Dr Rejaul Karim Barbhuiya Assistant Professor, Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT, Ministry of Education, Government of India
Times have changed. Today is not the time of memorising and copying. Students must be enabled to think for themselves and articulate their thoughts well. They should be able to participate meaningfully and confidently in day-to-day activities – whether it be buying groceries, registering a formal complaint, or voicing opinions freely. A problem-solving attitude, critical outlook, scientific temperament and creativity are non-negotiable skills in the 21st century.
The National Education Policy 2020 talks about technology playing an important role in improving the learning outcomes and learning experiences of children. With the growing penetration of the internet and the easy availability of smartphones and other electronic devices, both parents and teachers can participate in and supervise children's learning through various online apps, quizzes, videos, e-books, educational games and so on. In a nutshell, digital learning has the potential to impact on what children learn and how they learn.
Aakash Chowkase
In the post-Covid world, more than ever before, the parents' role is being seen as pivotal to children's growth and learning. The National Education Policy 2020 released by the Government of India, recognises parents as equal partners in their children's education. At home, it is important for caregivers to create a safe, engaging and positive environment for children to learn, apply themselves and have fun. Parents can also engage actively with children around their homework, curricular and co-curricular activities and projects.
NEP 2020 acknowledges the multilingual reality of India and asserts that the bridge of home language or other familiar language is absolutely crucial for children in the foundational years, not only to help them to comprehend basic subjects, but also to acquire additional languages like English. Thus, the needs-based and systematic use of learners' home languages should be encouraged in the classrooms, along with an anxiety-free, purpose-oriented and input-rich environment.
Aparna Dixit Head of Content and Research, Centre for Learning Resources
Ms Sonia Kumari Assistant Professor, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
Dr
Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of California, Berkeley, USA, Department of Psychology
Thanks to globalization and the emergence of technologies, international boundaries have become blurred. English, to a high degree, is a commonly understood medium of communication. It is one of the key tools that students need to perform well today and in the future. According to a global study, while recruiting, 98.5% of employers implicitly or explicitly assess a candidate’s English communication skills! There is therefore a growing demand for English communication skills, because it empowers people and enables them to lead a better life.
Functional communication skills, involving aspects of LSRW (listening, speaking, reading and writing), are central to knowledge acquisition, children’s intellectual, social and emotional growth, and life-long learning. Specifically, strong listening and speaking skills are not only vital in the overall language learning process, but also lead to better reading and writing skills. Yet, these foundational skills tend to be neglected in schools due to the high pupil-teacher ratio, lack of oral language-focused assessment, and most importantly, a lack of systematic and allocated practice time for these skills within the classroom.
Aligned with NEP 2020, NCERT learning outcomes and standardized to CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) levels, Uolo Speak is a hybrid learning program that focuses on building, applying, practising, and assessing these core language skills.
First, through this book as one of the components of the program, the English classroom becomes an avenue to hone functional speaking skills in real time. The teacher-led activities give learners the opportunity to undertake high-quality, level-appropriate, and experiential activities that help to build confidence and expression in English.
Second, the mobile interface of the product ensures consistent practice of functional LSRW skills. These exercises go beyond traditional question types and employ cutting-edge technology to enable learning and generate instant feedback. For instance, learners practise speaking with Al (artificial intelligence), as if conversing with a real person!
Third, Uolo Speak assessment can be conducted by the school in sync with their academic calendars. The assessment is evaluated by Uolo’s English specialists to give performance report and feedback.
Finally, the reporting methodology used in the above three program components, generates a skill growth chart against CEFR levels for each learner, class and the school. Educators can then clearly identify learners who are reaching, meeting, and exceeding the level requirements, and support them accordingly.
Uolo Speak is a powerful, exciting, and unique experience for learners and teachers. It represents a real life and results-oriented approach to develop essential 21st century functional English skills.
Wishing all teachers, parents, and learners lots of fun and joyful experiences as you embark upon this exciting journey with Uolo Speak.
Dr Laraine O'Connell
D. Litt., English, North West University, South Africa
I am a veteran English teacher and lecturer, with a great love for English and for teaching. I have taught English and trained teachers over many years. I live in South Africa and it is a wonderful experience working with a company promoting the learning of English in India.
