Discussion on Activity Sheet

Discussion topic

Express your views on the activity sheet

Prof.Tushar Chavan

1) Do you think introducing activity sheet for classes XI and XII is good?

2) If you teach any topic from the text book, do you get proper time to give activities to the students?

3) Don't you think to write the activities like web, jumbled order sentences, sentences for true or false, flow chart etc. on the black board is time consuming?

4) Is it easy to set quick activities for your students after the teaching?
5) Don't you think if you have the digital classroom and by clicking one button if the activity is displayed on the digital board, it will decrease the wastage of your time?

6) Do you use any ready made activity book in the class or use your own activity sheets?

7) Do you think your students can understand the activity sheet and do the activities properly?

8) Is it easy to set activities for poetic creativity?

9) What type of changes would you like to suggest for writing skill activities?

10) Shall we give alternative or hints for activities on Grammar or not?

Give your valuable ideas on the activity sheet. I will publish it on my blog with your name. 

Please share views.

Jr. College English Teachers' Group 2

Prof. Chavan Sir, Ponda College

Really I don't get that much time to give activities in class. To set questions paper is not a easy job. Poetic creativity is hard for students as well as teachers.Syllabus should be reduced.

Prof. Pallavi Patil

It's not easy to set quick activity for students after reaching.poetic creativity is so hard for students n we do not provide alternatives for grammar topics.

Prof.Ajay Todkari
The introduction of activity sheet to students is very beneficial because it will increase students understanding. But the activities on poetic creativity are not suitable to all students. Alternative should be given to grammar questions. It's not easy to prepare activities on lessons quickly but if we do the preparation before then we can provide it to students. If we take the practice then students can understand the activities.If we prepare questions bank then it will be easy to provide to students.

Prof. Vijaykumar
ABL experience is the best method for teaching. But as said by other honourable members it's really time consuming process if we take it to write on board. However the setting of activities is to be done at home. 
Solution for the problem is here and it is applicable also. 
If everyday activity sheets are printed and distributed in the classroom conducting of activities will not take much time.
It may cost Rs 50/ paisa per copy. Collection of Rs 15 from  students for 30 periods will solve the issue. The only need is to prepare the activity sheets in advance.

Prof. Anil Bondre
I think introducing activity sheet for XI & XII is good for students. We can't get proper time in the classroom but that problem can be solved by using modern technology.    It will be easy for the students if they try to understand and response the given activities.  We should always be ready for the change and should accept it.At the beginning,  it will be difficult for us for evaluation. But adequate and proper practice will make perfect to the teacher as well as the students. 

Prof. D.P.Patil
Doing something extraordinary is today's necessity.

Prof. Sheela Narsimhan
The concept of activity is really good provided it has to be implemented from lower class. I saw the 10th standard Activity sheet words are directly picked from the passage and it's easy for solving. In college we cater to English medium and vernacular medium children in the same class and hence the understanding level varies and children fail to converse in English. Jr. College attached to degree has 150 to 160 students in a class and implementation becomes difficult. The syllabus too is vast.
Hope the new course book has less units and emphasis is given on speaking the language too.

Prof. Nayana Chaudhari 
Activity sheet is good alteration for question paper .But don't you think that it is good ,easy,task for the only few students of science stream.when we think of arts students those who are even unable to read and write,how can they face it. In question paper,they wrote 2,3 lines as an answer ,we saw related word to the question and gave credit,but now it requires perfection.In my opinion last activity on poem and second activity on rapid story are some what difficult..
1.New course book should have many activities for practice.
2 It should be pictorial.
3 Units should be lessened.
4 It should have limited exercises at the end of lesson.
5 it should be designed as-- prose,poetry,rapid, grammar, written communication, writing skills and so on.
6 Basic literature, introductory vowels, phonetics ,dipthongs may add-in book so D.ed.and B.A.students get it easy.

