Teaching Methods and Pedagogy

Which of the following factors is responsible for children's dislike of learning?

(1) Rigid, logical, systematic organisation of syllabus (2) Teaching methodology which does not focus on text books (3) Examination pattern which rewards rote learning

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question given below it.

The main idea conveyed by the report is that our children do not get a chance to enjoy learning at school because the syllabi are irrationally organised, teaching is text book centered and the system of examinations instills fear and encourages mechanical repetition. Text books developed along the lines of reconceptualised syllabi can attempt to integrate positive values, life skills, aesthetic sensibility and concern for the environment. They are interactive and make a conscious effort to point both children and the teachers towards other sources of learning such as neighbourhood, nature etc. In addition two parallel challenges deserve attention. The first is examination reforms. Rigid indifference to individual differences is the major flaw of the present system. From the quality of questions to the manner of evaluation, it favours drilled preparedness and ignores independent thought while the unrealistically high cut offs in coveted colleges are a further sign of systemic inefficiency. It is hardly surprising that the very thought of examinations makes the young depressed. Moreover practices of splitting unified topics into arbitrary bits carrying small marks value encourage teachers to concentrate on scoring topics overlooking the importance of perspective and overall understanding. Little surprise that many elite high-fee schools are opting for International Baccalaureate not because it offers status with its global certification but for its flexibility and respect for individual differences in learning.
The second area is teacher training which suffers from obsolete notions. Most teachers are trained mainly to cover the syllabus in a mechanical exam-oriented manner. By insisting that every child move at the same pace in all subjects teachers encourage rote learning and ridicule for those who fall behind. Teacher training whether for nursery or secondary school teachers should be embedded in courses, which have the capacity to develop both the teacher's personality and perspective on society by linking subject learning with reflective and creative project work. The ultimate responsibility lies with universities and institutes of higher learning to ensure the quality of all teachers. Initiatives to improve the content of teacher training courses will ensure utilisation of desolate university campuses during summer vacations which conceal an enormous waste of infrastructure and expertise. The quality of education is a reflection of the quality of teachers and major improvements in their training and working conditions will motivate the young to pursue a teaching career and determine how India fares in the pursuit of economic and social development in the years to come.

What is the drawback of teacher's training course?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question given below it.

The main idea conveyed by the report is that our children do not get a chance to enjoy learning at school because the syllabi are irrationally organised, teaching is text book centered and the system of examinations instills fear and encourages mechanical repetition. Text books developed along the lines of reconceptualised syllabi can attempt to integrate positive values, life skills, aesthetic sensibility and concern for the environment. They are interactive and make a conscious effort to point both children and the teachers towards other sources of learning such as neighbourhood, nature etc. In addition two parallel challenges deserve attention. The first is examination reforms. Rigid indifference to individual differences is the major flaw of the present system. From the quality of questions to the manner of evaluation, it favours drilled preparedness and ignores independent thought while the unrealistically high cut offs in coveted colleges are a further sign of systemic inefficiency. It is hardly surprising that the very thought of examinations makes the young depressed. Moreover practices of splitting unified topics into arbitrary bits carrying small marks value encourage teachers to concentrate on scoring topics overlooking the importance of perspective and overall understanding. Little surprise that many elite high-fee schools are opting for International Baccalaureate not because it offers status with its global certification but for its flexibility and respect for individual differences in learning.
The second area is teacher training which suffers from obsolete notions. Most teachers are trained mainly to cover the syllabus in a mechanical exam-oriented manner. By insisting that every child move at the same pace in all subjects teachers encourage rote learning and ridicule for those who fall behind. Teacher training whether for nursery or secondary school teachers should be embedded in courses, which have the capacity to develop both the teacher's personality and perspective on society by linking subject learning with reflective and creative project work. The ultimate responsibility lies with universities and institutes of higher learning to ensure the quality of all teachers. Initiatives to improve the content of teacher training courses will ensure utilisation of desolate university campuses during summer vacations which conceal an enormous waste of infrastructure and expertise. The quality of education is a reflection of the quality of teachers and major improvements in their training and working conditions will motivate the young to pursue a teaching career and determine how India fares in the pursuit of economic and social development in the years to come.

What will be the impact of having an interactive syllabus?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question given below it.

