Odisha govt asks teachers to incorporate TLMs in classes

Classrooms in schools in Odisha's Ganjam district would soon turn into "speaking classes" with the government seeking wider use of teaching aids.

Ganjam district Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange has instructed all headmasters and headmistresses of the schools to incorporate teaching-learning materials (TLMs) in the lessons as much as possible.

"Any teacher found teaching without TLMs will be treated as neglecting his/her duty," the collector, who has sent letters to the teachers, said.

"TLMs besides imparting lessons, plays a key role in students undertaking conceptual matters. In most schools, TLMs are missing and students simply learn from textbooks," he said.

With no learning sites other than textbooks, the students find class rooms boring, he said.

"This kind of teaching is not effective at all," said the collector.

TLMs are necessary to improve school education, said District Education Officer (DEO) Sanatan Panda.

"Elementary school teachers get Rs 500 per year as grant for use of TLMs from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan," he said.

The DEO said he had instructed all teachers from Class 1 to 10 to use TLMs and convert the classrooms into speaking classes.

"Teachers may use materials like different kinds of charts, ready-made TLMs available in the market and those developed with participation of students," said, adding that every teacher should maintain a list of the TLMs developed or procured with the TLM grant allotted under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Classrooms should be filled with various learning sites so that students can learn something wherever they look, the officials said.

Kulange also asked the teachers to use maps in the classrooms as much as possible.