Prof. Y. D. Korpe
I think syllabus should be reduced,its ok we should  try and learn new things but should be look after the students position i.e.rural area .There is lack of time period for activity sheet ,students donot understand even the words how can he solve the web and poem activity

Prof. Sheela Narsimham
English teacher's face the maximum problem as they are pressurized from all quarters finish the vast portion, teach grammar & written communication, pressure from management for good results, extra classes for weaker students, helping students to cope with the language & what not. Where as other subjects portion is less and everything comes from text book so children learn through rote and pass the exam. Projects r also copy paste and internal marks are anything between 18 to 20. Problems are only for English language trs & students too don't come with txt book to class.

Jr. College English Teachers' Group 3

Prof. Krunal Sir

Introducing activity sheets to 11th and 12th standard is good and as far as time is concerned it takes too much time each and every lesson is lengthy and the pressure of finishing syllabus on time is there. Solving activities on blackboard is time consuming it needs proper alternative setting quick activities for students after teaching is not easy. Digital classroom does help teachers to make students understand topic well and for activities it is even better it saves time as well. We use readymade activity books if we set activities of every lesson then it will be very difficult to finish syllabus on time students do understand activities this solve it it's just that it consumes more time for poetic creativity setting activities is a bit difficult I think writing skill is ok there need no changes in them yes we should give alternatives to grammar questions and that's the best part of activity sheet.

Prof. Sanju Pardeshi
Introducing activity Sheet for 11 And 12 is really very good, because this is not new  for them, Students are already aware about it as they have gone through  it in 9th and 10th. Definitely activities are not suitable for the present text book as it was designed with different aims and objectives, and that's why it is quite lengthy. And teacher find it difficult to set the activies. As it is New way of asking questions for Jr college teachers. But once we ourselves Understand how to set activities and how to find out the answers.  It will be easy for us to make the students understand the same. Though it is time consuming we can save the time by making our own activity sheet,using digital boards. We can also post the activies on either blog or on Google Classroom, As I have downloaded Google Classroom. Created all the classes,it saves the time.
         Poetic creativity seems different but we can set it in simple way. So far as writing Skill is concert is OK no change require. 

Prof. Krunal Sir
Nice views sir but being a ashram school teacher I don't have digital aids infact most of ashram school teachers don't have this we want digital India but digital India needs 24/7 electricity.our students most of are unable to read and arts students have great difficulty in reading many problems we have but we have to manage it.i like your views and will try to bring it to my students as soon as possible.

Prof. Sachin Chavan
Right sir, I m also facing same problem. Most of the ashram school's students are not able to read properly, but we have to manage it.

Prof. Vilas Parkhi
This is not only the problem for ashram school teachers but all the Art's faculty teachers serving in rural areas.l myself belong to this category where students are unable to read a single sentence and it is far from their capacity to attend the activities such as personal response,poetic creativity and all writing skill based activities.Do  anyone suggest something to overcome the situation? Please suggest.

Prof. Nitin Gunjal 
In my  Ashram school there is not proper mobile network range.

Jr. College English Teachers' Group 4

Prof. Sayara Pailwan

Introducing activity sheet for 11th & 12th is good. I think it is need of time. Yes sir writing jumbled order sentences, true or false sentences or web is really time consuming..              

After teaching any topic it is not easy Q3 - Conclusion or Guessing is challenging for students as well as teachers.                     

Poetic creativity is also challenging for students .I think 80 % students will not get marks of this question.            

In writing skill they consisted different ideas in leaflet but old leaflet was good. This is 12th class first year of activity sheet There is confusion in minds of students  as well as teachers .             

Prof. Deepak Gavade

Introducing Activity sheet to classes XI and XII is good in my opinion. Students have become more active and learning the language has become more interesting and interactive.  Now we require more classroom time to deal with this pattern. Writing activities like webs, true or false etc. on the board are really time consuming but if we use technology ( digital classroom or projector ) this difficulty can be solved easily. As this is the first year for H.S.C. students we have to frame activities for them as the present textbook doesn't provide sufficient activities. Sometimes students can't understand the meaning of some activities then we have to help them out. Students are required to do ample practice to get well versed with the activity sheet. It is not that easy to set activity on poetic creativity. As well as students find this activity difficult. For activities on grammar we can give alternative or hints to the students. As far as writing skills is concerned, students are familiar with it.

