Activity Based Learning (ABL) Through Effectively Developed Lesson Plan

ABL THROUGH EFFECTIVELY
DEVELOPED LESSON PLAN
Col Muhammad Khalid Khan

TRANSLATION
Recite in the name of your Lord who
created.
Created man from a clinging substance.
Recite, and your Lord is the most
Generous.
Who taught by the pen
Taught man that which he knew not.

OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, participants will be able
to:
 Understand what is Activity Based Learning (ABL)?
 Identify Interactive Learning
 Explain Communicative Approach
 Promote use of ABL in Teaching Learning Process
 Step by step learning with the help of a Model lesson
plan.
 Identify hurdles in implementation of interactive
learning.
 Overcome the fear of unknown

AIM
 The aim of this presentation is to apprise you
about ABL through effectively developed Lesson
Plan and to abolish the fear of unknown to make
it known to all of you being a fun activity.

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Activity Based Learning
 Interactive Teaching
 Sample Activities – Grade II
 Communicative Approach
 Sample Activities – Grade VII
 Lesson Plan
 Stages of a Lesson
 Activities of a Lesson
 Sample Activities – Grade V
 Impediments in Implementation of ABL
 Recommendations
 Questions / Answers
 Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
 FFMS NSR successfully designed and
implemented ABL through effectively developed
lesson plans based on three PPP system given by
J. Harmer. Teachers were trained in a free and
friendly atmosphere by the Principal and some
of the selected faculty members. The fear of
change remained predominant in old teachers
since they were afraid of unknown. The efforts of
the institution were appreciated by IE&T dept.

QUOTATION
Arrow goes forward only after pulling into
backwards. Bullet goes forward only after
pressing the trigger backward. Every human
being will get happy only after facing the
difficulties in their life path……So do not afraid
to face your difficulties. They will push you
forward.
“Tell me & I forget. Teach me & I remember.
Involve me I learn”.

WHY ACTIVITY BASED LEARNING
(ABL)?
 The information processing theory in
psychology views learners as active
investigators of their environment
 In the process of learning, Students
experience, memorize and understand
 It requires active problem solving by
students in finding patterns in the
information through their own
investigation and analysis. Students learn
not the content of the lesson but also
develop many other skills.

WHY ACTIVITY BASED LEARNING
(ABL)?
 It enhances creative aspect of experience.
 It gives reality for learning.
 Uses all available resources.
 Provides varied experiences to the students to facilitate the
acquisition of knowledge, experience, skills and values.
 Builds the student’s self-confidence and develops
understanding through work in his/her group.
 Gets experiences, develop interest, enriches vocabulary and
provides stimulus for reading.
 Develops happy relationship between students and
students, teachers and students.
 An activity is said to be the language of the child.
 Subjects of all kind can be taught through activity.
 Social relation provides opportunity to mix with others.

ACTIVITY BASED LEARNING
 Activity-based learning or ABL describes a
range of pedagogical approaches to teaching. Its
core premises include the requirement that
learning should be based on doing some hands-
on experiments and activities. The idea of
activity-based learning is rooted in the common
notion that children are active learners rather
than passive recipients of information. If child
is provided the opportunity to explore by their
own and provided an optimum learning
environment then the learning becomes joyful
and long-lasting.

HISTORY OF ACTIVITY-BASED
LEARNING
 Activity-based learning started sometime in 1944
around World War II when a British man David
Horsburgh came to India and finally decided to
settle down there. He was an innovative thinker
and charismatic leader. He started teaching in
Rishi Valley School. He joined the British Council
and worked in Chennai and Bangalore for many
years. After his voluntary retirement, he located a
7-acre site in Kolar District and opened his school,
Neel Bagh. Neel Bagh was based on an innovative
idea of Horsburgh and known for its creative
methods in teaching well-planned learning
materials.

