Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary Schools - Literature review Example

Effective teaching and learning in the primary schools Institution: Effective teaching and learning in the primary schools Effective learning and teaching in primary school has two fundamental components that have to be considered and executed by the teacher and pupils in order to deliver the desired results. These are the teacher’s professionalism and the leaner’s contribution in grasping the taught concepts. A good teacher will have excellent mastery of the subject area. Consequently, the teacher will deliver the content in a manner that is easy for the pupils to understand and learn (Culham, 2003 pp 81, Reichert & Hawley 2010 np). In this paper, two topics are explored at large with regards to effective learning and teaching in primary schools. The issues are the creative modality of teaching and the use of ICT in teaching English in primary schools. Creativity is one of the areas that could be applied to the teaching process or lesson to make it attractive (Sarmento, 2011 pp 274) and at the same time substantive in terms of content advancement. Challenging activities that engage the wits of the pupils and requires them to think critically about the lesson will boost their involvement in class activities while advancing their knowledge in the subject area. The most common modality that has been suggested in developing a dynamic and involving English lesson is through the use of fun games. The method advances the pupils knowledge on the main concepts like grammar and spelling (West, 2010 pp 45). The current syllabus of English contained a component of drama in which the students were expected to write short script exercises in a bid to develop their spoken English knowledge. However, in the new proposed syllabus, the aspect of drama has been removed from English subject (Merrifield, 2012 np). This implies that one of the core areas that provided learners with creative and involving activities in English has been withdrawn. The consequence of this withdrawal is that the present English lesson is left with less activity leading to the classes being static in nature and boring to the pupils. The effectiveness of the lessons is also reduced, and the learners will not be in a position to memorize the taught concepts. Almond (2005, pp 10), enumerates the benefits of dramatization in the subject of English. It identifies the level of confidence built by applause as key to the memorization of the experience of learning by the pupils that will improve the effectiveness of the learning process. As demonstrated by the epistemology of constructivism, in learning, the activities that the children involve in that challenge their knowledge builds a new ideas in them. Through this, the children are able to effectively learn new ideas (Larochelle, 1998 pp 4, Matthews, 1998 pp 7, SCHURZ et al. 2009 pp 9). The primary intention of the instructor’s use of creative exercises is to challenge the wit of the pupils to build new concepts by themselves. The pupils can undertake this through corporative learning exercise and b in a better position to memorize the events (Silberman, 2007 pp 4). The creativity can also take the form of experimental learning. However, with a proposal to remove the aspect of dramatization from the English syllabus, implementing, and experimental approach could be quite a challenge. In Wilson & Beard (2006, pp 81), the idea of modification of the classroom to other settings is discussed as the most prominent way of infusing creativity. This can only be achieved through drama and with the suspension of the same from the new syllabus; the possibility of experimental learning within a classroom setup remains elusive. The use of ICT in teaching English is one of the creative means of handling the subject in class. It is important to note that the use of ICT in the classroom lead to a large pool of data for the pupils through the use of applications that could run on networks and retrieve specific information. Tablets specifically can be a good method of improving the performance of the pupils in grammar by offering useful exercises that boost spelling correction for the pupils. Due to the portability of the devices, the learning environment is not limited to the classroom setup. The learning environment is extended to virtually all the locations that the gadget can be carried to (International Conference On E-Learning, & Lam, 2011 pp 99). Different scholars have however questioned the effectiveness of this aspect of the tablets. In providing speedy feedback and acting as an instructor at the time of use, the tablets through the apps provide a learning experience for the pupils. Some studies (An et al. 2014, pp 59), has indicated the need to investigate the effectiveness of this through research. The use of technology today has significantly advanced in the society. The implication of this is that there is a constant need to develop more and more innovative ways to consume the technology in different contexts. The integration of tablets into the learning experience of the pupils is one such area where the technology can be applied. This will enhance their competencies and prepare the pupils for future more involving challenges in work and education (Tomei, 2013 pp 313, Jafari & Kaufman, 2006 pp 314). The integration of this technology to the current school setting is however not without hurdles. The main hurdle that the integration process faces is the financial implication that the undertaking comes with. In Scheuermann & Pedró (2009 pp 6), the dynamic nature of the socio-economic environment of the world today has been identified as the main drive towards developing and integrating technology in primary education today. However, the financial implications of the same are not discussed. It is generally acknowledged that the current prices of the gadgets in the market could prove to be financially burdening to