Teaching without Text: An Alternative Open and Distant Learning Strategy

Suchona Patnaik, Ashok Kumar Mohanty

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, SOA (Deemed to be University) Bhubaneswar.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: patnaiksuchona24@gmail.com, suchonapatnaik@gmail.com, ashokmohanty@soa.ac.in

ABSTRACT:

This paper focuses on a parallel/remedial intervention programme in ODL strategy. This shows how a parallel module can make a real difference for tertiary-level learners who lag behind due to problems stemming from their socio-economic background. These learners are found lacking in productive skills i.e speaking and writing. The Open Distant Learning (Referred to as ODL hereafter) takers are unevenly exposed to a learning environment. They are still unable to write error-free English. The participants were not able to choose appropriate words from the context. They faced serious difficulties in writing a full-length answer. However, in "fill in the blanks", Grammar-based activities, and error correction in isolated sentences, these learners show relatively better control.

The following research questions were asked:

(i) Is there a need for ODL-learners to show foundational knowledge of Syntax, Lexis, and Context? This can be ascertained by conducting pre-entry behavioral text in an ODL environment.

(ii) Can there be a marked improvement in the LSRW skills of the participants of open and distance learners if a parallel course is administered.

(iii)Which one works better-process or product while teaching the ODL skills?

Alternative Student Support systems through online tools, teaching-learning, evaluation, and feedback opened new pathways. It helped to reach out to the students who have no access to the face-to-face instructions in a classroom due to remote learning. Online open courses or OOCs were seen as a potential replacement for physical campuses.

KEYWORDS: Open and Distant Learning, Authentic materials, Dialogic Practice, Language Projects, Alternative Syllabus Designs.

INTRODUCTION:

This paper deals with the language resources beyond the text. The basic assumption is that listening, speaking, reading, and writing may be successfully acquired from a large number of situations of language uses thereby an ODL can gain from it.

ODL is a way of duplicating the question of doing the same thing without face-to-face interactions. Here is an audience (not face to face) where we are creating an alternate situation for the learners who stay in distant places. Our purpose is how not to sacrifice the advantage of face-to-face teaching but supplement it with reading materials which is a challenge.

Distant learning is an abstraction. They may be average, dull, or intelligent learners. The proposed ODL text will be pedagogically suitable. In a face-to-face learning situation, the teacher has access to interesting presentations, programme instruction, remediation, and nonverbal manipulation of the text. The present ODL text though suitably programmed appears to be stereotyped with little or less connection with real-life situations. Hence there is an urgency of tailoring the material in an interesting, content-sensitive, less burdensome way. The course designer in ODL only anticipates the learner's problems without availing of the scope of continuous feedback and remediation. The course material, be it grammatical, structure semantic, or phonetic items, should imaginatively include exercises.

The distant learner is motivated well as he negotiates his real life's concerns. There is a sense of success and he responds to whatever is the latest and the best. The teacher is not a performer. The learners are buyers. We must aim at their conflict resolution and difficult level of comprehension. Finally, our proposed ODL contents include carefully capsule extracts from experiences in a different setting, model writing with effective communications through dialogue situations, case studies, and various language projects.

Status of English:

Teaching English in our country has various purposes. The English language is the lingua franca. The language of development at the socio-economic level and language of opportunity at the individual level is a tool for global communication. Even the worst critics of English studies admit it.

In this context, we need to focus on our shortcomings. There has been a mushrooming of English medium schools and ironically both in teaching and learning there is a corresponding collapse of English standards. Teaching and learning are not restricted to classrooms. It is found all around us. We find signs and hoardings at marketplaces, advertisements, hotel menus, etc. Now there is an evident shift from a teacher-centered model to a learner-centered model, based upon students' initiative and access to learning resources but we do not seem to address the needs of the learners and further, it has not been integrated with their needs and priorities.

Texts Books and Pedagogic Problems:

The course designers struggle with how best to bring in structure drills and exercises without any support from the real-life situation. Any attempt to convince them about the alternative language resources is met with stiff resistance. Teaching English involves teaching four skills. To meet this primary objective, textbooks have been treated as a valuable tool in the business of language teaching but sometimes they fail to fulfill the requirements because of the need of the distant learners. Most of the materials though designed by experts (by selection gradation and adaptation process) cannot motivate the learners and the language loses its natural flavour. The syntactic patterns become more complex beyond the learner's level. As a result, the learners at a distance feel frustrated, confused, and more importantly, are demotivated. Individual learners have different learning needs and interests. The teachers cannot steer them step by step because of the limitations of distant learners. They then proceed at their own pace. Evaluating comments throws light on the poor state of the grasp of these learners. The density of teaching materials drives the learners away. The texts are just the constructs of loose quotations of "concepts violently yolked together", and have little or no connection with a real-life situation. There is no scope of feedback or remediation supposedly available in the ODL learning environment.

