CAMaL framework: Prof K B Kothari’s approach to making learning active

JAIPUR: Education is most effective when children are not merely asked to listen, but are actively involved in listening, speaking, observing, reading, writing, doing and thinking, says educationist Prof K B Kothari.
Kothari, former senior adviser at UNICEF-New York and former faculty member at IIM Ahmedabad, highlights the CAMaL Framework (Combination of Activities for Maximized Learning) as a flexible approach to improving foundational learning.
The framework grew from Pratham’s “Learning to Read” initiative, using multiple activities to help children learn through participation and exploration rather than relying only on direct teaching. It has since been used in learning programmes across several states to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy.
A key principle of CAMaL is to move children from the familiar to the unfamiliar, from the simple to the complex and from the concrete to the abstract.
The approach combines whole-class teaching, small-group activities and individual learning. It also places responsibility on teachers to understand each child’s learning needs, vary classroom activities and ensure that children who struggle are not left behind.
Kothari describes CAMaL as a guided framework, not a rigid recipe, allowing teachers to adapt activities to classroom needs and learning outcomes.