institutions and government to provide for all the pupils. However, (Allen, 2012 pp 177), proposes the use of other forms of tablets like the PDA in accessing mobile technology and educational apps in the classrooms and other locations of study. The use of tablets in class has evolved over time. This is very evident with the pilot schemes advancing the use of tablets to even the pupils creating their own content for presentations that are shared with the other pupils (Jurkowski, 2010 pp 178). This is an added advantage to the teachers whose wish is to increase the involvement of the students and build their body of knowledge through constructivism. The enormous body of knowledge that is present in the network of computers and applications is a positive supplement to the learning proceeds. However, for purposes of effectiveness of the learning process, the guidance of the teachers on the consumption and use of the information is necessary. The introduction of the tablets as a means of improving the variety of activities of learning in primary schools brings a number of challenges and issues that are to be critically analyzed and handled (Felicia, 2012 pp 244). Issues to do with the financial implication of the exercise and the students with a disability are to mention but a few of the challenges of the process. While considering issues to do with disability, the main concern is the equity of access to the technological services in learning by all the pupils in primary schools. The level of information available on the internet and those that are availed by the apps provide the students with an adequate potential to improve their performance and interest in the English language. A vast pool of information and its use by the children outside controlled environment also raise considerable number of issues (Walsh, 2006 pp 139, Axelrod, 2009 pp 118). The issue her are to do with connectivity of the gadgets on the internet and the level of discretion that is required for the use o f such information. There are ethical issues that are involved with the consumption of the information that are available over the internet. As the pupils will be majorly constituted of young and inexperienced internet users, the issue of constant guidance to the pupil arises. The use of English language in school is crucial and widespread in meeting the various obligations of the student and a professional (Richards, 2001 pp 27). Apart from this use, in the individual’s career, the aspect of language stands out. In the field of business, many employers have a keen eye to graduates that can write good documentation and reports. In other fields, the aspect of effective communication in the English language is a prerequisite. For example, in the practice of law, the development of contracts and the formalization of legal issues depend on an individual’s adept knowledge of the English language in Britain (Bhatia, 2013 pp 12, Chapelle, 2003, pp 31). Regardless of the career choice, the command and language use is essential for all the pupils. Due to this fact, the level of interest in the language studies mainly English ought to be increased and natured by the tutors. One modality of achieving this is for making the subject interesting and captivating to the young learners. The use of tablets in primary schools can produce the effect of high standards in teaching and learning of the language. This is because the integration of the device provides an aspect of teaching and learning that cannot be implemented by the instructor. At personal level of use, the integration of technology offers a level of ease in the various learning approaches both within and without the classroom setup. Some of the benefits of the uses of technology in learning English language are directly linked to the advantages of technology in teaching and learning. As noted earlier, the pool of information is the basis that provides the major benefit in the use of tablets in teaching and learning. The other benefits of the integration of technology and specifically the use of tablets are discussed in the following paragraphs. The use of technology has some level of impact on the writing capability of pupils. Before the technology is adopted for use in the teaching of any subject, it is important to note that the level of innovation that technology issue in to the exercise is major. Due to this aspect, while teaching English language, it is essential for the modalities that utilize the technology platform to be apparent, practical activities that are innovative in nature (Chapelle, 2003, pp 31). While technology is a perspective of the level of creativity, the infusion of technology is the fact that changes the game plan of the education and alters the entire landscape of the subject. Before evaluating the writing proficiency, the benchmarks have to be set in order to understand the impact of technology on the writing of a pupil. In this case, the proficiency is based on the draft composition created by the pupil. Cambre and Hawkes (2006 pp 12), demonstrate the fact that the introduction of technology increases the level of creativity of the pupils by presenting a broad range of information to them. Due to this the maturity of ideas that are presented in the composition will increase substantively with the level of exposure to technology leading to an improvement of the writing proficiency of the pupil. Corporative learning is also made possible by the use of technology. In the field of computing, this is implemented in the form of chat rooms and discussions that the pupils post and share their ideas to advance an argument or a debate about the topic. The exchange of information can take place anytime and place since the devices are mobile and can be accessed by the pupil at all the time in any given location. Due to this aspect, the gadgets have been considered as the replacement of the old fashion sources of information such as the television sets that were a commonplace in the