69. Course Book Analysis

 [Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]

As part of the BEd course,   trainees have to analyze Course Books prescribed for the State Syllabus, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and sometimes the National  Council  for Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

The following is  an extract from  a handout  which I prepared for circulation during the BEd. Curriculum Core Committee meeting on 26 March 2013.

Checklist  for trainees- For reading a Course Book from a pedagogic  view point:                       

-What is the main objective ?

-What kind of additional material is required ?

-Is there scope for including video/ audio for better learning?

-How much time should  be devoted  for each section?

-What kind of language work  should be included?

-What should be the nature of the activities for pupils to develop the four skills?

-What should be the nature of the activities for pupils to prepare various discourses?

-How can  various issues be introduced ?

-What activities can be given for nurturing MI ?

-How can inter-disciplinary study be attempted?

- What should be done to make the class activity-based, process-oriented and learner-centred?

Checklist  for trainees : Comparison of Course Books- State Syllabus, CBSE and NCERT

While comparing,  in addition to using the Checklist the trainee should try to identify what kind of preparation he/she   should make if the same content is to be taught.

·        Easiest to teach

·        Easiest for pupils  to comprehend

·        Most difficult to teach

·        Most difficult for pupils  to comprehend

·        Nature  of issues included

·        Type of discourses included

·        Most interesting Prose passage in CB 6 to 12

·        Most interesting Poem  in CB 6 to 12

·        Longest  and shortest Prose passage /Poem

·        Most interesting  activities.

·        Most useful  language items.                      

Well...  did you find it useful?

Dr. C. Praveen

Secretary, KUETEF

68. What is Pedagogic Analysis ?

[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]

The quality of a teacher’s performance in the classroom and school context is determined largely by the initial academic and professional training he/she receives before being inducted to schools...   
                                                                                                                             [Preface, Anthology of Best Practices in Teacher Education-NAAC & COL]

Confusion  persist  among Teacher Educators as to what exactly is Pedagogic Analysis. One casuality of this  confusion is  the student who undergoes the  BEd Degree course. Questions  asked for the Methodology Paper often figures in the Pedagogical Analysis paper. In addition, even though specific topics are  assigned in the BEd syllabus for the first and second semester, the questions  asked for the First semester invariably gets asked again in the Second Semester!

To put an end to all  such confusion, during the  BEd Curriculum 2013  Core Committee Meeting held on 08 March 2013,  I was directed by the Chairman of the Curriculum Committee to prepare  a write-up on Pedagogic Analysis.

The following is part of  the write-up prepared for  circulation during the Curriculum Core Committee Meeting on 26 March 2013.

Lee Shulman in 1987  used the term Pedagogical content knowledge to describe the relationship between content and strategy,  to illustrate how what is being taught influences the way it is taught.  At its simplest, Pedagogic Analysis  is  analysis related to teaching. It implies that the content is to be analyzed with regard to the  various aspects related to teaching. This means, trying to  identify:

·        The objectives that can be realized through the teaching of the content.

·        The aids that are to be used.

·         The general methods that can be relied upon.

·        The learning activities that are to be provided.

·        The evaluation techniques to be adopted.

The objective of introducing Pedagogical Analysis at the BEd level  for languages should  include:

·        To develop an ability to analyze the content  contained in CB 6,7,8,9,10, 11 and 12 from a pedagogic view point.

·        To develop skill in the planning of instruction.

·        To familiarize with effective ways of transacting prescribed content in Course Books.

·        To  attempt a  conceptual analysis  of the fundamentals of English language.

·        To equip trainees with a knowledge of principles of test construction  and evaluation procedures.

The  area to be focused on in   the  two Pedagogy  papers prescribed for BEd

Based on the Secondary level Course Book prescribed for study – both  State Syllabus and CBSE,   the following should be considered:

* Planning for organizing learning in the subject.

* Exploring ways of  employing  popular principles of learning a Second language to transact the content- viz;

-Learning through use

-Learning through speech

-Learning through reading

-Learning through communication

-Learning through interaction

* Using  instructional organizers like Bloom’s Taxonomy, Multiple Intelligence and Models of Teaching for transacting content.

* Employing popular instructional  strategies including  Direct Instruction, Simulation, Use of Advance Organizer, Teaching  of Concepts, Discussion, Cooperative Learning and Problem-based instruction for  transacting the content.

* Familiarizing with correct language standards.

* Ways of addressing  contextual issues in learning the subject matter content.

Well...is anything else to be added? Feel free to offer your comments and suggestions.

Dr. C. Praveen

Secretary, KUETEF

67. Meeting of English Teacher Educators

[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]

On Monday 18 March 2013, letters of invitation addressed to the Heads of Departments of  English of  Teacher Training colleges  of 45 colleges  affiliated to the University of Kerala where English is offered as  an optional  subject were sent by Postal mail. The  meeting  was scheduled for 23 March 2013.

The face-to-face  meeting  was intended to provide an opportunity  for  practising Teacher Educators in English  to get together and  express their concerns  and offer  constructive suggestions  to   be incorporated in the  English  Methodology and Pedagogy papers.  The  Teacher Educators who attended the meeting include the following:

Sl.No.	Name	Institution
1	Ms.Rany G.J	CSI College of Education, Parassala, Trivandurm
2	Ms. Anila Chacko	St. Thomas Training College, Mukkolakal, Trivandrum
3	Ms.Raji.V.R	KUCTE, Nedumancaud
4	Mr.Velayudhan Nair T	Peet Memorial Training College, Mavalikkara
5	Ms. Susan George	KUCTE, Adoor
6	Mr. E.K.Jijan	Mount Tabor Training College, Pathanapuram
7	Ms. Manjusha S	K.T.C.T.C.T.E, Kallambalam

The participants  conducted a critical  review of the present  Syllabus.  Considering  the changing needs,  many  felt the need to  introduce  new topics and  delete  a few, found to be  obsolete or irrelevant.

The  suggestions made,  would be   submitted to the  Curriculum Core Committee-English. Incidentally,  all  the participants who  attended the meeting  had also   previously  associated with KUETEF   in one way or other.

On behalf of the Curriculum Committee I would like to  place on record  our appreciation and  thanks  to all  those who  attended the meeting  on 23 March 2013  and  for   their  wholehearted participation. I also thank the  teacher  educators who   had  emailed  their suggestions regarding the  new BEd curriculum.

Dr. C. Praveen

Secretary, KUETEF