The following are some of the important aims and objectives of teaching mother-tongue

Determination of aims and objectives is absolutely essential to succeed in any undertaking. We always do a thing better if we know what we are trying to do. Our methods are more likely to be to the point if we first decide what we want to do.

The following are some of the important aims and objectives of teaching mother-tongue:

1. To Give Command of Language.

The first and foremost aim of teaching mother-tongue is to help our pupils to say simply and clearly what they want to say, and write simply and clearly what they want to write. In other words, mother-tongue teaches them to express themselves clearly and simply.

2. Acquisition of Knowledge.

Another important aim of teaching mother tongue is to teach the pupils to read for information and for pleasure. Mastery of the mother-tongue will cultivate in him the habit of reading for the acquisition of knowledge.

3. To bring about mental and emotional development.

One of the important aims of teaching mother-tongue is to give our pupils a medium through which they can express themselves, not only for purpose of day-to-day life. They will be able to express their feelings, thought and experiences. This expression may be oral and written.

4. To Develop Creative Faculties.

Developing creative faculties of the pupils is one of the most significant aims of teaching mother tongue. The pupil has in his mother-tongue a medium through which he can give expression, in different directions, to his creative urge.

5. To give training in logical thought and expression.

Another important aim is to give pupils training in logical thought and its expression. This aim is in fact the aim of all education; but mother-tongue is the most suitable instrument for providing training in logical thought and its expression.

From another point of view, the aims of teaching mother-tongue can be divided into the following four categories corresponding to the four aspects of language:

I- Receptive Aspect

II- Expressive Aspect

III- Appreciative and Critical Aspect

IV- Creative Aspect

Receptive aspect implies enabling the pupils to understand properly spoken and written language.

Expressive aspect implies enabling the pupils to express their thought orally and in writing in the language which is clear, correct and effective.

Appreciative and Critical aspect implies enabling the pupils to appreciate the beauty of literature as well as critically assess the same.

Creative aspect implies enabling the pupils to develop their imaginative and creative faculties through the study of literature and thus, creating literature themselves.

Thus, the teaching of mother tongue has diversified aims, from just learning to speak to the creation of literature and bringing about the development of various aspects of the personality of the pupils which is also the avowed aims of education.