where Hindi is taught to more than a hundred students by the Victorian School of Languages (VSL) program.
The classes are divided into three groups according to the age-groups and level of proficiency.
“Over three hours, students learn Hindi at our centres through visual aids, songs and interaction. The classes ensure the child is able to speak, read and write Hindi," says Manjeet Thethi, the co-ordinator of Hindi program at VSL.
Students from nearby schools gather on Saturday mornings at this centre during their terms. The Centre runs according to the state government's annual calendar.
For Jaanam Chopra, learning Hindi is important because it helps him interact with his grandparents in India.
Source: SBS Hindi/Mosiqi Acharya
“We speak Hindi at home and I learn Hindi because it helps me understand and speak to my grandparents who live in India. It also helps when I visit India.”
For the Riddhi Gawarikar, a high school student, learning Hindi is important because it is her mother-tongue and it helps her stay connected to her roots.
"It is my mother-tongue. We all speak Hindi at home. It is important to learn to read and write my mother-tongue. It is what I am. It helps me connect to my roots," she says in fluent Hindi.
Source: SBS Hindi/Mosiqi Acharya
"It takes special effort to learn Hindi when you live abroad. You have to be motivated enough to send your children to classes to learn. And with so much interest and focus on sports and music, sometimes learning a language takes extra effort," she says.
She feels parents can help spread the love for language.
Source: SBS Hindi/Mosiqi Acharya
"I remember when we started, there were barely any students. Gradually we have grown to thirteen centres across Victoria. Parents play an important role. Even speaking Hindi at home with children will keep them in touch with their roots," she recommends.
