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Happenings at RIESI, Bengaluru

Report on the Courses conducted by
RIESI, Bengaluru for the year 2009 - 2010

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Objectives:

• to enable the teachers to acquire / develop the language skills and techniques needed to transact the content effectively
• to enable the teachers to use the teaching / learning materials effectively besides creating the materials that suit their learners needs
• to equip the teachers in using multimedia and thus integrate technology with the actual content and in the curriculum
• to equip them with trainer skills and thus help them conduct training programmes if necessary
• to motivate the teachers for taking up action research by providing better insight into the actual process

Programme:
90 day programme was renamed CELT in order to induct a sense of seriousness and commitment in the teacher trainees. The curriculum was revised and the areas that formed the course content

• Effective Communication (Phonetics as common skills)
• Language Studies (Grammar + Linguistics)
• Teacher Development (Module Preparation)
• TESL (Methodology)
• Reading + Writing
• Practice Teaching

The pretest, mid course test and post tests were conducted besides workshops on Handwriting, Storytelling, teaching poetry, Language Lab and Computer Lab. The teacher trainees were also provided opportunities for making presentations in the areas of their choice. Quiz and sports competition were conducted and prizes (books) were given away. The practice teaching sessions were theme specific. There was a field tour to Mysore. The exams were conducted during the last week and certificates were issued to the trainees projecting their grades in their examination.

Output:
By the end of the course the teachers were able to communicate in English without inhibitions, they could prepare their own modules and were motivated.

Objectives:        

• to enhance the communication skills in English
• to become reflective teachers
• to equip them with tools (strategies / techniques) required for effective transaction of the content

Programme:       The programme began on 03.08.2009 at the State Training Centre, Puducherry. Dr. Krishnan, Officer on Special Duty, STC Puducherry and Mr. Krishnaraj, Joint Director of Education, Puducherry highlighted the need for better Communication Skills and emphasized that they look forward to many more associations with RIESI, Bengaluru. The major focus was on Communication Skills. Listening, Reading, Methodology and Evaluation were the other components.

                                The trainees participated in the training program with a great degree of enthusiasm and were all appreciation of sessions. The teacher participants were very creative, vibrant and highly articulate. Dr. Krishnan, Officer on Special Duty, STC Puducherry was present on the Valediction and certificates were given away to the participants.

Output:                They found the programme beneficial to them and even requested their authorities that the programme to be extended by another week. They wished to be a part of many more short-term training programmes

Objectives:

• improve their ability to speak and use English for classroom purposes
• understand the learners and the process of learning better and respond better to learner needs
• understand course material they use in the classroom
• develop a repertoire of songs, activities and games to be used in the language classrooms
• realize the need for professional development 

Programme:       The programme focused on areas like

• The need for basic language ability among teachers for classroom transaction
• Understanding the principles of  language learning in young learners and transferring their principles in the classroom
• Integration of songs, activities and games for transacting their course materials to reach the learners effectively
• The use of continuous and comprehensive evaluation in the classroom
• Reflection on their strengths and weaknesses as a teacher
• Making earnest effort to bring about a change in their classroom

Output:                The teacher participants were highly responsive. They participated actively in every session. At the end of the programme they were appreciative of the Resource Persons’ for their inputs and also for the interactive and innovative transaction of all the sessions.

Objectives:

1. To develop the language competence of the participants so that they can use English with, accuracy and fluency.
2. To develop the professional competence of teachers to enable them to transact classes with confidence in the constructivist paradigm.
3. To develop the ability in the teachers to use the language creatively.
4. To familiarise the teachers with different strategies for constructing various discourses relevant to day-to-day life and to process them in the class.
5. To identify and make use of the strength of the critical pedagogy and to enable them to intervene in social issues constructively.
6. To help them plan and perform drama based on a social issue without writing down the script
7. To sensitize them on the features of spoken English
8. They undertake editing of the written work
9. They gain experience in putting the pedagogy of reading into practice.
10. They develop competency in reading the text critically from multiple perspectives

Programme:       The methodology envisaged was the transaction of an activity package in tune with the constructivist paradigm. Each activity takes care of providing slots for the participants to think critically and construct discourses in English both individually and in collaboration with others.
Output:                Towards the end of the second day of the course, participants were asked to give their feedback on the inputs in various sessions such as film as a pedagogic tool, theatre as a pedagogic tool, and using language effectively for classroom interaction. Apart from this feedback was collected after the completion of the sessions on each day.

The training given by RIESI, to the teachers of Idukki was based on the constructivist pedagogy as envisioned in NCF-2005 and KCF-2007. Primary teachers in Idukki district found the course conducted by RIESI very effective. They commented that the training they received through different agencies in the state of Kerala was not very effective. It has been found that participants usually reach the training centers around 11 am and leave the centre by 3.30 pm. This is because most of the schools in the district are situated in geographically isolated places. The present training was conducted as a residential one with the support of SSA, Kerala. It has been found that the teachers by and large do not have sufficient exposure regarding the processes of the revised curriculum and text books in English prevalent in the state of Kerala. Teachers, however have a strong inclination towards frontal teaching and transacting the content of the text books in transmission mode. They seem to have a belief system supporting direct teaching of language in terms of grammar, vocabulary and transfer of information in the form of language as fragments and skills.

Report of School Visit:  On the third of the programme RIESI team along with the faculty members of Idukki DIET and SSA functionaries visited eight schools in Munnar. It has been observed that the teaching learning process in the schools are not so effective compared to other districts in the state. The school visit and the feedback collected from teachers have identified system-lethargy in the functioning of a BRCs and schools in the district.  DIET and SSA may initiate action to revamp these structures.  A sustained programme for teacher training may be chalked out by SSA/DIET to address the specific needs of English teachers of classes 1-10. Training modules may be prepared to address both the proficiency of teachers and the pedagogy embedded in the curriculum. Monitoring and OSS activities may be strengthened at the grass root level to monitor the performance of the learners and the system.

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