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The PALETTE project aims both to create manuals comprised of traditional stories and to bring those stories into the classroom. The most essential part of PALETTE lies not so much in the creation of the story collections as in their successful use as effective learning tools in the classroom. The manuals thus provide a repository of local tradition in additional to improving the quality of education in a given region. As with any learning tool, this manual must be accompanied by an effective teaching method in order to succeed in the classroom.
First and foremost, these manuals provide the means of developing basic reading and writing skills. PALETTE aims to teach students these skills through numerous activities : reading the manuals themselves, writing what is discussed in class, thinking about the discussion, writing a report about the student’s personal reaction or opinion, etc. The instructor’s task is to envision creative teaching techniques which will go beyond a mere reading of the manual.
This project does not limit itself to teaching reading and writing, however. These texts also help students to develop their imagination, creativity, sensibilities, logical reasoning, and communication skills. The use of the manuals facilitates interactive learning, both between the teacher and students and between the students themselves. A dialogue between instructor and student is essential in allowing the instructor to impart knowledge while also giving the student the chance to react to that knowledge. When this interactive approach can focus on texts the class itself has produced, the students become truly engaged in the comprehension and mastery of the texts.
To achieve this second aspect of the learning process, the teaching methods must be centered on interaction. Because each learning environment operates in a different cultural context, the manuals will inspire unique discussions reflecting the personal experiences of the students. Nonetheless, it is essential that the various methods teach the students to read, write, and, above all, to be creative and imaginative.
In light of the large variety of approaches possible for teaching the manuals, each instructor must adjust his or her method according to best fit the class. Even so, the following list has been provided to indicate activies tand approaches hat have succeeded in the past. Based on the experience of those who have already worked on the project, it can be used as a guide for those wishing to implement PALETTE in their own communities. Of course, the specific activities will vary according to the subject studied (stories, games, ceremonies, etc), but the following list gives general ideas.
1) Using the texts to create theater
:
Description : Ask students who have read the selected
document to present what they’ve read as a theatrical skit for the class.
This can be done informally in small groups, or as an entire class with additional
coordination.
Goals : To develop teamwork skills and promote creativity.
2) Similar Stories :
Description : After the document has been read, ask students
to recall similar stories or events in their own experience. This can open
up a classwide discussion where students can deepen ideas only touched upon
in the text.
Goals : To encourage students to identify the main ideas of the stories and to discuss additional implications. Moreover, they will be able to draw parallels between the documents and their own lives.
3) Interpreting Illustrations :
Description : Show students the illustrations which accompany
a text before reading the text itself. Then ask them to write some ideas about
what the picture portrays. The class can then discuss these interpretations
before engaging with the actual text.
Goals : In asking students to describe images using writing, this activity develops both imagination and writing skills.
4) Creating Cultural Albums :
Description : Before discussing a particular cultural aspect featured in
a PALETTE text, students can conduct field research themselves with the aid
of a teacher or other volunteer. This might involve travel to the village
for firsthand observation of traditional activites or places. After collecting
information, students can record and present their personal findings for the
rest of the class before studying the text itself. This method may be more
suitable for studying traditional practices and events rather than stories.
Goals : To give students experience in conducting research, asking questions, listening, and recording their findings. Students will continue to learn even outside the classroom, all while becoming more familiar with their own community. Finally, they will reach the end of the year with a cultural album, full of information based on their own research and conclusions, and which might also include images, illustrations, written documents, or anything else that they have found interesting.
5) To Every Question, an Answer :
Description : Each student is asked to write questions
about a text. The other students will then seek to provide answers with the
appropriate textual references. Questions may be developed beforehand, outlining
the types of things students should look for in a document, or after reading
the document, as a means to improve comprehension.
Goals : Creating questions and providing answers will improve understanding of the document as well as reading and writing skills. More importantly, stuents will learn to formulate questions which can guide and focus their studies. They can also compare their method to that of their peers, thus examining the various ways to approach a text.
6) Finding a Document on the Internet
:
Description : Rather than studying a given text in one
of the printed PALETTE manuals, the student will be asked to first search
for the necessary document on the Internet.
Goals : To teach students basic computer skills, including turning the machine on and off and conducting an Internet search. Such an activity will also help accustom them to reading information on a computer.
7) Anything is Possible :
The activities listed above are only suggestions. The most
important thing is to find any kind of activity which will allow students
to engage with the text and develop as many skills as possible in addition
to reading and writing.