Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
some presentations
ICT As a Support Tool to help develop Speaking Skills in Senior Secondary students Studying in Govt. Of Delhi Schools
Preface
Over the past several decades, teacher education has been subjected to both scathing criticism and innumerable efforts have been made to reform it or to save it from being dismantled.
The aim of this paper is to study an initiative “Keep Talking” initiated by the DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION (DOE), GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI
. The Directorate was guided by a respect for evidence-based decision making and to fully integrate student /teacher experiences into the teacher education curriculum. To assist in this endeavor, DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION, GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI provided assistance
To the Master Trainers to align their teacher education programs with a design so as to bring about teacher education reforms.
Our social ethos, particularly in urban areas is fully entrenched in the competitive spirit, which is fast becoming our way of life. The shift of emphasis from teaching to learning with the focus on equipping the learner with essential skills and granting him confidence to use them effectively in life has necessitated this project.
The project is mooted to be based on the development of communication skills specially speaking skills of students studying in 1X and X1. It has been observed and many studies have shown that the teaching of English has been content-based and NOT SKILL BASED. Over years, writing and reading skills have been focused upon and speaking skills have taken a back seat. In today’s world of consumerism and mobility, the importance of communication skills cannot be undermined. Learners need help to improve their communication and to enter the professional market with confidence and leadership qualities
This Paper aims at critically examining the Challenges related to appropriate syllabus and curriculum framing by Teacher educators especially with reference to the use of Technology in Classroom Teaching.
This Paper is based primarily on information collected during the three annual visits to the 57 schools whose evaluations were funded by DOE.
We are simply tracking process implementation and are
Reporting activities and initiatives under way at the schools.
The latest round of schools visits was conducted from March 2007 through April 2007.
Outline: Plan of Action
Ø Preparation in the form of a manual with worksheets, activity sheets and teacher’s guide.
Ø Training of teachers to handle the manual.
Ø Equip teachers with ICT skills.
Ø Evaluation of students ‘ competency level at par with the idealized age proficiency levels in the global English curriculum
Ø Monitoring
Ø Reassessing the manual
Some guiding principles:
· A teacher education program should be guided by a respect for evidence.
· A culture of research, inquiry, and data analysis should permeate the program.
· Attention needs to be paid to pupil-learning gains accomplished under the tutelage of teachers who are graduates of the program.
. However, DOE is a complex initiative that
requires institutional and cultural changes for it to succeed..
Background of Zone 23 – schools
There are 57 schools in the zone, which include Sarvodaya i.e. XII, Govt.Sr or I to X. secondary schools VI to XII. . Though the coverage area of zone 23 is vast and is in the elite district of south Delhi. Ironically the constituents of this zone include colonies of lower strata income groups, resettlement colonies, urban villages, lower middle and middle class colonies. To name a few , Malaviya Nagar, Saket, Pushp Vihar, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur, Sangam Vihar, Deoli Village, Bhatti Mines, Fatehpur Beri, Chatttarpur, Mehrauli ,Jonapur Mandi &Aya Nagar etc all these areas come under zone23.
Background of the teachers who are being trained:
v T.G.Ts teaching class 9th and P.G.Ts teaching class 11th.
Most teachers required training in enhancing their own spoken proficiency and in the usage of ICT skills including software packages, CDROMs, websites, technologic
tools such as projector.
v Many teachers had been promoted as English P.G.Ts but had taught Sciences, Mathematics or other subjects.
A comprehensive training programme to help them handle these skills is a part of the ongoing training programme.
Appropriate syllabus, Curriculum framing: A team of Master Trainers designed a syllabus so as to reinforce speaking skills in learners at the Secondary and Sr. secondary levels.
The manual is designed as a reference on second language teaching and curriculum development for language trainers and language training coordinators.
i. The first section, on language learning, introduces learner - centric curriculum, describes the natural approach to language learning (the approach used throughout the manual), and describes various learning strategies, with examples of classroom activities suitable for each. Four language-learning skills and activities illustrating them are also presented.
ii. The second section summarizes some phonological issues historical and training methods, with sample lessons illustrating how parts of the methods can be incorporated into competency-based instruction.
iii. Section three explores the Communicative functions, including some activities to reinforce each of these functions. This section also contains classroom management techniques and a discussion of Communicative language teaching methods.
iv. The manual concludes with a list of ways classroom activities can be organized, and a way for the teachers to collect feedback on each of these oral activities.
