14 Naya Savera Technique of Teaching

Dr. Mohan Kumar

epgp books

 

Content Outline

  • Introduction
  • Objectives
  • Naya Savera Technique of Teaching
  • The process of administering Naya Savera Method
  • Efficacy of Naya Savera Method
  • Summary

 

Introduction

 

In a classroom when teacher teaches a few techniques are adopted to enable the learners to understand the subject better. The technique differs from one to the other. Any teacher who is not able to use the best of the technique will not be able to impress upon the learners and hence, loses the name. The technique used in formal system of education is called Pedagogy and in adult/continuing education it is Andragogy.

 

In the field of adult education, the traditional way of teaching was using alphabet method which used to be much aligned to the formal system of education, particularly for the children in the initial stage. In course of time when professionalization of adult education took place, adult education experts discouraged the alphabet system citing it against the adult psychology. Hence, word and sentence methods were popularly used in the adult education primers. While experimentation was going on at different levels and different places, the Literacy House, Lucknow evolved a method called Naya Savera technique of teaching which subsequently established itself as one of the successful methods of teaching adults with the help of Naya Savera primers. Students will be able to know more about the various aspects of Naya Savera method in the subsequent paragraphs.

 

 

Learning Objectives

 

The learning objectives of this module are to know:

  • The Naya Savera technique of teaching
  • The process of administering Naya Savera method and
  • The efficacy of Naya Savera method

 

Naya Savera Technique of Teaching

 

This teaching technique was evolved by Literacy House, Lucknow an institution established by Dr. Welthy Honsinger Fisher, an American national who came to India on Missionary work along with her husband Frederick Bohn Fisher, a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Both of them were ardent followers of Mahatma Gandhi. The primary responsibility of Literacy House was to educate the unlettered people not only with literacy but also with life skills. It started functioning in the year 1956 from Lucknow.

 

After almost nine years of extensive as well as intensive engagement with the people at grassroots level it felt an urgent need of developing a better system of literacy teaching to non-literate and semi-literate adolescents and adults. As a result of close cooperation among adult education functionaries, linguists, educational psychologists, artists, typo-graphists, literacy teachers and writers trained in the techniques of simple writings a new system of teaching technique popularly known as Naya Savera (the New Dawn) was evolved which claimed that if administered properly, illiterate adults would become functionally literate and attain the level of literacy equivalent to Grade V within a period of 10 to 12 months.1 Consequently an adult literacy primer, entitled ‘Naya Savera Praveshika’ was prepared and published in Hindi in 1962.2 Going beyond the contemporary concept of 3Rs (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) this method and the primer focused on imparting functional literacy. The concept of functional literacy here was synonymous with the definition that evolved in the meeting of the International Committee of Experts on Literacy held by UNESCO in June 1962 in Paris which says, “A person is functionally literate when he has acquired the essential knowledge and skills which enable him to engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning in his group and community, and whose attainment in reading, writing and arithmetic made it possible for him to continue to use these skills towards his own and the community development. In quantitative terms, the standard of attainment in functional literacy may be equated to the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, achieved after a set number of years of primary or elementary schooling”. The minimum qualification for adult literacy teacher stipulated under Naya Savera Method was Junior High School with aptitude for rural work.

 

The Naya Savera method of adult literacy teaching is based on the eclectic principles which combine the advantages of both the synthetic and analytic methods of literacy teaching to adults3. Through this method adolescent and adult illiterates are brought to a stage of functional literacy. It consists of a course of study which is divided into two parts: first intended towards teaching basic literacy skills through the primer and second, consists of teaching three graded Naya Savera Readers4. The Primer imparts the basic skills of reading and writing while the graded readers on the other hand fix the skills learnt through the primer and develop them further to the level of functional literacy.5 Apart from primer and three graded readers the teaching materials used in this method also include a Teacher’s Guide for the complete method and a set of 12 charts. The physical facilities required in the class included tatpatties (mats), roll-up boards, chalk, petromax, kerosene lamp, register and slate etc.

 

Soon after its publications in the year 1962, the Naya Savera Praveshika was put to test in the Naya Savera Experimental Schools6.

