Participatory Learning Methods

H 

A N D B O O K 

Non-formal Adult 

Education Facilitators 

MODULE FOUR 

Participatory 

Learning

Overview 

The previous modules discussed how to prepare for an effective literacy 

programme by identifying community and learner needs, and by making good 

lesson plans. In this module, we will explore how teaching and learning can 

take place effectively with the active participation of learners. 

First, we discuss what learning is: 

Section 1: 

Section 2: 

How do we learn3 

What environment can we create for better learning5 

Then we look at participatory learning: 

Section 3: 

Section 4: 

Section 5: 

What is participatory learning10 

How can we present information to learners12 

How can we use learnersû experiences and expectations14 

Finally, we survey a variety of participatory learning methods: 

Section 6: 

How can we encourage learners to share their opinions 

(group discussions) 18 

Section 7: How can we generate new ideas (brainstorming) 21 

Section 8: How can we make decisions (workshops) 23 

Section 9: How can we learn through experience (role play) 26 

Section 10: How can we make learning enjoyable (games) 29 

Section 11: How can we use life experiences outside the centre36 

We may have to adapt these methods because the situation of our learning 

centre may be different from others. We will see how these methods can be 

modified to suit our own situation. 

2

4PARTICIPATORY LEARNING 

Section 1 : How do we learn 

A good place to start is to ask ourselves the question: how do we learn 

Let us think about how we ourselves learn better. 

Exercise: How do we learn 

1. Please complete the following sentences based on your own learning experience. 

ë I learn fast when 

ë I learn slowly when 

ë I learn well from someone who 

ë I enjoy learning when 

2. Ask other people the same questions. 

What do we learn 

The purpose of this exercise is to see ourselves as learners before discussing 

how to help learners learn. 

This exercise reminds us that everybody has his or her own learning habits. 

Some people learn fast with books and others learn better from friends or TV 

programmes. You may enjoy learning through group work and your friends 

may prefer learning through real demonstrations. When you compare your 

experience with others, you find that different people have different learning 

habits. 

Each of our learners is different. We have to keep this in mind and develop 

flexible teaching-learning methods. There is no single best way. We facilitators 

need to find the best ones for our own centre. 

HANDBOOK FOR NON-FORMAL ADULT EDUCATION FACILITATORS 

3

What can we do 

If each learner has a different learning style, then how can we facilitate the 

learning of all these people at the centre In this module, we try to find 

effective ways to respond to the different needs of each learner through the 

active participation of all learners. 

Specifically, we have to consider the following: 

Understanding the learners: The work of facilitators is very close to the life 

of the community and its people. In Module 1 we saw the various ways to 

understand the community and its environment. In addition, the exercises in 

Module 2 helped us to determine the needs of learners. 

The setting for learning: Before starting the teaching-learning sessions, 

we ought to look around to see whether our centre is a comfortable place 

for learners to come. Section 2 of this module addresses this problem. 

Active learning: If we just stand up in front of people and give them 

information, we donût know whether they are interested in or have understood 

what we said. Learners have to actively participate in order to satisfy their 

learning needs. In Module 5, we introduce you to various teaching aids that 

you can use to encourage learner participation. 

Activity 

Based on your own learning experiences and also your experiences as a 

facilitator, what do you think about the ideas in this section How can you 

use some of them in your work 

4


Section 2 : What environment can we 

create for better learning 

Let us take a look at our learning centre. In view of the discussion in the 

previous section, let us think about what would be a good environment 

where learners could learn. 

Physical environment - facilities 

Exercise 

Please draw a sketch of your literacy class setting - doorway(s), windows, 

desks, chairs, blackboard, etc. 

We can think about a good environment in two ways: 

One is the physical environment including the building that houses the learning 

centre and facilities in the classroom. We can ask the following questions: 

ë Do learners have places to sit 

ë Is there enough light 

ë Is the place warm or cool enough 

ë Is water available 

ë Is the learning place interesting to look at, with some photos and charts on 

the wall 

ë Is there too much noise from outside 

ë Are there toilets 


5

If you have learners with disabilities, some parts of the environment may need 

to be adjusted to meet their needs. For example, facilitators can make sure that: 

ë People with low vision and hearing difficulties sit in the front so that they 

can see and hear better. 

ë People with physical disabilities have ramp access to buildings and have more 

space for using the toilet. (Assistance from the community will be required.) 