“In the 21st century, language teaching must go beyond traditional approaches and must aim to enable students to use language skills in real-life contexts for a wide variety of purposes.” (NEP, 2020)
According to Vygotsky and Krashen’s theory of second language teaching, language acquisition happens best when learners are engaged in purposeful and meaningful tasks in an anxiety-free, non-judgmental, communication-oriented, input-rich, supportive and stress-free environment, along with a lot of scaffolding practices. (D. Krashen, 1988) Such approach to second-language teaching is also greatly highlighted by the NIPUN Bharat Mission document and NEP 2020. (NIPUN BHARAT, 2021; NEP, 2020)
In this context, the Conversations series and the learning activities designed in it can play a crucial role in creating an input-rich environment, employing diverse avenues for consistent practice in a fear-free and non-judgemental setting, coupled with real-time feedback.
The book also follows the model of ‘Gradual Release of Responsibility’ (GRR), a teaching and learning model that has been widely recommended by the NEP 2020, educational researchers, and practitioners all over the world for its effectiveness in promoting student engagement and deep understanding of content and skills (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983; Duke & Pearson, 2002). Through this model, learners are supported to become independent learners. In this instructional model, the teacher initially takes on the majority of the responsibility for learning, providing explicit instruction and modelling of skills. As learners begin to grasp the content and skills, the teacher gradually shifts the responsibility to them, facilitating a guided practice and a collaborative learning experience. Finally, the learners take full ownership of their learning through independent practice and the application of the skills they have acquired or concepts that have been taught to them.
Following a similar approach, Conversations series offers three core instructional models that are used in every period for building English speaking in learners. They are:
Listen Echo Express and Repeat (E&R)
In this instructional model, the teacher simply reads aloud and models the correct speaking (of stories, presentations, responses) in front of learners. This helps learners receive accurate input for target language and also engage with and understand the content better. Such an input-rich environment makes learners familiar and comfortable with English.
In this instructional model, learners simply repeat English presentations, responses and sentence constructions after the teacher, and try to imitate correct content, pronunciation, flow and expression. Such practice instils a lot of confidence among learners and provides them the required support to be able to speak in English correctly and independently.
In this instructional model, learners follow a speaking cycle, as enumerated below:
1. The teacher asks a question or gives a speaking stimulus.
2. Several learners share their independent responses one after the other.
3. The teacher summarises or rephrases each learners’ response in correct English, if needed.
4. All learners repeat after what the teacher summarises or rephrases, in correct English, and using adequate expression.
The E&R cycle, in this way, not only allows learners to think freely and express independently in an anxiety-free environment, but also allows for the teachers’ intervention in a need-based manner to reinforce English speaking.
To sum it up, this series has been created with a view to do away with the fear of speaking in English among learners, making its fluency a definite possibility in their lives and allowing them to express themselves confidently in real-world situations.
1 Ask and Answer Asking questions and responding to them
2 Group Discussions Participating in group discussions
Ask questions starting with what, where, why, when and how Respond to questions
Follow one another during a group discussion
Extend the group discussion in a coherent manner
3 Describing Events Describing an event Answer questions about an event / incident
Describe an event with a few details
4 Giving a Short Speech Giving short motivational speeches
5 Give Instructions Giving instructions
Appreciate key ideas in a motivational text Give short motivational speeches
Retell a process in simple words
Give step-by-step instructions in order to guide someone or get something done
6 Expressing Feelings Expressing feelings on a certain issue
Appreciate another person / character's feelings and responses
Share personal feelings, ideas and emotions on an issue
7 Hear My Slogans Saying slogans
Appreciate the impact of slogans Present slogans on important issues
8 Explaining What and Why Stating cause and effect
9 Can You Convince? Persuasive speaking
Identify the cause and / or effect of an event
Explain the cause and / or effect of an event
Listen to and interpret key details in informational texts
Speak persuasively about the advantages or disadvantages of something
In order to ensure participation of the maximum number of learners during the classroom presentations and to keep the surprise element going, you can try the following quick games for inviting learners to participate:
• Randomly pick the learner’s name written on chits / ice cream sticks / playing cards.
• Ask the learners to write code names for themselves on a chit. Randomly pick the chit from the jar and ask who it belongs to.
• Call out the roll number randomly.
