Issues with Classroom Pedagogy Keerti Jayaram, Organisation for Early Literacy Promotion (OELP)
What does research tell us? The foundations of learning are laid in the early years and have a long lasting impact on a young child’s later development and learning. Young children do not learn in the same way as older learners. Their learning is directly linked their experience and is a social process. Using teaching methods that are inappropriate for young children can have a long lasting negative impact on them. The quality and stability of a child’s human relationships in the early years lay the foundation for a wide range of later developmental and learning outcomes. These relationships affect virtually all aspects of their development – intellectual, social, emotional, physical, behavioural, and moral.
Early Literacy encompasses both spoken and written language being able to make sense of what one sees, hears or reads Becoming literate means . . . being able to share one’s ideas, thoughts and feelings through spoken, pictorial or written communication. being able to think independently Becoming literate cannot be limited to learning the alphabet or being able to read or write based on prescribed textbooks.
BALANCE ! Skills ! Approaches to reading Meaning ! 4 Now, many of you may have about the “Reading Wars” – the fight between people who believe in the Whole Language and the Phonics perspectives. Actually, even though phonics and whole language are the two “Famous” perspectives, there’s also a third perspective that has played a significant part of the history of reading instruction in the West. But, before I tell you anymore about these perspectives, I’d like to give you a task. 4
OELP’s three pronged Early Literacy intervention Active classroom environments A supportive reading programme Structured programme for skill building
Components of a balanced approach An environment which facilitates active and natural engagement with a variety of literacy and language learning activities. b) Some explicit and meaningful learning opportunities for building and strengthening skills and concepts related to print awareness, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. c) Meaningful engagement with books so that children build a deep and meaningful involvement with reading.
Focus on building foundations for learning Learn to : 1. listen attentively. 2. stay on a task and complete it. 3. question, think and arrive at logical conclusions. 4. express ideas, thoughts and feelings clearly in the spoken, pictorial, written or any other form. 5. share; respect each other and learn to work together. 6. follow some commonly arrived at classroom rules.
Building foundations for Literacy Basic print concepts such as – title and cover of book, concept of “word”, spaces, directionality, orientation, functionality, meaningfulness of written words and texts. 5 domains essential for basic reading skills phonological awareness phonics vocabulary fluency comprehension These are interrelated in terms of development, instruction, and assessment. They need to be taught through a “balanced” approach
1 How do these ideas and perspectives on Early Literacy translate into classroom pedagogies within the Indian context ? 2 Are we keeping sight of important specifics within the large scale macro programmes? 3 What are some classroom related pedagogic issues?
Pedagogic issues through different lenses
1. Children Who are they ? Multiple : backgrounds childhoods home languages, experiences and interests learning needs Pedagogic issues : 1. Are all children learning in many natural and active ways through shared interactions or are they passive recipients of predetermined knowledge? 2. Is the classroom experience responding to ‘real’ children and their specific needs or are is it looking at ‘children’ as a generalized category ?
2. Teacher The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards defines pedagogy as follows: Effective teachers display a wide range of skills and abilities that lead to creating a learning environment where all students feel comfortable and are sure that they can succeed both academically and personally. (See http://www.nbpts.org/)
Because many teachers are typically highly qualified and proficient in their content knowledge, the skills they lack are usually related to the knowledge and application of pedagogy. When teachers understand and use pedagogy, their teaching has the flexibility to meet students' vast array of learning needs. -nbpts
Pedagogic issues: Is the teacher adequately equipped to: Sensitively create an inclusive and nurturing classroom by understanding cultural, emotional, social reasons for participation and non participation and working on those Recognize and respond to individual difference and special needs children based on an understanding of the stages and spectrum of Early Literacy Have meaningful conversations with children and not talk down to children nor water down learning opportunities Listen to and observe children and understand and encourage aspects of the child’s intentionality while engaging in activities Encourage shared learning Encourage questioning and critical thinking in children Elicit creative responses from children
Teachers require support: demonstration and modeling of good practices nurturing through guided practice / mentoring opportunity for review and reflection accessible support It is important to set up demonstration sites which are grounded in the complexities of real learning situations.
3. Classroom environment Planned, resource intensive classrooms Planned, resource poor classrooms Unplanned/ Makeshift classrooms Are we looking at / assessing the classroom environment as a critical component for learning ? Pedagogic issues: 1. Non threatening, inclusive and accepting or hostile, unfriendly and discriminatory 2. Stimulating and responsive or sterile and passive 3. A variety of opportunities for active learning or controlled and structured with limited opportunity for learning 4. Honours learner diversity and promotes mutual respect or caters to the dominant groups and promotes discriminatory practices.
4. Programmes Early childhood programmes (Preschool, ECCE, ECCD) School based programmes (KG, Classes 1 and 2) Pedagogic issues: Macro programmes – ‘one size fit all’ or contextualised programmes for building bridges between homes and school? Pre-determined content or predetermined goals with flexible content? Does the programme content and design respond to the learners’ specific needs and context?
5. Assessment Pedagogic issues: Is assessment - Meaningful Simple, efficient and not time consuming and DO NOT intrude into teaching time. Identifying strengths and gap areas Informing both the learner and the teacher Challenging but not threatening Incorporating aspects of self evaluation towards building in critical reflection and supporting independent learning Supporting systematic mechanisms for learner tracking based on quantitative and qualitative data
How does assessment address difference across a vast spectrum ? Resource intensive learning situations, dominant social groups; learners gearing up for the global world. worldworld How does assessment address difference across a vast spectrum ? Resource poor learning situations, poverty; first generation learners from marginalized social groups.
The better they become the more motivated they are to read and write. The more young learners use their inner resources to read and write the better they become. And a whole cycle of positive engagement with reading and writing sets in The better they become the more motivated they are to read and write. Our experience
Summing up For building strong foundations in Early Literacy and in learning, it is vital to provide: - Time - Resources - Materials - Teachers equipped with suitable pedagogies - A strong focus on knowledge building in the area of Early Literacy and language learning within the Indian context - A supportive professional framework