 With his wife Doreen and his son Nicholas,
Horsburgh developed a diverse curriculum, which
included music, carpentry, sewing, masonry,
gardening, as well as the usual school subjects,
English, mathematics, Sanskrit, and Telugu.
These pedagogic materials were systematically
planned, with sketches and drawings and an
occasional touch of humour. Later Horsburgh
created a magnificent library in Neel Baugh that
was accessible to teachers and students. This
initiative of Horsburgh was later proved to be one
of the pioneer and milestones in ABL. In modern
time ABL is the method of education followed in
the Corporation schools of Chennai, from 2003, as
an effort to provide special schools for children
who had been freed from bonded labour.

PHILOSOPHY
 The philosophy of ABL finds its antecedents
in the common notion that learning can be
best when it is initiated by the
surrounding environment and
motivated by providing optimum
opportunities to learn.
 A fearless and freedom to express
environment always adds to best learning
outcomes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTIVITY-
BASED LEARNING
 The key feature of the ABL method is that it uses
child-friendly educational aids to foster self-learning
and allows a child to study according to his/her
aptitude and skill. Under the system, the
curriculum is divided into small units, each a group of
Self Learning Materials (SLM) comprising
attractively designed study cards for English, Tamil,
Maths, Science and Social Science. When a child
finishes a group of cards, he completes one
"milestone". Activities in each milestone include
games, rhymes, drawing, and songs to teach a letter
or a word, form a sentence, do maths and science, or
understand a concept. The child takes up an Exam
Card only after completing all the milestones in a
subject. If a child is absent one day, he/she continues
from where he/she left unlike in the old system where
the children had to learn on their own what they
missed out on.

INTERACTIVE TEACHING
 The first thing to realize about interactive
teaching is that it is NOT something new or
mysterious. If you are a teacher and you
ask questions in class, assign and check
homework, or hold class or group
discussions, then you already teach
interactively. Basically then interactive
teaching is just giving students
something to do, getting back what
they have done, and then assimilating
it yourself, so that you can decide what
would be best to do next.

THREE DISTINCT REASONS FOR
 SUMMATIVE :For interactive teaching it is an
attempt to see what actually exists in the brains
of your students. This is the "summative" aspect. It
is the easiest aspect to understand and it is well
described in the literature. But, it is far from being
the only perspective!
 FORMATIVE : The second reason is "formative",
where the teacher aims through the assigned task
to direct students' mental processing along an
appropriate path in "concept-space". The intent is
that, as students think through the issues necessary
in traversing the path, the resulting mental
construction that is developed in the student's head
will possess those properties that the teacher is trying
to teach. As Socrates discovered, a good question can
accomplish this result better than, just telling the
answer.

THREE DISTINCT REASONS FOR
 MOTIVATIONAL : The third may be termed
"motivational". Learning is hard work, and an injection of
motivation at the right moment can make all the
difference. One motivating factor provided by the
interactive teacher is the requirement of a response to a
live classroom task. This serves to jolt the student
into action, to get his brain off the couch, so to
speak. Additional more subtle and pleasant events follow
immediately capitalizing on the momentum created by this
initial burst. One of these is a result of our human social
tendencies. When teachers ask students to work together
in small groups to solve a problem, a discussion ensues
that not only serves in itself to build more robust
knowledge structures, but also to motivate. The
anticipation of immediate feedback in the form of reaction
from their peers, or from the teacher is a very strong
motivator..

Topic: Our Country Time: 4 min
Stage: Presentation (Warm up) Class: II

Mountains
Topic: Our Country Time: 10 min
Stage: Practice 1 Class: II

Topic: Our Country
Rivers

Fertile Plains
Topic: Our Country

Deserts
Topic: Our Country

Communicative Approach
 Communicative language teaching
originated in the late 60s
 English Teaching methods reform of the
mid-70s to be further developed.
 U.S. linguist D. Hymes proposed the
theory of communicative competence
 It should not only have the language
knowledge, but also has the ability to
use language, with particular attention
to linguistic appropriateness
 Krashen language acquisition theory of
language learning stressed the use of
free verbal communication, rather
than through training, language skills.

