jai bhim international -caste-free generation- communicative english india trips 2008-09 jai bhim hungary facebook Jai Bhim International's Communicative English Workshops by Ann Dennehy, City College San Francisco ESL Faculty and Jai Bhim International's Creative Director Jai Bhim International is an evolution of community, and our
communicative English workshops have evolved within a community of
Dalit youth. The Dalit students with whom we collaborate have identified English
language learning as an educational need, essential to their individual
development and to the empowerment of their communities. "Dalits" are the group of people labeled "untouchable" in
the Hindu/Vedic caste system.   A vibrant Dalit social justice movement, originally led by Dr. BHIMrao ("Bhim") Ambedkar, has challenged caste oppression for over 60 years, inspiring an international JAI BHIM movement. Jai Bhim International 's projects are part of this tradition. Our goal is to develop our communicative English workshops, supporting youth leaders to guide the workshops themselves within their own communities, with long-distance mentoring from us.  
We
are inspired by Paolo Freire's ideas of the democratic classroom and
learning as a revolutionary act. We imagine communicative English
workshops as dynamic learning communities, at the center of the Jai
Bhim caste-free generation.   communicative english is
*based on real language, as used day-to-day
*curious about how language functions *rich in useful vocabulary *expressive, active, and fun   we practice english together * to connect with others *to communicate in real situations *to talk about our own experiences *to express our emotions *to learn from one another  a communicative english teacher *is also a learner *is curious, imaginative, and flexible *is culturally-aware and culturally-sensitive *expresses cross-cultural understanding *has faith in students' capacity to learn *designs lessons according to students' needs and interests *guides learning, drawing on her own language mastery *communicates clearly and encourages clear communication   communicative english learners *develop confidence in their ability to learn *are active, rather than passive, in their own learning process *are curious about, and receptive to, new information *have fun learning are inquisitive; they question, reason, challenge *are encouraging, helpful, and cooperative  communicative english lessons *are taught in English-only, with no translation from the teacher *are theme-based, around areas of interest to learners, starting with their own names, and families and friends *consist of 10-15 minute learning tasks, varied and engaging, but never rushed *have transparent learning outcomes, which are clearly communicated *encourage basic speaking and listening comprehension skills for clear communication *honor a "silent phase" for learners not yet ready to speak *present language structures in context, through repetition & practice, for learners to infer grammar patterns *integrate reading and writing skills as appropriate *include learning activities that may be extended and altered as needed by learners *utilize assessment to review and reinforce material and celebrate mastery, always relaxed and encouraging   the learning environment
*is student/learner-centered, rather than teacher-centered
*is comfortable, friendly, and encouraging *is active, exploratory, and cooperative *is empowering, based on the principles of a democratic classroom proposed by Paolo Freire. *views the classroom as a place where social change happens *is democratic *is where it's ok to make mistakes *celebrates progress and motivation *is student-centered, with all furniture and learning props serving the language needs of learners *is constantly re-configured to facilitate effective communication *is one where the teacher moves around, rather than standing or sitting in one spot *encourages students to get up and interact with others *utilizes visual props, with which both the teacher and the learners interact *allows for tasks that utilize different learning modalities; aural, oral, visual and kinesthetic *can be created anywhere home about dr. ambedkar india trip winter 2009-2010 human rights curriculum new! kids' library india trips 2008-09 jai bhim hungary facebook jai bhim international -caste-free generation- info@jaibhiminternational.org |
