Activity Oriented Language Learning

Abstract

The activity-based learning methods have advantages as it appeals to a wide range of different senses and also appeal to individual’s varied learning styles. Different activities can be identified and can be tried in the skills thereby increasing the students’ interest in learning process. The Activity Based Learning plays a key role in developing the critical and creative 

mind of students. Activities to learn Tenses, Prepositions, Speech, and Voices etc. are discussed upon and an analysis of the feedback is also made. Activities help students to reinforce the grammar techniques in their mind and also later relate them into real life 

situations.

Key words: activity based learning, learners, skills

Introduction

The Activity-Based Curriculum or activity-oriented curriculum is also termed “project curriculum” or an “experience curriculum”, but the name activity is a fundamental conception. A curriculum material translated in terms of activity is what we call an “activity curriculum.” The subject matter is taught through activities. This activity is used as a means to convey knowledge and skills. Activity-based curriculum design is a great source of motivation for kids as it provides freedom of expression to the child be ”themself fully. However, the activity should not be intermingled with the game. It is rather a playful way of learning things. More emphasis is placed on the way, and then the “learn by doing” activity becomes educative. One must not consider a learning activity as physical activity.

When we say an activity, we mean physical as well as an intellectual activity. The teacher should involve students in activities such that, during the development of manual skills, mental satisfaction in the job should be achieved. Students ought not to be passive hearers but active participants in the learning process. Gaining experience is real learning. A learning activity must end with a gainful experience. When activity is the process, then the experience becomes the product of the activity. And they can never be isolated from one another.

activity-based learning is “learning by doing.” It is a process of learning by performing certain activities. It is highly effective as instead of asking kids to sit, listen and take notes, this mode of learning allows them to participate in their own learning experience via practical activities such as independent investigation and problem-solving.

Analysis and Interpretation

The need of the hour is to enable the learners to communicate effectively and accurately. The learners also attempt to enhance their communicative competence. The teachers are trying to find all those possible means and ways which are task- based and those which lead the students to use language creatively. Language games and problem solving activities are task-based and they highlight not only the competence but also the performance of the learner. Games are enjoyable and learners tend to play the game only to win. In this process they get totally involved in the game and try to solve the problems in a game logically. Unconsciously they try to learn the language in the process of facing the challenges put forth in a game. For example select a game where the students have to use only the synonyms of a given word in the game to reach the target. Here they can be provided with gap filling questions to draw their attention. Thus they can learn vocabulary. Similarly games on tenses, accent, etc. can be selected to teach grammar.

But it is the responsibility of the teachers to select and apply the appropriate games and activities based on the learners’ proficiency levels, age and experience. They also should design clear and easy directions for the selected activities and games. The students will be more attentive towards the entailed details and the meaning in problem solving activities. In the given activity the student should generate a specific grammar point as a solution part of the problem. For example if a teacher wants his or her students to learn future tense s/he can provide example sentences which may represent both present and future tense. If a sentence say’s ‘I’m in the class but I shall see my friend in the canteen as soon as I get his call’. The student can be asked to write that part of the sentence which talks about present tense on the left and other part on right and inform the tense in which it is used. Similarly we can provide some pictures, charts etc. in teaching grammar.

These activities are designed to be inquiry-based and they allow the students for self-exploration of problems and solutions. Some of them encourage work in a self-paced mode, and other promotes group competitions, thinking and discussions. Students are encouraged to find multiple, imaginative, intuitive and common sense solutions and as many solutions to a problem.

Conclusion

In this whole process of teaching a teacher should be only a facilitator. Through these activities an innovative teacher can find a way to integrate all the four skills along with various language elements. It is also observed that such activities provide entertaining opportunities for the students to practice thinking clearly while focusing on the form unconsciously. They also provide favorable usages for extended communicative practice of grammar. 

Reference

Celce-Murcia, M. & Hilles, S. (1988). Techniques and resources in teaching grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Cross, D. (1992). A practical handbook of language teaching. G.B.: Prentice Hall.

Eken, D.K. (1996). Ideas for using songs in the English language classroom. English Teaching FORUM, 34/1:46-47

Kim, L.S. (1995). Creative games for the language class. English Teaching FORUM, 33/1: 35-36

McKay, S.L. (1987). Teaching grammar. G.B.: Prentice Hall.

Towndrow, P. (1999). Logic problems and English language learning. MET, 8/1:34-37

Internet Sources

http://www.oocities.org/elt_man2003/grammar.html

http://www.residentassistant.com/games/problemsolving.htm