Communicative Approach
A
•Form
•Usage
•Competence
•Language-like behavior
•Atomistic
•Discrete-point
•Analytic
•Manipulative
•Qualitative
•Norm-referenced
•Teacher Centered
B
•Function
•Use
•Performance
•Authentic behavior
•Holistic
•Integrative
•Synthetic
•Communicative
•Qualitative
•Criterion-referenced
•Student Centered

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATIVE
APPROACH
 A teacher's main role is-a facilitator & monitor
 Lessons are usually topic or theme based
 Lessons are built round situations/functions practical
and authentic in the real world
 Activities set by the teacher have relevance and purpose
to real life situations
 Dialogues around communicative functions
 Emphasis on engaging learners in more useful and
authentic language
 Emphasis on fluency and meaning rather than
accuracy.
 Emphasis is put on the “appropriacy” of language
 Communicative competence is the desired goal
 Emphasis is put on correct pronunciation, choral
(group) and individual drilling
 Authentic listening and reading texts
 Use of songs and games
 Feedback and correction

Topic: First Aid
Level: Grade 7 Stage: Presentation
Time: 3 min Subject: English

Topic: First Aid
Level: Grade 7 Stage: Practice 1

Topic: First Aid
Activity 1 (Conditionals)
Work in Pair – Share
Instructions: Complete the given sentences in pairs and then share with the
class one by one.
If it rains ______________________________________________________
If you happen to be alone _________________________________________
If someone knocks at the door _____________________________________
If nose bleeds _________________________________________________
If the snake is killed _____________________________________________
If the bite is on arm ______________________________________________
If it is a serious burn by fire ________________________________________

Topic: First Aid
Instructions: Complete the given sentences in pairs and then share with the class
one by one.
If swallowed poison ______________________________________________
If stung by a bee ________________________________________________
If slipped from stairs ______________________________________________
If I were a billionaire ______________________________________________
If I were a fish ___________________________________________________

Column A Column B
To smell a rat To be very comfortable
Hand to mouth To be suspicious
Up to a point To give up
A bed of roses To be in difficult time
To throw in the cards To a limit
Topic: First Aid
Instructions: Complete the given sentences in pairs and then
share with the class one by one.

Instructions:
Class will be divided into five groups. Each group will be given a
flash card. They will read and discuss in groups. Then the group
leader will come in front of the class and explain the given
technique to the class.
Topic: First Aid Time: 35 min
Stage: Production Class: VII

WHAT IS A LESSON PLAN ?
 It is the framework for my lesson.
 It is the map I follow during class.
 It is a pain in the neck.
 It is the product of my thoughts about the
class to give and what I hope to achieve.

Why planning?
 Planning helps you to reduce uncertainty or panic and
gives you confidence and clarity.
 It reminds you to prepare materials beforehand, and
makes it easier for you to organize the time and activities
flow in classes.
 For students, evidence of a plan shows them the teacher has
devoted time to thinking about the class.
 It is a way to help gain the respect of your students.
 It suggests professionalism and commitment.
 Planning ensures that the class you are teaching gets a
balanced mixture of different materials, content and
interaction types.
 Planning helps you to develop a personal style.

What to Consider?
 Engage: get the students interested in the class and hopefully
enjoying what they are doing.
Study: It is a focus of language, such as grammar or
vocabulary and pronunciation. It does not have to be NEW
language input.
Activate: The students do writing and or speaking activities
which require them to use not only the language they are
studying that day, but also other language that they have learnt.

STAGES OF A LESSON
According to J.Harmer following are the three main
stages of a lesson.
 The Presentation Stage (Controlled/ Warm up): In this
stage the students are introduced to the new item or point
which they are about to learn. Students will remain
receptive while teacher will talk. Sometimes the teacher
elicits different responses with the help of visual stimulus
such as a picture, a flash card or any other visual aid.
 The Practice Stage (Guided): In this stage the teacher acts
as a facilitator. And is responsible for providing much
stimulus to speak as possible. Hence, this stage is purely
student centered and activity based, while the teacher
remains a time keeper.
 The Production Stage (Free): In this stage real
communication takes place based on natural expression and
functions learned. This stage is also student centered but
controlled by teacher.

