ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE : MODERN METHODS 275
consciousness and the feeling of individual responsibility towards the group.” Group
discussions became very common. Various devices and aids of teaching supplemented
textbook. The pupil’s personality developed in a natural way under such conditions.
Incentive was provided for exercising initiative, originality and independent thinking.
Group thinking was developed. The classroom becomes a unit of dynamic group life
in an atmosphere of freedom and spontaneity.- Committee Meeting. Varying from a simple informal organization to a complex
parliamentary one informal Socialized Recitation may assume any form. It may be
a sort of committee meeting in which the members decide on an agenda freely
express their ideas willingly share their information and arrive at some definite
conclusions about a certain issue or problem. - It may be a form of socialized group discussion in which members of the group elect
their own chairman to guide the discussion. - It may have a president, a secretary and to the reflected officials to carry on the
discussion in a parliamentary procedure. However, no procedure can be used exactly
the same for all teachers as both teachers and classes have different characteristics.
A wise teacher should evaluate these forms and use them in building up a technique
of his own.
General Plan of socialized procedure. In a general plan of socialized procedure used
with success in many schools the lesson or topic is divided into four or five parts and the
classes also divided into four or five groups. Each group of students is assigned one part of
the lesson under its chosen student leader. Each group plans its own work and executes it
according to its own plan. The teacher approves planning though he does not dictate. Questions
are asked, comments are offered and discussions are held freely and frankly in groups. The
members of the group may discuss any point that is not clear to them. After the group has
completed the discussion, the leader offers additional information that he thinks essential.
Members of the groups place there, observations and conclusions before the whole class.
Then the teacher offers his own remarks if he feels that certain points have not been
touched upon by the pupils or if define conclusions have not been reached. The leadership
should be changed from lesson to lesson to provide equal opportunities to all pupils. This
creates confidence in even intellectually backward students.
Role of the teacher in Socialized Recitation
The success of socialized recitation depends upon the role of the teacher. He sets the
stage, gives the promptings as and when necessary and then sums up the conclusions or
generalizations, arrived at. Socialized Recitation succeeds due to the careful planning and
judicious guidance of the teacher who no longer dominates the scene but acts simply a
member of the group. He retains control of the class as a guide, a leader, an adviser and
a helper rather than a traditional master.
Limitation of Socialized Recitation
- Proper attitudes skills and ideals. As important classroom procedures Socialized
Recitation develops proper attitudes, skills and ideals. As the aims of education-are
constantly changing today attitudes and ideals are emphasized more than mere
knowledge in Environmental Science in _which the development of right attitudes
is the major aim of teaching.