ACTIVITY BASED LEARNING
Introduction
A teaching method in general is
meant as the method or process adopted for realizing a preconceived educational
goal through a series of tr- pupil austerities meant for the purpose the method
of teaching refers to the regulars ways or orderly procedure employed by the tr
in guiding the pupils encodes to accomplish the pre determined objectives of leaning As applied to class –room
teaching, methods is a sesies of related and progressive acls performed by the
tr and pupil to accomplish the general and specific aims of the lesson. It
involves regular steps to guide the mental processes of the leaner in mastering
the subject matter being presented to him for the realization of the
anticipated goal.
In Activity-based learning, we have
the possibility of a system which can succeed in keeping children motivated and
fully occupied, while they are mastering the fundamentals. ABL offers solutions
to two major problems: multi-grade classes and inadequate staffing. It provides
the learning material for several children to be working on, while the teacher
is busy with one group.ABL appears to be a system where the teacher can
facilitate learning, without dominating the classroom or intimidating the
children.
Opening Scene:-
A visitor walks into a Corporation
school in Chennai. Children sit in groups on four or five mats on the floor.
Each child is engaged in some academic task. The teacher is looking into the
notebook of one of the children and checking the written work. There are several
blackboards at the level of the children. The visitor talks to a 9-year old boy
and asks him if he can read Tamil. The boy reads the headlines clearly, without
errors, and returns the paper. The visitor asks him how he learned to read. He
hears the boy say that he has studied in the same school for the last four
years and he has gone step by step on the Learning Ladder.
How did the
children learn to read? Who taught them? What is the ladder? Where can one find
out more about the system? Why cannot all our schools follow this method?
The answer to the last question is
dependent on three major factors: 1) the openness to change of teachers,
trainers and supervisors, 2) administrative machinery and clout and 3)
political will and financial support.
In ABL Mathematics is learnt through
using the attractive Montessori materials, designed systematically, for the
fundamental principles of addition, subtraction, multiplication and divisions.
The materials now available in ABL
are colourful, easy to handle, and meticulously developed to enable children to
understand place value (units, tens, hundreds) and the basic mathematical
processes.
Every child can proudly own a part
of that blackboard. When the child completes one set, there is a card for Self
Evaluation.
The teacher keeps an eye on the
levels attained by every child and sometimes helps by pairing an advanced
learner with a slower one, for specific exercises. Thus the teacher is enabled
to track every learner’s progress.
It encourages cooperation between
children, rather than competition among them. ABL is a simple solution to that
complicated issue. The system absorbs different age groups and different
ability levels within the same age group. In the schools with ABL, there are no
apparent discipline problems. The structured learning materials have their own
logic, which supports the children’s involvement in reading, writing and
calculating. ABL has a simple strategy to take care of missed classes. The
child’s work is individual. Reception of a lesson acts as reinforcement. Once
the ABL system has been mastered by the teacher and the pupils, the burden on
the teacher is reduced. Teacher’s work in to help the young children to
continue learning a Variety of things from the family and community and from
Nature. In the ABL, there is a lot of movement and activity, exchange of ideas
and group work. There is no question of boredom.
May PTA meeting were also held to
explain the new methods to the parents. The ABL system has some senior teachers
who are experts in handling teacher education and are treated like wise elders.
But there are also young trainers, selected to do the training for their
enthusiasm and communication Skills. The teacher knows the exact level of the
child’s achievement and can take remedial measures for a child who has slowed
down. Child are naturally highly motivated to know and to learn.
Clarity of the lesson is probably
the ABL method’s most valued asset. Each unit of information of process is
broken up in such a way that clarity of the lesson is ensured. The method is
particularly effective in the fundamentals of mathematics.
There
is order in the stacking of materials and in all the procedures that the
children follow. The body language of the children shows their enthusiasm. The
closing of the physical and psychological distance between teacher and child
reflects a very satisfactory feature of the system.
During
the several hours of observation, one rarely came across a child who was not
purposing on academic task or a related task. There was an eagerness in their
step and a sense of purpose in their deportment.
The
teacher has a very important role in this system, though it is not obvious to a
casual visitor. She has to learn the entire ABL system and work effectively
with it. There are also able, in this system, to spend some time on children
who are slow. While teacher domination is not desirable, teacher participation
is advisable for at least 30 – 45 minutes a day.
Changing
perspectives, new information, the opinions of students and teachers, views of
others in the community – all these can and do constitute knowledge. A new item
is not necessarily a creative addition to the curriculum. Some special
monitoring of the items filled in the blank slots would be recommended.
Other
ways of allowing children to be creative must be consciously introduced.
SUGGESTIONS FOR ENRICHMENT OF THE ABL
METHOD
1)
In the school curriculum, the experiencing of the vastness of the cultural
spectrum must find some place. The empty slots’ must seek bring originality and
variety. Towards this end, the training
of teachers should be strengthened.
2)
Music, as it seems to be taught, is a collective effort by children to sing
rhymes and songs at the top of their voices. Children can learn to sing softly,
to sing in tune and to take turns to sing. There is a sense of enjoyment, of
course and that is good, but a feeling of competent singing will be a value
addition.
3)
Flexibility is allowed in pace of learning and this is a boon. Here it is
important to see that having children of the same age together in an activity
does not necessarily entail competition. Children of the same age are divided
into two or three groups. The quiz question or alternatively, the athletic task
is given to the group. Every child must have one chance, but can get help from
others in the group.
4)
The shadow puppet stories are good. They are simple enough for all children to
know the entire dialogue by heart, as we observe from watching a performance.
Drama enables them to cultivate the imagination and enhances their ability to
speak clearly and articulately.
5)
This system is better than any other which one would come upon in India, to
handle the problem of understaffed schools. The inadequate number of teachers
in our rural schools is a constant problem. The ABL can be used with advantage,
but its success in the long run, will be determined by the children’s access to
a teacher in the class room.
6)
ABL must build on the strengths. There are many achievements to be proud of,
but one cannot afford to be complacent. This educational initiative could will
be a forerunner for a positive change in educational standards across the
country.
Conclusion:
ABL is a learning technique which
needs the active participation of the students. The teacher should be abled
teachers so that we can implement ABL method in classroom. It develops the
student’s creative thinking and make him self confident. Methods and materials,
which were devised to help the children catch up on the lost years of
childhood, seemed both appropriate and attractive to all children.
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