Psychological environment - do you feel comfortable 

Exercise: In what atmosphere do you feel 

comfortable enough to participate and exchange 

experiences with others in a group 

Second, we need to consider the psychological environment. In other words, 

adult learners need to feel comfortable in their minds when they learn. 

The following statements may be common to many of us: 

ë I feel relaxed in class, not threatened by anything. 

ë The facilitator and the other learners listen to me. 

ë Other people respect my ideas. 

ë I can express my opinions freely. 

In order to make the situation relaxed and friendly, we may play some games. 

We call them çice breakersé or çenergizers.é Some examples are given below. 

More games are introduced in Section 10 of this module. 

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Energizer - PIC PAC BOOM 

1. Divide the participants into three groups. 

2. Name the first group PIC, the second group PAC and the third group BOOM. 

3. Ask them to call out their group name when you point to them. Start slowly 

but as the groups get familiar with the game, try to confuse them by speeding 

up (your pointing) or by facing one group while pointing at another group. 

4. The first group to commit five mistakes (answering when not being called, not 

answering together as a group) may be asked to sing or be given an assignment. 

Energizer - NAME GAME 

1. Ask the participants to form a circle. 

2. Ask them to think of an adjective that starts with the first letter of their name. 

They will introduce themselves by saying that adjective and their name (e.g., 

Modest Mila). 

3. The facilitator may start the game by introducing herself. She may say, 

çHello, everyone, welcome to the workshop, I am Modest Mila.é 

4. The participant on her right introduces himself next. After the introduction, 

he adds the name of the facilitator (e.g., Cheerful Chai, Modest Mila). 

5. The third participant will introduce himself and will add the names of Chai 

and Mila (Thoughtful Tashi, Cheerful Chai and Modest Mila). 

Continue until all participants have introduced themselves and have learned 

the names of the participants. 


7

Helping each other 

Learners with various disabilities often do not have enough confidence for 

learning. We can encourage them to learn but not by paying too much 

attention to what they cannot do. Instead, we need to see what they can do 

in the literacy class. 

One effective approach is to organize small groups of learners and ask the 

learners to help each other. We can encourage fast learners to help others. 

If someone is blind, then one of the group members can read the books to 

him or her. This peer learning is meaningful not only for those who receive 

assistance but also for those who help others. We often learn during the 

process of explaining things to others. 

A facilitator and learners create their own learning environment. Our positive 

attitude will result in a good environment for our centre. 

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Activity 

In this section, we discussed physical and psychological environments. 

What are some other requirements for a better learning environment 

Now we are ready to look into the principles of participatory learning as an 

effective approach to both teaching and learning. 


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Section 3 : What is participatory 

learning 

Tashi attended a training course on 

integrated pest management. There 

were many lectures given in a 

classroom where the learners sat in 

their seats and just listened. There 

was a lot of information and he 

had to listen very carefully. He had 

wanted to ask some questions and 

tell the group and the teachers 

about some of his experiences. He 

wanted to share some of his ideas, 

but he did not have the opportunity 

to do so. The training course 

reminded him of when he was in 

school. He did not enjoy it and 

wondered: Is there a better way for 

me to learn 

Tashi attended another training 

course on the new rice planting 

techniques promoted by the 

Department of Agriculture. The course 

started with short discussions about 

the expectations of the participants. 

The first part of the training consisted 

of a series of short presentations 

followed by questions and answers. 

The second part consisted of 

demonstrations in the field and small 

group discussions to explore how the 

participants could adapt the new 

knowledge for their own work. The 

facilitator asked some questions from 

time to time to help the group think 

of things that they might have missed. 

At the end of the training, each group 

presented feedback from the 

demonstrations and individual plans 

on their future work using what they 

had learnt during training. 

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What can we learn from Tashi 

Tashi did not enjoy the first course because the teachers did all of the talking 

and learners just sat and listened. In other words, it was teacher-centred 

learning. 

Tashi was more pleased with the second course because he was actively 

engaged in his learning. The facilitator encouraged him and the other 

learners to participate and do things. We call this participatory learning. 

In participatory learning, we can negotiate many aspects of what and how 

we learn. These might include the objectives, knowledge, skills and attitudes, 

or the teaching-learning methods we want to use, or how we might assess 

whether we have learnt anything. 

In traditional teaching in schools, the teacher often directly instructs the 

children and has complete control over the learning process. In adult 

non-formal education, this traditional approach is not always appropriate. 