Prof. Kerkal Madam

Activity based evaluation is the best only when student understand meaning of those activities  unless student fail to understand activities they Can't write the answers. 

Prof. Sujata Ali

Introducing activity sheets is indeed a good idea. But whenever we try doing something creative and innovative we need to take the entire stock into consideration. 

First and foremost it's very difficult explaining the activities on the blackboard. If we have digital boards it becomes comparatively easy. Then again, we can't expect all schools to be provided with digital boards in all classrooms.

Setting up of activities is pretty time consuming as well and not a very easy task for all teachers. 

For students above average the activity sheets are pretty easy for them to solve but for below average students it becomes a horrendous task. 

Activity sheets for the poetry section is definitely a bit more complex than the rest of the activities. Most students find it difficult in framing new lines of their own in this section. 

Writing skill can be left as it is cause that will comparatively relax the students as they are pretty familiar with the form and as it is the last part of the paper it helps them build speed and confidence while solving questions from this section.

For Grammar portion let us give hints and choices as to identify the correct answer because that will make it easier for the students. 

Prof. Sajjad Ahmad 

Instead of digital class we can used activity sheets too.Board had given us activity book we can Xerox it chapter wise and provides to the students on each chapter .I think it is the best resource as well model answers are also given for few chapters.

Prof.Sujata Ali
It isint feasible to provide activity sheets to all students. We have a strength of 120 students in each class. Besides all students do not turn up for the lecture. So all students may not get a chance to get a copy of the activity sheets. Moreover if we start providing activity sheets for each chapter it kind of becomes more like spoon feeding. The students may then not try to apply their own minds and instead will simply depend on the activity sheets to be given to them for every lesson or poem taught in class. These are my opinions totally.

Jr. College English Teachers' Group 5
Prof. Smita Warpe

1) Do you think introducing activity sheet for classes XI and XII is good? 

Yes. Now students read book to save on time

2) If you teach any topic from the text book, do you get proper time to give activities to the students? 

If not all many exercises are activity based

3) Don't you think to write the activities  like web, jumbled order sentences, sentences for true or false, flow chart etc on the black board is time consuming? 

No. because may be I enjoy drawing things.

4) Is it easy to set quick activities for your students after the teaching? 

Yes. Sometimes we do not stick to lesson notes and go beyond it. There it helps. To give example when I taught Under the Yoke I spoke about gender equality and I framed personal response type question on it.

5) Don't you think if you have the digital classroom and by clicking one button if the activity is displayed on the digital board, it will decrease the wastage of your time? 

Yes. We have computer access and projector so we type and display in stead of writing on blackboard.

But when it comes to chart personally I find it time consuming so I draw on board.

6) Do you use any ready made activity book in the class or use your own activity sheets? 

I don’t use anything readymade because I believe every class is unique so according to its understanding level things should be taught.

7) Do you think your students can understand the activity sheet and do the activities properly? 

Yes.

8) Is it easy to set activities for poetic creativity? 

Yes. It is.

9) What type of changes would you like to suggest for writing skill activities? 

For the time being no. It had to be unpredictable if we really want student to learn a language and not to memorise.

10) Shall we give alternative or hints for activities on Grammar or not? 

We can give. We have also framed some activities.

While framing activities we have tried to take care of multiple intelligences so it widens the scope of framing a question in multiple ways.

Prof. Vaishali Rajendra Jane

Respected Tushar Sir.I express my views honestly and also share my own experiences. Don't take it otherwise. I express myself according to the above given points .You will find  most of my views negative but it is the reality in the rural and backward areas.

      1) I find introducing activity sheet for both classes is good.

     2) No,I don't get proper time to give activities to the students. Extra classes are needed for that and I take extra classes daily.

    3) Yes, I think to write such activities on the board are time and energy consuming also.

     4) No,it is not easy to set quick activities for my students after the teaching.

    5) Yes,I think if I have digital classroom and if the activity on the digital board, it will definitely decrease the wastage of  time. But unfortunately this facility is not easy in my college.

6) I use readymade activity book rarely because most of the time I  rely on this group and your as well as Prafful Sir's activity sheets.