Using Technology in Classroom Teaching
. To determine current practices, 57 senior secondary schools (under the Directorate of education) were contacted
In the South Zone with 18 of them approving the
Visit. 10 of these were selected as providing a
Representative sample in terms of
o The catchments’ area (to ensure that the students are from different social environments),
o Provision of ICT facilities in the school, its usage level and
o The school standards as recorded in the most recent report of each
School.
In total, 10 ICT coordinators and 7 teachers were
Interviewed to accompany classroom observations of
18 ICT lessons.
The Teachers had to be made ICT friendly first. coordinators in schools took a whole month in training the teachers .
ICT worksheets.
The Curriculum for this training was kept to a minimum basic, where Teachers were taught to use simple Computer applications, like using Microsoft Word, the Internet, using search engines and Multi media.
Some worksheets to make them familiar with Microsoft Word is given below:
Some Sample Tasks:Cloze write: Cloze exercise with the interval of word deletions chosen by the trainer - from every 2nd to every 9th word. (To get familiar with the key board)
Copywrite Easy: Partial text reconstruction, in which the whole text is reduced to small squares and punctuation, leaving the only the first letter of each word. (To teach the usage of tools and other icons in Microsoft Word) Prediction: An exercise in which the student predicts which word comes next in a text from a set of given choices. (Editing)Enigma: A decoding exercise in which every letter in the text is replaced by another letter. The student has to decode the text. (Using the dictionary/spell check)Scrambler: An exercise in which the letters in every word in the text are scrambled. The student has to unscramble the words. (To understand cut/paste usage)
. Directions: Please answer the following questions thoughtfully and honestly. . YesNo1. Do you have a computer in your home?2. Is the computer connected to the Internet?3. Are you allowed to use the computer?4. Do you use a word processor?5. Do you use a printer?6. So you check an e-mail address?7. Do you know how to type Web addresses?8. Do you know how to search for topics on the Internet?9. Do you have a cell phone you can use?10. Can you text message someone?
11. Check things you have used online: chat roomsweather forecastswriting/sending e-mailshopping online (with a parent)research/libraries
12. What else can you tell me about your use of the computer and/or other new technology? Play games, download music and pictures, listen to CD's, burn CD's and DVD's, Instant Message friends, chat rooms, message boards, save and e-mail pictures from digital camera
Some challenges:
ü The limitation of teachers ICTknowledge.
ü Difficulties in classroom management.
ü Lack of assessment
ü ICT school use is heavily teacher directed inorder to achieve syllabus outcomes in the keylearning areas.
ü So the pupils are told ‘not to fiddle’with the school computers. They don't have alot of time for practicing the skills, which are taught.
ü Gap in the children's ICT usage in school versus home:
Those who don’t have computers at home miss outon being able to try things out for themselves.
ü Though the teachers have been trained to use ICT and have good resources at school, many of them did feel that it was a waste of time and felt a new duty that had been added to their list of tasks.
ü Also the attention was now on the new presencein the classroom, providing a supply of knowledge andinformation. This was reducing the dependency of pupilson the teacher
Were recognized as some of the major gaps that needed to be corrected.
It was therefore very important to integrate the training module with the textbook. Most Communicative function tasks were taken from the CBSE textbooks of Course B classes 9th and 11th.
The Listening/ Speaking Teachers manual:Each worksheet has a Phonology task for Ear training / production test and an activity to perform communicative functions. Related net-links were given to teachers as resource material.
Communicative functions:
• Tasks to enhance Communicative functions: greet people.Introducing one.Making requests Asking and giving permission.Offering help.Giving Instructions and directions Telephone skills
Sample Task1
Activity: Simulationasking for helpoffering helpDeclining helpAccepting helpYour friend is sick/thirsty/depressed/hurt
An old man needs help across the road/carry heavy bag upstairs. Vocabulary help:Can/May I…., Let me…., How about…., What can I …, Would you….., Could you…., Excuse me…, I would be glad to…., Sorry I can’t…., Sure…, Do you …, Will you…,I’m afraid I can’t…., No I don’t think ….Thank you so much
c. Situation: Raman has fallen down from his bike . He has got hurt and needs help. Raman asks Arjun and Suresh for help. One of them offers to help while the other declines.