So learning is not just about a teacher giving information. Learning is an active 

process where a learner goes through an experience and learns from it. There 

are many ways that we can think of to involve learners in their learning. 

Activity 

Are your learners active participants in learning Think about how they 

participate at the centre, and write and, more than, or less than in the box. 

(1) My learners listen to the facilitator [ ] to other learners. 

(2) My learners answer questions [ ] they express their opinions. 

(3) My learners direct questions to me [ ] to other learners. 

(4) My learners write to do an exercise [ ] to apply their learning. 

(5) My learners take notes [ ] they read materials. 


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Section 4 : How can we present 

information to learners 

In the previous section, we encouraged more participatory learning instead of 

lectures. However, there are many times when we have to present information 

to our learners. For example: 

ë to give instructions 

ë to give advice or suggestions 

ë to summarize 

ë to explain something 

ë to demonstrate something 

Even in such cases, we have to think about using a participatory approach. 

The problem that we often have is how to give people information and not 

have them become bored, as was the case with Tashi in learning about 

integrated pest management. Well, here are some tips. We have to: 

ë Take time to plan what we want to say. 

ë Not talk too long. Most people can only listen closely for about 15 minutes. 

If we need to talk longer, we may interrupt our talk and ask questions or 

ask our learners to make comments. 

ë Write down the key points on the blackboard or chart so that the learners 

can follow the talk. 

ë Think of an interesting way to say what we want to say. Sometimes a story 

is good to introduce an idea. Jokes may be useful to attract learners and 

help them to remember better. 

ë Make sure we use language that is appropriate for the group - communicate 

clearly, simply and loudly. 

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Equipment 

In order to make the presentation effective, we can also consider the use of 

audio-visuals for our class. There are different kinds of machines we can use: 

ë Overhead projector 

ë Slide projector 

ë Video and TV 

ë LCD projector 

Activity 

Can you think of some other ways to make presentations interesting and 

effective 

ë 

ë 

ë 


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Section 5 : How can we use 

learnersû experiences 

and expectations 

(1) Tashiûs first experience: learners have skills of their own 

Tashi, the facilitator of a learning 

centre, realized that one of the 

learners, Chai, is an excellent 

carpenter. Tashi asked Chai to share 

his experiences with the other 

learners. Chai developed a lesson 

plan with Tashiûs help to indicate what 

he should present to the learners. 

On the day of the session, Chai 

presented a lesson on how to make 

a wooden table, using a flip chart, his 

own tools and the sample table he 

made. Afterward, there were questions 

and answers as well as demonstrations 

of ways to use tools. The other 

learners took notes so they would be 

able to build tables themselves. Next 

month, Siti will share her knowledge 

on ways to cook nutritious food. 

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What can we learn from this 

We can use our learnersû everyday experiences and skills. As adults, we all have 

had many different experiences in life. Some of these experiences are based 

on past learning. Some are based on everyday community life and working. 

Every adult has a rich fund of experience that can be used to help learning. 

We can use the experience and skills of some learners to help everyone learn. 

When we facilitate learning, we need to find out what existing knowledge our 

learners have so that we can encourage them to share this with others. We can 

get our learners to express their opinions and allow others to comment on them. 

(2) Tashiûs second experience: learners know what they 

want to learn 

Tashi also held a discussion with 

the group of farmers in his literacy 

programme. He was trying to identify 

what their interests and needs were. 

He discovered that many were 

interested in learning how to read the 

technical materials produced by the 

Department of Agriculture on better 

ways to grow rice. Tashi then went 

and collected some of these materials 

and used them in his programme. He 

also asked some of the agricultural 

experts to come and talk to his 

learners. Following the talks, Tashi 

encouraged the learners to keep in 

contact with these people. 


We learn more quickly if we see the relevance of what we are doing and the 

benefit it has to the rest of our lives. As we saw in Module 3, we can make 

things relevant by using local issues and information. When we know our 

learners and what they want, it is also easier to make activities relevant to them. 

Often the things that our learners want to learn will be linked to improving 

the quality of their lives. It could be such things as better sanitation and health, 

or something that will help them make more money. We can contact with other 

people to help our learners learn things outside our programme. This is one 

way to help our learners take charge of their learning. 


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Exercise: Discuss with your learners what issues / 

activities they are interested in learning more about: 

ë Sanitation 

ë Birth control 

ë Wood carving 

ë Farming techniques 

ë 

ë 

ë 

(3) Tashiûs third experience: we learn for awareness and 

empowerment 

Tashi was concerned about what 

his learners were thinking and what 

they had learnt. He hoped that they 

could use any new knowledge to 

change their lives and the lives of 

the community they lived in. He 

encouraged discussion in his class 

about social issues that they faced. 

