Schools Need to Teach New Methods, Focus on Active Learning

Schools are renowned for training well-prepared students who excel in exams, to produce more self-motivated and critical thinkers. The curriculum has been cut, new teaching methods introduced and change are under way to fine-tune methods for assessing students and ranking schools. Teachers around the world are united in their goal to send students from cocooned classroom environments carrying with them the highest hopes of fulfilment in the outside world.

But how best to achieve that aim?

It is generally accepted that the higher the level qualification, the higher the likelihood of today's students becoming tomorrow's success stories. But to first progress to universities or college, and then flourish at tertiary level, high school students must steer-or be steered-through tough years of laying appropriate educational foundations.

For instance, in South Korea, active participation in lessons is a new experience for grade-nine students at Seoul muddle school. They are more used to being spoon-fed as they prepare top advance the following year into 36 months of high pressure learning for university.

In order to avoid the rote-learning path by leading students in new style English lessons where students given a scenario, then related assignments. The exercise was part of the new-style English lessons. The students are given a scenario at the beginning of the class. Liked the Sars situation and they take it from there, working on various assignments related to it that involve writing, oral presentations, research and constructing props. They came up with a rap, wrote a song to be dedicated on radio to the medical staff, and set up a websites , which allows students to pen their gratitude.

The active methods allows them to see how they can apply what they learn and cut across several subjects. In the thank-you assignment, they practized not only English, but also music, ICT, and art and craft. Students expanded their vocabulary and worked on sentence structure when they were forced to use standard English in their rap and song. They learnt music when they had to harmonize the song they composed. Students also drew colorful charts, so their classmates could follow the lyrics as they sang. When they had the task of setting up a tour agency, they learnt the basics of starting a business and some of the problems businessmen face, such as how to attract customers when your business is hit by heavy storms.

Previously, each class was divided into groups, and each worked on one aspect of a project , like the research, writing and presentation. The old methods was subject-based and done in isolation. The Storyline method, on the other hand, integrates what they have to cover with several activities, making it more enjoyable and fun. The best thing about storyline is that the children don't realize they're actually doing real work like comprehension because it's all built in. So they look forward to it and ask when the next topic is coming along when it ends.

Author: YOKE FONG
To observe good practice, exchange ideas and sharing knowledge.