Bikchandar Koil/Mettumarudur primary schools made LEARNING EASY

Trichy, Feb: 23: Primary students SEVAI run schools with Government aid longer depend on rote learning process in their formative years as the education teaching system transformed the teaching-learning process for Class I to Class IV, with a focus on targeting students in primary sections to provide them with more conceptual-based learning. The curriculum is based on activity-based learning (ABL) process. For the students of SEVAI run Government Aided Elementary School, Bickchandarkoil and Mettumarudur classes mean a lot of fun. They do not carry textbooks or notebooks to school. They learn their lessons through various activities and do not fear examinations.

The Activity-Based Learning (ABL) programme started by SSA/SEVAI in these schools has made the process of learning easier for students."In this system of learning, no child sits idle in class," said S.Narmadha, Headmistress, Bichandarkoil. The programme is in progress in these two schools when we visited on the 23^rd           February along with Mrs. Elizabeth Walton, President, OFI. "We are planning to implement it in for fifth standard also of this school," the headmistress Kalaiammal of MettuMarudur said. The system follows a continuous evaluation method and gives ample opportunities even for slow learners to pick up the things taught in class. Each student was judged based on the level he or she reaches, said K.Xyian, Resource Person of the Activity-Based-Learning programme for these two schools from SEVAI."The best thing about the programme is that the students can be involved in the programme," said Balanithiya, a trainer of teachers for ABL programme. The students could learn their subjects through the computer. "When they see their lessons in animation, they will be motivated to learn more," Ramesh as student in Bichandarkoil said.

Dr.K.Govindaraju

These two schools had already witnessed good results and improvement in learning levels with introduction of activity-based learning up till standard IV.The ABL model have special focus on the those students in every class who have reached the required proficiency level in basic English, Maths and Tamil  as per the standard specified for that class. “Such students would be divided into a separate group and would be taught more innovative things to improve their general awareness and magnifying their thought process to prepare them for a good grounding before going to the next class,” said P.Chitra,Project Director,SEVAI. Separate focused groups would be formed of those students who have been ‘low achievers’ during this year. P.Chitra added that with an aim to make the learning of maths and science more interactive for Class VI students of our school, with the support of SSA, we plan to introduce the concept of Help Books; The Help Book will focus on activity-based learning. For example, a student will learn the concept of a triangle by make triangular figures with the help of wires and cello tapes. Similarly, the concept of money will be explained using dummy currency, which will be provided along with the book. -EtNS