The learners were very interested in 

these discussions and would often 

continue them after class. 


We can help people think and question what they are learning and what is 

happening around them. As learners ourselves we sometimes need to think 

back over what has happened. When we reflect on our activities we can see if 

we need or are able to change the present situation. Learning can be stronger 

for our learners when we encourage them to think about things for themselves 

rather than just accept what others say. This means that we can encourage 

our learners to raise their own ideas and make suggestions during the learning 

experience. 

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Activity 

1. To identify areas of learning, ask learners to write down their names and 

areas in which they are strong or can share their knowledge and skills. 

On another paper, ask them to write down the knowledge and skills they 

want to learn. Use the information collected for discussion with learners. 

2. We discussed in this section effective participatory learning through using 

learnersû experiences and needs, which may lead to social awareness and 

empowerment in the long run. Have you ever had similar experiences 


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Section 6 : How can we encourage 

learners to share their 

opinions (group discussion) 

Sitiûs village 

Family planning is a big issue in Sitiûs 

village. The conventional idea that 

çthe more children you have, the more 

happiness and good fortune you have,é 

is still a very important belief for many 

people. When family planning is 

encouraged in the village, many 

people are against it, although some 

are in favour of the idea. Siti, the 

facilitator, proposes a discussion of 

the topic in her class. There is heated 

debate among people having 

different views. Siti initiates the 

discussion but does not lead it in 

any particular way. She wants to give 

everyone in her group a chance to 

discuss the topic and express their 

views. 

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What can we learn from Siti 

Siti knows that group discussion is a useful participatory learning method. 

Group discussion gets people interacting and sharing ideas in a structured way. 

When we join a group discussion we learn to agree, disagree and have mutual 

respect for each other. Group discussion empowers us to learn different 

viewpoints on a particular issue or the çother sideé of a story. It provides an 

opportunity to hear everyoneûs ideas and to move on to concrete actions. 

Steps for a group discussion: 

1. State the reasons for and the goals of the discussion beforehand. 

2. Talk in an informal way and ask about the concerns learners have so that 

they can help choose a topic (family planning is one example). 

3. Select a moderator to start the discussion. 

4. Encourage group members to present the pros and cons of the topic. 

Everyone should have a chance to speak and share ideas. 

5. Gather information and analyze. Have someone take notes on the 

blackboard. 

We have to know that group discussion is not just people chatting. It is useful 

to set up ground rules for group discussion such as these: 

ë We listen to each other. 

ë We respect other peopleûs ideas. 

ë We do not hurt or insult each other. 

ë We speak briefly, clearly and precisely. 

Before starting the group discussion, we may ask our learners what kind of 

rules we should apply to make the discussion effective. The main role of the 

moderator or chairperson is to maintain the rules agreed upon by participants. 

We need to remind the chairperson not to talk too much but to listen and 

facilitate communication among the participants. 

Also, it is important to prepare adequate seating arrangements. If a board or 

flip chart is used, everybody needs to be able to see the writing clearly. 


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When there are too many people to organize as one group, learners can be 

divided into several small groups. The outcomes of each group discussion can 

then be shared with other groups. These small group discussions can be held 

inside or outside of the learning centre where people feel comfortable. 

Activity 

Have a group discussion on activities learners want to do together to celebrate 

International Literacy Day (8 September) or other events. 

Have you ever had group discussions to develop ideas for the activities of 

your centre How did they go What did you learn from this section 

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Section 7 : How can we generate new 

ideas (brainstorming) 

Mohan was a facilitator. He was 

running a learning centre for the adult 

males in the community. At some 

point, he observed that participants 

were not actively participating in the 

sessions. To overcome the situation, 

he planned a session on çHow can 

we work together to improve the 

learning climate of our centreé To 

get the people involved in the 

session and to generate ideas from 

everybody, he applied a new method, 

brainstorming. He had learnt this 

method during his basic training. 

Mohan shared his concerns with 

learners and they agreed to come 

up with some ideas to improve the 

learning climate of the centre. After 

several minutes of individual thinking, 

learners shared their opinions 

without any comments or reaction. In 

10-15 minutes they came up with a 

lot of interesting and useful ideas. 