7) No, I don't think my all students can understand and do activities properly. Some are exceptions.

8) No, it is not easy to set activities for poetic creativity because poetic creativity is inborn or natural quality .It cannot be taught or learnt. Poem can be composed spontaneously.

9) I would like to suggest some changes for writing skill activities as follow.

a)  An application for job and leave should be there.

b) The activities about view-counterview and news item should be reduced. It is too difficult for students of Arts faculty to solve.

10) We shall give alternative or hints for activities on grammar like 10th Std's activity sheet. Some weak students tick the alternative which may be correct and it will be helpful to pass for average students.

Conclusion of my expression is that any change should be done by considering all sorts of students and their intellectual level. Thanks everyone for reading my views.

Prof. Smita Warpe

Now I feel very sorry for not being there for state level program the whole idea of activity sheet is communicated by wrong people across Maharashtra. We have tried to make things easier for students.

Creativity in poetry we had good discussion on this and it is introduced because adolescents do compose poems at this age. I agre that they find it difficult but when can we acknowledge this talent as well and it is kept only for two marks.

Prof. Vijaya Tadkal

Introducing activity sheet to Jr. section is not good in my opinion.

What’s their intention is just beyond understanding.

If the students are doing same activities with changed wh question names...like answer in one word or complete the web.....students are expected to find the answers from the given text.

Then what’s the difference in the previous one and the new one?

We all are language students....we learnt language in a different manner...can we say surely...by doing such activities....student learn any language?

It’s like dissection of the passage without appreciation.

It’s my view.                                                                                              In training we were told that we should make some activity sheets...get it photocopied..n distribute it in student...so that they can do activities in group. It’s not possible for every topic.

I too write activities on board...its sure time n energy consuming...but the thing which bothers me most is..ARTS faculty students hardly understand it.

For science n other faculties dictations can b done.

Prof. Smita Warpe

The problem is the students were not reading even a single book recommended by the board the questions were repeatedly asked and without adding anything new to their knowledge the students were passing ( without vocabulary sentence structures etc) now at least they have to read and literally learn. Anyhow the 80-20 pattern is still on so the teachers who are only concerned about marks and not application of language should not worry. Please read article on how it develops thinking skills. Every new thing is criticised without thinking. The board wanted students to enjoy solving activities without getting stressed. If we have introduce activities to class IX and X why should we not continue. If the teachers of class IX and X are doing it why we can’t?

Prof. Vijaya Tadkal

To 

Prof. Smita Warpe madam,

I agree with u mam.....but with due respect...

If the students hv already done it in class 9 th n 10 th....should we not make a bit progressive n advanced learnings for them?

My students tell me that...they already know the activities since school....whats new in that?

Without getting any knowledge students can b passed in this too mam.....

N if students r not interested in reading books...

Can we not make it more reader friendly book?

N i m not criticizing mam....what i sincerely thought...i just put here.

Sorry if i in anyway bothered u.

Prof. Mrs Maulvi M. S.

Respected Tushar sir

I was waiting to express my views firstly most of the activities are time consuming setting activities and getting solved from students and is also a tough job. Creativity is an easy task when we express in our mother tongue whereas English is a foreign language

Writing skills like view and counter view can be useful only if you understand the view section in the right sense. Semiformal letters are beneficial than job

Application

 Grammar is the essence but should be framed so that the students are able to apply it insensible way

My students from rural areas are unable to cope with some activities.

I am convent educated sometimes last am utterly helpless before them.

Prof. Smita Warpe

Tushar sir congratulations for this initiative. 

Let me share with you some facts.

1. The students who come to city tell us ‘our teachers never taught us through English so we are not used to it.’

2. Some days back there was discussion held by Lokmat where people were arguing that English is everywhere so it should be optional subject as there is ample exposure to the language.

3. The students who secure jobs in private sectors are not English medium students but their English is good.

4. If we keep them ( the students) limited to the prescribed book (there is again disparity CBSE and other boards give more than one book to study whereas we were told to keep only one with limited pages because board as well as students should afford it) they will not be able to play and experiment with language in different contexts.