homes and living quarters of young individuals. In this form of corporative learning, the main advantage is the instant nature of the communication process the ease of access to any location and the different aspects presented by peers (Rideout, 2001 pp 95). This makes the learning process continuous and without bounds of time and place. The traditional position of learning constant changes for the pupil and the content that is used is interactive and presented by different individuals. This makes the learning experience interesting and creative that could be easily memorized by the pupil. Other benefits stem out of the fact that the peers are not in the same location with the pupil. In this regard, the freedom of expression is increased by the fact that the contribution of the pupil is not subjected to immediate criticism and judgment by other pupils like in a class set up (Mcallister, 1997 pp 121). It is important to note that there is a significant impact on the motivation of the pupil if the other pupils express a level of cruelty in judging their ideas through actions like laughter. This is not present in this form of discussions and as such the discussions largely remain creative and efficient learning platforms as compared by the traditional class based discussions. As indicated in the discussion above, the introduction of technology is a critical step forward in the personal learning of English language by the pupils. However, the introduction of the tablets to the pupils comes with a number of issues that educationists have to look into. These include; the danger of overreliance on technology, ethical issues of the use of the internet, the inclusion of the physically disabled in the program, and the technical aspects of operating the devices like the internet connection access through Wi-Fi. Holdsworth (2013 pp 86), cites the danger of this level of consumption of technology as that which could result in toxic childhoods. In this study, the use of technology in places that the society considers ‘sanitized’ and free of evil intention is the main concern. These include the use of technology in locations like school home or while moving between these places. A possible result of this is a condition where the children adopt a sedentary lifestyle from an early age or during childhood. Other adverse impacts of the overreliance on technology are low book literacy and lack of functional physical relationships (Brooks, 2008 pp 201). Some studies raise ethical issues regarding the exposure to risks of the internet that the introduction technology will have the children (Smith, 2007). Questions raised by this study majorly regard explicit content like pornography and child pedophiles that lure underage pupils in to sexual activity. Control of this content can be done by filtering the content that the children access through firewalls and monitoring of the sites. The monitoring is possible in a school set up but in the context of homes; the control of this content is expensive and challenging (Congress, 2010 pp 8995). Other issues to do with the internet include data connectivity of the devices at home and school. Some areas could have limited data network (WI-FI) resulting in poor connectivity of the portable devices (APCHI & Lee, 2008 pp 345, Habraken, 2006 pp 335). In order for the primary schools to benefit from the introduction of the tablets and the variety of information from the internet, the essential component of the relevance of the applications that are used in the learning process is necessary. To bring all the disabled students on board, the devices have been fitted with multisensory components (Fowler, 2008 pp 21). The installed components help the disabled students make use of the devices through the senses that they can be able to manipulate and control. For instance, pupils who can only utilize their visual sensory organs can take pictures and label them through the touch screens and learn as ordinary students. In addition, the devices can be used without the internet connection, and this can be done to improve the creativity of the students through creating multimedia applications that are interactive and educational In conclusion, the role of the teacher in learning cannot be replaced with IT in an effective learning environment. Learning process need to be interactive between the instructor and the learners for participatory learning to take place. There are corrective and remedial measures which require the personal presence of an instructor to implement the necessary action. There are ideas which need clarification that cannot be responded to by the software that is installed to deliver a particular content. It is noteworthy that it takes the personal presence of a teacher to take charge and ensure that the environment is conducive to learning. The choice of devices in the market varies substantially with the amount of applications and effectiveness of the data available. Due to this, the iPad is the most suitable tool to complement the efforts of the teachers in the learning process. Its suitability is based on the fact that it can support quite a substantial number of applications (Wooldridge & Schneider 2011 pp 380) that are both educational and informative (Gliksman, 2012 pp 87). The iPad can provide the basis of referencing out of class and ideas that the pupils ought to clarify outside teaching hours.. They offer a variety of materials which can be referred to by the students at their convenience while away from the classroom set up (Keengwe, 2014 pp 75). They are also popular because of their portability as opposed to books. This aids in their usability away from the rigorous classroom situation. The iPad are preferred because they are trendy, fashionable and embrace modernity in their outlook. In the end, the employment of creativity in handling a subject will determine the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. 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