Sugata Mitra: Can kids teach themselves?

http://www.ted.com Speaking at LIFT 2007, Sugata Mitra talks about his Hole in the Wall project. Young kids in this project figured out how to use a PC on their own -- and then taught other kids. He asks, what else can children teach themselves?

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  Education

[Cristian Silver]

I have learned englesh waching movies and later..navigate on internet. And I think that you can observe misspelings LOL .I don't know grammar but i understand almost everything...aplause for me =))

[GS350JPN]

I teach English in Japan. A student joined at 1 year and 9 months. At 2 years and 6 months, he could use a dictionary. At the age 2 years and 10 months, he was reading, well. I am not joking. He is Japanese. His mom speaks no English. My students are 2 years and up. Most of them learn to read English, on average, in 10 months. The fastest was in 4 by a 5 yr. old boy. He read, well. I am teaching grammar to kids 3 to 7years. They all can read and use a dictionary. Kids are smart, smart, smart!

[Mirza Yawar Baig]

If education is growth then for it to happen, it needs the right environment - not growers (teachers). For how can you MAKE a plant to grow? It grows if the environment is right.

[Joshua Pickett]

We don't need to cultivate the character or abilities of children. As a farmer of gardener, we don't actually grow plants, we merely set up the proper Environmental circumstances for them to grow IN. The plants grow themselves once they have what they need.

Children are the same..

[Vince Bitz]

This is a very amazing story and will probably be a help to India and other countries around the world.

[Nilesh Gupta]

You can contact us nileshgupt@yahoo.com , we have a school in kota by the name of Disha Delphi Public School . you are welcome to do your research

[Alfredo Martinez]

how many kids would it take to write hamlet?

[charkee1]

You are exactly right and I think without the demotivating effects of public education, by 16 we could have the equivalent of a 4 year college degree.

[John Bush III]

English is the correct spelling :). just trying to help you along the way.

[Nykita Rammsstein]

hello I would love to conduct studies and research in India .. I currently live in Mexico but I have all set up to go to work an educational project with preschoolers .. I would love to take into account and to contact me ... participate in project development initiative in the contest eduactivos Mexico.

[Nani Lata]

Children figure out the way through life whether they have the tools or not ... let's support that amazing gift!

[qwexas]

Wow. They can learn that quickly? With no teacher? Then why are American kids wasting most of their childhood in K-12 "education" with so little skill & knowledge to show for it? My experience of school was very boring, lots of sitting around knowing I had already learned the lesson, kids disrupting class frequently, homecoming assemblies & movie days… I could have probably learned the whole K-12 curriculum by age 13 if so much time wasn't wasted on the glorified babysitting we call school.