Role cards:Raman· Tells how he falls off his bike ,got injured· Shows the injuries, groans· Finds two boys standing around· Asks for help to take him to the doctor· (uses words from the help box)
· Thanks for the help provided.· Thanks the doctor for the services provided.· Takes the bicycle to the nearest repair shop.· Asks the shopkeeper for help.
Arjun:· Sees Raman falling off the bike.· Rushes towards Raman · Expresses his concern.· Consoles Raman, expresses hope that he is not injured badly· Offers help when asked by Raman· Takes Raman to the doctor.· Requests· Responds politely when thanked by Raman· Expresses hope towards early recovery
Suresh:· In a mood to join other children on the football ground.· Listens to Raman’s request.· Ignores and turns away towards other boys.· tells the reason.· declines to help.· Gives reasons (1 or 2)· Wishes recovery· Regrets his inability to help
•
Phonology: These worksheets attempt to equip the learner with facts on: The sounds/symbols/word stress, sentence stress and intonation. For most of these tasks a computer with a speaker will be required.
Largely, errors common in the Haryana Region have been dealt with.
Sample task 2
Activity: 1.Read the following words aloud same sip ship sugar music shame measure casual ash
2. Read these sentences out loud: a. She sells seashells on the seashore.b.Suman wears her socks without shoes while shyam wears his shoes without socks.
3. How does one spell the word :a.Mission which means a strongly felt aim: mison mizon michun mission
Ø Monitoring:
The guiding principle
Monitoring was not to threaten the teacher and penalize them for all that they were not doing. In fact after the training session the Master trainers did not expect the teacher no to go back and say” my life has been changed-I now have the formula to make everyone
literate.” Instead the teacher was encouraged to take that which is useful, which is fit for developing, incorporate it in her
belief system and personal knowledge of children and learning. Confidence
grew along with willingness to share knowledge with others. The
Workshops talked about principles of language teaching, but always suggested
That everything is in process, that today’s conclusions are tentative and
That there are many more questions to ask. So in turn the monitoring sessions were to work in collaboration with classroom dynamics and help the manual evolve into a user-friendlier document.
Evaluation of students ‘ competency level at par with the idealized age proficiency levels in the global English curriculum in an informal as well as formal set up is part of the monitoring process. The teachers will be informally recording some of the situations the learners would be simulating. Some formal testing of phonology will also be done continuously not as a test but through worksheets after teaching the sound pattern.
Ø Reassessing the manual.
It had become clear by now that if radical changes were expected, it entirely depended on the way DOE organized itself academically, allocated resources, evaluate participating faculty and partner with Zone 23 schools.
The panel members and representatives from DOE identified several teacher education institutions as meeting all or some of the criteria listed above.
In order to make the reforms effective it was extremely essential that the Manual be being reassessed from time to time based on inputs from practicing teachers informed by qualitative, quantitative, and/or experimental research.
In addition to this long-term consideration of the role
Of pupil learning, attention to the assessment and measurement of pupil learning.
In-Program Outcomes
In-program outcomes are those affecting various stakeholders during the classes. The stakeholders here being the management of each of the schools, the teachers and the students.
The management: It became important for the management to set aside a separate period for reinforcing communication skills now. The Management has tentatively allowed the students of class IX and XI to take these classes during the zero period.
The teachers: The teachers needed access to the computer/CD player or CD drive in the classroom. The Teachers also now had to make a strategic shift towards a more learner -centric teaching method. The Role of the teacher as a classroom manager, facilitator adopting a non-threatening attitude called for gradual personality changes in the teachers.
The students: The shift from the classroom facing the teacher to group discussion / pair work /simulation activities dominating the classroom procedures seemed more like fun time to the learners. It took them a lot of time to understand the academic objective behind each of these activities.
