#68, Research Article: ‘Training Students in Soft Skills for the Liberalization, Privatization & Globalization Era’ by Dr. Richa Tewari

** This paper is submitted by Dr. Richa Tewari, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Professional Communication, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur – India.

Abstract

Ever-increasing global competition and the varying nature of most technical professions have made soft skills more than simply a prerequisite. To employers, technical professionals must not only master their technical disciplines, but also chip in as full participants in accomplishing the mission of the organization. In this paper, the ultimate significance of soft skills for technical professionals in the LPG (liberalization, privatization and globalization) era has been elicited. Remedial approaches to training as well as polishing soft skills have also been the focal point of the paper.

In many technical professions, the sheer focus of education and training is on technical topics related to a career or discipline. Students are generally engrossed to master various mathematics skills, science skills and technical skills directly related to the specific disciplines they are planning to enter. Though this learning is essential to their success yet the fast-paced and global marketplace of today is demanding more.

Technical professionals in various disciplines such as information technology, engineering, architecture, and research and development are required to broaden their hard skills to enslave soft skills. “Soft skills” is a sociological term relating to a person’s “EQ” (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities.” (Wikipedia)

Basic interpersonal skills such as self-awareness, social awareness, relationship management, conflict management, diversity management, leadership and teamwork, empowering others, emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, change management and team problem solving are outstanding complements to soft skills. The more soft skills training can be incorporated directly into technical training programs, the more successful technical professionals will be in the increasingly challenging LPG era. (more…)

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#67, Article: ‘Classroom Management at Tertiary Level: Handling Pair and Group Works’ by Dr Sujata Rana

Classroom Management at Tertiary Level: Handling Pair and Group Works

by Dr Sujata Rana, Associate Professor, Department of English, CRM Jat College,Hisar (India) Email: sujju69rana@yahoo.co.in

Introduction

Classroom management implies an ability to deliver all the items that the teacher has planned effectively and systematically, without any deviation from the goal, but at the same time, leaving some scope for flexibility. The conventional ‘lecturing’ mode of managing the class has lost its importance in the changed scenario of ELT as it leaves little scope for students’ interactive sessions. The new pedagogy calls for students’ involvement in interactive learning activities by pair work and group work, which makes learning enjoyable and rewarding. Working in pairs or small groups means that more students have more opportunity to talk more as they need space and opportunity to be who they are.  In pair work, two students sitting next to each other ‘do’ something together which could range from discussing the answer to a comprehension question to working on a complex and well-structured task. Similarly, when the activity at some stage in the lesson calls for discussion or active collaboration among a group of students, a number of such groups are formed and each given a relevant task to work on.  The college students or those getting education at tertiary level are at the age of discovering their relationships with others and the world around them. Therefore, pair and group work help them to interact with different classmates in a less, stressful, collaborative atmosphere.  Thus, it is aimed at promoting interaction among learners, and hence enhancing their communicative efficiency.

This paper aims at exploring the wonderful role of the teacher as the classroom manager in an EFL class.  It will elaborate the objectives of classroom management and throw light on how to manage the English language class at tertiary level with pair and group work, how to form pairs and groups and how to organize and monitor them.  The paper is also intended to investigate the advantages of pair/group work and various problems/challenges faced by the teacher in supervising it and attempts to find modest solutions to them for achieving reasonable, if not complete, success.

Objectives of Classroom Management

The classroom management at tertiary level is aimed at :

a)      organizing pair work and group work in the language class,

b)      tapping the advantages and removing the problems of both pair work and group work,

c)      exploring the value of groups with a mix of abilities and cultural backgrounds, and

d)      taking the challenges faced by the teacher with the activity-oriented and learner- centred curriculum. (more…)

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