MINIMUM LEVELS OF LEARNING

Mrs. A. Vinothini Sylvia,Assistant Professor of Education,Annammal College of Education for Women,Thoothukudi.

National policy on education 1986

• Improve – unattractive school environment– building condition – lack of instructional material.

• Lay down minimum levels of learning which all students should achieve.

Eighth five year plan

“The targets spelt out in terms of quality

and outcomes.”

First efforts

• NCERT proposed MLL in 1978 in connection with UNICEF assisted projects on 'primary education curriculum renewal' and 'developmental activities in community education and participation’.

• The primary education curriculum renewal project was evaluated in 1984.

• Using this evaluation and following the National policy on education 1986, NCERT prepared another document titled “Minimum levels of learning at primary stage”

Minimum Levels of Learning• Dept of Education, MHRD formed a

committee in Jan.1990 with following goals:

1. Draw up MLL's for class III and V.

2. Recommend a procedure for comprehensive learner evaluation and assessment.

3. Suggest ways to improve teaching learning.

The Need • All children - access to education of

comparable standard irrespective of their cast, creed, location and sex.

• Combine quality concerns with concerns of equity..

• To define criteria for measuring real

progress of the student in terms of

learning.

• MLL - prerequisite to infuse a sense of

direction to the education system and

improve its accountability

• Large fraction of population opportunity of education is not available beyond primary stage so what they learn here must sustain them throughout their lives.

• All children – reach a minimum level of learning before they

finish primary education– make them as permanently literate, socially

useful and contributing adults in this world.

Definitions of MLL • Expected learning outcomes defined as

observable terminal behaviours

• Learning competencies expected to be

mastered by every child by the end of a

particular class or stage of education.

Features of MLL• Achievability

– 80% or more students mastering 80% or more of the prescribed learning level.

– The goals may vary depending on the initial conditions of schools in different regions to start with.

– Later on by improving the inputs to the system all the schools should be brought to same level of achievement.

– Results in reducing disparities and equalizing standards over entire country over shortest period of time.

• Communicability

– The MLL should be understandable to the teachers, NFE instructor, parents and the community.

• Evaluabiltiy – No-detention at the primary level - MLL do

not oppose to the idea but • MLL defines clear cut goals in terms of learning

abilities which should be mastered by all in each class. • Achievement of these learning skills should be

the criterion of evaluation.

• Learning Continuum

– Units are sequenced hierarchically

– If children master the concerned sets or competencies in each unit before they move on to the next,

• learning each subsequent unit will be more enjoyable and meaningful,

• achievement of minimum levels of learning will be facilitated.

Major drawbacks of the existing curriculum

• Over load of contents of facts and information

irrelevant to the needs of life.

• Need to complete the syllabus results in ignorance of

the weak and strugglers leaving no room for remedial

teaching and experimentation, exploration,

observation and activity based learning

IMPLICATIONS OF MLL• Lightening the curriculum.

• Giving room to the teachers for experimentation.

• Sustainable acquisition of basic competencies and

skills.

• Permitting mastery learning not only by the brighter

students but also including the first generation

learners.

• MLL for language

– Mastering of nine basic skills namely, listening, speaking, reading, writing, comprehension of ideas, functional grammar, self learning, language use and vocabulary.

– The MLL stresses up on creating an informal social environment in the class for evaluation in language.

• MLL for mathematics

– Main goals are,

• ability to use and solve simple problems of daily life involving units of money, length, weight, capacity, area and time.

• Ability to use fractions, decimal and percentage.

• Understanding of geometrical shapes etc.

– Emphasis should be given on experimental approach in teaching and learning mathematics.