Time schedule for activities of the Project. First Phase:
This is the first phase of the training programme. Teachers will need to take 2 periods (40 minutes duration) per week for these activities. The present training module is to be completed within the months of April, July and August ’07.After each activity the feedback forms will be filled and submitted to the Head of the School. These forms are vital as this will be the basis for the next phase of training. As the main aim of the manual is to make teachers of Government schools comfortable in handling oral activities in the English language teaching the onus was on the teachers to edit and evolve the manual in order to make its usage a reality in the classrooms.
During one of the training sessions a teacher
Laughingly suggested that the light that sometimes seemed to flicker at the end
Of the tunnel reminds her of a train coming to challenge her assumptions once more. Then
The teacher paused, reflected, and discarded the tunnel image as inappropriate
For learning. Others gradually began suggesting newer images and they decided Learning was multidimensional, kaleidoscopic rather than
A narrow tunnel, a view from the mountain tops- not the valley.
It was observed that teachers were gradually taking decisions .No doubt this leads to a certain amount of insecurity. But in order to retain the intrinsic motivation of the teacher such a kinship with humanity became very necessary. For only then can the teacher in turn equip the learner with the power to learn, with the power to dream.
References:
National Curriculum framework: NCERT, New Delhi, 2006
Fisher, T. (2005) 'Technology means nothing without humans' [online] Available form
Sasikumar,V.Kiranmai Dutt, P.Geetha Rajeevan (2006) . A course in Listening and speaking I.CUP
Reforming Teacher Education Something Old, Something New Sheila Nataraj Kirby, Jennifer Sloan McCombs,Heather Barney, Scott Naftel
Preface
Over the past several decades, teacher education has been subjected to both scathing criticism and innumerable efforts have been made to reform it or to save it from being dismantled.
The aim of this paper is to study an initiative “Keep Talking” initiated by the DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION (DOE), GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI
. The Directorate was guided by a respect for evidence-based decision making and to fully integrate student /teacher experiences into the teacher education curriculum. To assist in this endeavor, DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION, GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI provided assistance
To the Master Trainers to align their teacher education programs with a design so as to bring about teacher education reforms.
Our social ethos, particularly in urban areas is fully entrenched in the competitive spirit, which is fast becoming our way of life. The shift of emphasis from teaching to learning with the focus on equipping the learner with essential skills and granting him confidence to use them effectively in life has necessitated this project.
The project is mooted to be based on the development of communication skills specially speaking skills of students studying in 1X and X1. It has been observed and many studies have shown that the teaching of English has been content-based and NOT SKILL BASED. Over years, writing and reading skills have been focused upon and speaking skills have taken a back seat. In today’s world of consumerism and mobility, the importance of communication skills cannot be undermined. Learners need help to improve their communication and to enter the professional market with confidence and leadership qualities
This Paper aims at critically examining the Challenges related to appropriate syllabus and curriculum framing by Teacher educators especially with reference to the use of Technology in Classroom Teaching.
This Paper is based primarily on information collected during the three annual visits to the 57 schools whose evaluations were funded by DOE.
We are simply tracking process implementation and are
Reporting activities and initiatives under way at the schools.
The latest round of schools visits was conducted from March 2007 through April 2007.
Outline: Plan of Action
Ø Preparation in the form of a manual with worksheets, activity sheets and teacher’s guide.
Ø Training of teachers to handle the manual.
Ø Equip teachers with ICT skills.
Ø Evaluation of students ‘ competency level at par with the idealized age proficiency levels in the global English curriculum
Ø Monitoring
Ø Reassessing the manual
Some guiding principles:
· A teacher education program should be guided by a respect for evidence.
· A culture of research, inquiry, and data analysis should permeate the program.
· Attention needs to be paid to pupil-learning gains accomplished under the tutelage of teachers who are graduates of the program.
. However, DOE is a complex initiative that
requires institutional and cultural changes for it to succeed..
