Assignment, Definition of assignment, types of assignment, purpose of assignment, essentials of an assignment, difficulties in the preparation of good assignment, suggested assignment procedure, controversy regarding home assignment, disadvantages of home work, objections to home work, Principles of assignment / homework, method of correction

1. Assignment
By
Dr. I. Uma Maheswari
iuma_maheswari@yahoo.co.in

2. Definitions
• N.L. Bossing has observed, “The central
position of the assignment in the
techniques of teaching has remained
unquestioned”.
• G.H. Betts assets, “Upon the proper
assignment of the lesson depends much
of the success of the recitation, and also
much of the pupil’s progress in learning
how to study.

3. • W.N. Drum suggests, “Teachers generally
do not appreciate the importance of the
assignment, and the work of the public
probably suffers as much from hasty or
careless assignment as any other single
case”.
• H.R. Douglass and others are of the view,
“The assignment represents one of the
most important phases of teaching”.

4. Type of assignment
1. Writing of essay type answers to questions arising out of
the subject – matter already done in the class.
2. Verbal memorizing work pertaining to curricular and co –
curricular activities. It may take the form of cramming
facts, principles, memorizing work in respect of debates
etc.
3. Practical work, eg preparation of charts, maps and
models, advance preparation for the coming lesson.
4. Problem assignment
5. Group assignment.

5. Purpose of Assignments
1. To provide opportunities to students to work
independently and thereby to develop in them
self – reliance and initiative.
2. To develop habits of reading regularly among
the students.
3. To provide opportunities to the students to
utilize their leisure time profitably.
4. To give them an opportunity to do practice what
is done in the school.
5. To finish the prescribed courses in time. The
syllabi is too heavy to be finished in the
classroom work.

6. 6. To serve as a link in the parent teacher co
operation. It enables the parents to know that
regular work is being done in the school.
7. To develop permanent interests and to train
the students in the profitable use of leisure.
8. To provide the child to revise his previous
lesson and prepare the next one.
9. To provide remedial measure for backward
children.
10. To give chance to every child to progress at his
own speed.

7. Essentials of an assignment
1. The assignment should be clear and definite.
2. The assignment should be concise but
sufficiently detailed to enable each student to
understand the task assigned.
3. The assignment should anticipate special
difficulties and suggest ways to remove them.
4. The assignment should relate the new unit to
past experience.

8. 5. Students should understand the importance of
the assignment.
6. The assignment should arouse an interest in
advance work.
7. The assignment should provide for differences
in the ability and interest of students.
8. The assignment should be motivated chiefly by
the hope of worthwhile achievements, rather
than scholastic reward or the fear of
punishment.
9. The assignment should stimulate thought.

9. 10.The assignment should provide
necessary and specific directions for the
study of the lesson.
11.The assignment should be adjusted to
the time and opportunity of the class.
12.Materials of the assignment should be
varied and adaptable to the needs and
interest of the students.

10. Difficulties in the preparation of
a good assignment
1. Insufficient thought and preparation in planning
the assignment.
2. Inability to obtain an acceptance by the pupil of
a worthy purpose for performance of the task.
3. Simulation of preparation of the assignments
by appealing to the interests of adolescents
and by providing for real needs growing out of
pupil experience.

11. • Prevention of loss of interest due to too long phase
of time between the assignment and preparation.
• Avoidance of assignments so long that successful
accomplishment is impossible in the time available
for preparation, with consequent loss of interest.
• Guarding against too many and too varied
activities, resulting in dividing interests with
consequent bad habits of work and unsatisfactory
accomplishments.
• Difficulty in presenting work to be done so that it is
clearly understood by the pupils; also the difficulty
of ascertaining whether every pupil understands.

12. • Gauging the difficulty of work so that success is
possible for each pupil.
• Determining essential requirements and
differentiation of assignments to suit the various
levels and types of ability existing in the class.
• Inclusion of challenges to mental exploration by
the pupil, thereby simulating real thinking.
• Provision for continuity of work by presenting
new problems as a continuation of previous
experience and anticipation of future problems.

13. • Correlating with other subjects and outside
activities.
• Focusing attention on important elements in
the new problem of task, and directing the
attack in such a way as to increase interest
rather than lessen it, to stimulate efforts, and to
overcome seeming obstacles to
accomplishment.
• Providing the necessary tools for preparation
by training in study procedures and
techniques, and in selection, organisation and
use of materials, thereby developing effective
habits of independent work.