PREPARATION STAGE
Model of Taba (1962:12), in which seven steps
are taken in order:
 Needs analysis;
 Formation of objectives;
 Selection of content;
 Organization of content;
 Selection of learning activities;
 Organization of learning activities;
 Decisions about what needs evaluating and how
to evaluate.

Stages of ABL in a Lesson Plan
Stages Activities Time
(35 min)
A/V aids
Presentation Warm up activity an icebreaker Asking Q /
A Using pictures / charts, a situation
5 min Text book
Board
Flash cards
Charts
Pictures
Models
Practice Topic declaration, use of writing board, brief
summary, through flash cards / charts , mind
map words / meaning
Activities in Practice Stage through
1. Individual work
2. Pair work
3. Trio work
4. Group work
25 min
Production Natural Responses of the students on the
topic with the help of verbal as well as written
work.
5 min

Individual Work
Activities
Pair Work
Activities
Group Work
Activities
Drawing for
Understanding
Ask the Winner
True or False?
Real-World
Concept
Mapping
Opposites
Student
Storytelling
Think-Pair-
Share
Pair-Share-
Repeat
Peer Review
Writing Task
Invented
Dialogues
My Eid Gift
Jigsaw
Pick the
Winner
Definitions and
Applications
Simulation
Classroom
Assessment
Quality Circles
Imaginary
Show and Tell

IMPEDIMENTS IN IMPLEMENTATION
OF ABL
 Almost all the teachers are the product of
traditional lecture method.
 By nature they don’t want to work extra.
 They have fear of unknown.
 They are free in whimsical approach i.e, time
tested lecture method and don’t want to change it
into Communicative Approach.
 They have the fear of time constraints and
believe that syllabus cannot be covered with the
help of any new activity based trend.
 They don’t have any resources in the shape of
cash or kind, while in their opinion new trends
require maximum resources in the shape of
money.

IMPEDIMENTS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF
ABL
 They are afraid of challenging situations being
faced with the implementation of ABL.
 They believe that they will lack control over the
class since lot of noise will be there in the class.
 They have the fear of being caught by the
authorities concerned since the new trends are
highly timed.
 The math and science teachers consider this
trend as highly illogical.
 The old teachers are deadly against these ever
changing trends.
 The teachers have developed the sense of being
commanders while new trends make them
facilitators.
 Class rooms are not spacious.

RECOMMENDATIONS
 In service training course be run to make ABL
viable.
 The teachers so trained should train the other
teachers of the institution.
 At trial basis ABL may be implemented from Nur to
class 5th
.
 VPs being academic heads should encourage the
teachers to take this onerous task.
 IE&T department is already developing ABL based
syllabus which is appreciable and be propagated to
the teachers.
 Reasonable amount to be given to the institutions to
meet the expenditure of resources.
 Incentives in the shape of cash or kind be awarded
to the best teachers in the field of implementation of
ABL.

CONCLUSION
The various methodologies serve one purpose i.e. to
facilitate the learner to evince a more satisfactory
response from a student/learner in a classroom. Though
in practice one finds out that even the best of us cannot
consistently and perfectly do all the things that are
defined in various methodologies, what suffice is a deep
interest and an unfailing commitment coupled with a
willingness to change that would lead to further
innovations and endeavors in the field of teaching. So
far we have tasted and tested very many methods, let
us taste and test this method also. We want something
better for ourselves, for our children, and we look to a
present and future source of improvement.

Bibliography
Brumfit, Christopher ; Commutative Methodology in
Language Teaching. CUP; 1984.
Riaz ul Haq, Anjum ; English Language Teaching. NAHE,
UGC ; 1984.
Ur, Penny: A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and
Theory. CUP; 1999.
Woodward, Tessa; Planning Lessons & Courses; CUP;
2009.
Rebertson; C.; Acklam, R.; Action Plan for teachers; BBC
world service, 2000.
Harmer, Jeremy; How to Teach English; Longman 2001.
Heath O’ Rayn, Jaem; The CELTA course handouts;
2007.
http:/www.teachingenglish.org.uk

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