The last decade has seen generations of Indians acquire literacy primarily in Hindi, since it is a medium of instruction and school subject in a majority of elementary schools in northern India. Literacy skills of reading, writing, public speaking in Hindi offers a chance for participation in the public sphere as right bearing equal citizens in the democratic Indian state. 

Hindi is a contact language that also facilitates daily interactions in many parts of the country. With Delhi having been an administrative and political centre for many centuries, Khari Boli – to include Hindi, Hindustani, Hindavi and Dakhini — emerged as a contact language well before modern education and the colonial state. Hindi acquired different flavours across regions and for different walks of life, and with print technology Hindi became the language of public debate. 

But by the time of Independence and the cultural vehemence about making Hindi a sole national and official language, Hindi became a vehicle of exclusionary cultural politics. Hindi language teaching as a result requires reflective practice that can approach Hindi critically and in nuanced ways. Teaching Hindi poses challenges in different areas, and a teaching that is sensitive to diverse contexts is the need of the day. In this course, you will acquire the skills required to teach Hindi in a classroom given its broader and political context and learn how to make plans and materials for pedagogy for upper and secondary grades.