Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) An Introduction

Creating teaching-learning aids and experiences in

the primary school built environment
School buildings are meant for children. They are designed for them, yet somehow do not relate to
them in a holistic way. Each component of the school is somehow conceived in isolation, with little
consideration about what the child is finally going to experience as a whole. This work is about
making the building components active facilitator in the whole process of teaching-learning (which is
the primary function of the school) for children and teachers (who are the primary users).

 How have these been evolved?

One of the strengths of this project has been that it evolved as a multidisciplinary, organic group
process with the active involvement of the entire team. The designing and implementation of each
study, workshop, design idea or setting and portfolio was an amalgamation of different perspectives,
namely that of an architect, a teacher, a child and a parent. These multidimensional entry points
became an integral part of the entire process. As a multidisciplinary team attempt was made to work
as professionals from their special focus areas towards a common perspective. The effort was to
evolve towards creating a package that reflects the multidimensional real world, and in doing so,
connects more holistically with the complexities of the child’s world.

 What is meant by teaching learning aids and experiences in the

primary school built environment?
It is an innovative way to conceive and use the various building components like the floor, wall,
door, window or even spaces like corridor and open space in such a way that it also helps children
and teachers in the process of teaching—learning apart from serving their usual function. Thus, in a
school which has been conceived like this, a floor may no longer be just a floor, but a way to
understand fractions, or window might become more than a usual window and let a child prepare for
skills in writing Hindi alphabets, or a sensitively designed corridor could help children to correctly
estimate distances.

 What are the advantages of integrating teaching learning aids and

experiences in the school built environment?
 The importance of this approach is that it can be introduced even in the building components of
an existing school.
 It makes learning with fun possible for children.
 It can be combined with school building repairs, environment enhancement, up gradation
and new construction.
 It makes it possible to make a variety of learning materials accessible to children out side the
classroom, even after school hours.
 It has the potential to create conducive self-learning situations for children.
 The learning aids are not standard. Teachers can adapt them to suit their own specific needs
and conditions.
 The learning material integrated in the built environment is more lasting and durable.
 The learning material cannot be stolen or misplaced. It can remain orderly and accessible.
 The value of the most expensive asset of a school — its building — increases manifold, at a
fractional increase in its actual cost.
 The school environment becomes an exciting place for children to be in.
 The beauty of this innovative approach is that it lets a school be conceived in a holistic way.

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Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) An Introduction

What is meant by design ideas that generate

teaching-leaning experiences?
This portfolio contains an inventory of designed teaching learning aids and experiences, which can
be incorporated in the primary school built environment. These have been termed as design ideas.
These ideas, when included in the buildings, are expected to help children to go through an
enjoyable learning experience of understanding various concepts that they encounter in their school
books and life in general.

 How were the design ideas developed?

The design ideas originated and developed with an in depth understanding of:
 Spatial aspirations of children about the place where they want to learn
 Natural behaviour patterns of children in the built environment
 The need for facilitating the all-round growth and development of each child as well as the
specific needs of children at different developmental stages
 Problem areas of teaching learning as identified by the teachers
 Repair, environment enhancement and construction issues of the school building
components
 Children’s socio-cultural-educational background at home (impressions based on an
exploratory study) to understand the need of the literacy environment at school
Other than these, the ideas also originated and developed with sheer inspiration and creativity that
came spontaneously to the various individuals working on the project.

The possibilities are immense, even though for each school, they may not be identical. A
list of nearly 150 such design ideas grouped around 61 categories is enclosed. Note that
these ideas would need settings (existing or created) to become part of the built
environment. Also attached are photographic views of some government schools of remote,
rural Rajasthan, before and after such intervention was made. These will enable you to
understand what difference it can make.

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Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) Design Ideas

