Interactive Teaching Method For Communication Enhancement: by V. Jeya Santhi Catherin Edward R. Selvam

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

Interactive Teaching Method for Communication


Enhancement
By V. Jeya Santhi
Catherin Edward †
R. Selvam‡
Educating the students means providing opportunities to them to unearth their knowledge and hone
their skill. The students of current age also expect such a miracle in language learning so as to fit
them in a promising placement after obtaining a degree. The transformation in all the fields in the
recent decades stresses the implementation of an innovative language teaching at the tertiary level.
The current practices in learning English have become an issue during the learners’ campus
recruitment as today’s learning is measured by what they are able to write on the content. The
present syllabus, teaching and the evaluation procedure of it focuses mainly on increasing students’
content knowledge with less focus on enhancing communication skills. Hence, the study is an
attempt to augment the learners’ communication skills to make them more employable; and the
researcher made a functional application of interactive teaching methodology in the language
classroom for a few months. To prove its validity, the impact of the methodology on the learners is
analyzed statistically using Descriptive Analysis and Paired T-Test.

Keywords: Communication enhancement, Content knowledge, Education, Interactive teaching


method, Transformation in teaching/learning second language

Introduction

English language is universal and unique. Globalization in all the fields


necessitates the learning of the international language as the number of people
who use English as a means of communication now-a-days exceeds much more
than the number of people who speak it as their mother tongue. For more than
two centuries, India had the influence of the English language either directly or
indirectly, on all the fields. In higher education, English language has become a
vital requirement and it is a preferred medium of instruction. Language
teaching and learning was exactly a traditional and an orthodox one till the
1980s. The chronicle of language teaching in the past one hundred years has
been regarded as a milestone by a quest for more effective ways of teaching
second or foreign languages. The solution to the issue lies in the adoption of a
new teaching approach or a method as making the students "communicatively
competent" has become the major job of today’s English teachers.


Research Scholar in English (Part-Time), Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Trichy (Affiliated
to Bharathidasan University) & Assistant Professor in English, V. H. N. Senthikumara Nadar
College (Autonomous), Virudhunagar, India.

Associate Professor, PG & Research Department of English, Holy Cross College
(Autonomous), Trichy (Affiliated to Bharathidasan University), India.

Associate Professor & Head, Department of English, V.H.N.Senthikumara Nadar.College
(Autonomous), Virudhunagar (Affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University), India.

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English Language Teaching Tradition

As a second language, English is a dynamic obligation in the teaching


programmes of the developing countries. In the field for intensive research and
theorizing, second language teaching and learning has become imperative all
over the domain.
Today English is the world’s most widely studied foreign language but
five hundred years ago, Latin was the dominant language of education,
commerce, religion, and government in the western world. However, in the
sixteenth century, French, Italian, and English gained importance because of
political changes in Europe. The status of Latin diminished from being a
"living language" to being an "occasional subject" in the European school
curriculum. The study of classical Latin especially the works of Virgil, Ovid,
and Cicero and an analysis of its grammar and rhetoric became the model for
foreign language study from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. The
students were given rigorous introduction to Latin grammar through rote
learning, translation, and practice in writing sample sentences which made
school learning a deadening experience.
Roger Ascham and Montaigne of the sixteenth century, Comenius and
John Locke of the seventeenth century made specific proposals for curriculum
reform and for changes in the way the classical language was taught. In the
eighteenth century, "modern" languages began to enter the curriculum of
European schools but they were taught using the same procedures used for
teaching Latin. By the nineteenth century, it became the standard way of
teaching a foreign language.
The objective of foreign/second language study in the past was only to
learn a language in order to read its literature or to benefit from the intellectual
development that resulted from the study (Richards and Rodgers 2001: 3-5).
In the mid nineteenth century, the issues of syllabus design emerge as a
major factor and the curriculum development for language teaching began. The
systematic set of teaching practices based on a particular theory of language
and language learning is a powerful one and the quest for better methods has
been the preoccupation of many teachers and applied linguistics since the
beginning of the twentieth century. Many methods have emanated and
vanished in the past hundred years in search of the "best method". The
following chronology with dates suggests the periods of greatest dominance:
Grammar Translation Method (1800-1900), Direct method (1890-1930),
Structural Method (1930-1960), Reading Method (1920-1950), Audio lingual
Method (1950-1970), Situational Method (1950-1970) and Communicative
Approach (1970-present).
Throughout the twentieth century, new approaches and methods
proliferated; some achieved wide levels of acceptance and popularity, but were
then replaced by methods based on newer or more appealing ideas and
theories. Hence, "… the concern was not with syllabus questions but with
approaches to teaching and methodology that could be used to support an oral-
based target-language-driven methodology" (Richards 2010: 3).

