Panchpadi, the Teaching Approach That Packs the Punch

The Panchpadi or five-step learning process, as outlined in the National Curriculum Framework 2023, offers a structured approach to effective classroom instruction. It involves five phases: Aditi (Introduction), Bodh (Conceptual Understanding), Abhyas (Practice), Prayog (Application) and Prasar (Expansion).

This method helps learners build a strong foundation, practise their skills, apply their knowledge in real-life contexts, and expand their understanding through sharing and peer learning.

How does it work?

The Panchpadi approach is designed to guide teachers in effective lesson planning. In the Aditi phase, teachers introduce new concepts by connecting them to the learners’ prior knowledge. The Bodh phase focuses on helping the learners understand core concepts through a gamut of activities, such as discussions, experiments and readings. In the Abhyas phase, learners engage in practice to reinforce their understanding and skills through group work or projects. The Prayog phase involves the application of the concepts learned to real-life situations, so as to render the outcome of learning relevant and practical. Finally, the Prasar phase encourages learners to share and expand their knowledge through peer learning and presentations, fostering a deeper understanding and long-term retention.

Let’s explore how this approach can be applied to teaching the concept of non-finite verbs.

1. Aditi (Introduction)

Example: Introducing the concept of non-finite verbs in an English grammar class

Strategy

• Begin by asking students what they know about verbs and their different forms.
• Discuss simple examples like “to read,” “reading,” and “read.”

This connection to familiar concepts sets the stage for exploring non-finite verbs, which do not change according to the subject or tense.

2. Bodh (Conceptual Understanding)

Example: Understanding the core principles of non-finite verbs

Strategy

• Engage learners in activities where they identify non-finite verbs in sentences.
• Use examples like, “I like to read,” “Reading is fun,” and “She wants to read.”
• Discuss how these verbs function without changing form.

This hands-on learning approach will help learners grasp the concept through observation and discussion.

3. Abhyas (Practice)

Example: Reinforcing knowledge of non-finite verbs through activities

Strategy

• Organize group activities where learners can create sentences using non-finite verbs.
• Encourage them to write short stories or dialogues incorporating infinitives, gerunds and participles.

These activities will reinforce their understanding and encourage creative usage of non-finite verbs.

4. Prayog (Application)

Example: Applying knowledge of non-finite verbs to real-life scenarios

Strategy

• Have learners find examples of non-finite verbs in their favourite books or online articles.
• Ask them to bring these examples to class and explain how they function in the sentences.

It will help learners see the relevance of their learning in real-world contexts.

5. Prasar (Expansion)

Example: Sharing and expanding knowledge about non-finite verbs

Strategy

• Ask the learners to present their findings and examples to the class.
• Organize a grammar quiz that allows the learners to use non-finite verbs in sentences.
• Encourage peer teaching and discussions to deepen understanding.

It will foster a collaborative and interactive learning environment.

Implementing the Panchpadi approach in classroom has a great potential to transform learning into a dynamic and engaging experience. The five steps of this broad-based approach to learning highlighted above can enable the learners to understand how to employ their skills efficiently, apply their knowledge effectively and broaden their understanding of the subject productively.

Share your experiences and ideas on how you integrate the Panchpadi model in your teaching in the comments!