5. Of late I had taken some of the American teachers to my village where the teachers do not have any accessibility to sophisticated teaching technology ( management does not want to spend money) but the parents have smart phones and many students can have information through it.

6. We had been to Hemalkasa and visited a junior college the teachers there are very innovative to give exposure to the language ( Kulkarni sir if you are there on group pl. speak)

7. I would like to ask you all one question are we concerned about the future and career of our students or the percentage of results?

8. I know it very well that every village boy or girl has dream to secure a good job. In the globalised world English will not be limited to application. It is about discussions, interactions, dialogue, conversations, etc.

9. Last but not the least if we are saying the students of Arts or from village can’t do it we are underestimating their potentials.

10. Dr. Z.N.Patil and Dr. V. T. Patil are good examples of what students from villages can do.

Prof. Sajid Maner

1) I think the problem is in our  evaluation  pattern.Day by day our paper pattern is becoming critical.

Average students can't connect with this paper pattern.

2) See the paper patterns of Graduation level.

And compare ours.

Even at +3 stage the paper pattern is easy to understand and pass.

Why do  the syllabus designers expect so many things from only +2 level students?

e.g. poetic creativity. 

Such type of question even cannot be asked and solved by an Optional English student of B.A.AND you are expecting from +2 level students. How ridiculous ! 

3) I think our new syllabus and evaluation pattern should be a good mixture of Structural Approach as well as constructivism.

Thank you.

     to be continued..... afterwards ..if needed.

Prof. Smita Warpe

+3 level optional English is for Arts only. And you see the quality of many English teachers.

I am very sorry to say but many of them can not speak the language they teach.

It’s good that one lakh people have visited Tushar sir’s blog but it underlines the fact that many still need crutches to teach.

It’s not only blog guides, reliable and many more.

Is it the fruit of simple evaluation pattern? I was resource person for senior scale training program for teachers and many teachers had attended it with guides and reliables. Some requested me not to make them speak in English during micro teaching sessions.

HOW RIDICULOUS!

Prof. Smita Warpe
Vaishali Ma’am 
If you read the activity book you will find these grammar exercises on pg no.47,53,56,73
In stead of asking students to change the voice or make it compound we have provided hints refer to the book distributed during teachers awareness program.

Prof. Rajesh Agrwal
To,
Prof. Vijaya Tadkal Madam,
Mam I differ with your views about 9th and 10th standards teachers come here in Bodwad, I would show you 3 out of seven teachers. ..what kind of knowledge they have and what kind of knowledge they pass to their students. (Tow teachers teaching them continuously for 3  ...3 years )June 19, I tested their (students' )knowledge by asking them questions based on 1)how many articles are there? 2)write form of to be. .present tense, past tense, future tense and write one sentence of each and many more such simple questions for fifty marks. .23 students out of 44 scored zero ,other 10 under 2 only 1 girl scored 17 marks.

Prof. Vijaya Tadkal
That is what...
Can activity sheet give them the basic knowledge?
Ok...lets not go for basic knowledge....a communication skill which is much needed now a days?
What exactly can we give them doing these activities?
If the students are unable to learn...surely the students are not to b blamed. Then who is responsible for their poor learning?
We teachers?
I hv many students in my classes at +2 level who are even unable to read A B C D....but they r in 11 standard.
If we decided to teach them from ABCD...can we bring them up to match the current syllabus?
Then what is d solution?
It is high time to reconsider the whole curriculums.
There should b real activities for the students of primary learners of any language.
As they go to next level...the difficulty level should b increased.
Now...we see that activity base sheet is easier for the students of science faculty or say...commerce....problem is with Arts faculty...where they barely understand the meaning of questions.
To,
Prof.Smita Warpe,
We ll surely like to hear from Hemalkasa...mam...

N also some of the experiences from the Americal people...m very eager to know how they introduce new languages to the students?

We in our college also trying very hard to make students atleast capable of learning what we r teaching.

