Teaching And Learning Strategies in Pdpc in Primary School English Lesson

Teaching And Learning Strategies in Pdpc in Primary School English Lesson

The National Curriculum aims to produce wholesome, resilient, curious, principled, knowledgeable and patriotic pupils who have communicative, collaborative and thinking skills. Pupils need to be equipped with 21st century skills for them to compete globally. This is outlined in the National Education Blueprint (2013-2025) where it is aspired for every pupil to be equipped with knowledge, thinking skills, leadership skills, bilingual proficiency, ethics and spirituality and national identity. Various techniques and approaches are incorporated where appropriate and relevant in classroom lessons to prepare pupils for real world challenges. These techniques and approaches are explained below:

1. Mastery Learning

Mastery Learning will ensure that all pupils master the Learning Standards stipulated in the SBELC. Mastery Learning requires quality teaching and learning in the classroom. Sufficient time and appropriate learning conditions should be allowed so that pupils master the Learning Standards stipulated in this document.

2. Multiple Intelligences

The theory of Multiple Intelligences describes the different intelligences human beings possess. Teachers need to be aware of these different intelligences pupils possess in orderto maximise teaching and learning. Various teaching and learning strategies should be planned by teachers to foster and nurture the different intelligences of pupils in order to meet their varying learning styles and needs.

3. Constructivism

Constructivism will enable pupils to build new knowledge and concepts based on existing knowledge or schema that they have. The teacher assists pupils to acquire new knowledge and solve problems through pupil-centred active learning.

4. Contextual Learning

Contextual Learning is an approach to learning which connects the content being learnt to the pupils’ daily lives, the community around them and the working world. Learning takes place when pupils are able to relate and apply knowledge acquired to their own lives.

5. Learning How to Learn Skills

Learning How to Learn Skills are integrated in classroom lessons and aim to enable pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. These skills incorporate study skills which help pupils to access information and thus, equip them to become independent life-long learners.

6. Knowledge Acquisition

In teaching the language, content is drawn from various subject disciplines across the curriculum. Knowledge is also further acquired from various sources to enable pupils to keep abreast with current affairs.

7. Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative, systematic instructional approach built upon learning activities and authentic tasks that promotes pupil engagement through deep investigations of a problem or challenge without predetermined solution. The PBL approach creates a constructivist learning environment in which pupils construct their own knowledge.

In the conventional model of teaching, the teacher is the taskmaster. Nevertheless, the teaching strategy in the PBL encourages the teacher to become a facilitator, working with pupils to structure meaningful questions and tasks, coaching both knowledge development and social skills, as well as carefully assessing what pupils have learned from the experience. PBL inculcates essential skills for pupils to be able to function in the society.

These skills include communication and presentation, organisation and time management, inquiry and exploration, self-assessment and reflection, group participation and leadership, as well as critical thinking skills. PBL allows pupils to reflect analytically upon their own ideas and opinions, make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general. Performance of the pupils is assessed based on an individual effort as well as group work. It takes into account the contributions made to the ongoing process of project realisation, the depth of content understanding demonstrated and the quality of the product produced. PBL, at its best, connects pupils to real people, events, and challenges in the world that is immediate to the pupils’ lives and interests.

8. Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which pupils work together in small groups on a structured activity to explore a significant question or create a meaningful project. The advantages of having small groups are that pupils can share their strengths and also strengthen their existing skills as well as their interpersonal skills. They will learn skills to resolve conflicts. Pupils’ works are assessed individually as well as in groups. In order to create a conducive environment for collaborative learning, teachers have to ensure that pupils need to feel safe, but also challenged. Groups need to be small enough so that everyone can contribute. Diversity is celebrated, and therefore, all contributions are valued.

9. Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry-Based Learning is an approach to teaching and learning that places pupils’ questions, ideas and observations at the centre of the learning experience. This experience involves deconstructing abstract notions, problems or scenarios as well as getting pupils to enact understanding and develop further questions. Both teachers and pupils share responsibility for learning while teachers play an active role as facilitators in guiding pupils throughout the learning process. Pupils, as engaged learners, need to collaborate with others within and beyond the classroom in order to develop deep understanding of content knowledge and improvement of ideas.