Mohan also stimulated the learners 

by providing them with suggestions 

and advice. 

After generating all the ideas, as the 

second part of the brainstorming 

exercise learners discussed each 

idea and put it into a category. The 

exercise created a momentum of its 

own and the learners became very 

enthusiastic about their participation 

in the centreûs activities. 

What can we learn from Mohan and this exercise 

The brainstorming technique is a way to generate ideas. It allows the learners 

to work together to build up a collection of ideas that they can use to help 

solve problems later. This approach is very useful particularly when we need 

new and innovative ideas. 


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Brainstorming requires some organization and rules. Our learners need to 

understand the process for it to work. There are two phases: 

ë The first phase is the time for generating as many ideas as possible. Ideas 

can be written on pieces of paper and put on a board or written down 

directly on a chart or blackboard. No comments or criticism are allowed 

during this phase. Facilitators need to be strict with this rule or else people 

cannot generate ideas freely. 

ë A second phase allows the group to evaluate the ideas generated during 

the first phase. Group members can do this by first putting similar ideas into 

categories and then giving each category a priority (which ideas are most 

important, next most important, etc.). 

Steps for a brainstorming session: 

ë Identify the issue(s) with the learners. 

ë Write the issue(s) on the board and explain. 

ë Ask learners to think about the issue(s) for a few minutes. 

ë Invite quick ideas on the issue(s) without elaboration. 

ë Ask learners not to interrupt or argue. 

ë Assign someone to write down ideas on the board. 

ë Stop brainstorming at some point and ask learners to clarify each idea. 

ë Put ideas into categories and prioritize. 

ë Discuss and underline the ideas agreed upon. 

Activity 

Is the brainstorming method easy to facilitate What cautions should be taken 

in using this method 

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Section 8 : How can we make 

decisions (workshops) 

A workshop organized by Chai 

It is time for the villagers to plant 

rice. Last year in their literacy class 

some of them learnt new techniques 

of growing rice. Their yields were 

greater than those of the others 

using the old ways. Chai, the 

facilitator, proposed to organize a 

workshop to look at whether farmers 

in the village should use the new 

techniques and, if so, what actions 

the village could take as a whole. 

During the workshop discussions, 

some people were inclined to think 

that the old way was easy and 

reliable. Both sides came up with 

real-life examples of the advantages 

and disadvantages for old and new 

techniques. One of the village 

leaders in the class facilitated the 

discussion and another learner 

noted down the key points on some 

chart paper. 

After the discussion sessions, villagers 

reached a consensus and developed 

a plan of action to implement the new 

techniques. As a start, they decided 

that the centre would invite an 

agriculture expert to come the 

following week for training and 

demonstration. 


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What can we learn from this method 

When we organize a workshop like the one above, we can expect open and 

honest discussion ending in agreement and a plan for action. When we hold a 

workshop on an issue, problem or activity, we are aiming to use the collective 

wisdom of the group to provide us with ideas and plans. In this way, we can 

move ahead and deal with our issues. During a workshop discussion, villagers 

can decide what kind of things they need. Decision-making and planning are 

inevitable outcomes for a workshop. 

A workshop is different from a mere group discussion. A workshop must end 

with a resolution, a decision or an agreement for action. Everyone can have a 

chance to talk, although it is better to let people make brief statements rather 

than long speeches. 

Steps for organizing a workshop 

ë Have a good topic for discussion. It is best if the topic is something that 

needs çfixingé or changing, such as bad roads or a dirty water supply, 

for example. 

ë Organize your workshop in a suitable place. Your learners need to be able 

to hear each other and feel comfortable. 

ë Have a workshop facilitator. We can do this or one of the learners can. 

The facilitator needs to keep the discussion going and keep it fair. We may 

want the participants to work in smaller groups who will bring their 

information back to share with the larger group. 

ë Record key decisions on large pieces of paper so that all can see. 

ë If possible, come up with a plan for future actions. 

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Activity 

Some topics for workshops can include: 

ë a new programme for the learning centre 

ë a plan of action for improving water sanitation 

ë a list of actions to increase villager participation in elections 

Can you think of other topics 

Follow-up activities to the workshop can include: 

ë Discussing the key words that were used in the workshop 

ë Writing a report 

ë Giving a presentation on the topic and workshop decisions to other literacy 

groups 

ë Making field visits 

Can you add more to the list 


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Section 9 : How can we learn through 

experience (role play) 

Using real-life stories 

Some families in Sitiûs village had 

husbands with drinking problems. 

