Hoop rolling, a game very prevalent among the young kids in rural Odisha, became the base for our language learning activities and also as a method to create an environment for further active learning.
The activity to roll the tyre, while giving attention to the letters and at the same time making the required turn at the chosen letters requires an active brain. The urge to master this game is so natural and irresistible like the urge to learn to balance a bicycle. This impulse also brings in a desire to master the language which will later give an advantage in the game. Besides, we never know what else other than language, the kid is developing and learning, but I guess it is safe to say that all are positive learning.
The early phase of language learning requires a lot of memorizing and practice, so such activities make the repetition fun and delightful. The rules of the game will keep the learning a necessary element of the activity so that it shouldn’t be all about just hoop rolling or even all about language only in the end. And rules ain’t bad, even the universe has got some rigid rules:-).
Do share your views. Thank you.
– Siddharth Mishra, Learning Catalyst at Klorofeel Foundation
