Pedagogical Approaches
Content-Based Approach
is the first approach to be adopted by the Moroccan educatinal system, it was right after independence in 1956, it was implemented before the protection period and it has not been completely abolished, so we are still working with it in some components even in the light of competencies
This approach depends on the contents of knowledge in order to reach capacity development skills and attitudes of learners
According to this approach, the learner can acquire abilities, skills and attitudes as they pass a certain course of study in which they deal with different educational activities with cognitive contents. Knowldge is the main goal which Content-Based Approach seeks, for this reason the curricula set their goals and objectives based on this theoretical perception based on knowledge as goals that should be achieved in all educational situations. Besides, this pedagogical approach based on educational methods concerned with organizing the material (organizing knowledge) more than developing students' abilities, skills and attitudes
Since the ultimate goal is acquiring knowledge, evaluation tools and means have been developed on that basis of that, so that it only focused on acquiring knowledge, controling its retrieval, and better being arranged and organized. And there is no model by which to achieve those goals except by traditional tests, and here the role of the marks given to the learners shall increase continuously in light of this evaluation philosophy and it will be the real indicator for measuring the scientific memorial competence of course without looking at the abilities, skills and attitudes that the students have acquired as primary goals
This kind of approach demonstrated obvious lack, because it only bases on the teaching activity without the teaching activity as it gives no importance neither to the students' ability and the characteristics of their learning, nor to the goals of the learning process
Characteristics of Content-Based Approach
It focused on knowledge and indoctrination
It's characterized by the absence of goals and teaching methods
If focuses on the cognitive dimensions more than the psychological and social dimensions of the learner
It depends on the delivery method in transferring knowledge to the learner
The teacher is the only source of knowledge, and thelearner is just a vessel that receives knowledge
The learner is a blank slate, negative and knows nothing
Communication between teacher and student is vertical
Traditional instructional aids: boards, blackboard, book, notebook
Assessment is often done by memorizing previous knowledge
Task-Based Approach
This approach was adopted from 1985 to 1999 and it is another paradigm that really differs from education by contents, it is a method of organizing, planning, achieving and evaluating learning. And so as to achieve this, it was necessary to follow an action plan consisting of organized processes to bring about interactions between the elements of the educational process, and this is the strategy that means organizing leaning in a way that leads to achieving the goals through a path that the teacher follows with the students in order to achieve a certain leaning through specific goals towards desired results.
Accordingly, it is necessary to follow somwe criteria before the educational process such as: 1. planning the process based on a clear formulation of objectives so that it responds to what the learner needs on the one hand, and what the educational community requires on the other. 2. Organizing the educational process in its contents, methods and means, in addition to the interaction between the teacher and the learner. 3. ٍVerifying the results of the learning process determined by assesments and testing the efforts of the stusents.
If the Content-Based Approach depends on the logic of teaching and aims mainly at transferring knowledge and information to the learners through the teacher, then the Task-Based Approach is based on the logic of learning by observable behaviors, and does not care at all about the implicit mental processes involved in achieving the targeted behavior
Characteristics of Task-Based Approach
It was based on the concept of the goal as a measurable performance
Among its references is the behavioral theory by Watson, which links the individual's learning with the stimulus-response duality
Considered teaching methods as part of the curriculum
Focused on defining the objective of each educational activity
The teacher is the basis in the teaching-learning process
The teacher determines the goals and indicators of learning
Good time management, bypassing spontaneity, improvisation and randomness
Competency-Based Approach
It was adopted in 1999 and it comes from the abilities which are inborn in the learner, but each ability is in need of acquiring competencies that respond to it, upgrade and develop it to the highest possible exploitation of the ability, and therefore each one of the learner’s abilities includes many diverse, cognitive and psychological competencies. Based on the this, Competency-Based Approach is a pedagogical conception which adopts a teaching-learning trategy, centered around the learner, making their the goal and center of the educational process and seeks to develop their abilities and provide them with skills and competencies in proportion to these capabilities on the one hand and in proportion to the requirements of society on the other hand
Competency-Based Approach seeks to develop and control learners’ competencies when facing challenges in different situations and then confirms the goals that consider the development of the school in society. This means that the main objective of this modern pedagogical endeavour is to prepare learners who interact with the environment on the The basis of the professional competence required by the occupation, unlike what the school previously sought to impart knowledge nothing more
Characteristics of Competency-Based Approach
The learner is the center of the teaching-learning process
Giving priority to the learning linking it to the learner's interests and surroundings
Diversification of teaching methods and techniques
Shifting the teacher's role from a prompter to an animato
Previous learnings are essential for building new ones
Adoption of positions to build competencies
Competency-Based Approach vs Standards-Based Approach
The appearance of competency-based approach was before the appearance of standards-based approach, yet they are neither contradictory nor different. Actually, one completes the other
Competency-based approach is used in secondary schools (9 grade), it focuses primarily on the learners' ability to effectively apply what they have acquired during the English class. Competency-based approach does not care about the content as much as it cares about the performance
Standards-based approach is used in Moroccan high schools so as to meet the needs in the common core, first and second year of Baccalaureate. It focuses on both content and performance
The 5C's Standards
Communication: learners will communicate, understand and interpret in other languages besides English, and therefore comprehend oral and written messages
Cultures: learner will demonstrate deeper understanding between cultures in terms of their perspectives, practice and products
Connections: learners will make connections with other subject areas such as History and Arabic
Comparisons: students will compare the target language and culture
with their own, and they will be aware of similarities and differences between them
Communities: learners will extend their learning beyond the classroom via exchanges, travel and communication via Internet
Key concepts
Approach: is a theoretical basis that consists of a set of principles on which the program or curriculum is based
Task: is predetermined and desirable intentions the teacher seeks to achieve or develop in the learner as a result of an activity they practice in the classroom
Competency: consists of knowledge, skills and abilities recruited and employed to confront and solve a problem in a specific situation