Need for Authentic Materials:

The aforementioned limitations of the textbooks have necessitated the use of language extracts which may not altogether replace the text but can provide what most textbooks fail to do. Research has shown (Bacon and Finneman 1990 Allen et al 1988) that majority of students prefer non-textbook materials to textbook writings. To facilitate their effective learning they must be involved in the familiar situation through their own experience. If we can learn a first language without a Textbook then one can learn all the basic skills of English without a conventional textbook. Most of us, be it face to face or distant learners rarely read any material. There is a problem with the battle of skills versus the battle of wills. Enjoyability of reading materials and a sense of success are two intrinsic incentives that are missing in the present text.

Our proposed language extracts are genuine communication in the real world. They include magazines, journals, newspapers, headlines, posters, pamphlets, brochures, documents, various forms, notices, films, invitation cards, humour pieces, etc. The distance learner finds these topics more interesting and closely relates them to their own experience or knowledge and appreciates the usage of language. Besides these extracts, cuttings generate a feeling in the learner that these are practically used in the community.

Contemporary Discourses on Alternative Syllabus:

The new age of teaching-learning method attempts to explore some viable alternative systems. The echo of "Deschooling", "Home Learning", and "Self-Development" studies are given new impetus.

Learners become involved in some type of meaningful activities and expand their awareness of the social role of English. This is a challenge to conventional language pedagogy. The spirit behind creating an environment of supplementary reading is laudable but a proper selection of teaching materials is urgently required. People now talk of teaching by dialogue, role play, and teaching for special purposes such as legal English, Temple English, and business English expanding the choice of the learner is crucial. If they would like to write/talk on any topic they can develop their spelling list. We propose that let they are remedial Centre for checking written assignments for speedy correction on a sharing basis stop we can now consider some sample of extracts to see if the aforesaid expectations are borne out in acquisition of different skills. Reading skill -the main source of reading difficulty is a mismatch between the material being read and the response pattern of the readers. Reading materials drawn from readymade context as outlined above can lessen the fatigue of the learners. The learners develop insight. The reading materials so selected facilitate their comprehension skill and reference kill. They notice new words proverbs, question patterns, correct use of articles, prepositions, tense patterns, etc. Self-discovery with added customized content motivates them to further participate in learning.

We are tempted to add a few more (use of films, tapes, cds, and other flexible teaching text). One may say that they are glamouous pieces. But then how do business schools utilize these and reap the benefit. Bestseller books are highly recommended. These are easily available at the footpath and railway platforms and help in preparing the young learners for more outcome-based communication skills and life skills, apart from becoming a goldmine of information.

Learners at their door-step can glance through newspaper clippings and practice basic grammatical patterns, spellings, and appropriate meaning on a day-to-day basis.

Here two things are important (i)It is the students, not the teachers who learn English.

(ii)Language learning is best done when put to use.

(iii)Teachers act as a peer group and create a learning environment emphasizing the communicative functions of the language. Teachers are the facilitators. With online feedback or weekend briefings, the ODL can lessen the learner's gap.

Brief Sketch of Proposed Course Design:

1. Dialogue practice

2. Collect sample letters and study patterns and usages.

3. Recitation debates, group discussions, tapes, audio, video, CD, computer software, and youtube discussions.

4. Dealing with door-step service callers (meter readers, salesman, milkman, vendors).

5. Participating in day-to-day linguistic situations aiming at communicative functions. In the Hallydian sense: social, functional capacity up-gradation.

6. Language projects (casual conversation, politeness expressions, the language of humor, gossip, holiday plan, etc. There is evident thrust in experiential learning.

CONCLUSION:

In the conclusion, we will like to state that the third millennium will be a millennium of science, technology, and colonization of space. The computer has already taken the centre stage. Our country is often described as a subcontinent of diversified culture, language, and customs. Distant learners play a crucial role here. Their needs and aspirations should be met and we believe that this can be feasible by increasingly recognizing the functional variety of language usages, giving rise to a plurality of models, and strategies according to the needs of the user.

REFERENCES:

1. Crystal D. English as a Global Language Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.2003

2. Freire P. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 20th Anniversary Edition, New York: Continuum 1970.

3. Graddol D, English Next, British Council London, 2006.

4. Patnaik, B N Language Matters Dhauli Books. 2018

5. Sandra Harris and Kenmorgan: Language Projects: An Introduction to the Study of Language Edward Arnold:1979.

Received on 06.06.2022 Modified on 10.07.2022

Int. J. Rev. and Res. Social Sci. 2022; 10(2):63-65.