Background of Zone 23 – schools
There are 57 schools in the zone, which include Sarvodaya i.e. XII, Govt.Sr or I to X. secondary schools VI to XII. . Though the coverage area of zone 23 is vast and is in the elite district of south Delhi. Ironically the constituents of this zone include colonies of lower strata income groups, resettlement colonies, urban villages, lower middle and middle class colonies. To name a few , Malaviya Nagar, Saket, Pushp Vihar, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur, Sangam Vihar, Deoli Village, Bhatti Mines, Fatehpur Beri, Chatttarpur, Mehrauli ,Jonapur Mandi &Aya Nagar etc all these areas come under zone23.
Background of the teachers who are being trained:
v T.G.Ts teaching class 9th and P.G.Ts teaching class 11th.
Most teachers required training in enhancing their own spoken proficiency and in the usage of ICT skills including software packages, CDROMs, websites, technologic
tools such as projector.
v Many teachers had been promoted as English P.G.Ts but had taught Sciences, Mathematics or other subjects.
A comprehensive training programme to help them handle these skills is a part of the ongoing training programme.
Appropriate syllabus, Curriculum framing: A team of Master Trainers designed a syllabus so as to reinforce speaking skills in learners at the Secondary and Sr. secondary levels.
The manual is designed as a reference on second language teaching and curriculum development for language trainers and language training coordinators.
i. The first section, on language learning, introduces learner - centric curriculum, describes the natural approach to language learning (the approach used throughout the manual), and describes various learning strategies, with examples of classroom activities suitable for each. Four language-learning skills and activities illustrating them are also presented.
ii. The second section summarizes some phonological issues historical and training methods, with sample lessons illustrating how parts of the methods can be incorporated into competency-based instruction.
iii. Section three explores the Communicative functions, including some activities to reinforce each of these functions. This section also contains classroom management techniques and a discussion of Communicative language teaching methods.
iv. The manual concludes with a list of ways classroom activities can be organized, and a way for the teachers to collect feedback on each of these oral activities.
Using Technology in Classroom Teaching
. To determine current practices, 57 senior secondary schools (under the Directorate of education) were contacted
In the South Zone with 18 of them approving the
Visit. 10 of these were selected as providing a
Representative sample in terms of
o The catchments’ area (to ensure that the students are from different social environments),
o Provision of ICT facilities in the school, its usage level and
o The school standards as recorded in the most recent report of each
School.
In total, 10 ICT coordinators and 7 teachers were
Interviewed to accompany classroom observations of
18 ICT lessons.
The Teachers had to be made ICT friendly first. coordinators in schools took a whole month in training the teachers .
ICT worksheets.
The Curriculum for this training was kept to a minimum basic, where Teachers were taught to use simple Computer applications, like using Microsoft Word, the Internet, using search engines and Multi media.
Some worksheets to make them familiar with Microsoft Word is given below:
Some Sample Tasks:Cloze write: Cloze exercise with the interval of word deletions chosen by the trainer - from every 2nd to every 9th word. (To get familiar with the key board)
Copywrite Easy: Partial text reconstruction, in which the whole text is reduced to small squares and punctuation, leaving the only the first letter of each word. (To teach the usage of tools and other icons in Microsoft Word) Prediction: An exercise in which the student predicts which word comes next in a text from a set of given choices. (Editing)Enigma: A decoding exercise in which every letter in the text is replaced by another letter. The student has to decode the text. (Using the dictionary/spell check)Scrambler: An exercise in which the letters in every word in the text are scrambled. The student has to unscramble the words. (To understand cut/paste usage)
. Directions: Please answer the following questions thoughtfully and honestly. . YesNo1. Do you have a computer in your home?2. Is the computer connected to the Internet?3. Are you allowed to use the computer?4. Do you use a word processor?5. Do you use a printer?6. So you check an e-mail address?7. Do you know how to type Web addresses?8. Do you know how to search for topics on the Internet?9. Do you have a cell phone you can use?10. Can you text message someone?
11. Check things you have used online: chat roomsweather forecastswriting/sending e-mailshopping online (with a parent)research/libraries
12. What else can you tell me about your use of the computer and/or other new technology? Play games, download music and pictures, listen to CD's, burn CD's and DVD's, Instant Message friends, chat rooms, message boards, save and e-mail pictures from digital camera
Some challenges:
ü The limitation of teachers ICTknowledge.
