【PHancy English】Threads That Speak

This old proverb sums up experiential learning brilliantly. As its name indicates, experiential learning is learning through experience. More specifically, it means learning through reflection on doing. This method helps students build up links between the thinking and the doing so that they learn to apply theories into practice with a deeper understanding of the abstract concepts.

Students may find it hard to get hold of concepts that don’t relate to the “real world” and tune out lectures. A student learns more efficiently when the subject pertains to him or her personally. The experience of doing hands-on tasks makes learning personal. As students interact with the information, it becomes tangible to them. When the fruits of their labor are presented in front of students, their zeal for continued learning will be heightened, which partly explains why teachers often observe enhanced attitudes towards learning compared with a more traditional lecture-based classroom learning experience.

One of the easiest ways to make sure students are exposed to experiential learning is to incorporate project-based learning into their curriculum. Thus, plenty of project-based learning activities are infused into our English classes. This gives students an opportunity to apply data and concepts into hands-on tasks with tangible results. Our teachers and students, alike, believe that the concrete experience of “learning by doing” not only accelerates learning but also bridges the gap between theory and practice. In addition, our students are able to build stronger connections with the learning material by incorporating concrete experiences with abstract concepts.

You might have come across thread speaking, vividly, in fairy tales. However, our Grade Six students had the opportunity to experience a different type of thread talk in their online English classes. During their extensive English classes, our students were introduced to the idea of Quipu. They were so amazed by the fact that knots turned out to be a written language in ancient times. Our G6 English teachers decided to provide students with an experience which demonstrated that threads really were able to speak.

A Quipu was an ancient accounting tool that was used by the Incan Empire. Quipu originates from Quechua language which was written as khipu and means knots. Quipus conveyed messages through colors, knot patterns, cord twist directions and also by directionality in the cotton and wool threads. A quipu which was a marvelous form of written language was capable of conveying more than 1,500 separate units of information.

With all these background stories and pictures, our students could not wait to make their own quipus. They bought wool yarn to make their own quipus with the guidance of their Grade Six English teachers.

6（1）班 郭子菡 Jasmine

Enlightened by this experiential learning class, some students developed a keen interest in knot language and built their own ways of “writing with rope”, a written language like Quipu. Some students were so amazed by the Incan Empire that they also delved deeper into its history.

Our Grade Six English teachers also find it extremely enjoyable to experience and explore this ancient math together with their students.

Mr. Zhu Huaimin said: “It is definitely no easy job making a quipu. However, as the teaching methodology goes, interest sparks the best participation. What impressed me most were those quipu essays which fully conveyed the awareness of tradition and love of different cultures. Our students were fascinated by the extensive reading piece and had so much fun experiencing part of Incan culture.”

Mr. Smith said: “I feel learning about making a quipu in class was a very useful tool for students. This is because it allowed students to develop their understanding of a story being taught through a practical and fun exercise. 'The art of doing' really helped students understand what a quipu was and this also gave them a glimpse into a completely different culture they hadn't experienced before. I really enjoyed teaching this fun activity and found it not only taught the children about a new culture but also allowed them to explore their creative side, something that has probably been neglected a little bit in the current climate of Covid-19.”

Well, reflection is an essential element of the experiential learning process. Students were able to develop personal connections with quipus after integrating real experience with concepts they learned in class. Then they were able to deduce how their actions affected the outcome, which provided them with further understanding of how the concepts learned could be transferred to different situations.