Activity-based learning is one of the most moderm teaching method in education.

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Humor:

Teacher: You missed school yesterday, didn't you?

Student: Not very much.

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Active Learning

( Activity-based Learning method )

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Remember the following:

We remember 20% of what we hear.

We remember 30% of what we see.

We remember 50 % of what we see and hear .

We remember 90 % of what we say and do.

We remember 100% of what we pass on to others.

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When I hear, I forget.

When I see, I remember.

When I do, I understand.

When I learn, I evaluate.

When I evaluate, I imagine, create and innovate.

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Activity Based Learning Method

Meaning:

Activity method is a technique adopted by a teacher to emphasize his or her method of teaching through activity in which the students participate rigorously and bring about efficient learning experiences. It is a child-centered approach. It is a method in which the child is actively involved in participating mentally and physically. Learning by doing is the main focus in this method. Learning by doing is imperative in successful learning since it is well proved that more the senses are stimulated, more a person learns and longer he/she retains.

In an activity based teaching, learners willingly with enthusiasm internalize and implement concepts relevant to their needs. So our understanding on the activity method by now should mean any learning that is carried out with a purpose in a social environment, involving physical and mental action, stimulating for creative action or expression.

Why activity based learning method?

In the process of learning, learners experience, memorize and understand. Students need to be provided with data and materials necessary to focus their thinking and interaction in the lesson for the process of analyzing the information. Teachers need to be actively involved in directing and guiding the students’ analysis of the information.

It requires active problem solving by students in finding patterns in the information through their own investigation and analysis. With continued practice in these processes, students learn not only the content of the lesson but also develop many other skills.

· It enhances creative aspect of experience.

· It gives reality for learning.

· Uses all available resources.

· Provides varied experiences to the students to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, experience, skills and values.

· Builds the student’s self-confidence and develops understanding through work in his/her group.

· Gets experiences, develop interest, enriches vocabulary and provides stimulus for reading.

· Develops happy relationship between students and students, teachers and students.

· An activity is said to be the language of the child. A child who lacks in verbal expression can make up through use of ideas in the activity.

· Subjects of all kind can be taught through activity.

· Social relation provides opportunity to mix with others.

Kinds of activities:

The activities can be generalized under three main categories:

· Exploratory - gathering knowledge, concept and skill.

· Constructive - getting experience through creativity.

· Expressional – presentations.

Activities you could focus on:-

Experiencing:

watching, observing, comparing, describing, questioning, discussing, investigating, reporting, collecting, selecting, testing, trying, listening, reading, drawing, calculating, imitating, modeling, playing, acting, taking on roles, talking, writing about what one can see, hear, feel, taste, experimenting and imagining.

Memorizing:

Sequencing ordering, finding regularities and patterns, connect with given knowledge, use different modes of perception, depict.

Understanding:

Structuring, ordering, classifying, constructing, solving, planning, predicting, transferring, applying knowledge, formulating ones individual understanding, interpreting, summarizing, evaluating, judging, explaining and teaching.

Organizing activities:

The process of organizing activities must be based on curricular aims bringing together the needs, ideas, interests and characteristics of the children with the knowledge, skill, experience, and personality of the teacher within a given environment. The extent to which the teacher works with students individually or in groups affect the relation the teacher has with each child.

Steps for Effective Organization of Activities.

a. Planning.

b. Involving children in the learning process.

c. Each child is made an active learner.

d. For each activity ensure you follow the principles of:-

What?
How? Work directions step by step, including:
With whom? Where? How long?
What after?

e. Ensure you give clear instructions before each activity. It must focus on the above a, b, c, d.

Role of a Teacher

A planner, an organizer and evaluator.
Facilitator.
Decision maker.
Knowledge imparter
Disciplinarian

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Active Learning VS Traditional method

GTM / (Old Traditional Method):

The grammar–translation method is a method of teaching a foreign language derived from the classical (sometimes called traditional) method of teaching Greek and Latin. In grammar–translation classes, students learn grammatical rules and then apply those rules by translating sentences between the target language and the native language. The grammar–translation method originated from the practice of teaching Latin. In the early 1500s, Latin was the most widely studied foreign language due to its prominence in government, academia, and business. There are two main goals to grammar–translation classes. One is to develop students’ reading ability to a level where they can read literature in the target language. The other is to develop students’ general mental discipline.Grammar–translation classes are usually conducted in the students’ native language. Grammar rules are learned deductively students learn grammar rules by rote, and then practice the rules by doing grammar drills and translating sentences to and from the target language. More attention is paid to the form of the sentences being translated than to their content. When students reach more advanced levels of achievement, they may translate entire texts from the target language. Tests often consist of the translation of classical texts.

Active Learning:

The active learning or the activity -based learning method is applied in the USA schools. It depends on the participation of the learner during the lesson presentation. In it, the learner plays his active role and practises what he learns through real situations that lead to a communication between the learner and himself, the learner and the teacher, the learner and other learners, the learner and the course, or between the learner and the environment that surrounds him inside and outside class in order to qualify himself to use his language in real life. Active learning is "anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing"

"To do" is to apply," to apply" is to reach a result," to reach a result" is to evaluate," to evaluate" is to learn and "to learn" is to acquire experiences , pass our knowledge on to others and achieve the desired course objective we seek for. Learners must think, pair and share. This kind of teaching must be implemented among learners inside and outside the class. This kind of actual and practical communication serves the public aim which is represented in creating communication on the standard of individuals, groups, societies and countries, hence, creating peace, love and friendly ties among all countries all over the world. How holy that purpose is! and how wonderful that method of teaching is!

Active learning is a process whereby students engage in activities, such as reading, writing, discussion, or problem solving that promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of class content. Cooperative learning, problem-based learning, and the use of case methods and simulations are some approaches that promote active learning. This section provides links to bibliographies, research summaries, articles, and other resources about active learning.

Active Learning Continuum

This handout graphically represents the relative complexity of different active learning techniques. It also provides brief descriptions for each of the activities on the continuum. Actively engaging students motivates deeper thinking about course content, brings additional energy to a classroom, and helps an instructor pin point problem areas. This article provides summaries of current practices and gives practical suggestions for implementing active learning in a variety of disciplines.

Why incorporate active learning techniques?

Active learning also:

Reinforces important material, concepts, and skills.
Provides more frequent and immediate feedback to students.
Addresses different student learning styles.
Provides students with an opportunity to think about, talk about, and process course material.
Creates personal connections to the material for students, which increases their motivation to learn.
Allows students to practice important skills, such as collaboration, through pair and group work.
Builds self-esteem through conversations with other students.
Creates a sense of community in the classroom through increased student-student and instructor-student interaction.
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A-) A Comparison:

To show the difference between the activity-based teaching method and the traditional method of teaching( GTM ), I have to do a clear comparison between the two methods in terms of the following items:

1- Practice.
2-CLT Method.

3-TILO Project.

4-Conversation.
5-The teaching Tools.

6-Teacher and learner.
7- Shape of classroom.

8-The active Methods.
9- Means of assessment.

10-Objectives, presentation.
11-Curriculum Development.

12-Learner-centered Teaching.
13-Homogeneous VS Heterogeneous.

14-A Learning and Teaching Environment.

15-The Educational Technology / Technology in Teaching.

B-( More about Active learning )

1- Interaction.
2-TILO Project.

3-Active learning 1