Prof. Smita Warpe
Ma’am everything is not in our hand but if we decide we can really improve on many things. 
In my class also there are some students who have scored more than 50%in boards but very poor at reading. No confidence to read long words. Who passed them? We have to change mindset of managements the teachers are adjudged on their results.
To,
Prof. Vijaya Todkal Madam, 
       Hemalkasa teachers have made models charts pictures which are always in the class. English for the tribal students is as foreign as Marathi language. The teachers through their interaction boost morale of the students when I asked them in which language should I explain them paper pattern they said Marathi but when I explained it in English they were very receptive. They followed the tricks given which was very encouraging. Kulkarni sir was a great help to make students do the things.

Prof. Vaishali Rajendra Jane

Respected Smita Ma'am, I am really sorry to say that you are only blaming the teachers.Everything has exceptions like above examples.I am very frank and honest to express my views.No doubt some teachers can't speak in English.I also can't speak English fluently because I was a student of Marath medium.I am not underestimating our potential.Nothing is impossible.We can bring change if we have strong desire.I have only expressed my views regarding my students.In my village students have lack of interest in studies.Many reasons are behind it.
e.g
1) social atmosphere in villages.
2) misuse of social media.
3) botheration of management and government on teachers.
4) Village dweller parents are not as co-operative as city dwellers.
5) Their economic condition is also one of reasons of their lack of interest in study.
6)Right from their earlier classes they have been their exams without getting knowledge and develop ing any skill.Government's education policy is also responsible for this to promote upto 8th std.

      I am not only focussing on negative points.But it is reality at my working place.That's why I expressed myself openly.I think you are lucky enough to get good students .please tell me the solution how to deal with the activity sheets in such adverse sorry Ma'am if you are hurt.I expressed before you as my friend and guide.You are more senior to me in all aspects.

Prof.Smita Warpe

In the US I taught in Yorktown school I was teaching class XI literature and language. I had 8 students from eight different countries. Only eight because it was summer school those who were weak and could not pass the exam they were preparing to retake exam those who were very weak they were given a task of making charts and explain it in English in pairs. If we consider American student their problems are grave they don’t get much support from their families( I am talking about students from poor families)

 Jr. College English Teachers' Group 6

Prof.T.J.Patil Madam

Its good but confusing for students to understand..

A.3 is very complex to comprehension..

Prof. Ansari Zahid Akhtar

I think poetic creativity questions is quite difficult for the students and it should be lightly assessed in the answer sheets.

The question on extension of the paragraph is quite difficult for the vernacular students so it should be assessed lightly in the answer sheets..... As most of the students belong to villages and small cities....

The book is so lengthy that we cannot give the students writing practice in the class and it is not expected too.. Then how can we assess all the students for something they are not taught in the class?

Prof. C.J.Patil

It is  good  sirji but

1 find it  difficult  due to  vast syllabus 

2 specially  arts students  find it difficult 

3 If the students  don't  read  how can  they attempt  activity  sheet

4 poetic  creativity  is  impossible to  them 

5 The poet  is born and not made how the board of studies  expect such creativity  from the  students 

6 In board paper  assessment  I 've observed  that question  5 b adding imaginative para out of 250 answer  sheet only  five six students  try to attempt  it 

Prof. Mrs. Nalini Manik Lothe

Introducing activity sheet for the students is good as it is interesting for them to solve. 

But in this vast syllabus of 11th and 12th, we can't adjust sufficient time for all activities on each topic.

We can set activities quickly soon after teaching the particular topic,but this is  time consuming if we write them on the blackboard. It is easy and convenient if there are digital classrooms. But this is also not possible in every school, specially in remote areas.

I think, the workbook is the best option for this,or the different activities should be given after each lesson in the textbook.

Poetic creativity shouldn't be a compulsory question. It is difficult for many students. They will not either try to attempt it. Composing a line is a matter of inborn quality rather than practice.

In rapid reading, extending a paragraph of their own is very difficult for Arts and MCVC students.

So option should be there.

Writing gist is ok.

Prof.K.R.Kumavat.

It is not necessary to take all the activities at a time. We should introduce one activity after teaching two or three paragraphs.

