Strategies for Teaching Language using Language Lab Stories*

Objectives:

• To introduce the concept of Language Lab (why it is needed and its benefits).
• To discuss possible strategies for integrating Language Lab resources into classroom teaching.
• General FAQs regarding using Language Lab resources (how to access and possible challenges)
• Presenting our work on Language strategies and tools (including Mathematics and Science if time permits) in TIIE school sessions and camps.

Initial talk:

• Basic introductions: Introducing Stories for language learning was the main objective in all the cluster meeting. In that session we discussed what are the challenges what they find in their classroom. Most of the teachers responded very well and accepted that due to the lack of opportunities for social interactions and Learning deprivation as a result of nearly 2 years of school closures has led to student’s foundational language skills are being seriously impacted on the children. Migrant children- teachers finds difficult to engage those children as their home language is different from medium of instruction. To overcome all these challenges stories acts as a major role to bridge the gap in the language. Stories can be very useful in helping develop listening, speaking, reading and also develops thinking skills. Perhaps the Teachers were made to explore the Multilingual Language learning which was available in the KOER page. The teachers were able to access the stories in different languages (English, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu). One of the stories “Timmy and peppe” was demonstrated in the cluster meeting and discussed the importance of each slide in the project. Each story had multiple activities that a child had to perform such as listening to a story, try to read a story with the support of an audio, vocabulary related to a story, and few simple activities based on the story which gives immediate feedback to the child, where the child can try to attempt for correct response. The Multilingual language learning was available in both desktop and mobile version in the offline mode. The teachers were given a demo on usage of kiwix application in their smart phones and the teachers showed interest on the usage of it in their classrooms.
  
• Introducing the concept of Language Lab
• Inclusive aspects
• Student-centric (at their own pace)
• Multilingual
• Context-based (designed for students studying in government schools in Bengaluru)

Demo of Language Lab resources:

• Materials & Resources required:
• Screen, projector, speaker, laptops and tabs.
• KOER pages, shareable Language Lab links.
• Show the resources on KOER
• Story 1: Rani’s first day at school (available in Kannada, English and Hindi)
• Connecting to introducing oneself
• To encourage conversations, discussions on how was your first day
• Bilingual text – students can read in Kannada/ English depending on what they are comfortable with. For students who speak other languages, peers or facilitator can translate the meaning in their languages and introduce the Kannada / English words
• Suggestions from teachers – can you think of ways in which this can be used to achieve any of the learning outcomes in Kalika Chetarike?
• LOs 6.2, 6.4, 6.9 and 7.1
• Story 2: Timmy and Pepe (available in Kannada and English)
• For emergent readers in English
• Body parts
• Learning outcomes
• Ask teachers how they think these resources can be used? “Would you use these resources for introducing the unit, or at the end for assessment purposes?”
• Take teachers’ suggestions and feedback
• Let teachers know that similar resources for stories from Kalika Chetarike can also be prepared. Teachers are welcome to contribute to the resource creation process.

Experiences so far:

• Sharing the activities conducted in the TIIE sessions and camps.
• Activities on self-introduction
• Corresponding to Learning outcome 6.2 from KC
• Corresponding to the following Nipun Bharat competencies (Talk about friends, classroom, introduce himself/herself, develop vocabulary from their classroom and social environment
• Session on story elements

Feedback and suggestions for improvement

Notes:

The intention is to provide a brief overview of the Language Lab resources. It is advisable to keep the presentation duration flexible as per attendees' availability.