• Say some unique identification markers, e.g. the one who is carrying a blue water bottle, the one who has a red bag, the one who was born in the month of March, the one whose birth date is 15, the one who has curly hair, the one who has two ponies, the one who was born on the same date on which the lesson is being taught, the one who has the same roll number as the date when the lesson is being taught.
• Throw a ball of paper or a plastic ball and give an opportunity to the one who catches it.
• Throw a ball of paper or a plastic ball and give an opportunity to the person who is sitting next to the one who catches it.
• Sing a song / recite a poem while students swiftly pass an object from one to the other. The one who is holding it when the song/poem ends, has to present.
• After their presentation, each student invites the next presenter.
• Open a book randomly at a page. Call out that (roll) number for presentation.
• Pick any letter flashcard from a pile of flashcards. Choose the one whose name starts / ends with that letter.
• Pick any learner’s identity card / passport size photograph / notebook placed upside down on a table. Call that student for a presentation.
• Roll a dice once to call out a single digit (roll) number, or roll a dice twice to call out a double digit (roll) number for presentation.
• At the count of three, the learners as well as the teacher show a number from 1-10 using their fingers. The learner whose number matches with the teacher’s will be invited to present.
• Play stone, paper, scissor with the whole class. Invite those students first whose action matches yours.
• At the count of three, the teacher as well as the learners will shows a colour flashcard. The learners whose colour matches with the teacher’s is invited to present first.
About the Chapter: Through this chapter, learners will develop the skill of participating in group discussions.
Listening Speaking Outcomes: Learners will be able to:
• follow one another during a group discussion.
• extend the group discussion in a coherent manner.
Say: Welcome to the Speak class. Today, we will read Chapter 2—Group Discussions. Instruct: Look at the cover picture for one minute. Observe the things that you see in the picture. Initiate a discussion as per the suggested questions. Follow the E&R cycle.
1. What do you see in the picture? (I see a park. / I see children in the park. / I see that the children are talking.)
2. What do you see in the speech bubble? (The girl is asking ‘Do you think?’ / The girl is asking a question.)
3. Are all the kids taking part in the discussion? (Yes, all the kids are discussing or thinking.)
Read aloud/Play a model description of the cover page 2-3 times with expression.
Say: The children are sitting on a bench in the park. They are discussing something. The girl is asking others for their points of view. The boy on the right has got an idea. The kids in the middle are thinking.
Instruct: Repeat each line after me.
If learners struggle, break down the sentences into short but meaningful chunks for repetition. For example: The girl / is asking / a question.
Say: You just heard the phrase points of view while listening to me talk about the cover page. Let us learn more about it.
Read aloud the phrase, its meaning and the example sentences.
Phrase points of view
Meaning opinions or what we think about someone or something
Sentences The children shared their points of view on climate change. / The minister gave his point of view on the national growth. / The players gave their points of view on the championship series.
Instruct: Repeat the phrase after me—points of view.
Instruct: Repeat the meaning after me—opinions or what we think about someone or something.
Instruct: Repeat the sentence after me—The children shared their points of view on climate change.
Instruct: Now, why don’t you make some sentences with the phrase points of view and tell them to me?
The 'Conversations' book follows a unique spiralling approach that systematically builds language skills and enables children to express themselves verbally in real-world situations, thus preparing them for the needs of the 21st century world. Each chapter focuses on building specific and age-appropriate English language competencies by weaving together activities that are contextual, experiential, joyful, and research-based.
• Activity-based Learning: The book offers joyful and experiential activities that build English communication competencies.
• Texts as per NEP 2020 themes: The book has exciting and stimulating texts that pave the way for English communication activities.
• Tech Integration: The book works in sync with the digital world, where various other activities and projects are undertaken. Learner outputs are evaluated through an AI-based speech recognition engine.
• Assessment of Speaking & Listening as per CEFR: The program includes special assessment that allows systematic reporting on growth of English language skills as per the CEFR.
• Teachers’ Manual: The book is complemented by the Teachers’ Manual that enables teachers to conduct each session effectively.
Uolo partners with K-12 schools to provide technology-based learning programs. We believe pedagogy and technology must come together to deliver scalable learning experiences that generate measurable outcomes. Uolo is trusted by over 8,000 schools with more than 3 million learners across India, South East Asia, and the Middle East.