Need Of Pedagogical Changes And Curricular Innovations To Develop Holistic Learning

Abstract

The paper deals with the pedagogical change and curricular innovation required to develop holistic learners. The teacher has to break the barriers of traditional approach and become a facilitator to develop the four language skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing .The teacher needs to develop autonomy in the curriculum and go beyond the textbook and be pragmatic in pedagogical approach. My seventeen years of experience in teaching language and communication skills to the undergraduate and professional learners has identified the lacunae in language teaching that is learner autonomy and holistic approach to language. Some of the learners possess fear towards language learning and lack confidence to master it. This is where the teacher becomes a mentor, motivator and facilitator. The teacher has to empathize with the learners and identify the needs of the learner before planning the curriculum and delivering it in the classroom. The teacher shouldn’t be the sole speaker hampering the development of the learners but a guide in developing the skills and confidence in the language. For this, there should be more tasks based sessions involved in the language classroom and also meet the contemporary needs of the learner. English is a global language and thereby the teacher needs to adapt to the multicultural linguistic approach and evolve at holism. Language has to be treated as an art when using creatively and science when defining the nuances of the language. The language teacher should not only be proficient in language but also innovative in customizing curriculum according to the needs of the learner. Thus the paper explores the methods to develop innovative language curriculum to empower the learners.