CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH : CONSTRUCTIVISM

It is a philosophical belief that people construct CONSTRUCTIVISM
-Constructivism is an approach to learning suggesting that children must construct their own understanding of the world in which they live.
-It is a philosophical belief that people construct their own understanding of reality based on observation, understanding and experience.
-The basic idea of constructivism is… ‘Knowledge can not be instructed by a teacher, it can only be constructed by a learner.
-This means learning is not just a direct result of listening to a teacher. The students have to organize and develop what they hear and read.
-The psychological roots of constructivism began with the development of Jean piaget (1896-1980)

Constructivist pedagogy
n The following are the factors essential in constructivist pedagogy..
1. Learning should take place in authentic and real world environment, and through ‘authentic tasks’
2. Learning should involve social negotiation and mediation.
3. Content and skills should be made relevant to learner.
4. Content and skills should be understood within the framework of learner’s knowledge.
5. Students should be assessed formatively, serving to inform future learning experiencess.
6. Students should be encouraged to become self-aware, self-regulatory, self-mediated.
7. Teachers serve primarily as guides and facilitators of learning; not instructors.
8. Learning new knowledge based on previous knowledge.

Constructivist classroom
1. Students autonomy and initiative are accepted and encouraged. Teacher is a guide and facilitator.
2. The teacher asks open-ended questions and wait-time for responses.
3. Higher level thinking is encouraged.
4. Students are engaged in dialogue with the teacher and with each other.
5. Students are engaged in experiences that challenge hypotheses and encourage discussion.
6. Collaborative learning

Some constructivist activities
1. Experimentation
2. Projects
3. Field trips
4. Class discussion
5. Mind mapping
6. Pre-testing
7. quizzes

Characteristics of Constructivist Learning:
1. Multiple perspectives and representations of concepts and content are presented and encouraged.
2. Goals and objectives are derived by the student or in negotiation with the teacher or system.
3. Teachers serve in the role of guides, monitors, coaches, tutors and facilitators.
4. Activities, opportunities, tools and environments are provided to encourage meta cognition, self-analysis -regulation, -reflection & -awareness.
5. The student plays a central role in mediating and controlling learning.
6. Learning situations, environments, skills, content and tasks are relevant, realistic, and authentic and represent the natural complexities of the ‘real world’.
7. Primary sources of data are used in order to ensure authenticity and real-world complexity.
8. Knowledge construction and not reproduction is emphasized.
9. This construction takes place in individual contexts and through social negotiation, collaboration and experience.
10. The learner’s previous knowledge constructions, beliefs and attitudes are considered in the knowledge construction process.
11. Problem-solving, higher-order thinking skills and deep understanding are emphasized.
12. Errors provide the opportunity for insight into students’ previous knowledge constructions.
13. Exploration is a favoured approach in order to encourage students to seek knowledge independently and to manage the pursuit of their goals.
14. Learners are provided with the opportunity for apprenticeship learning in which there is an increasing complexity of tasks, skills and knowledge acquisition.
15. Knowledge complexity is reflected in an emphasis on conceptual interrelatedness and interdisciplinary learning.
16. Collaborative and cooperative learning are favoured in order to expose the learner to alternative viewpoints.
17. Scaffolding is facilitated to help students perform just beyond the limits of their ability.
18. The existing knowledge, called Schema, needs to be exploited in order to build or construct new knowledge.
19. Assessment is authentic and interwoven with teaching.

COLLABORATIVE APPROACH:
-Collaborative Approach is an innovation that was attempted by a few teachers in the state of California.
-This approach believes in the fact that all learning can happen best when it is shared with others.
-There are two models to consider in the collaborative approach
-Teachers from different areas of knowledge collaborate in order to offer learning tools to students.
-Students work collaboratively to in the classroom to carry out the tasks assigned by the teacher.
-English language teaching at tertiary level is also closely related to subject contents and it is unrealistic to detach language from content or to teach the language in isolation.
-Although each subject teacher has his or her area of expertise, language (in this case, it is English) is a common element and topic across subjects.
-Understanding or being aware of what students are studying, their needs and the subject discourse definitely helps an English language teacher to develop the syllabus and materials.
-This is best achieved if the English language teacher takes the initiative to gather information from subject teachers, and both sides are involved in more direct working at a later stage.
-By collaborating with teacher teaching different subjects, the teacher of English can become aware of the technical and sub-technical vocabulary and perhaps device ways of teaching them in the English class in appropriate contexts such that the learning of content becomes easy.
-Collaborative teaching also extends sharing responsibility between the teacher and the learners as well. Learners can be assigned tasks individually in the form of projects or other assignments in completing which they will gain experience in relevant fields.
-It helps us understand that we are not isolated island, but a healthy comity of communities who can depend on each other.

