UNIT PLANNING

WHAT IS A UNIT?

“A unit is as large a block of related subject matter as can be overviewed by the learner” – Preston

A unit is comparatively a large block of subject matter having close relationship among itself & is arranged in a sequential way considering pupil’s need, interest & should be easy to comprehend.

Unit planning is a middle ground between course & lesson planning.

Characteristics of a good unit

·         The aim should be clear & well defined.

·         It should cater to the needs, capabilities & interest of the students.

·         A good unit should provide suitable activities for students.

·         A good unit should be flexible enough to provide for individual differences.

·         It should provide for project work, excursions, film viewing & the like.

·         A good unit plan should be correlated to the life of the students as well as to the other subjects.

·         Students should be provided with enough time to plan, organize, & work on their own.

·         Provision should be there for evaluation & follow up.

·         The length of the unit should be such as to retain the interest of the students till the end.

·         A unit should be part of a sequence that permits growth from year to year.

Steps in unit planning

A unit should always be viewed as an integrated whole. While planning a unit, the following factors should be kept in mind:

·         Content analysis (the what of the unit)

·         Objectives with specifications (the why of the unit)

·         Learning activities (the how of the unit)

·         Testing procedures (evidence of achievement)

Content analysis -  In unit planning, emphasis is placed on analyzing the content, terms, facts, concepts, processes, generalizations, principles, laws, etc. This analysis helps the teacher get a thorough indepth understanding of the subject. This step will increase his self confidence & help him to plan his lessons retaining the continuity through the unit.

Objectives with specifications – The teacher should identify the general & specific objectives of the unit , after going through the content.

Learning activities – The third step is largely a matter of deciding upon suitable experiences that may be provided for pupils.  The best topics for the units provide for a variety of field trips, experiments, demonstrations & projects. Keeping in mind individual differences, the psychology of learning, the content & objectives, suitable learning activities can be planned to which the students will be exposed during the course of the unit.

Testing procedures – The last step of unit planning involves the choice of suitable evaluation tools & techniques through which the teacher can evaluate the content coverage & the teaching method used.

Advantages of unit planning

·         It breaks up the entire work into smaller sections. Most pupils work better on a series of short tasks than on a few large ones.

·         Unit planning helps clarify the general & specific objectives of teaching.

·         It helps cater to the needs, nature & aptitude of the students.

·         It is economical in terms of time.

·         By planning several different kinds of activities, a unit plan helps develop skills in students in a systematic manner.

·         It develops self confidence among students for it evolves opportunities for meaningful experiences wherein they can organize & review their learning.