INTRODUCTION

Grade 7 students labelled as ‘At -Risk ” because of their low language and literacy abilities needed an alternative space that flipped classroom teaching and learning to make English relevant , audible , visible and a “ manipulative” for students. This need gave birth to The Radio Active Classroom.

METHODOLOGY

The innovative Radio Active Classroom was a term’s work in the Alternative Pathways to Secondary Education Curriculum,designed for learners who needed support with communication skills through the use of technology. The apprenticeship thrust provided the scaffolding for learners in their new roles as newscasters, hosts, interviewers and producers in the simulated radio station they constructed in their classroom.

KEY RESULTS

1. Confidence and fluency in ‘reading the world of radio”
2. Authentic communicative context for exploitation of the elasticity of English in radio talk
3. A pedagogy of enjoyment and empowerment that boosted self-efficacy and student advocacy
4. Radio has the potential to be an effective environment for differentiated learning experience

Taking control of learning was best achieved in student-designed and constructed spaces that built self-efficacy, groomed them for various roles as functional citizens and positioned them as stakeholders in decision-making for social learning.

CONCLUSION

Learning takes the lead in curriculum change when learners are given autonomy. Linguistically different learnersshould not be labelled as “At-Risk”. Regular classroom places governed by prescribed methods place them at risk!

RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE

The Radio Active Classroom, a curriculum construct and classroom learning strategy became a real radio programme aired on News Talk 93FM, from the UWI Mona campus, largely through student advocacy and appeals and requests made in their simulated Call-In radio programme