ü Difficulties in classroom management.
ü Lack of assessment
ü ICT school use is heavily teacher directed inorder to achieve syllabus outcomes in the keylearning areas.
ü So the pupils are told ‘not to fiddle’with the school computers. They don't have alot of time for practicing the skills, which are taught.
ü Gap in the children's ICT usage in school versus home:
Those who don’t have computers at home miss outon being able to try things out for themselves.
ü Though the teachers have been trained to use ICT and have good resources at school, many of them did feel that it was a waste of time and felt a new duty that had been added to their list of tasks.
ü Also the attention was now on the new presencein the classroom, providing a supply of knowledge andinformation. This was reducing the dependency of pupilson the teacher
Were recognized as some of the major gaps that needed to be corrected.
It was therefore very important to integrate the training module with the textbook. Most Communicative function tasks were taken from the CBSE textbooks of Course B classes 9th and 11th.
The Listening/ Speaking Teachers manual:Each worksheet has a Phonology task for Ear training / production test and an activity to perform communicative functions. Related net-links were given to teachers as resource material.
Communicative functions:
• Tasks to enhance Communicative functions: greet people.Introducing one.Making requests Asking and giving permission.Offering help.Giving Instructions and directions Telephone skills
Sample Task1
Activity: Simulationasking for helpoffering helpDeclining helpAccepting helpYour friend is sick/thirsty/depressed/hurt
An old man needs help across the road/carry heavy bag upstairs. Vocabulary help:Can/May I…., Let me…., How about…., What can I …, Would you….., Could you…., Excuse me…, I would be glad to…., Sorry I can’t…., Sure…, Do you …, Will you…,I’m afraid I can’t…., No I don’t think ….Thank you so much
c. Situation: Raman has fallen down from his bike . He has got hurt and needs help. Raman asks Arjun and Suresh for help. One of them offers to help while the other declines.
Role cards:Raman· Tells how he falls off his bike ,got injured· Shows the injuries, groans· Finds two boys standing around· Asks for help to take him to the doctor· (uses words from the help box)
· Thanks for the help provided.· Thanks the doctor for the services provided.· Takes the bicycle to the nearest repair shop.· Asks the shopkeeper for help.
Arjun:· Sees Raman falling off the bike.· Rushes towards Raman · Expresses his concern.· Consoles Raman, expresses hope that he is not injured badly· Offers help when asked by Raman· Takes Raman to the doctor.· Requests· Responds politely when thanked by Raman· Expresses hope towards early recovery
Suresh:· In a mood to join other children on the football ground.· Listens to Raman’s request.· Ignores and turns away towards other boys.· tells the reason.· declines to help.· Gives reasons (1 or 2)· Wishes recovery· Regrets his inability to help
•
Phonology: These worksheets attempt to equip the learner with facts on: The sounds/symbols/word stress, sentence stress and intonation. For most of these tasks a computer with a speaker will be required.
Largely, errors common in the Haryana Region have been dealt with.
Sample task 2
Activity: 1.Read the following words aloud same sip ship sugar music shame measure casual ash
2. Read these sentences out loud: a. She sells seashells on the seashore.b.Suman wears her socks without shoes while shyam wears his shoes without socks.
3. How does one spell the word :a.Mission which means a strongly felt aim: mison mizon michun mission
Ø Monitoring:
The guiding principle
Monitoring was not to threaten the teacher and penalize them for all that they were not doing. In fact after the training session the Master trainers did not expect the teacher no to go back and say” my life has been changed-I now have the formula to make everyone
literate.” Instead the teacher was encouraged to take that which is useful, which is fit for developing, incorporate it in her
belief system and personal knowledge of children and learning. Confidence
grew along with willingness to share knowledge with others. The
Workshops talked about principles of language teaching, but always suggested
That everything is in process, that today’s conclusions are tentative and
That there are many more questions to ask. So in turn the monitoring sessions were to work in collaboration with classroom dynamics and help the manual evolve into a user-friendlier document.
Evaluation of students ‘ competency level at par with the idealized age proficiency levels in the global English curriculum in an informal as well as formal set up is part of the monitoring process. The teachers will be informally recording some of the situations the learners would be simulating. Some formal testing of phonology will also be done continuously not as a test but through worksheets after teaching the sound pattern.