SETTINGS FOR DESIGN IDEAS 8. Map Your World

- Map of the Classroom
Existing, Formal, Structured Settings for Learning - Map of the School
 Class rooms of I & II - Map of the Neighbourhood / Village
 Class room of III - Map of the City! District / State
 Classrooms of IV & V - Map of the Country
- Map of the World
- Me and my World
Existing & Proposed, Informal Settings for Learning
- Activity Map in Brick and Sand
Existing settings
9. Planetary Orbits on the Ground
 Circulation Corridor Space
- Simple Planetary Orbits
 Outdoor Space and Natural Environment
- Planetary Orbits with Twelve Divisions
Proposed settings
 Counter as a Space for Interaction Understanding the Passage of Time in Our Daily Lives
 Space for Exploration and Discovery 10. Time Devices
 Space for Exploring Three Dimensions - Wall Clock
 Activity Space to Play with Mud and Sand - The Hourglass
 Space for Adventure Play - Window Shutter Hourglass
- Bottle Hourglass
DESIGN IDEAS FOR FUN & LEARNING - Sundials
- Ceiling Sundial
Understanding the Physical World Around Us - Wall Sundial
1. Measures Around Us - Sundial on the Ground
- Scales Horizontally and Vertically 11. Calendars on Walls
- Milestones - Calendars for Classroom
- Weights - Long Calendar
- Capacity - Square Calendar with Clock
2. Angles Around Us - Calendar for the Whole School
- Angle Protractor on Window Glass 12. Time Lines
- Angles on a Window Grill - Cubby Holes as a Time Line
- Door Angle Protractor - Tiles as a Time Line
- Cupboard Angle Protractor - Word Organisers as a Time Line
- Angles in a Bench 13. Cycles Around Us on Circular Built Elements
- Highlighting Naturally Occurring Angles in - Continuous Cycles with Beginning and End
Buildings - Continuous Cycles without Beginning or End
3. Balances
- Wall Balance Dealing with the Complexity of Numbers
- See-Saw Balance 14. Number Lines
4. Symmetry Around Us - Wall Number Line Tiles
- Symmetry in the Built Elements - Number Line Caterpillar
- Revealing Part-Whole Images - Number Line Train
- Symmetry in Geometrical Shapes - Number Line as a Row of Children
- Symmetry in Mirror Images - Floor Number Line Tiles and Panels
- Symmetry in Traditional Motifs and Patterns - Number Line on Paved Floor
- Rotational Symmetry - Stepping Stones as Number Line
- Symmetry in the Natural World 15. Abacus as Built Element
5. Invert Images - Gintara on Windows
- Inverted Images on Railings - Hoop Abacus on Wall
- Inverted Images in Mirrors 16. Place Value Window
- Inverted Images on Borders - Place Value Chart for four digit numbers
6. Visual Illusions on Walls - Place Value Window for seven digit
- Impossible Illusions numbers
- Deceptive Illusions - Place Value Window for nine digit numbers
- Dual Illusions 17. Fraction Aids
7. Colour Teasers - Fractions on Window Grills
- Fan Colour Wheels - Fractions on Wall Tiles
- Window Colour Panel - Fractions on Floor Tiles
- Colourful Sun Catcher - Fraction Disc on Ground
- Panel of Colour Shades

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Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) Design Ideas
Ways of Interacting with Language - 4x4 Magic Square
18. Writing Aids 29. Stapu Frame on Ground or Floor
- Writing Patterns on Window Grills
- Writing Patterns on Wall Surfaces Design Ideas that can be Used in Many Ways
- Writing Grooved Patterns on Walls 30. Tracing Surfaces
19. Writing and Displaying Surfaces - Tracing Tiles
- Writing Boards on Wall - Tiles for Tracing Three Dimensional Shapes
- Chalk Board on Wall - Tiles for Tracing Regular and Irregular
- Pin-up Boards on Wall Shapes
- Writing and Pin-up Boards on Wall - Tracing from Window Glass
- Hanging Display System on Ceiling 31. Tangram Tiles on Floor and Walls
20. Book Corners 32. Brick and Tile Patterns on Floor and Walls
- Classroom Book Corner - Simple Brick and Tile Patterns
- Cosy Book Corners in Corridors and - Complex Brick and Tile Patterns
Outdoors 33. Cubby Holes and Peep Holes on Walls
21. Play with Words
- Word Wall with Alphabet Border Fun Ideas
- Word Organiser on Wall Visual Fun
- Labelling Around Us 34. Play of Sunlight
22. Visuals Around Us 35. Mystery Wall
- Folk Art 36. Mirrors on Walls
- Traditional motifs
- Kolams 37. Periscope on Wall
- Visual Patterns 38. Perspective Lines on Walls
- Line drawings 39. Rainwater Wall
- Visuals for Giving Information 40. Display Museum on Walls
- Some Interesting Visuals
- Shape Images on Window Grills Fun with sound
- Highlighting Naturally Occurring Shapes in 41. Pipe Phone Railing
Buildings 42. Loud Speaker on Wall
23. Trails to Explore 43. Musical Railings
- Clue Boards 44. Bell / Chimes
Other fun ideas
Doing and Learning
45. Extrusion Moulds on Platform
24. Activity Boards and Surfaces on Walls
46. Shape Moulds on Platform
- Geometrical Patterns Board
- Hidden Shapes Board 47. Mazes
- Squiggles Board 48. Joy of Movement and Pause
- Thumb Prints Board 49. Post box
- Alphabet Shapes Board
- Shape Poem Board Developing and Enhancing the Natural Environment
- Children’s Wall
Enhancing experience & learning opportunities, naturally
25. Dot Boards on Floor and Walls
50. Natural Learning Materials
- Dots in Straight Rows
51. Colours, Naturally
- Dots Staggered in Straight Rows
- Geoboards on Walls 52. And Some Fragrance Too
26. Grid Boards 53. Inviting More Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Insects
- Wall Grid Boards 54. A Mini Waste Water Herbal Garden
- Window Glass Grid Boards 55. Climb, Jump, Swing... On Trees
- Floor Grid Boards 56. Nature and Culture
Enhancing the physical environment, naturally
Children’s Own Little Games
57. A Living Filter and Buffer Belt
27. Board Games on Floor and Seats
58. Creating a Visual Screen
- Indigenous Board Games
- Flat Dice 59. Natural Shade And Insulation for Buildings
28. Magic Squares on Floor and Walls 60. Shade / Grove / Nook / Corner for Everyone
- 3x3 Magic Square 61. Enhancing Rainwater Harvesting from Roof
Top and Surface Run-Off

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Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) Design Ideas

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Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) Photographic Views (Rajasthan)
Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) Photographic Views (Rajasthan)