There were several posters and 

booklets on alcoholism and she used 

this subject for a class several times. 

However, learners did not seem very 

interested. Siti tried to come up with 

a new teaching method that she 

learned during the last in-service 

training. çUsing the problems caused 

by an alcoholic husband as the story 

line, Iûll let the learners put on a short 

play,é she said to herself. 

She asked some learners to play the 

roles of husband, wife, child, doctor 

and shopkeeper. They prepared a 

story to convey messages of the 

dangers of alcohol and its threat to 

health, economy and the family. First, 

they performed the play in class for 

the learners, then it was open to the 

villagers. Not only the actors but also 

the villagers in the audience enjoyed 

the performance. 

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What can we learn from this approach 

Role play, drama and story-telling are often a preferred choice for learners. 

Role play can add a new dimension to your programme. Acting out problems 

that have come up during discussion makes them more vivid and meaningful 

for everyone. We can also build up the confidence of the participants. 

If a performance is really successful, we could take it on tour or write a 

script for other groups to share. Art is from the people and for the people. 

The learning process through role play is enjoyable and learner-centred. 

It may take time for the participants to build up their confidence in 

dramatizing themselves or events. Good planning and good preparation are 

essential. 

Role plays help us to experience an issue directly. We can then use the 

experience of the role play to write about how we feel. Or we can draw 

pictures of some of the actions in the role play and put words to describe 

them alongside. 

Steps to follow for a role play: 

ë Choose the subject matter and outline a basic plot. 

ë Select the actors. Do a small role play first. Later it can evolve into a long 

drama in the form of a series, in which the same characters reappear, 

more join in, and more issues are covered. 

ë Prepare flash cards of proverbs or sayings that the actors can use at any 

time. 

ë Encourage the actors to make up their own spontaneous dialogue to suit 

the story line and plot. 

ë Arrange some time after the role play to discuss the experience. 


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Activity 

There are many topics that we could use for role playing. For example, 

an election of officials, or an incident in the village. 

Can you add other examples from your village that you could use for role 

plays 

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Section 10 : How can we make 

learning enjoyable (games) 

Sometimes people think that games are just for children. However, games can be 

fun and an opportunity for adults to learn too. Learning should be useful and it 

can be enjoyable. Some of the games can be used as çice breakersé or çenergizersé 

to make the class relaxed and friendly. Let us start with the simple ones: 

1. A word game: Pick a long word, which is largely made up of syllables 

already covered in previous lessons, and write the word on the blackboard. 

Give the participants a time limit of 5-10 minutes, and ask them to write down 

as many words as possible, using only the letters of the word on the board. 

At the end of the time period, participants can read out the words they have 

and state the total number of words. 

2. Sentence Soup: (suitable for participants after the first two or three months 

of the literacy course; skills: reading, writing, addition) 

Divide the class into teams. Place the word cards covered so far in the course 

on the ground (including small linking words). The teams make sentences 

using the word cards. One team member starts the sentence with the first 

word, the others follow in turn until the sentence is finished. One word in the 

sentence earns five points if the sentence is correct. If the sentence is partially 

incorrect, each wrong word loses five points. If the whole sentence does not 

make sense, it loses fifty points. If the sentence is an incomplete sentence, 

it loses twenty-five points. After each sentence is made, put the word cards 

back for others to use again. 


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3. True or False: (suitable after two or three months; skill: reading) 

Write several statements on large pieces of paper, making them either true 

or false. For example: snakes eat mice, birds eat worms, not seeds; sunrise in 

the morning, sunset in the east; fresh water is salty... 

Show these statements to the class very quickly (speed reading) and ask the 

participants to decide T (True) or F (False). 

4. Communication Circles: (suitable for later stages; skill: writing) 

Ask all the participants to write down their names on small pieces of paper. 

Put all the pieces together and ask participants to pick out one name at 

random. If they pick out their own name, then they should swap the paper with 

someone else. 

For the following two or three weeks every participant writes short letters or 

messages to the participant whose name they picked out. The facilitator acts 

as a message-bearer, distributing this secret mail among the members of the 

circle. At the end of the period, the participants say whom they have been 

writing to, and then letters are displayed on the wall to compare. 

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5. Discoveries 

1. Distribute a copy of the Discoveries Sheet (see below) to each participant. 

2. Instruct them to move around and try to find a participant who can answer 

one of the questions. That personûs name should be recorded on the sheet 

along with the answer to the question. Each participantûs name may be 

used only once, to encourage participants to speak to as many others as 

possible. 