 

The process of administering Naya Savera Method

 

7The Naya Savera method of teaching adults follows the word approach in which known words are taught first with the help of suitable illustrations, then words are analyzed into letters which are re-combined or synthesized to form a number of new words and sentences. To begin with, a set of twelve charts, quite big in size with big letters and illustrations which could be perceived from a considerable distance with facilities even in dim light8 for each of the first twelve lessons of the primer, is used by the adult literacy teacher to facilitate teaching in the classroom situation.

 

The Naya Savera primer has incorporated concepts derived from adult life. The subject matter of these primers revolves around interests and needs of adults and the lessons have been devised on themes vital for the development of the individual learner as a worthy member of society. The example given below illustrate the above statement Lesson 6 says, ‘Work is pleasure’, Lesson 8 says ‘None should think oneself too small to undertake big tasks’, Lesson 9 says, ‘Do not believe in rumors; find out the truth yourself’ and Lesson 10 says, ‘The Panchayat Ghars are the new temples’, and so on.

 

This primer develops a habit of learning to read and reading to understand. It does not encourage ‘rote learning’ (memorization technique based on repetition) which is the characteristic of learning by a child.

 

9It is divided into sixteen lessons. It introduces practically all alphabets: consonants, vowels and vowel-signs through its first twelve lessons. In rest of the lessons towards the end of the primer, conjuncts, consonants and certain alphabets relatively more difficult in shape and having different forms have been dealt with. It uses one keyword in the second lesson, two words each in lesson first, third and fourth, three keywords each in lesson sixth, eighth and twelfth, and four keywords each in lessons seventh, ninth, tenth and eleventh. Thus, in total, thirty five keywords have been used in the first twelve lessons of the primer. Numerals from one to ten have been provided in the first four lessons.

 

10The primer contains five hundred words out of which three hundred thirty nine words have been said to be functional words. It is accompanied by a Teacher’s Guide which is a must for each and every adult literacy teacher using the Naya Savera Praveshika for teaching literacy to adults.

 

Efficacy of Naya Savera Method

 

Soon after its publications in the year 1962, the Naya Savera Praveshika was put to test in the Naya Savera Experimental Schools which were launched in a cluster of sixteen villages on Lucknow-Sultanpur road at a distance of about 20 km. from Literacy House to test the efficacy of newly developed literacy method and related teaching materials in actual field situation. One class in each of the sixteen villages was started.

 

These classes, ten for men and six for women, were opened on March 1, 1963.

 

This experiment continued for long in some form or the other but lacked systematic observation and scientific reporting of the results. The only report ever published about this experiment does not talk about the concrete results. However, it tells that the percentage of attendance ranged from 26.6 to 95.6; that both men and women were found enthusiastic; that people’s aspirations and hopes were raised and the overall response was good. During the year 1966-67 a seminar of the pioneers of different adult literacy methods was organized at Literacy House, Lucknow by the erstwhile Department of Research in close association and cooperation with the then Field Work Department. As a result of that seminar it was planned to conduct a field experiment for making a comparative study of the different adult literacy Primers so that the efficacy level of the Naya Savera method can be evaluated. That experiment would have been the first systematic trial of the Naya Savera Primer along with many others, but it did not materialize.

 

It may be mentioned here that in all Naya Savera method was being experimented in sixty classes that comprised of forty classes in the villages of Sarojni Nagar Development Block area in Lucknow District and twenty classes in the urban industrial area of Kanpur. These sixty classes were organized at Labour Welfare Centres to educate the non-literate workers of the local industries and factories.

 

A total of 869 adults were enrolled in 40 classes functioning in the Sarojini Nagar Block.

 

Later, i.e. during the year 1968, s study of the Naya Savera Praveshika was undertaken utilizing the records of six selected adult literacy classes conducted during 1966-77. Around 138 adults were enrolled in these six classes which were started on first April, 1967. That study brought into light the following facts:

  1. Average number of working days devoted by the six teachers to teach each of the first twelve lessons varied from 2.3 days to 9.9 days. More than five days were devoted to lessons sixth, seventh, eighth and twelfth. On an average about five days were devoted to teach a lesson.
  2. Teaching of the Primer was completed within a period from 67 to 77 working days with an average of 70 working days.
  3. Only about 64 percent of the enrolled learners participated in the After-Primer Test.
  4. Over 20 percent of the learners enrolled were dropped out and the rest did not participate in the After-Primer Test for reasons unascertained.