Ø Reassessing the manual.
It had become clear by now that if radical changes were expected, it entirely depended on the way DOE organized itself academically, allocated resources, evaluate participating faculty and partner with Zone 23 schools.
The panel members and representatives from DOE identified several teacher education institutions as meeting all or some of the criteria listed above.
In order to make the reforms effective it was extremely essential that the Manual be being reassessed from time to time based on inputs from practicing teachers informed by qualitative, quantitative, and/or experimental research.
In addition to this long-term consideration of the role
Of pupil learning, attention to the assessment and measurement of pupil learning.
In-Program Outcomes
In-program outcomes are those affecting various stakeholders during the classes. The stakeholders here being the management of each of the schools, the teachers and the students.
The management: It became important for the management to set aside a separate period for reinforcing communication skills now. The Management has tentatively allowed the students of class IX and XI to take these classes during the zero period.
The teachers: The teachers needed access to the computer/CD player or CD drive in the classroom. The Teachers also now had to make a strategic shift towards a more learner -centric teaching method. The Role of the teacher as a classroom manager, facilitator adopting a non-threatening attitude called for gradual personality changes in the teachers.
The students: The shift from the classroom facing the teacher to group discussion / pair work /simulation activities dominating the classroom procedures seemed more like fun time to the learners. It took them a lot of time to understand the academic objective behind each of these activities.
Time schedule for activities of the Project. First Phase:
This is the first phase of the training programme. Teachers will need to take 2 periods (40 minutes duration) per week for these activities. The present training module is to be completed within the months of April, July and August ’07.After each activity the feedback forms will be filled and submitted to the Head of the School. These forms are vital as this will be the basis for the next phase of training. As the main aim of the manual is to make teachers of Government schools comfortable in handling oral activities in the English language teaching the onus was on the teachers to edit and evolve the manual in order to make its usage a reality in the classrooms.
During one of the training sessions a teacher
Laughingly suggested that the light that sometimes seemed to flicker at the end
Of the tunnel reminds her of a train coming to challenge her assumptions once more. Then
The teacher paused, reflected, and discarded the tunnel image as inappropriate
For learning. Others gradually began suggesting newer images and they decided Learning was multidimensional, kaleidoscopic rather than
A narrow tunnel, a view from the mountain tops- not the valley.
It was observed that teachers were gradually taking decisions .No doubt this leads to a certain amount of insecurity. But in order to retain the intrinsic motivation of the teacher such a kinship with humanity became very necessary. For only then can the teacher in turn equip the learner with the power to learn, with the power to dream.
References:
National Curriculum framework: NCERT, New Delhi, 2006
Fisher, T. (2005) 'Technology means nothing without humans' [online] Available form
Sasikumar,V.Kiranmai Dutt, P.Geetha Rajeevan (2006) . A course in Listening and speaking I.CUP
Reforming Teacher Education Something Old, Something New Sheila Nataraj Kirby, Jennifer Sloan McCombs,Heather Barney, Scott Naftel
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
When does the quiet begin?
Tired and weary of the days work
I sink into my bed.
Ah! every nerve every muscle
begins ease out
and my limbs begin to feel rested.
Now, the mind’s work begins
When does the quiet begin?
The mind lifts its head now
and forays into the dark.
eyes shut, eyelids heavy and drooping
into the land of the unknown.
when does the quiet begin?
The body’s work done
the mind’s work begins
into the darkest recesses of the mind
on a pilgrimage
nay, in search of the inward eye?
when does the quiet begin?
I see the jewelled night
I see the fearful phantoms hide
I hear their threatening sounds
and I wake up
through day the body and through night the mind
when does the quiet begin?
jayshri
11’july
Tired and weary of the days work
I sink into my bed.
Ah! every nerve every muscle
begins ease out
and my limbs begin to feel rested.
Now, the mind’s work begins
When does the quiet begin?
The mind lifts its head now
and forays into the dark.
eyes shut, eyelids heavy and drooping
into the land of the unknown.
when does the quiet begin?