3. Continue the activity until each one has found answers to all questions. 

4. At the end of the activity, encourage each participant to say something 

about one thing that he or she discovered about a colleague that was a 

surprise. 

Discoveries Sheet (should be on a separate sheet of paper) 

Find someone who 

a. has a favourite story or book. ( write name of participant here) 

What is the title of the story or book 

b. has an interesting or unusual hobby. 

What is it 

c. has recently learned something new. 

What is it 

d. did something recently that he or she is proud of. 

What is it 

e. has a five-year old child. 

What is the name of the child 

f. knows some words in a language different from his/her own language. 

What is the language 

g. helped someone recently. 

How 

h. has gone to three other countries in the last three years. 

What countries 

i. can cook his/her favourite dish 

What is it called 

j. has the same favourite colour as you do. 

What is it 


31

The following two games need more time to prepare: 

6. Cotton Blowing:- We can use this game to build teamwork, to encourage 

planning, and to stimulate learners to be analytical. 

Steps to play this game: 

ë Divide the learners into four groups (about five members to each group). 

ë Give each team a small ball of cotton. The cotton balls should more or less 

be of the same size and weight. 

ë Let each team identify an observer who will watch and record how the 

group played. The observer will not join in the game. He or she should take 

note of the factors that contributed to the success or failure of the team 

(e.g., a clear role for each team member). 

ë Give the following instructions: 

ÿ The idea of the game is to keep the cotton afloat. 

ÿ Each team has five minutes to talk among themselves about how they 

might keep the cotton afloat in the air. 

ÿ They will all start the game at the same time. They will be given five minutes 

to play the game. 

ÿ Whoever keeps the cotton afloat the longest is the winner. 

ÿ Several rounds can be played. 

Ask the observers to share their observations. 

Afterward, you can ask learners the following questions: 

How did you feel playing the game 

How were you able to keep the cotton afloat 

Why do you think you were not able to keep it afloat 

32


7. Dress Me Up. We can use this game as a reading exercise or as an 

exercise to manage time wisely, to practice quick thinking, and to get views of 

learners on gender roles and stereotyping. 

Before the session, the facilitator should prepare the following materials: 

ë A set of cards, with one card for each of the following words: barber, 

doctor, farmer, tailor, teacher, nurse, student 

ë Clothes (for both women and men, e.g. pants, shirt, scarf, necktie), umbrella, 

books, eyeglasses, implements used by barbers (scissors, comb, etc.), hat, 

two containers filled with items that learners usually buy, a bag or briefcase, 

tools or supplies used by doctor, tailor and farmer 


33

Steps to play this game: 

1. Make sure that there are enough of these materials for two groups. Arrange 

them in an area a little bit away from but accessible to the learners. 

2. Divide the learners into two groups. Ask each group to select a volunteer. 

These volunteers will act as models. The learners will dress them up 

according to the words (roles) on the cards. They will stand at the other 

end of the area or room facing their teammates. 

3. Ask each group to form a line. Make sure there are an equal number of 

members for each group. Set a time limit for each player to do this game 

(maybe three minutes per player). 

4. Choose one card. Ask the first player from each group to read the word 

(role) aloud. After reading, ask the players to get appropriate clothes or 

implements that will illustrate the role they have just read. 

5. Ask them to dress up their respective models. Explain that there is no right 

or wrong answer but they have to do everything fast and within the time 

limit. The first group to finish dressing up the model is the winner. 

6. Ask the winning player to identify which gender (male or female) she or he 

identified the role with. Take note of the answers. Also note comments 

from other learners. 

7. After the game, you can ask follow-up questions to bring out their views 

on gender roles and stereotyping. Examples include: 

- How did you learn about assigning roles to men and women 

- Do you see this at home 

- What do you think about assigning roles to men and women 

- Do you see changes in the way we assign roles to men and women 

34


What can we learn from such games 

In games we are, in some sense, repeating something real in our lives. 

Using games as a participatory learning method or activity is natural. 

Games are also fun and show us that learning can be enjoyable. Adult 

learning is not only a process of acquiring knowledge; it involves practice 

and socialization, cooperation and group work, more than competition and 

individual work. 

Games are enjoyable and popular, but they require time and effort to prepare 

and organize. We need to plan carefully and design the game with proper 

objectives to evaluate each learnerûs performance. 