The main idea conveyed by the report is that our children do not get a chance to enjoy learning at school because the syllabi are irrationally organised, teaching is text book centered and the system of examinations instills fear and encourages mechanical repetition. Text books developed along the lines of reconceptualised syllabi can attempt to integrate positive values, life skills, aesthetic sensibility and concern for the environment. They are interactive and make a conscious effort to point both children and the teachers towards other sources of learning such as neighbourhood, nature etc. In addition two parallel challenges deserve attention. The first is examination reforms. Rigid indifference to individual differences is the major flaw of the present system. From the quality of questions to the manner of evaluation, it favours drilled preparedness and ignores independent thought while the unrealistically high cut offs in coveted colleges are a further sign of systemic inefficiency. It is hardly surprising that the very thought of examinations makes the young depressed. Moreover practices of splitting unified topics into arbitrary bits carrying small marks value encourage teachers to concentrate on scoring topics overlooking the importance of perspective and overall understanding. Little surprise that many elite high-fee schools are opting for International Baccalaureate not because it offers status with its global certification but for its flexibility and respect for individual differences in learning.
The second area is teacher training which suffers from obsolete notions. Most teachers are trained mainly to cover the syllabus in a mechanical exam-oriented manner. By insisting that every child move at the same pace in all subjects teachers encourage rote learning and ridicule for those who fall behind. Teacher training whether for nursery or secondary school teachers should be embedded in courses, which have the capacity to develop both the teacher's personality and perspective on society by linking subject learning with reflective and creative project work. The ultimate responsibility lies with universities and institutes of higher learning to ensure the quality of all teachers. Initiatives to improve the content of teacher training courses will ensure utilisation of desolate university campuses during summer vacations which conceal an enormous waste of infrastructure and expertise. The quality of education is a reflection of the quality of teachers and major improvements in their training and working conditions will motivate the young to pursue a teaching career and determine how India fares in the pursuit of economic and social development in the years to come.

Directions: Choose the appropriate number (1 - 4) according to the information given in the passage.

From the sociological and psychological point of view

Reading Passage

Read the passage and answer the given question. 
 
DEVELOPING THE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE 

1. The importance of organization. It has been pointed out in the preceding chapters that the silent reading period should be used to develop speed and thought getting, if pupils are to learn how to study effectively. The superior student is one who has acquired a third important skill, namely, the ability quickly and effectively to organize the subject-matter read. The term organization, as here used, includes making outlines and summaries and having pupils prepare lists of questions which they consider leading ones. The importance of developing the ability of pupils to organize can scarcely be overemphasized. 

2. Psychologists have done much valuable research in the field of the higher mental processes. The results of their investigations include the establishment of many basic principles in the science and art of organization. The psychological point of view. From a psychological point of view, training in the organization of subject-matter is urged because it requires the pupil to analyze, select, and synthesize. ! It requires much concentration, judgment, evaluation, and association and is considered one good test of general intelligence. Organization is a great aid to memory or retention. To the degree that a lesson or discussion is well organized, to that degree each minor point is seen in its proper relation to the major idea, and each major thought in its relation to the whole. 

3. The love of rhythm is said to be instinctive, and for that reason applied psychology urges the organization of a lecture or lesson in the most logical manner so that the preferred paths may function. The sociological point of view. Nor is the ability to organize of secondary importance when considered from the sociological point of view. How many men and women are failing in their several vocations every day, not so much because of some defect in personality, but because organization is sadly lacking in every proposition which they set forth? The fundamental principle in public speaking is organization. Because organization is of great consequence in life, both in and out of school, one feels justified in testing pupils to see how much organizing ability they have, and how that ability may be developed. 

4. Present lack of ability to organize. The inability of many grade pupils to organize the main points of a lesson under headings and subheadings is very noticeable in many schools. Teachers do not seem to realize that training pupils and developing in them an appreciation of the worth of organization is one effective method of building up good study habits. Too often pupils are not made to feel that they are expected to organize, weigh, and discriminate in their reading. Making a problem assignment stimulates the child to see for himself what sentences in the lesson are most worthwhile. 

5. Some teachers make a specific assignment of three or four questions. These questions act as guides to the pupil's reading; they form the topics for discussion in the next recitation period. Pupils thus learn to discriminate between points having little or much bearing on the question before them. After a few weeks of such training, summaries can be made at the close of a recitation period. The teacher and pupils together sum up the main points in the lesson that were brought out or that should be discussed. Having one section of a class prepare the questions for another section to evaluate is an effective device.

Directions: Choose the correct option to answer the following question.

Which of the following is a skill required to understand philosophical concepts?

Reading Passage: Foreign Language
Directions: Read the passage carefully:
The learning of a foreign language should be an integral part of every university student's education.  As a discipline, it affords the mind excellent training. It utilizes skills needed in so many other subjects: the concentration required for memorizing music (not to mention developing the ear for tone and pitch). The logical thinking for resolving mathematical problems, even the deductive reasoning capabilities needed to comprehend philosophical concepts.  The mind is stretched through the simple act of teaming the grammatical patterns, vocabulary and phonological system of a language. At the same time, the student of a foreign language is acquiring a useful tool. This tool has a double advantage, for while most people (especially teachers) expound on the rewards of being able to communicate in a second, third or fourth language, perhaps the more promising of the two, is being able to understand and hopefully appreciate another cultural group through their literature, their music and customs all of which are best assimilated through the medium of their language.