The body’s work done
the mind’s work begins
into the darkest recesses of the mind
on a pilgrimage
nay, in search of the inward eye?
when does the quiet begin?
I see the jewelled night
I see the fearful phantoms hide
I hear their threatening sounds
and I wake up
through day the body and through night the mind
when does the quiet begin?
jayshri
11’july
Mother O Mother!
Mother deck me not in pearls
they chain me in my play
O Mother let me skip like the deer and run like the cheetah
let me chase the ducks into water let me fly with the birds
Mother dear mother chain not my feet with anklets
they bind me in my play
O Mother let me run with the wind and laugh with the birds
let me hide in silence when my friends come looking for me
Mother plait not my hair with ribbons and bands
they tug at me during my play
let my hair lift like the waves of the sea let the wind whistle through my hair.
O sweet child of mine
I deck you not to chain you but to make you the queen who rules the world
I adorn your feet with anklets not to bind you
but to let me know you are away from danger
I plait not your hair to stop you but to keep them free of painful tangles.
Child O sweet child of mine I want you to be free like the wind too
but I want to protect you too!
stay happy child O child of mine.
Mother deck me not in pearls
they chain me in my play
O Mother let me skip like the deer and run like the cheetah
let me chase the ducks into water let me fly with the birds
Mother dear mother chain not my feet with anklets
they bind me in my play
O Mother let me run with the wind and laugh with the birds
let me hide in silence when my friends come looking for me
Mother plait not my hair with ribbons and bands
they tug at me during my play
let my hair lift like the waves of the sea let the wind whistle through my hair.
O sweet child of mine
I deck you not to chain you but to make you the queen who rules the world
I adorn your feet with anklets not to bind you
but to let me know you are away from danger
I plait not your hair to stop you but to keep them free of painful tangles.
Child O sweet child of mine I want you to be free like the wind too
but I want to protect you too!
stay happy child O child of mine.
Men are from Mars…
Women are from Venus!!!
A Man and a woman found themselves together in a train,
having known each other
they began talking.
The woman was known to be learned.
The man a skilled professional.
The woman began talking about the special stories
………some she had learnt
………some she wove
……….some she had read.
As she went on the plot thickened
and even as she went on the man fell asleep
Suddenly the train came to a halt
and the man woke up
‘Wonderful they were your stories of sea and yonder.’
The woman replied,’ but I was telling you stories of the deserts and
Oasis!’
jayshri kannan
.
(The poet is a teacher trainer and writer at Oxford University Press, India.)
Women are from Venus!!!
A Man and a woman found themselves together in a train,
having known each other
they began talking.
The woman was known to be learned.
The man a skilled professional.
The woman began talking about the special stories
………some she had learnt
………some she wove
……….some she had read.
As she went on the plot thickened
and even as she went on the man fell asleep
Suddenly the train came to a halt
and the man woke up
‘Wonderful they were your stories of sea and yonder.’
The woman replied,’ but I was telling you stories of the deserts and
Oasis!’
jayshri kannan
.
(The poet is a teacher trainer and writer at Oxford University Press, India.)
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Second language aquisition
Recently at a training session in Shillong , I was made to sit up and think once again. A teacher asked me if the aquisition process was different for adults and children. I gave her the usual answer maturity makes a difference blah blah.. but sumthin was making me uncomfortable from within.Catrherine Doughty has done extensive work instructed SLA versus self aquired SLA.But every research paper takes into account only a smaller section of society.Self instructed SLA by an adult is a fascinating field. How did we acquire proficiency in the SL?Usage in informal situation or through instructional learning?What constriants come in the place of SLA in an adult. I fo r one have noticed most adult learners of a target languagae cannot tune thier perceptions tophonetic segments.L2 always remains afected by l1 accent.the sensitivity to non native contrasts is yet another mechanism which gets left over in the processing .LAD being active till 12 yrs makes it easier for the child to ignore irrelevant details which makes them rapidly co articulate speech ,detect word boundaries and segmentation strategies.The late learner ,the adult in our case mismatches acoustic details.why then did the adults find it so much more difficult to wean out of the L1?ANy reader who wishes to add case studies i s welcome.
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