ECLECTIC METHOD
-Eclectic method is a combination of different learning approaches, methods or techniques.
-The teacher decides what methodology or approach to use depending on the aims of the lesson and the learners in the group. Almost all modern course books have a mixture of approaches and methodologies.
-This term is today more abused than used because every teacher claims to be eclectic and have his own way of teaching.
-This approach seems to be the oldest for this was practiced by teacher teaching Latin and Greek children as early as first century before Christ.
-It does not subscribe to any sing philosophy or belief. It takes into into its fold of comprehensive view of teaching learning processes.
-The teacher assesses the learners for their strengths and weaknesses, as well as makes a list of their needs.
-Then he takes a decision on what to teach and how to teach.
-The teacher chooses the best materials and the best techniques that are suitable for his class on a particular day.
-The choices may vary everyday and this variation may be justified on the bases of the needs of the learners, the difficulty of the topic, resources available for the day etc.

METHODS
GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD;
Also known as classical method/Prussian method/oldest method/traditional method.
n This method has no psychological basis but has the philosophical bases-
a. A foreign lang. can be easily learnt through translator
b. Grammar is the soul of language.
The originator of this method is J.V Medinger

Procedure
-In translation method, the English teacher translates each and every word, phrase and sentence into mother tongue.
-In this method, textbook occupies an imp. Place
-Text book has – all reading material
-Specific graded vocabulary
-Rules of grammar
-Each lesson with some new words
-The teacher makes the meaning of every new word clear to students by translating them into method tongue.
-Simultaneously he explains grammatical points and rules
-Thus this method starts with the meaning of words and then explains the meaning of phrases and sentences.

Features:
1. Foreign phraseology can be learnt through translation in this method. [Acc. To Thompson and Wyatt]
2. The unit of teaching is word
3. Mother tongue dominates
4. Grammatical structures/rules are explained by teacher.
5. Focus is on word-to-word translation
6. Vocabulary is taught through bilingual lists.
7. Grammar is taught deductively (rules first-examples next)
8. Structures are learnt by comparing and contrasting with that of mother tongue. [ acc. To Thompson & Wyatt]
9. “Foreign lang. is best learnt through grammar’’ is the belief of this method.
10. Authority of the teacher in the classroom.

Advantages
1. Proceeds from known to unknown
2. It is an easy method to teach because of its limited objectives – understanding the written lang. (reading) and producing some basic sentences.
3. It is economical as it saves times
4. Students acquire vocabulary in an easy & effective way.
5. Strong bond between foreign phraseology (new ideas) and mother tongue (old ideas)
6. Attain good standards in translation
7. The comprehension is quick and testing is very easy hence, the method does not demand much of teacher.
8. Procedures are quite effective for reading and translation skills.
9. Teacher needs no material aid.

Limitations
1. Speech is neglected and reading of writing are stressed
2. Literal translation of words and sentences is not always helpful-
3. The words, idioms and phrases in English-which reflect the culture, tradition and customs of English people – cannot be translated into mother tongue without losing the correct effect.
4. Memorizing he grammar rules often does not help students to use the Lang.
5. Principle of natural order of learning (LSRW) is not followed. The teacher takes up reading first-writing next
6. It is a dull, uninteresting and unnatural method.
7. It is a teacher-centered method where student is a passive listener
8. It fails to establish bond between thought I expression
9. It is unsuitable for a class with different lang. background since it advocates the use of M.T.
10. Suitable for a adult learners; not for young learners

READING METHOD
-Dr. M.P West, principal of training collage in Dacca and director of education in pre-partition Bengal invented this method.
-In this method, some of the limitations of the direct method are removed.
-The objective of the reading method is to make the students fluent readers.
-“The ability to read fluently in English is more imp. Than speaking in English” – dr.west
-Strong bond between sound and print.
-“Learning to read a lang. is the shortest way to speak it and write it”
-This method is also known as “Dr.West’s New method” or “Textbook method”.
-He prepared a list of 2000 most frequently used words. This list is called General Service List of English words(GSL). He divided this list into six levels.
-He developed reading books called New Method Readers.

Features
-A revolt against direct method.
-It gives due importance to textbook and readers.
-As these are more chances of hearing incorrect English for the Indian students, this method emphasizes a reading.
-Dr. West laid emphases on silent reading
-“The Bilingual child does not so much need to speak his second lang. but s\rather to read it”.
-Reading facilitates speaking & writing.
-The reading texts are graded in terms of vocabulary and structures and these are divided into Intensive reading texts and expensive reading texts. This led to a systematic way of preparing graded readers to promote intensive and extensive reading among the students

Advantages
1. Reading helps to make the writing easy.
2. It helps to increase the vocabulary of the students.
3. This method is economical in terms of time and money.
4. Develops a taste for English
5. Do not feel the over load of grammatical rules.
6. Development of power of comprehension.

Limitations
1. Ignores the three aspects (listening, speaking, writing) of lang.
2. Reading always is boring and uninteresting.
3. Dr. West’s contention that “ability to read should be developed before developing the ability to speak” does not seem sound because reading has some “inner speech” in it.
4. Its main aim is not reproduction but comprehension so it’s not in practice today.
5. It’s against the psychological principle that we always learn a new lang. by first speaking it.

TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE
-Established by James Asher, an experimental psychologist.
-“A child learns a second lang. in a similar way as he learns the first language.”
-Listening comprehension plays a vital role in lang. learning.