Prof. H.Y.Pawar

Poetic creativity shouldn't be a compulsory question. It is difficult for many students. They will not either try to attempt it. Composing a line is a matter of inborn quality rather than practice.

Prof. S.K.Navhate

All the entrance tastes for various courses are based on 'MCQ's,then why should evaluation pattern different from that? There should be coordination .

The textbook and activity sheet is quite leanthy, make it short, more choices should be given to students.
poetic creativity is really tough,but should be there for tasting intelligence,otherwise everybody will get out of out.

Prof. Pradeep Mankar

Dear Tushar Chavhan Sir, your efforts to keep the group actively thinking and welcome their valuable experience and thoughts and to provide every possible help are really praiseworthy. I salute your whole-hearted devotion and cite my views question-wise.

1) Introducing activity sheet for the classes XI & XII is indeed good. By this, answering has become to the point and there is less space for ambiguity. In addition to this, it has become interesting.

2) After the meticulous planning of the topic, activities should get their time. It depends on how much time you have allotted to the teaching and to the activities.

3) & 5) Of course, the blackboard work of the teachers has been increased. It’s tiresome and time-consuming to write sentences after sentences on the blackboard or to sketch the activities. The digital classroom has become a must for English teaching and for that it is a demand of the time that, we, the English teachers should be computer savant. Now, it’s for sure that the homework of the teachers is increased.

4) Of course, it is not easy to set quick activities for your students after teaching. You need to plan them all at home. What I feel, it’s not about activities alone, it’s every teaching concept and method that should be planned. You can’t go off-hand and teach now.

6) If you want to master the skill of framing the activities, you should practice using your self-framed activities rather than using the ready-made activity books. Most of the activity books are not to the mark and I mean it. The activities must be based on the skills like global understanding, interpretation and the like. You check it; most of the readymade materials do not adhere to the plan. So, it’s better to frame your own activities. Moreover, it will prove helpful while judging the answers at the time of assessment of the answer books.

7) Actually, activity sheet is not ‘new’ for the students. They are inured of it. on the contrary, we are fumbling while framing it. Our students will surely not find it that difficult if our activities are confusion-free, the instructions are clear and if hints are provided wherever necessary.

8) It is not easy to set activities for poetic creativity. But if the students are given practice of different varieties of poetic creativity, they will get the idea of the nature of creativity and the fear will be removed.

9) I think, rather than writing skills the problem lies with comprehension. And when it comes to comprehension, reading plays a great important role. Despite the fact that enough practice should have been taken at high school level, our students cannot read properly. So, the problem remains at the bottom. Let’s give them practice of reading in our supervision and guidance. Let’s give them practice of making meaningful chunks and read then in a breath. Let’s teach them how to read between the lines because A1, A2, A3 and A5 need skimming. If they comprehend, it will be easier for them to express.

Prof. Joshi A.R.

It's impossible for the arts students to do the activities such as poetic creation, adding imaginative paragraph.

The syllabus of 11th standard is also very difficult for the students.

I would like to suggest to the board please be specific and first upon you should decide what are your expectations from the teachers and the students.

I think this is good idea. First we have to prepare activities of every important paragraph...

  

Prof. Mohammad Zaheer

Dear sir,

Tradition needs modification. They don't need eradication.

I personally think wh -questions shouldn't be eradicated. We should use wh-type questions in some of the activity like personal response question. Wh-questions are so deep rooted in our heart & mind that it will take a couple of years more to get rid of them. We have grown up facing wh-question right from std 1to post-graduation .We have completed our entire learning ,education, examination by facing &soving wh-questions.And after joining teaching profession ,we have been framing wh - questions for last 10/20/30 years for our students. And suddenly we have been denied of the long time tried & tested method of framing wh-questions.