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

In India, English language teaching is inseparably interrelated with the


status and role of English and it assumes added significance for the masses as
well, especially the disadvantaged sections of society for whom it can be an
effective instrument of economic and social progress.

Review of Related Literature

The history of language teaching has been characterized by a search for


more effective ways of teaching/learning second or foreign languages. English
language teaching methodology is not the same as the teaching of Mathematics
or Physics. More than any other language, English language teaching has been
practiced in various adaptations, all around the world for centuries. Changes in
language teaching throughout history have reflected the need for language
proficiency of the learners as the aim of language study has shifted from
acquiring receptive skills "Reading" and "Listening" towards productive/active
skills "Speaking" and "Writing".
The controversy over the second language teaching and learning is not
new but a recurrent one in the history of language teaching. Corder (1975: 109)
admits, "At the present time, we lack any clear and soundly based picture of
the language learning process". Gregg (1984: 95) states, "We do not yet have a
theory of second language acquisition" but the present position is not what it
was three decades ago.
Richards and Rodgers (2001: viii) opine that for more than a hundred
years, debate and discussion within the language teaching profession have been
often centered on issues such as the role of grammar in the language
curriculum, the development of accuracy and fluency in teaching, the choice of
syllabus frameworks in course design, the role of vocabulary in language
learning, teaching productive and receptive skills, learning theories and their
application in teaching, memorization and learning, motivating learners,
effective learning strategies, techniques for teaching the four skills, and the role
of materials and technology. NS Prabhu (1990: 162) in his article titled "There
is No Best Method – Why?" writes, "… no single method is best for everyone,
as there are important variations in the teaching context that influence what is
best". He also asserted that we should expand our horizons regarding methods.
In India, the situation became more complex because in some states
English has its entry at an elementary level; and in some others it starts after
the 5th grade. Being a multi-lingual country and because of political dynamics,
India cannot follow a uniform approach in the teaching-learning process. The
problem became more acute because of the elite urban, town and rural division
in India. In a more complex classroom like India, innovation is compulsory as
language competencies vary a lot and all stakeholders like students, parents,
teachers, managements etc., want to implement latest developments as this can
also encourage fairer higher educational and career opportunities for diverse
sections of society in India in particular and other countries in general (Jaisingh
2015: 48-49).

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Vol. X, No. Y Santhi et al.: Interactive Teaching Method…

Basically, the teacher controls the instructional process, the lecture content
is delivered to the class by her/him and the students listen to the lecture. Thus,
the learning mode tends to be passive and the learners play little part in their
learning process. This learning approach can be found in almost all educational
institutions and universities in India. In such a lecture, students assume a purely
passive role and their concentration fades off after 15-20 minutes.1
Researchers such as Long (1975) and Long and Porter (1985), Pica and
Doughty (1985) made a basic distinction between a "lockstep" organization of
classroom interaction where activities are teacher-fronted and a small-group
format. They explained "lockstep" as a situation where the whole class is
moving along together, where all the students are "locked" into the same
activity at the same time, at the same pace and where the teacher is the
primary, even the only, initiator. Students are frequently "observers" of others
and there is little flexibility whereas in a small-group format, each and every
learner has an opportunity to contribute in the learning process.
Long (1975: 216) comments more critically, "The teacher who attempts to
conduct a large, heterogeneous group of … 30 secondary age EFL students
through a language programme as one unit is obliging all the students to cover
the same ground, at the same time, at the same pace, via the same approach,
method and technique, and using the same material". In such a context, he
argues, 29 out of 30 people will be "unemployed" at any one time, at least as
far as observable learning behavior is concerned.
In Richards and Rodgers (2001: 247-248), curriculum planners debate
over a second language teaching method as part of a broader set of educational
planning decisions. But absent from traditional view of methods is a concept of
learner-centeredness and teacher-creativity … and that teaching methods must
be flexible and adaptive to learners’ needs and interests.
Telling is not teaching and listening is not learning. In such a situation,
adopting interactive teaching methodology in the language classroom is the
only way to make the learners get motivated and enthusiastic in the learning
process. Kevin Yee from the University of Central Florida, affirms that
teaching involves an open-minded plan for helping students meet and exceed
their educational goals. Teaching styles may differ from teacher to teacher and
class to class. Yet every teaching objective must include a structured but
flexible process for student advancement. Interactive teaching styles
incorporate a multitude of goals beneath a single roof. Interactive classes are
designed around a simple principle: without practical application, students
often fail to comprehend the depths of the study material. Whereas students
often lose interest during lecture-style teaching, interactive teaching styles
promote an atmosphere of attention and participation and make the learning
process interesting and exciting.2
Elliot W. Eisner who is known for his work in arts education, curriculum
studies, and educational evaluation states that "the ultimate aim of education is
to enable individuals to become the architects of their own education and
1
Retrieved from goo.gl/NX1wPd.
2
Retrieved from goo.gl/7nXBwq.

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

through that process to continually reinvent themselves".3 In this sense, the


curriculum is a mind-altering device. Hence, revision in curriculum regarding
L2 teaching is mandatory as it is the concern of millions of learners and many
English teachers.

The Present L2 Teaching Scenario

In post-independent India, people are still living on received knowledge.


The entire exercise in educational institutions is examination-centred and
degree driven because English teaching has not been made relevant to our own
situation (Krishnaswamy 2012: 1). Previous research on the students’ efforts in
learning English pointed out the demerits of teaching methodology, which
emphasizes "writing" as the integral part of a learning process.
In the realm of Higher Education, the aim of the government of Tamilnadu
is to develop, recognize and enhance talent and skills in youth so as to equip
and enable them to meet the emerging challenges of the century. It also stresses
the need for revamping the language curriculum to face the demands of the
global job market.
Concurrently, on realizing the importance of learning languages at all
levels of under graduate education, the members of the Board of Studies of UG
and PG Courses, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE)
decided to improve the ability of students to speak and write all languages with
confidence in correct form; and gave the following reformation during the
meeting that was held in 2012-2013:

i. All colleges are required to offer Part I and Part II languages in all the
first four semesters of all UG programme.
ii. Practical application of languages should be included in Internal
Assessment (IA). 15% of the 40% of Internal Assessment is devoted for
practical functional application in languages (English and other
languages).
iii. Internal Assessment which carries 40 marks is divided into 25 marks
for theoretical components viz, tests, seminars, assignments etc., and 15
marks for practical application in languages (Speaking, Listening and
Comprehension, Reading and Comprehension – each 5 marks).

Hence, in order to strengthen the Part II English curriculum, TANSCHE


has proposed a model curriculum framework for the four semesters that would
lead to a combined and comprehensive approach towards mastery in language
skills, communication skills as well as aesthetic and literacy appreciation skills.
The model curriculum thus evolved is capable of meeting the overall
development of proficiency in English, especially communication skills. The
universities are directed to have their own choice of textbooks and materials;
however care should be taken to retain the exercise and the activities on Skills,
3
Retrieved from goo.gl/fsuGNv.

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Vol. X, No. Y Santhi et al.: Interactive Teaching Method…

Syntax, Language Skills and Business English (TANSCHE 2012-2013).


Unfortunately, the model curriculum framework for Part II English was not yet
implemented.
English teaching, according to the Ministry of Education is: to enhance
students’ basic abilities of English communication skills, to motivate students’
interest in English language learning, and to broaden students’ perspective
towards the importance of learning English to improve their competitive power
in global society. In India, English is taught as a second language and the
objective of teaching English has two main aspects (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Objective of Teaching English in India

Two main aspects

1. Language aspect 2. Literature aspect

words, sentences, words, sentences,


pronunciation, spelling, expressing ideas,
grammar, skills feelings, experiences
and comprehension

English teaching has also been categorized under skill objectives and
cognitive objectives.

Skill Objectives Include

i. developing the skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, and


ii. enabling students to use grammatically correct structures appropriate to
the situation.

Cognitive Objectives Include

i. acquiring knowledge of how the language works,


ii. diagnosing the errors in speaking and writing English,
iii. comparing and illustrating linguistic components,
iv. classifying the elements of the English language, and
v. understanding the content conveyed through literary writing such as
prose, poetry, story and drama by reading.

Inspite of the pivotal role of English in the educational system, the


objective of teaching English at the undergraduate level is far from being ideal.
School education says, "Do what I say". Higher education says, "Think for
yourself". In keeping with the pace of changing times, the teachers have

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

changed from "guru" to "instructor"/"teacher" to "facilitator"/"advisor"/ "counselor"


as they have the responsibility of transforming the students and send them out
to compete in this globalized world. Teaching not only has learning as a crucial
key, but it is also a profession in which character-building along with man-
making is more important. Besides this, the majority of the prospective
employers are interested in hiring employees with good communication skills;
so the English classroom methodology should be tailored to develop the verbal
competency of the students so as to make them more employable (Chaturvedi
2014: 200).
However, the intention of teaching English is to help learners in learning
the language and make them familiar with words and the construction of
sentences; to enable them to communicate effectively in different situations; to
express their ideas in simple English; and to enhance students’ ability to work
with others. On the other hand, the students’ purpose of learning English is to
fit them in a promising placement after obtaining an undergraduate/
postgraduate degree; to equip them with self-confidence and enable them to
engage with their/other communities as well as to be successful at work. It also
supports candidates to challenge and stretch them to reach their potential.
Accordingly, teaching and learning the English language is a way of
connection between souls, a means of communication. Hence, an English class
in a college has the obligation to encourage students to carry on conversations
with each other in the language being learned.

Objective of the Study

It is high time to educate the students in the language classroom with a


pattern meant to develop their communication skills; and colleges, especially
English departments have the obligation of augmenting learners’
communication skills to make them "more able" as far as employability on the
job market is concerned. Henceforth, the objective of my study aims at
achieving proficiency and knowledge in basic language skills using authentic
text materials prescribed for Part II English with a shift from the traditional
lecture method to an interactive environment combined with the interests and
ability of the learners.

Population

The thirty-three under-graduate students of the Microbiology department


(calendar year 2015) of an autonomous institution were selected as participants
in the study (Table 1).

Table 1. Details of the Samples


Sampling Male Female Total
B.Sc. Microbiology (II & III Semester) 26 7 33

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Methodology

Research instrument

To investigate the issues associated with teaching and learning a second


language in the Part II English classroom, action research was adopted. The
course materials used are the authentic text materials prescribed for the second
(April 2015) and third (November 2015) semesters of Part II English. At the
beginning, the personal details of the participants were collected to know the
educational background of their parents. In the study, the lecture method was
adopted in the second semester (April 2015) of the language classroom. The
performance of the learners in the Formative and Summative examination of
the second semester was noted.
To identify the deficiencies of the learners’ learning styles and to
overcome the challenges of lecture method in the second semester, the
researcher made use of an interactive teaching method throughout the third
semester of the language classroom. The basic skills of the participants were
trained using interactive teaching techniques. Slip tests were conducted to
assess their spoken, written and presentation skills. The CIA (Continuous
Internal Assessment) of the learners and their performance in the summative
examinations were also marked. To support and prove the teaching
methodology, Descriptive Analysis and Paired T-Test were applied for
statistical treatment.

Analysis of data

After the collection of data, the participants’ average marks in the


formative and summative examinations in both second and third semester were
compared. In the Descriptive Analysis, the average is found out by Mean.
Standard Deviation and Standard Error Mean are used to know the students’
level of performance "before" (during lecture method) and "after" interactive
teaching methodology, and to find out the expected set values. Paired T-Test is
used to compare two population means where the observation in one sample
can be paired with the observation in the other sample. It means that the
measurements are taken from the same subject "before" and "after" a particular
course of action i.e. implementing interactive teaching methodology. The
equality of the two population mean (µ1, µ2) can be tested with the help of the
hypothesis.

Hypothesis

1. H0 Null Hypothesis: There is no difference between the marks and


performance of the students "before" (during lecture method) and
"after" the interactive teaching methodology on average.

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

2. H1 Alternate Hypothesis: The marks and performance of the students


"before" (during lecture method) and "after" the interactive teaching
methodology have different effects on average.

Table 2. Microbiology - Paired Samples Statistics


Mean N Std. Std. Error Mean
Deviation
Pair 1 Formative Summative II 28.3636 33 3.43528 0.59801
Formative Summative III 30.6364 33 4.58134 0.79751

Table 2 shows that by observing the Mean, it can be understood that the
performance of the respondents "Before Interactive Method" (during Lecture
Method) has 28.3636 as the mean score. But "After Interactive Method", the
Mean score of the respondents is increased to 30.6364. These differences seem
to be supporting our hypothesis, but to ascertain whether this result is
significant, the Paired Sample Test must be examined.
The Standard Deviation shows that the spread of performance "After
Interactive Method" is (4.58134) larger than "Before the Interactive Method"
i.e. during Lecture Method (3.43528). Standard Error Mean is an estimate of
the Standard Deviation of the sampling distribution of the Mean. The Standard
Error "Before Interactive Method" (during Lecture Method) is 0.59801 and
"After Interactive Method", it is increased to 0.79751.

Table 3. Paired Samples Correlations


N Correlation Sig.
Pair 1 Formative Summative II
33 0.569 0.001
Formative Summative III

The Paired Samples Correlations show the Pearson Correlations


Coefficient and its significant value (Table 3). This test is conducted to show if
the results found are reliable. From Table 3, the correlation of our sample is,

 r = 0.569 (correlation value), and


 p = 0.001 (significant value).

Here p value which is less than 0.05 shows that the respondents
consistently got better scores "After Interactive Method" when compared to
"Before Interactive Method" (during Lecture Method). So, the data is highly
correlated.

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Table 4. Paired Samples Test


Paired Differences
Std. Std. Error 95% Confidence t df Sig.
Mean
Deviation of Mean Interval of the Mean (2-tailed)
Lower Upper
Pair 1 Formative
Summative II
-2.2728 3.85902 0.67177 -3.6411 -0.9044 -3.383 32 0.002
Formative
Summative III

In Table 4, the Mean value displays the difference between the means of
participants’ performance in the formative and summative examinations of the
second and third semesters.

28.3636 - 30.6364 = -2.2728.

The Standard Deviation indicates that the standard deviation of all the
different scores is 3.85902. The Standard Error Mean indicates the differences
in the Mean. We would expect by chance if the null hypothesis is true. But our
Mean difference which is -2.2728 suggests that the data does not support the
null hypothesis. Our calculated t value is the ratio of these two values.

t value = -2.2728/-0.67177
(mean value)
t value = -3.383
(original value)

The 95% confident intervals indicate that we are 95% confident that the
true population differences in Mean (-2.2728) will be between upper (-0.9044)
and lower (-3.6411) limits. This measure is often used as a supplementary
indicator of statistical significance. The t value is -3.383 at the significant level
of 0.002 at 32 level of freedom. It shows that the significant value is less than
0.05 at 5% level of significance.
Hence it is obvious that the marks and performance of the students "after"
the interactive teaching methodology is better than their performance "before
interactive" i.e. during the lecture method. It could be concluded that the null
hypothesis can be rejected and the alternative hypothesis can be accepted.

Findings

The present study shows that the classroom is clearly a place where people
have to work together, essentially requiring a compromise between their own
individuality and the dynamics of the whole group. It is ideally a co-operative
environment where structuring activities in different ways can allow for the
establishment of a cohesive and collaborative work.

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Athens Journal of Philology XY

Pair work, group work and teamwork are not identical terms. Pair work
requires organization of the learners on the part of the teacher and it can be
activated in all the classrooms, for instance - a student may be asked to work
with the student near him/her; or it may be between students of equal
proficiency; or as per the situation and the task demands. Group work, by
nature, is a more complex structure as it requires the performance of the
learners in different roles assigned to them especially of communicative and
interactive setting as well as a certain amount of physical reorganization of the
classroom. Co-operation in the classroom is encouraged and these are
undoubtedly positive factors (McDonough and Shaw 2003: 204).
The researcher adopted and applied all these different social patterns (pair/
group/team work) in the language classroom for teaching the second language.
Practical application of Interactive techniques such as Schema Theory,
Intensive Reading, Note-making, Summarizing, Word Grouping/Chunking,
Pause, Tone-groups, Skimming, Scanning, Interactional Listening Skill, Integrated
Skills, Institutional Writing Skill, Compositional Skills etc. were applied while
teaching the items of the course to the students. For example, while teaching
the poem "The Solitary Reaper" by William Wordsworth, a brief note on the
poet and the background of the poem were given to the students. Then, team
work, group work and individual work were allotted to them. For instance, as
the poem has four stanzas, four teams of students were formed randomly. The
learners were directed to read the stanza allotted to them silently and they were
advised to comprehend the meaning of the stanza by discussing it with their
team members.
Then each team should come to the front; the first team member to read
aloud the stanza; the second one to explain the gist; the third one to identify the
poetic devices; and the last one to summarize. The observers were directed to
question them if they had doubts.
As far as pair work is concerned, the students were divided into pairs; one
student was directed to question the other; then the other had to find out the
answer. For individual work, they were asked to find synonyms of new words
or to identify poetic devices such as rhyme scheme, rhythmic pattern,
alliteration, simile etc. Finally, the researcher again elucidated the meaning and
the poetic techniques of the poem in detail. These teaching techniques help the
learners - to develop their reading skill, to read with tone-groups, to
comprehend the meaning of the stanza, to appreciate poetic devices, to frame
questions and to discuss and find answers.
An analysis of the educational background of the participants’ parents, the
essential one in their learning process is shown below:

1. Among the parents of the thirty-three samples, 2 of their fathers are


teachers; 1 is an officer; and the remaining 29 are doing work as a
coolie, welder, load man, electrician, farmer, driver, and conductor; and
one sample has no father. 20 of their mothers are housewives; 1 is a
sub-inspector of police, 1 is a nurse, 1 is a farmer and 10 are coolies.

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2. Amid the sixty-six parents, 22 are illiterates; 9 have only primary


school education; 24 did not even pass high schools; 5 with higher
secondary school qualification; 3 with a UG degree; 1 with a PG degree
and only 2 with a Professional degree.
3. It clearly states that only 3.03 percentage of their parents are with
professional qualification; 1.52 with PG level education; 4.55 with UG
qualification; 7.58 with higher secondary level education; 36.36 had not
even completed their high school education; 13.63 with primary level
learning and 33.33 are illiterates.

The criterion displays the fact that the learners should obviously take care
of their studies by themselves and at such a situation, only teaching using an
interactive method in the language classroom should come in hand to make
them interact in the target language and be "employable".

Recommendations

Albert Einstein’s popular quotes, "I never teach my pupils, but I provide
the conditions in which they can learn" and "Education is not the learning of
facts, but the training of the mind to think" expose his passion for holistic
learning. Creating a situation which motivates language learning is the needed
requirement of second language acquisition and so this study is a practical
application of interactive teaching methodology in the language classroom. In
such an interactive classroom, each student has more chance to speak in the
target language and has more involvement in language use. Instead of the
threatening atmosphere of the lockstep classroom, there is positive atmosphere
which encourages impetus and possibilities of self-expression. Teamwork in
the classroom is encouraged. The sharing and discussion of ideas are more
"natural" which makes the classroom hypothetically vibrant. It stimulates an
assertive environment which is different from the normal class room.
Malamah-Thomas (1987) isolates "action" and "reaction" as characteristics
of traditional lockstep arrangements and stresses the need for "interaction", "a
constant pattern of mutual influence and adjustment", whether between
learners, or teacher and learners. The interactive pattern includes the
relationship of individuals, pairs, groups and the whole class to the product or
learning outcome. A teacher working with a mixed proficiency group has the
flexibility to allocate activities according to the learners’ levels. The learners
also do their best when there is interactive teaching/learning in pairs, groups or
teams. They learn to ask questions and it exhibits that the teaching process is
learning-centered which further motivates everybody’s thinking and learning.
The findings of this analysis also confirm that the level of language
produced by the students will be considerably "higher" after the training in an
interactive teaching method. Hence, the English teachers should be ready to
change their attitude towards Part II English syllabus, a skill-based one, to be
more communicative and interactive so that their students should not get
fettered because of lack of their communicative competency.

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Conclusion

Learning in an active and interactive classroom has its implications on the


learning process. There is a shift from the traditional teacher-centered model to
a learner-centered as well as learning-centered approach. There is also a shift
from product-driven learning to process-driven learning; and from teacher as a
"transmitter of knowledge" to teacher as an "organizer of knowledge". These
variations encourage teachers to reflect not only on the key principles of
learning and teaching but also on their role in the process. These changes in the
role of the teacher will inevitably result in transforming the role of students in
the classroom.4 Ultimately, the learners can try these techniques and apply
them in their own subjects, the obligatory prerequisite of today’s learning.
Further research with experiential approach on this functional application of
interactive teaching methodology in the classroom helps the learners to
empower themselves with effective communication skills which give them
more weight age in the job market as well as career.

References

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Gregg KR (1984) Krashen’s Monitor and Occam’s Razor. Applied Linguistics 5(2):
79-100.
Jaisingh K (2015) New Frontiers in Language Teaching-Learning Methodologies: Some
Speculative Ideas. Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal 4(II):
48-54.
Krishnaswamy N (2012) Innovations in the Teaching of English: A Background
Study. In ZN Patil (Eds.), Innovations in English Language Teaching. Voices
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