Activity 

List some other games that you know, especially traditional ones. 

What games could you use with your class 


35

Section 11 : How can we use life 

experiences outside 

the centre 

(1) Agricultural market - a forum for sharing experiences 

In some rural areas of China, farmers 

regularly go to a type of market called 

an agricultural market. This market is 

an occasion for farmers and others 

to get information about farming 

and raising domestic animals and 

poultry. 

They can also learn some practical 

skills, exchange ideas and share 

experiences with well-known çmastersé 

who act as resource persons or 

consultants. They can also display 

what they have produced or made 

in order to attract customers and 

promote their goods. 

What did we learn 

We learned that education is something that can occur in many situations, 

not always in learning centres directed by facilitators. In this example, people 

learn simply by sharing things with each other. They recognize who has 

information and are happy to share information with others. We can encourage 

our learners to attend such events in order to make contact with experts and 

other people and to share ideas and experiences. 

ë 

ë 

ë 

Exercise: Please list events taking place outside 

of the centre that your learners may find useful to 

attend or observe: 

36


(2) Field visits - observing good practices 

Mohanûs uncle is a very good wood 

carver in the next village. So Mohan 

talks to his literacy class about going 

to visit his uncle. He knows that his 

uncle will be able to show them 

different methods of carving. The 

group is excited about this visit and 

so they all agree to go. 

When the group arrives, Mohanûs 

uncle begins his çteachingé by 

showing them the different materials 

he has collected. One piece is 

suitable for carving an angel, while 

another is more suitable for a hawk 

and another for a tiger. Next, he picks 

up the tools he uses and explains 

their different uses and the different 

effects each tool produces. 

He uses his finished carvings to help 

with his explanation. Some learners 

are eager to try. Mohanûs uncle is 

very happy to help them try some 

techniques. At last the group visit his 

small gallery of wooden carvings in a 

side room of the house. Big and small 

carvings all sell very well to tourists 

and other collectors. Group members 

exclaimed, çThese carvings are good, 

we think we can also do work like 

this.é They returned home excited to 

begin their next project in Mohanûs 

class. 


37

What can we learn from Mohan 

We go on a field visit when we take our group to another place where they 

normally do not do their learning. Field visits can arouse interest and make 

learning enjoyable. Learners can experience learning in real places where they 

can choose things directly and can talk to each other about this experience. 

Field visits are good because they are visual and direct. When planning field 

visits we need to think about such things as the season, the time needed, 

the cost and the travel distance. 

Field visits require planning in advance. For example, you should: 

ë Decide with learners where to go and what to do. 

ë Share the responsibilities for transportation and meals among learners. 

ë Discuss with learners the specific objectives that will be used in order to 

follow up the visits. 

ë Encourage learners to exchange ideas and experiences during and after 

the visit. 

ë Finally, use the information from the visit in future discussions or literacy 

lessons. 

ë 

ë 

ë 

ë 

ë 

ë 

Exercise: Following the above guidelines, 

please prepare your own field visit plan. 

38


Where else can we apply these ideas 

The follow-up activities after a field visit are very important. Here are some 

things we might do together with our learners. 

ë Do a role play about a field visit with different people taking different roles. 

ë Write personal reports on the visit. 

ë Write a letter to someone telling about the visit. 

ë Develop a poster about the visit. 

ë Display photographs taken during the visit (if any). 

ë Do some of the things observed during the visit. 

Activity 

Here are some other places for a field visit: 

plant nursery 

commercial seed farm 

poultry farm / cattle ranch 

fruit processing factory 

Please add some of your own examples: 

ë 

ë 

ë 

cloth weaving factory 

florist 

fish hatchery 

another learning centre 

List some examples of the information that could be obtained from a field visit: 

ë 

ë 

ë 

ë 


39

Concluding Remarks 

One of the key messages of this module is the active participation of learners. 

In general, people feel more satisfied and achieve more when they can actively 

contribute to the process of learning. The methods mentioned in this module 

emphasize active involvement as an effective part of learning. 

At the same time, we have to remember that participation is optional in some 

cases. We cannot force people to speak up if they donût want to. As a 

facilitator, we have to explore other approaches to mobilize their active 

participation in the programme. 

If our learners are not so interested in the activities, we have to ask ourselves 

çWhat is wrong with this approach Are there better ways of achieving the 

same objectiveé Donût ask, çWhat is wrong with our learnersé 

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Participatory Learning Methods

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