14. • Giving to pupils devices for checking the
mastery and performance of work undertaken.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of an assignment
by the quality of response during the
presentation of the assignment, and by the
adequacy of pupil preparation.
• Providing sufficient time for adequate
consideration of the assignment and
determining the psychological moment for its
presentation.

15. Suggested assignment
procedure
1. Analyse the nature of the learning process
required in the advance unit.
2. Study the various types of assignments
available and select the one, or modified form of
it that appears to fit best the learning situation.
3. Provide the essential background for the
advance work where uncertainty exists that
such background obtains.

16. 4. Whether this is the next step in the assignment
procedure or not, it is obvious that very early in
the assignment phase the teacher must throw
out a challenge to the student that will enlist his
interest and maximum effort in the new unit.
5. Outline in sufficient detail the advance unit be
studied.
6. Suggest some plan of attack upon the new unit.
7. Where reference to source material other than
the textbook is necessary, this should be made
specific.

17. Controversy regarding Home
Assignments
• Bray - “Under normal conditions a reasonable
day’s work for a child has been done at the close
of the afternoon and homework as it is generally
organized does more harm than good as a rule in
this country except perhaps form the point of view
of examination success”.
• P.C. Wren - “An average guardian also feels that
some work should be given to the student which
he should do at home”.

18. Disadvantages or Objections to
Home Work
1. It deprives the children of participating in
recreational activities when it imposes
heavy demands upon them.
2. It is great hindrance in the way of
students of enjoying family and social
life.
3. It deprives children of the opportunity to
help their parents in supplementing their
income.

19. 4. It imposes a great physical strain on
small children and thus endangers their
health.
5. It becomes a constant source of fear and
worry to the students and therefore it
endangers their emotional stability.
6. Children are tempted to copy whenever
they find that the home task is difficulty to
do.

20. 7. Sometimes children are tempted to tell a
lie that due to certain reasons they have
failed to do home task.
8. Unhealthy home conditions make study
more harmful than profitable. There is a
lack of adequate light and quietness in a
large number of Indian homes and
atmosphere is not congenial for study.
9. Too much of homework develops an
attitude of indifference on the part of the
pupils and they become careless.

21. 10.Lack of proper correction by the teacher,
sometimes, gives rise to carelessness on
the part of the pupils. It also develops
wrong habits of work if the work is not
properly checked.
11.Too much work is set by some over –
enthusiastic specialist teachers in their
subjects completely disregarding what
other teachers of the same class might
have set for the same day.

22. 12.The task is generally too academic in
nature and ignores those activities which
are needed most for an all round
development of the personality of the
child.
13.It is not properly adjusted to pupil’s
needs and capacities.

23. Principles of Assignment
Homework
1. The nature of home work should be such as it
does not require any kind of assistance from a
private tutor or guardian.
2. It should not be purely mechanical, i.e.,
requiring no general knowledge on the part of
the child.
3. Homework should aim at developing the taste
of the individual child. This purpose can be
very conveniently realized if homework is in
the nature of hobbies.

24. 4. Homework should be very definite.
5. It should be supplementary rather
preparatory as far as possible.
6. A single assignment for the whole class
may not be considered as appropriate. It
should vary according to the mental and
physical makeup of the students.
7. Homework in different subjects should be
coordinated. Homework time table should
be framed so as to avoid confusion.

25. 5. Normally home assignment should not
require more than one hour every day to
complete it.
8. Home tasks should not be set as a
punishment.
9. Home task should be properly checked.
10.Library books should be given for
reading at homes as a home task.

26. 12.Copies of the homework time tables may
be sent to the parents to seek their
cooperation which is very important.
13.While assigning homework the teachers
should take into consideration the home
conditions of the child such as domestic
employment, working condition in the
home, etc.
14.15% marks should be reserved for the
evaluation of the student’s work based
on the assignment done throughout the
year.

27. Method of correction
• Correction by the teacher.
• Correction with the help of the bright
students in the class.
• Correction with the help of the
blackboard.
• Correction by interchanging the exercise
books among the students.
• Glance checking and signing by
teachers.