Experiential learning and collaborative mentoring: a new way

of facilitating skills among individuals.

In the modern world, knowledge of English Language is considered to be vital. Rightly so considering the
fact that English happens to be one of the most commonly spoken languages all around the world.
Fluency in English is a required skill at a professional level. However, not every individual is brought up in
an environment where the language is used in conversations. For these individuals, it becomes harder to
learn the language and understand its syntax. Therefore, the students of Business and professional
speech at the Institute of business management were given a project by their instructor Mrs. Shumaila
Omer to help the students from the first semester to improve their English language and communication
skills.

The students of the Speech classes were divided into separate groups and were assigned with the task
of instructing 2-3 students regarding the use of English language in communication. The areas in which
majority of the students needed help included accents, pronunciation and basic grammar mechanics. A
lot of students were not very comfortable with the idea of communicating in the English language.
Therefore various activities were conducted where students were asked to introduce themselves in
English language. Likewise, the students were also given reading material which they were asked to read
aloud with the instructors pointing out the areas where the pronunciation or grammar was inaccurate.
Thus, by conducting these activities the Speech students were able to help out their younger peers in
improving their language and communication skills.

According to one of the Speech students Amara the initiative was a great move because the young
students who were new to the university felt more comfortable studying with their seniors and hence,
were able to learn more. She also stated that the two way process where the Students passed on the
knowledge that they had acquired from their teachers to younger students was quite helpful for all the
parties involved. She also highlighted the importance of reading. She stated that one of the activities
given to the students included writing essays and passages on their favorite sportsmen and characters.
The students were also given a lesson in English punctuation and their knowledge was assessed through
the essays that they had written.

According to another student Sara the project allowed the students of the Speech class to make a
difference within the society. For her the project was much more preferable and challenging than a
normal end of the term report.

According to Dr Irfan Hyder, the dean of College of Business management and College of Engineering
and Sciences, communication was an important trait that all business students needed to possess. He
stated the importance of being able to express ones ideas properly and in detail. He was particularly
impressed with the course instructor who had taken the initiative. He highlighted the benefits of
experiential learning because it gave the students an opportunity to go out of their own comfort zones
in order to achieve their goals. He once again emphasized the importance of communication skills in the
business world. He stated that communication skills allowed students to better express themselves. He
also appreciated the effort of the senior students and praised them for supporting their juniors.
Overall it was a great initiative taken by the Institute of Business Management. The students felt that
these activities should take place more frequently rather just being limited to two or three sessions. The
students should be allowed to engage in more projects similar to this one where they are given the
opportunity to communicate with their peers and step outside of their comfort zones.