that students were encouraged to make appropriate
connections between the various subjects on the timetable.
The next section describes an outdoor activity for a group
of students (7+) in a со-educational school in Maharashtra.
2.1.3. A nature-study ramble: Students (7+) in a co-
educational school in Maharashtra
The nature study ramble was conducted on a wet, monsoon
morning. The students showed an eagerness to participate
in the lesson. Although, the medium of instruction was
English, they enjoyed discussing their "finds" with one
another in Hindi, Marathi and English. See Appendix 3 for
a photograph of this nature-study ramble.
The main idea being pursued here is, that the ramble
created an informal learning environment for Indian
languages. Students found out the names of plants and
flowers in English, Hindi and Marathi because they were
handling these plants and flowers. The questions were
natural and the answers were given in a natural environment
which encouraged learning.
The students were not studying an Indian language, they
were too engrossed in getting information for themselves.
Learning English, Hindi and Marathi was incidental to
discussing roots, flowers, leaves and trees. The discovery
of knowledge made this an exciting lesson. The monsoon
weather did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of this group
of seven year olds.
The next section discusses the observation of a debating
competition for students (16+) in a co-educational school
in Maharashtra.
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