 

The performance of the 88 adult participants in the After-Primer-Test says that:

 

a. 82 adults could recognize all the ten alphabets contained in the test, the remaining six adults could recognize only seven to nine alphabets.

 

b. 84 adults could read seven or more words; the remaining four adults could read less than 7 words out of 10 words contained in the test paper.

 

c. 56 percent of the test participants could attain a reading speed of 31 to 60 words per minute and the remaining adults attained a reading speed of 30 words per minute or less.

 

d. 35 percent of the test participants attained writing (copying) speed of 4 to 9 words per minute.

 

However, in view of the absence of any set objective criteria it was fairly difficult to evaluate or comment conclusively upon the above results/qualitative statements based on secondary data.

 

It may be noted here that the prime criticism about Naya Savera Functional Literacy Course which evolved through informal discussion at various academic levels was about its long duration. Experts working on this method precisely felt that the whole syllabus covered under this functional literacy course needed to be modified and certain other important subject matters be included in the functional literacy syllabus to make it more functional. It was also thought that the period of literacy course could be reduced profitable, so much so that instead of one batch two batches could be taught in a calendar year. Thus a six month11 syllabus began to take shape. To improve upon the teaching material content sheets began to be written and published. A detailed fortnightly programme for the guidance of the teacher was worked out. The modifications made in the original 10 months syllabus were:

 

  1. The duration of the programme would be six months.
  2. The primer will be completed in two and half months.
  3. The remaining period will be devoted to functional literacy teaching through Readers and content sheets. In addition to the above group discussion methods and audio-visual aids will be used to impart functional knowledge.

 

Hence, by the end of year 1968 a Six Months’ Functional Literacy Programme was evolved covering twelve fortnightly units. The course of study under this programme was divided into two parts. Part one dealt with Basic Course in Literacy Skills and the duration devoted for this was two and half months with two hours a day. Part two dealt with Functional Literacy Course and the duration devoted for this part was three and half months with two hours per day. In September 1970 ten adult literacy classes12 with a total enrollment of 255 adult learners were started to test the efficiency of the Six Months’ Functional Literacy Programme. It was found that the six months period under the prevailing ground situation was quite inadequate and suggested that instead of six month the syllabus under Naya Severa method should be designed for a period of nine to ten months so that desired result can be obtained.

 

Summary

 

Invention of Naya Savera method was an important contribution of Literacy House towards fulfilling its prime objective of eradicating illiteracy from the society. In a way it laid the foundation of one of the most effective teaching techniques under the broader framework of Andragogy popularly known as Improve Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL) Method which was operational in the most important Total Literacy Campaign of National Literacy Mission and successfully magnified the outcomes.

 

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References

  • Ahmed Mushtaq. 1962. ‘Preface to the Naya Savera Praveshika (old) Chairmen, Committee on Teaching Materials, Literacy House, December 20
  • Ahmed Mushtaq. 1963. “Naya Savera Schools – An Experiment in Functional Literacy”. Indian Journal of Adult Education, Vol. XXIV, No.8, August. pp. 11-12.
  • Shankar R. 1972. An Experiment in Functional Literacy Teaching through Naya Savera Method, Literacy House, July, pp 1.
  • Shankar, Ram. A comparative Study of the Two Adult Literacy Primers. A Literacy House Publication, p.no.2.
  • Shankar, Ram. A comparative Study of the Two Adult Literacy Primers. A Literacy House Publication, p.no.2, para 4.
  • Shankar, Ram. A comparative Study of the Two Adult Literacy Primers. A Literacy House Publication, p.no.2.
  • Shankar, Ram. A comparative Study of the Two Adult Literacy Primers. A Literacy House Publication, p.no.3.
  • Ahmed, ‘Preface to the Naya Savera Praveshika(old)
  • Shankar, Ram. 1972. An Experiment in Functional Literacy Teaching through Naya Savera Method. Literacy House, July, pp 3.
  • Shankar, Ram. 1972. An Experiment in Functional Literacy Teaching through Naya Savera Method. Literacy House, July, pp 22.