Interest Based Approach to Teaching and Learning any Language

Kore Babruwan Umakant
Poet from Maharastra(India)
Ex lecturer in English
Pad.Dr. D. Y. Patil Polytechnic
Akurdi/Pune
What Is the IBA?
IBA to teaching and learning any language is a new way of teaching and learning purely based on learners’ interests.
Why IBA?
It is the human tendency to enjoy the things of their own interests. When we do the things of our own interests, we do them from our heart and learn many more things at the same time. Such things make long-lasting impression on our mind. That is why IBA will be a time-saving, quick-rewarding and easier approach.
The Meaning of ‘interest’:
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (edition 2007) defines the word ‘interest’ as: 1) the feeling that you have when you want to know or learn more about something.
2) the quality that something has when it attracts somebody’s attention or makes them want to know about it
3) an activity or subject that you enjoy and that you spend free time doing or studying.
I would focus on the first two meanings as they are more appropriate in the teaching and learning context
How to Apply This Approach?
Allow students to work according to their interests. Do not impose your interests on them. The teacher’s job is to see and guide properly. For example if you want to see how well your students communicate, then allow students to speak on the topics of their own interests. At the most what the teacher can do is: fix the criteria to evaluate. For instance the four-point criteria (Accuracy-Fluency-Subject Knowledge- and -Confidence) can be used as the common basis of evaluation. Students may speak on different topics according to their interests but their evaluation will be based on the four-point criteria only.
While teaching any language, at least in the beginning choose the material of students' interests. There will be many difficulties while bringing this into reality. For example there may be a number of interests. At this juncture, try to find out common interests. For instance there are 40 students in the class then you can divide them into a few groups .Ask Students about the topics of their interests. Some students will say:Cricket, some will say:movie, some will say: politics and so on. Then you can make a group of students who are interested in cricket, another group of students who are interestesd in movie and so on. Give each group some time to speak. Your job as teacher is to see whether each student is participating in the discussion.
In the same way to test sudents' writing skill, you ask them to write about the things of their interests. This will provide students oppourtinities to show their knowledge and their true interests.This will help the teacher in his teaching and students in their learning.
Where Can We Apply IBA?
IBA can be useful in teaching and learning all kinds of things. It can be especially useful in teaching and learning any language.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu