SOLVING THE
DIFFICULTIES FACED BY THE 1X STANDARD STUDENTS IN UNDERSTANDING THE ‘MAP
READING SKILL’ IN SOCIAL SCIENCE THROUGH ACTIVITY BASED METHOD
I. Title :
Solving
the difficulties faced by the IX Std. students in understanding the “Map
Reading Skill” in Social Science through Activity Based Method.
II. Background of the
study:
The quality of education depends on the competence
of teachers. The teacher is a powerful agent in our schools who inculcate the
democratic ideas of nationhood among the students. In spite of various methods adopted
for improving education, nothing fruitful has been achieved. The intellectual
and professional factors influence the quality of education.Besides it also contributes
to the pedagogical competence and character of the teacher which are
undoubtedly the most significant aspects in teaching-learning process. High
achievements of the students, better school performance and moulding of student
into better citizens are some of major issues lying in the hands of the
teacher.
There are new recent developments in educational
approach and techniques, so necessary steps are required in order to facilitate
effective learning performance of students in learning social science.If Social
Science is taught through exploration and experimentation, it can be developed
considerably.
Every year several methods were adopted in schools
for teaching through Activity Based Method. It is found that teaching Map
Reading Skill using Activity Based Method with a number of activities is one of
the best strategies to improve the Map Reading conceptual knowledge for all
categories of students in schools. Most of the students in high school level
have learning difficulties and show poor performance in Map Reading Skill. It
is most important of create interest in learning Social science at the High
school level. Interest in learning may be created with apt learning environment
in the classroom using Activity Based Method.
The Researcher hopes that this study will also
promote useful suggestions tothe educators of the social science subject. So
Activity Based Method has been selected as the best approach to increase their
knowledge in Map Reading.
Objectives:
Ø To
create interest in Social Science Subject.
Ø To
enhance the quality of education among High school students.
Ø To
promote Map Reading knowledge among High school students.
Ø To
enable the students to know the importance of Map drawing and Map Reading.
Ø To
understand the directions signs and symbols.
Ø To
know the usage of Globe, Map, Atlas.
Ø To
create awareness on the importance of Latitude and Longitude.
Ø To
understand the importance of colours in maps.
Probable causes for the
Problem:
Ø Utilization
of Globe, Map and Atlas are very poor in the classroom.
Ø Activity
based method is not followed in the classroom.
Ø IX
Std. students are very poor in understanding the reading of Maps.
Ø Exam
oriented teaching is followed in the classroom.
Ø Lack
of time to pay individual attention to the backward students.
Ø There
is no opportunity for the students to identify and mark the places in maps.
Developing Preposition
Something
should be done to rectify this state of affairs and with reference to the
problems suggested above the following measures may be suggested.
Ø Proper
usage of relevant teaching learning materials, aids and models in the learning
process of the students may improve their achievement in understanding the map
reading and map drawing.
Ø Giving
more activities with activity sheet, TLM, SLM and repeated practices may
facilitate better understanding and create long term memory in students.
Ø Allowing
the students to do group activities may improve their achievement.
Ø Arranging
a Field trip to the nearest Science centre may improve the better understanding
of map reading.
Action Hypothesis
The
difficulty of the IX Std. students in studying the Map Reading can be rectified
using Activity Based Method.
Methodology
This
study aims at solving the problems faced by the IX Std. students in
understanding the “Map Reading Skill” through Activity Based Method.
The
present study is a single group experimental study. The experimental group has
to be given treatment through activity based method by making use of activity
sheets, map, globe, atlas and models.
Sample
The
investigator has selected 30 students studying in IX Std. In Education Poster
Higher Secondary School.
Tool
The researcher
has chosen the tool questionnaire for her study. The researcher designed and
validated the questionnaire. The tool was used for the collection of data. The
question was set up for 25 marks in Social Science. The researcher discussed
with the experts for theiropinion and suggestions were taken into consideration
for making necessary modification in the final tool, thenthepre-test was
conducted to the group of 30 students. It was found out their academic
achievement in social science was very low. After conducting pre-test, treatment
was given to 30 students using ABL method. Activity sheets, TLM, Globe, Map and
Atlas were used for teaching the map drawing skill.
Execution of Intervention
The following activities were given using
the ABL Method in the classroom situation for teaching Map drawing and Map
reading skill.
Activity:1
Where
I Live
The teacher creates the
class room situation and recalls the details about Students Street, Town, State,
Country Continent etc. and enables them to know details about their living
place.
Name:
House number:
Direction:
Street:
Town or city:
State:
Country:
Continent
Hemispheres:
Planet:
Draw a
picture of your home:
Draw a map of your state:
Activity: 2
Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt activity was given to motivate the
students. All the students were involved in this interesting activity to find
out the hidden treasure. After finishing the treasure hunt activity the teacher
asked to draw the route map of their school. Then directions were explained.
Activity: 3
Directions
City map reading activity cards with
directions were given to the students. All the students became familiar with
direction and land mark. They tried to answer all the questions given for this activity. They were able to answerand
they enjoyed this activity.
Activity: 4
Compass Rose
A compass rose is a
design on a map that shows directions. In these map activities, the students
have to fill in the directions on this compass rose andthey have to think about
where things are located with respect to a familiar place. For each direction
in the compass rose (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW), the student writes a place
that is located in that direction from home, school, town, state, or country.
Activity:
5
Magnetic Compass
Magnetic
compass was introduced to know the directions.
Activity: 6
Direction Cards
Cards
with directions were given to the students and they were asked to stand on the
respective directions. Then the eight directions were explained.
Activity:7
Scales
Scales and measuring
tape were given to the students and they were asked to measure the length of
the table, classroom, veranda etc., and were asked to draw the correspondent
figure with measurement in a paper with scales. Then their works were corrected
and the mistakes were explained and the definition for scale was explained.
Activity:8
Map Measurement
The students were asked to see the measures and
scales in the Atlas and identify the suitable scales to be selected for a
particular map, then large scale and small scales were explained to draw a
map.
Activity:9
Measuring Distance in
Maps
Thread and Tamil Nadu maps were distributed to the
students. They were asked to measure the
distance between two places or rivers in the map.
Activity:10
Globe, Map and Atlas
The students were divided into three groups. Globe, Map and Atlas were given to each group.
They were asked to differentiate and mention the details and the uses of above
three and they were asked to write on the blackboard. The teacher gives 10
minutes for all the groups. Thus the clear idea of dimensions and all the
details of scales were understood by doing the above activity.
Activity:11
Jig-saw Map Puzzle
The teacher divides the students into three
groups. Cut outs of States of India were
given to one group and they were asked to arrange the pieces to form the India
Political Map. This activity will enable to students to keep the names of
states in memory.
India States and Capitals Map Puzzle
The cut outs of districts of Tamil Nadu was given to
second group and they were asked to arrange makes Tamil Nadu Political Map.
The cut outs of continents of world were given to the
third group and they were asked to arrange to make the World Political Map.
This activity gives executive thought and keeps each one active and brisk.
Activity:12
Types of Maps
The teacher divides the students into two groups.
One group was given the names of states and the next group was given the names
of capitals. The students were asked to match the cards. They were asked to
find out the three Border States and four Border States in the India Map.
Activity:13
Matching Cards
The
teacher gives the match cards to the students and asks them to match it.
Mountain -
Green colour
Ocean -
Yellow colour
Plain - Blue colour
Plateau -
Brown colour
Activity:14
Using Colours in Maps
The
teacher gives Tamil Nadu Physical Map to the students and asks them to colour
it.
Activity:15
Using China Clay and
Thread
The
teacher divides the students into six groups the teacher gives China clay and
thread to the students.Each group has to make globe and the lines of latitudes
and longitudes.
Activity:16
Label the Latitude and Longitude
The teacher asks the
students to mark the latitude and longitude in the given map.
90º N
45º N 0º Latitude 45º S 90º S |
45º E
90º E 90º W 45º W 0º Longitude |
Activity:17
Finding the Location
“Finding
the Location” activity was given to the students and they made a circle and
used a Globe ball.(throwing ball) After that the places were spotted using the
index finger and the latitudes and
longitudes were found by the students.
Activity:18
Anagram
Anagram
was given to the students. Anagrams with jumbled letters help the students to
form various names of the countries, features and directions.
An anagram is a word that is made by rearranging the
letters of another word. For example, lasted is an anagram of deltas. For each
word, write an anagram for it that must be a geography word.
Activity:19
Match the cards
The students were divided into two groups. A card of
Symbol was given to one group and Cards of explanation was given to another
group and they were asked to match the cards. They were asked to find out
correct symbols and explanation.
Activity:20
Enlargement and
Reduction of Map
Tamil Nadu outline maps were given to the students
and they were asked to enlarge by dividing into six equal squares. They were
asked to write the scale after enlarging and similarly they were asked to
reduce the map.
Activity:21
C D Presentation
Continent,
Island, Ocean, Archipelago, Mountain ranges Peninsula, Tributary,
Distributaries, Gulf, Bay, Isthmus, Strait, Latitude and Longitude were clearly
explained with the help of the CD Presentation.
Activity:22
Sign Posts
The
teacher asks the children to draw a sign post showing where things are in
relation to where they are sitting. For example:
The arrows indicate the location of the objects
/ people in relation to the child (labelled "Me"). The length of the
arrow indicates the distance between the child and the object / person. The
children could make their sign posts more interesting by using pictures instead
of words.
Activity: 23
Find a Geography word
for each letter
You can think of and
write down a place name that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
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