Nali Kali: Joyful Learning for Children's Education Transformation

1. I. NALI KALI • (An experience in lively education) • Nali Kali means 'Joyful learning' in Kannada. In this system all the teaching learning processes take place through songs, games, surveys, story telling and use of educational toys. • Marriage between joy and learning is difficult but possible. • By bringing changes in • - The methodology • - Curriculum • - Class room transactions • To suit the multi level and multigrade situation • To reduce the burden of the children in carrying heavy bags. 1

2. contd.. • ·To provide the minimum level of learning without stifling the curiosity and creativity of the child. • ·By unleashing the creativity of the teachers. • ·By bridging the gap between the teacher and the • learner. • ·By adopting curriculum to local needs and idioms • to which child can easily identify himself. • ·By creating and enabling environment where child • learns at his own pace, masters competencies. • ·By a process of continuous evaluation which is non-threatening and which effectively eliminates the formal system of roll calls, examinations, promotions and ranking. • 2

3. II. Nali Kali : Experiment : History and present status 1. Started in 1995 with Unicef assistance when a group of 15 teachers and administrators from HD Kote (Mysore District) visited the rural schools run by Rishi Valley education Trust. 2. Teachers made an analysis of the ills of the education system that hinder children (mostly first generation learners) from fully accessing and participating in the school system and achieving pre-determined levels of learning. They identified: Rigid and stereo typed class room transaction through monotonous monologue Total dependence of teachers on text book transaction; multi level / grade teaching not possible in a text book driven situation. Teachers not involved in preparation of textual material, no sense of ownership. Teaching not addressing the last child in the class. Policy of universal promotion leading to attainment gaps and loss of interest. 3

4. Contd.. Problems of non enrolment, large scale absenteeism Insufficient academic support for teachers and inadequate pre and in-service training. Students not developing self confidence; their curiosity and creativity stifled. Fear of school, Teacher, education, and examinations... Widespread: whereas learning is easier in fearless atmosphere. No child needs to be afraid of failing. Curriculum is learnable by the child, provided it is in consonance with the cognitive levels of the child. Children learn at different pace and learning in a continuous - not compartmentalized in to class wise, content areas. Child who is unable to attend school regularly has scope to continue where she left off. Given an opportunity children can successfully organise activities leading to significant learning outcomes. 4

5. What teachers did: • Reviewed the curriculum according to what a child can learn at a particular level • Re-organized the curriculum into small manageable units • Sequenced the learning units into a comprehensive learning ladder • Developed activities and a teaching methodology for each learning unit to facilitate readiness for learning, instruction, reinforcement and evaluation • Built into the learning ladder an evaluation system which is non-threatening, continuous and comprehensive • Evolved a more democratic classroom management system, which is not based on the child’s ability, age, caste or gender • Developed a system for making the classroom attractive 5

6. The curriculum, learning units, ladder and material • Nali Kali system allows a flexibility which facilitates the shifting of learning units to different levels and grades depending upon the local situation and circumstances. • Curriculum is seen as a continuum from classes I-IV – the child can re-enter the learning ladder at the point where she left off. • Textual material replaced by learning cards. • Learning sequence is broken into the smallest possible units. 6

7. Classroom Management • Children’s active participation in: • Identifying their position in the learning sequence through the pictorial ladder • Distribution, use and storage of teaching learning material • Plotting their progress on the achievement chart • Managing and organising group work. • Groups based on the nature of the activity which the child is doing – not on consideration of gender, caste, age or ability. Each group is dynamic – its composition changes depending on the level and work that the child is doing. Each child has opportunity to periodically work with teacher and with peers depending on the support required. 7 Kannada Maths EVS

8. The Spread The Nali kali team grew from 15 teacher who initially visited Rishi Valley to 36 cluster resource persons, with whose support the programme was implemented in 270 schools in HD Kote, Mysore by 1997 under DPEP. This was implemented in 8 blocks of DPEP in the first phase and in 11 clusters of DPEP in the second phase and 10 blocks of Janashala. Today it is being strengthened in existing 24 blocks of Karnataka, by providing TLM (worksheets, Readers). 8

9. Nali-Kali : Evaluation and Critique Nali-Kali evaluated by Dr. Anandalakshmi /Mrs. Krishna Murthy, June 2002 and Dr. M.S.Lalitha, Professor of Education, Department of Studies in Educaiton, University of Mysore, Mysore: (2002-2003) Data base relied are not sufficient to come to any definite conclusion regarding achieved differences between Nali-Kali and traditional (Kali-Nali) class room education. The two studies are more or less documentation of Nali-Kali experiment and its impressionistic evaluation. Findings of first study (HD Kote, DPEP, Dr. Anand Lakshmi) 1. With fewer facilities, children had fun learning and their confidence levels were high. 2. Primary advantage of the new system has equity, breaking down hierarchies and leveling the effects of status differences. 3. No child had to feel inadequate, since all learning was at the individual child's pace. 9

10. 4. The MLL devised by the NCERT formed basis of the specific curriculum with certain minor changes. 5. The material provided on Activity Cards, was carefully graded from simple to complex, known to unknown and concrete to abstract. Experience preceded symbolism. 6. There was no textbook. Teaching learning material which developed by teachers. Teachers were empowered to decide on the curriculum and the management of the classroom. 7. Usage of language and examples were culture-friendly. From the realities of life lessons of abstract thoughts are developed. 8. Competency and commitment of the teachers were both enhanced, in the process of the development of activity - based material. 9. Entire curriculum was divided into small units, so that mastery of each step became the re-inforcement for the next unit. 10. There was a variety of games (survey, music, dance, drama and craft everyone had a chance to be admitted and to feel ful filled, useful for self learning, self-evaluation and group activity. System developed self confidence, self-esteem and a sense of security in children.10