Features
1. Learners decode the instructions given and answer them by decoding into action. [ learning by doing ]
2. Imperative drills [stand up, sit-down] are given and they make the children to acquire the language.
3. Imperative drills are the major classroom activity.
4. Listening skills precede other skills.
5. The method believes in the psychological principle advocated by Jean piaget who holds that the child acquires language through motor- movement.
6. The method gives importance to meaning rather than to the form. Secondly meaning in the target lang. is conveyed best through action.
7. Grammar is taught inductively

Merits
1. Practice in the target lang. makes young children speak spontaneously.
2. Learning is made permanent as it is experienced.
3. More enjoyable and less stressful.
4. Learners are motivated while performing role-play and this in turn helps learners internalize complex structure an d vocabulary in the target lang.

Limitations
1. The whole of lang. cannot be taught through commands
2. Difficult to teach reading and writing skills.
3. Learning only commands makes the children authoritative.
4. The unique quality of language “pleasantness” is lost by teaching lang. through commands.
5. The higher order skills are difficult to learn through commands.
6. Most of the MT learning is duplicated as the child learns the target lang. in much the same way as how he learns the M.T

DIRECT METHOD
-This method originated in France in 1901 as a direct consequence of the demerits of G.T method.
-This method is referred to as “Natural Method” or “Reformed Method”.
-It is popularized by Henry sweet and Jespersen
-The natural Lang learning principles are the foundation.
-Exposure to natural language “using everyday vocabulary and grammar” helps learner acquire language without having to master the rules.
-A direct association between the forms and meanings in the target Lang.

-“A language could be best taught by using it actively in the classroom”
-H.E. Palmer points out the following feature;
1. Translation in every form is banished from the classroom
2. The meaning of words are taught by means of objects or by natural context
3. Oral teaching proceeds’ any form of reading or writing
4. Grammar, if it is taught, is taught inductively.

Principles/Features
1. Lang. is considered primarily a speech. Therefore oral communicative skills are built up.
2. The unit of speech is a “sentence”
3. Grammar is learnt inductively. [examples first-rules next]
4. Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the meanings.
5. New teaching items are introduced orally through objects, demonstration and pictures.
6. The syllabus is based on situations or topics, which makes the students to think in the target language. Pronunciation is stressed from the beginning
7. Natural acquisition of vocabulary.
8. M.T is banished from the classroom
9. Teacher demonstrates – not translates/explains
10. Direct bond is established between word and idea, word and experience. Experience and expression.
11. Extensive use of A.V Aids

Merits
1. This method is psychologically sound [known to unknown]
2. learning becomes lively and interesting because of the use of A.V Aids, actions and demonstrations
3. The direct exposure to English makes the students speak and write well.
4. The situational teaching enables the students to use the lang. without any inhibitions.
5. Memorization of orders is discouraged [cramming of words]
6. An English atmosphere is created in the classroom.
7. Makes pupil think in English
8. It simultaneously develops various abilities such as reading, writing. Speaking and understanding.

Limitations
1. P.Gurrey and Dr.West do not consider it a method. In their opinion, it is a principle which can be used along with some method.
2. Complete banishment of M.T is not possible. According to Thomson and Wyatt, “We can’t expect the pupil to make the association at outset”. [we can’t forbid the child to think in his M.T]
3. Expensive method as it needs A.V.Aids
4. It became very difficult to associate all the expressions directly in the target lang. especially to teach abstract ideas.
5. Excessive stress on spoken from &neglected other skills
6. As it ignored the explicit teaching of grammar, it failed to strengthen the lang. habits of the students.
7. Laborious method as it needs of lot of preparation by the teacher..

BILINGUAL METHOD
-C.J Dodson, the professor of Wales University, advocated this method. [ HNL Sastry proved it in CIEFL]
-He incorporates the different aspects of the direct method and GT method for effective learning.
-Its aim is to make students speak and write fluently and accurately in the target language.
-In this method Mother tongue is used to achieve the target Lang.
G.T
-Teacher translates the words or structures into M.T before teaching them.
-rill of sentence pattern is not provided. BILINGUAL
-Teacher only use the M.T strictly controlled and limited for explaining meaning of difficult words.
-Students are given a lot of practice in the drill of sentence pattern

Feature
1. Student use M.T only if he is expected to be an interpreter or a translator.
2. The syllabus is built around situations.
3. All the lang. skills are considered equally imp.
4. Unit of teaching is a “sentence”.
5. It can also prepare the students in such a manner that they can achieve true bilingualism – they can jump from one lang. to other easily and converse fluently in MT and forget lang.
6. Rules of grammar are not taught separately.
7. The use of M.T is made only at the initial stages. This practice is dropped as soon as the students develop sufficient vocabulary.

Merits
1. It promotes both fluency and accuracy
2. It saves the time of the teacher as the meanings of the words are associated in M.T’
3. Loss expressive than direct method.
4. Easy for the teacher to deal with.
5. It does not require any teaching Aids.

Limitations
1. If the teacher is careless, this method may end up as G.T method
2. Suitable for adult learners but not for yours learns.
3. Students may develop the undesirable habit of lang. mix ups that may last long.