This new pattern is definitely good but it has some flaws. Challenges are before those teachers who teach at Marathi ,Urdu and Hindi medium where most of the students are average ,below average & slow learners. Their language skills i.e reading ,writing, understanding  aren't developed. And speaking is beyond their wildest imagination.Our challenge or difficulty isn’t to frame activities but to make students write activities in their note book which is not an easy task. Most of the activities are lenghty including four to five sentences , web diagram, tree diagram, table, match the columns etc. To make the matters worse, students write at  a snail's pace wasting our entire time of teaching.This will lead to non complition of our courses. I personally think that as far as non-English medium students are concerned, they need a kind of workbook  or a book of activities so that our precious time shouldn't be wasted in writing all the activities on blackboard or in dictation & we will be able to complete our courses before the appointed time.I do hope the syllabus framers will take all these things into consideration before framing new course book.

Thanks.

Prof.Leena  Shewale-Deore

If the new textbook comprises only 4 units and 2 Rapids.Then everything is possible.        

Prof. Sagar Bobade 
Introducing activity sheet is good as it  brings new innovative changes against old pattern .
1) before this in old pattern students used to copy the sentence from the given extract.
2) They would not do new technique to solve the question.
3) They used to write those sentence from the extract which had same words were given in question.
4) without understanding the meaning of extract they copy the answers from extract.
5) this activity sheet will help students to think in a different way.
6) they will take it seriously as their English may develop.
7 ) their thinking quality may increase .
8) we all taechers can't say we don't have time to make activity sheet ..we have much time , 
Just prepare activity sheet then explain with answers.
9)It is acceptable to leave some lessons without teaching.but explanation is important about activity sheet.
10) same format also has in 10th class if they can solve it then why not the same students can not solve it.
11) main objective of English subject can get through this way.
12) it's our duty to make students able to solve this activity sheet.

So I am in favour of this activity sheet.
  
Prof. Joshi A. R. 

Dear teachers, please one thing we have to keep in mind that our students have already know the activity sheet. We are first time going through it. They have already studied it in school level. But the problem is we are not keeping it in mind.
we are conducting lectures in our way .                           
My suggestion is ,we should interact, discuss and if possible think in their way.
We can also discuss with secondary teachers .

Prof.Santosh Nahate
Introducing the activity sheet for  std Xl & Xll .
I think a new pattern had been introduced. Definitely it is useful to the students.We, the teachers, must keep always in mind that we have to create a proper learning atmosphere for result oriented learning.
Proper steps to be done.
1) to enable the students to acquire LSRW SKILLS.
2)We should keep them at the forefront of the whole process.
3) We have to use many suggested concepts to facilitate the learning of the students.
4)We have to use information technology skills effectively.
5) We should help them to overcome their errors.
6) Our feedback , encouragement , help, kind support is must.
7) Projected & non _ projected audio visual aids must be used.(It will be a fun & easy learning.)
8) Last but not least ,go ahead fearlessly on the way suggested by the experts in our training .
I think, implementation is necessary in the classroom for it is our accountability to bring a desired change. 

Prof.Sachin V.Pawar
If we think of activity sheet it's too better than previous question paper but language of the prose ,poetry and RR should be simple, when coursebook will frame then arts students's competency should be considered.          

  

Jr. College English Teachers' Group 7

Prof   Mr. Shashikant s. Bari
sir i think to teach activity is an interesting one.but the time allowed to our subject is not sufficient. We should get 6 clock hrs . in a week. Then i think that syllabus should be  substracted in 5 to six units  & 3rapids.  To use Digital media while teaching in rural area is not possible thoroughly. So far as poetic creation is concern this activity should be replaced by rhyming scheme, or writing only our own rhyming words to any word from the poem. While in writing skill application for job must be compulsory and leave application and letter to editor should be optional.  according to me grammer section should  expand by 15    to 18marks so that next generation should not get trouble in sentence formation uses of all types of grammer item.e.g correct the sentence and rewrite should be included.                  Respect  Teachers in this group guide me if i'm wrong in any case.    Thnking you,            

Jr. College English Teachers' Group
8

Prof.Sayeed Solapure

Res sir,

My views about the activities are a splendid one. It’s very helpful for students learning updation. I am making the use of the same in the classroom. The students are earnestly and with vigour participating in the activities with full enthusiasm. In other colleges as a guest lecturer I have been invited to conduct the activities. There also the students took part in the same activity with positivity. At last but not the least the total activities are fruitful for teaching learning process. Thanks.