11. 11. Organisation differed from conventional classes, it was possible children working on their own in their groups, that enabled multi-level classes to be handled. 12. Nali-Kali had influence on mainstream schooling. New text-books, work-books and manuals revised in 2001, incorporated Nali-Kali content and methodology. ‘Chili-pili’ package prepared for pre-school Anganawadis. 13. Nali-Kali type of training has permeated all mainstream training. Nali-Kali elements distinct in our Trimester system (wholistic education with life skills). Remedial teaching kit prepared by Akshara foundation has incorporated the elements of Nali-Kali. 14. Class rooms in Nali-Kali are decorated attractively with charts, drawings, cut outs of animals , flowers etc. 15. Progress charts in Nali-Kali schools are plotted by children themselves. 16. Children in Nali-Kali schools say they have learnt to took after the environment, help their parents, and learn to be friendly and sociable, like their teacher. Children make more demand for play materials, pictures on the school walls and toilets in their homes. Child’s intellectual, moral and physical development take place wholistically. 11

12. Second evaluation by Dr. Lalitha (Nali-Kali in Janashala) is more quantitative and finds: • Not all the competencies in the area of listening and speaking specified for standard - I have been adequately mastered in any of the first three standards. • 2. Not even 50% of the students of standard I have mastered at least 50% of the National/State MLL's expected at the end of standard I. • 3. No clear difference as regard to achievement is established between Nali-Kali and Kali-Nali schools. • 4. In 50% of Janashala blocks there has been an improvement in enrolment/retention over earlier years after Nali-Kali introduction. • 5. In all the blocks, the heads of schools have perceived that both enrolment and attendance has increased to a 'great extent' or 'to some extent'. (Quantitatively not verified by study) 12

13. 6. Students move around freely, behave fearlessly, interact with teachers freely in majority of the class rooms, community members feel that children go to school with enthusiasm and there is no fear exhibited for going to school. • 7. Even the last child gets adequate attention. Teacher facilitate eradicating the uncovered hindrance to the child’s creative development. • 8. It is distinct from mechanical assembly line method… emphasizing individual self expression and development of personality. • Critique: • The two evaluation studies fail to critically bring out the effectiveness of Nali-Kali over the traditional teaching systems. There is an emergent need, to institute a comprehensive study immediately. • Nali-Kali methodologies are convincing but needs practical demonstration. There are similarities between Nali-Kali methodologies and Montessori Methods (of educating very young children by direction of their natural activities rather than strict control). • c) Second evaluation (Janashala) indicates more the inadequacies of up scaling without comprehensive understanding and preparation. • 13

14. Similarities to 'Montessori Methods' (1870-1952) • Belief in the child has creative potential, drive to learn, and his right to be treated as an individual. • Scorn for conventional classrooms where, 'children, like butterflies mounted on pins, are fastened each to his place .........'. • Teach children by supplying concrete materials and organising situations conducive to learning with these materials. • Certain simple material aroused in children an interest and attention not previously thought possible. • 14

15. Contd… • Children would work spontaneously with these materials, indifferent to distraction for from a quarter of an hour to an hour • At the end of a period, they would not seem tired. • Indisciplined children became settled through such voluntary work. Children with learning disability showed improved learning. • Material designed to encourage individual rather than cooperative efforts. Some group activity also occurred. • Individual initiative and self-direction characterised the Montessori philosophy, and self-education was the keynote. • 15

16. Contd.. • Teacher provided and demonstrated the special, 'didactic apparatus', but remained in the background, leaving the child handle it for himself. • 'Nali Kali' is extension of 'Pre-school Montessori Methods' to lower primary schools ......?! • 'Kindergarten' 1850 AD (German - Play school) system has also similarities ....... It stressed the emotional and spiritual nature of the child, encouraging self understanding through play activities and greater freedom .......... Environment in which children grew freely like plants in a garden. The curriculum consisted of • 1. Playing with educational toys and engaging in other occupations designed to familiarize children with inanimate things. • 2. Playing games and singing songs for the purpose not only of exercising the limbs and voice but also of instilling a spirit of humanity and • 3. Gardening and caring animals in order to induce sympathy for plants and animals. • 16

17. Concerns of Parents : • There are no books, workbooks and homework. • Concerns of Teachers : • - They have to unlearn and relearn. • - Training is inadequate • - It requires more intense involvement. • 3) Concerns of Education Administrators : • - Requires better training • - Requires close supervision and understanding at the supervisory levels • - Transition from Nali-Kali class to regular one is not easy. • 17

18. Bottlenecks and issues • Scientific evaluation of ‘Nali Kali’ ladder steps and its linkages to MLL to be confirmed. • Evaluating till what class the ‘Nali Kali’ strategy can practically work and how to deal with transition from Nali Kali classroom to regular classroom thereafter. • Standardising ‘Nali Kali’ ladder without affecting local innovative possibilities. • Facilitating preparation and supply of ‘Nali Kali’ TLM of good quality • 18

19. 5. Designing appropriate workbooks and teacher’s training for the ‘Nali Kali’ 6. Introducing ‘Nali Kali’ in the pre-service training (D.Ed) - At present D.Ed teachers teach class I to VII - Is the skills to teach class I different from that of class VII ? - There is a need, to redesign a separate pre-service teachers ‘training for lower primary classes incorporating ‘Nali Kali’ methodologies. 19