EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPLED ECLECTIC APPROACH ON PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KERALA

Abstract

“Instruction is potentially effective, provided it is relevant to learner needs,” (Doughty,2003) his life experience and personal consciousness. English teaching has tried out many approaches and methodologies for better language learning and thereby attaining the objectives. Reviews showed that one of the most important reasons for our student not being able to pick up adequate command is the ‘dissociation’ we sense between ‘goals’ and ‘strategies’. To build up a generation with a good proficiency in English, we should have a look in to the ‘gap’ between objectives and implementation of methodology and dwell upon the questions, why this ‘gap’? How can we minimize the ‘gap ‘and thus enhance an English language learning environment? The philosophical approach to English language at secondary level education should be shifted from “ you teach so that I learn “ to “ I am learning so that you teach”. At this juncture we need an approach with a futuristic vision. Operational Definition • Effectiveness It is the quality of being effective. An assessment of the change in performance level of the students after implementation of the programme leads to the determination of effectiveness. • Principled Eclectic approach The approach based on eclecticism should be desirable, coherent, and pluralistic with respect to different underlying assumptions and language learning. Principled Eclecticism ensures that every decision about classroom instruction and activities is based on a thorough and holistic understanding of all learning theories and related pedagogies , in terms of the purpose and context of language teaching and learning , the needs of the learners ,materials available, how language is learnt and what teaching is all.

• Performance Demonstration of the level of competence and knowledge in English language by creating a product or a response. Reading and writing skill through the application of appropriate vocabulary and accurate grammar is taken as the performance in English. • Secondary school level Any one of the standards VIII, IX or X in a school recognized by the government of Kerala for providing instruction and following the state curriculum now in force in Kerala state. For the present study standard VIII is taken as Secondary School Students. Major Objectives 1. To evolve a Principled Eclectic Approach for English as second language classrooms. 2. To develop a model lesson transcript based on Principled Eclectic Approach to English as second language for the secondary school students in Kerala 3. To compare the effectiveness of Principled Eclectic Approach and Constructivist Approach on Performance in English of secondary school students.Methodology Framework of the Procedure Phase 1 Step 1 Identification of current practices and difficulties of teachers in English as second language classrooms Step 2 Analysis of the needs of the students and problem areas in the acquisition of language Step 3 Opinion on future plans in English language teaching in Kerala Step 4 Analysis of teacher text designed by SCERT and lesson transcript by teachers Step 5 Identification of the reasons for transmission gap

Methodology for Phase 1 Objective Method Sample Tool To identify current practice and difficulties of teachers in English Interview Thirty Five Teachers Interview schedule (unstructured) To identify the need and problem areas of learning English among secondary school students

Survey 225 secondary school students Questionnaire on the needs and problem areas of English language learners To collect opinion from State Resource Persons on future plans in ELT at secondary level Interview Five State Resource Persons Interview schedule (unstructured) To analyze teacher text designed by SCERT and daily lesson transcripts prepared by teachers Document analysis Ten lesson transcripts Standard VIII English teacher text and daily lesson transcripts

Phase 2 1. To evolve a Principled Eclectic Approach for English as second language classrooms. An eclectic approach based on potent principles of second language learning and teaching derived from established theories was developed with a pool of High Impact Learning methods, strategies and techniques. The approach to language learning is developmentally sensitive differentiated and participatory. The approach demands insight teaching in the emerging context of learning-teaching in ESL classrooms with a great degree of flexibility, adaptation, creativity and risk taking. 2. To develop a model lesson transcript based on principled Eclectic approach Incorporating the points arrived at in the above mentioned objective lesson transcripts were prepared for standard VIII English course book Unit 5. 3. To compare the effectiveness of Principled Eclectic approach and Constructivist Approach on performance in English Design of the study Sample Tool Statistical techniques used Pre-test-post-test non equivalent group design Fifty four Standard VIII students Performance test t- test

ANCOVA

Major Findings 1. There do exist a mismatch between the prescribed methodology and what the teachers practice in the classroom. Learner related Difficulties Methodology related Curriculum related 2. Problems faced by learners in English language learning a. Comprehension b. Production The need of the learners a. Deductive method of teaching rules b. Varieties of activities, techniques and strategies 3. Even when difficulties in the process do exist, teachers are expected to follow the prescribed pedagogy in the classroom. There wouldn’t be any reformation in pedagogy. 4. Space for collaborative learning is very less in the teachers’ daily lesson transcripts. Teachers followed the pattern in the teacher text to a certain extent. Varieties of activities included were minimum. 5. Sensed a ‘gap’ between the proposed objectives, planning, requirement of the learner and methodology employed. This transmission gap is a result of • improper implementation of methodology • not addressing the need of the learners • lack of proper guidance in in-service programmes • heterogeneity in the classroom • time constraints, inflexibility of the methodology and exam oriented teaching. 6. The evolved Principled Eclectic Approach : Deployed Resource Ownership Fostering Learning Approach is more effective in enhancing the performance of the students when compared to the Constructivist approach. 7. The Principled Eclectic Approach :Deployed Resource Ownership Fostering Learning Approach is effective in enhancing performance in language with respect to vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing.