Learning Through Struggle: Applying Productive Failure in Class II English - Tanishqa Jaiswal

A Reflective Case Study Inspired by Manu Kapur’s “The Science of Failure”

Children learn best not by being told the right answers, but by exploring possibilities, making mistakes, and finding meaning through reflection. This belief lies at the heart of Productive Failure, an approach conceptualised by Manu Kapur, which views failure not as a setback but as an essential part of deep learning.

This classroom-based case study, conducted with my Grade II English learners, reimagines grammar instruction through the lens of The Science of Failure. It explores how structured struggle, peer dialogue, and guided reflection can make language learning more engaging and lasting.

Across five stages — Activation, Awareness, Affect, Assembly, and Designing for Self — students encountered real challenges before receiving formal instruction. Each phase encouraged them to question, collaborate, and construct understanding rather than simply recall information.

Through this process, learning shifted from memorisation to meaning-making. Grammar concepts such as nouns, pronouns, adjectives, sentence order, and prepositions evolved from abstract rules into living ideas the children could see, feel, and use.

The study demonstrates that when failure is made safe, guided, and reflective, it becomes a bridge to insight rather than a barrier to success.

CASE STUDY 1 – Awakening Curiosity (Activation)

Grammar Focus: Singular and Plural Nouns

Objective: To help learners identify patterns in word forms and independently discover how nouns change from singular to plural.

Classroom Narrative:

The day began with a simple question:

“What happens when there’s more than one?”

I scattered colorful picture cards across the floor — one apple, two apples; one man, two men; one child, three children. The children leaned closer, intrigued. Aarav pointed out, “We add s when there are many!”

Ekanshi frowned, holding up man → men, “But this one doesn’t fit.”

The class erupted in debate. Each wrong guess sparked new thinking. The confusion was deliberate — the productive activation of curiosity had begun.

Learning Process:

Step 1: Students sorted 15 picture cards into “One” and “Many” columns without any instruction.

Step 2: They discussed differences and tried forming their own rules.

Step 3: After sharing, I helped them formalise their discoveries into three rules — regular plurals (add s), special endings (add es), and irregulars (change spelling).

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Pre-test (5 minutes): Worksheet with 10 items (mix of regular and irregular nouns).

2. Introduction (2–3 minutes): Look at pictures and decide “one” or “many.” No explanation.

3. Exploration (5 minutes): In pairs, students sort 15 picture cards; teacher observes.

4. Peer Discussion (5 minutes): Compare and explain choices.

5. Whole-class Reflection (10 minutes): Discuss patterns; record emerging rules.

6. Rule Building (5 minutes): Co-construct simple heuristics on board.

7. Practice Round (3 minutes): New 10 picture prompts; generate plurals in pairs.

8. Post-test (3 minutes): Same format, reordered.

9. Reflection & Documentation (2 minutes): Students write one sentence about surprise.

Student Data Table:

Student	Pre-test	Post-test	Improvement
Atharav	4	8	+4
Kartik	5	9	+4
Zohaan	3	7	+4
Manvi	4	8	+4
Riyansh	5	9	+4
Udbhav	3	7	+4

Observation: Students’ natural curiosity led to exploration and correction.

Teacher’s Reflection: At first, I wanted to intervene — but their lively discussion showed real engagement. Productive struggle made the grammar theirs — not mine to explain, but theirs to own.

CASE STUDY 2 – From Confusion to Clarity (Awareness)

Grammar Focus: Pronouns

Objective: To build awareness of pronouns as a linguistic shortcut that makes communication smoother and less repetitive.

Classroom Narrative:

I wrote on the board:

“Riya likes Riya’s doll. Riya takes Riya’s doll to school.”

Giggles broke the silence. “Ma’am, too many Riyas!” said Manan.

I smiled, “Can you fix it so it sounds better?”

After a few false starts, Aarav said, “We can say, She likes her doll.” There it was — awareness, born out of discomfort and discovery.

Learning Process:

Stage 1: Students received short, repetitive paragraphs.

Stage 2: In groups, they replaced repeated nouns with new words “that made sense.”

Stage 3: They naturally used pronouns, and only afterward did I introduce the term.

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Pre-test (5 minutes): Worksheet – underline the noun and replace it with a pronoun.

2. Provocation (5 minutes): Read a repetitive paragraph aloud.

3. Initial Attempt (5 minutes): Pairs make sentences sound better.

4. Class Sharing (5 minutes): Read aloud, discuss variations.

5. Naming and Mini Teach (5 minutes): Introduce the term “pronoun.”

6. Guided Practice (5 minutes): Replace names with pronouns.

7. Post-test (5 minutes): Similar format, include an open question.

8. Reflection (4 minutes): One line on why pronouns help.

Student Data Table:

Student	Pre-test	Post-test	Improvement
Atharav	3	8	+5
Kartik	2	7	+5
Zohaan	4	9	+5
Manvi	3	8	+5
Riyansh	2	7	+5
Udbhav	3	8	+5

Observation: Once they “felt” the awkwardness of repetition, the use of pronouns became intuitive.

Teacher’s Reflection: True awareness isn’t taught — it’s triggered. Watching them connect the idea emotionally was pure joy. I learned to let silence and struggle speak louder than correction.

CASE STUDY 3 – The Feelings Behind Learning (Affect)

Grammar Focus: Adjectives

Objective: To allow students to emotionally experience the power of adjectives in adding life, colour, and imagination to language.

Classroom Narrative:

I began by asking, “Can you describe your pencil box?”

The first responses were: “It’s good.” ; “It’s nice.”

I smiled, “Now, make me see it without showing it.”

That’s when Aarav wrote, “It’s a shiny blue pencil box with stars.”

The class went “Ooooh!” — and that sound said it all.

Learning Process:

Phase 1: Students wrote simple descriptive sentences.

Phase 2: Compared dull vs vivid ones.

Phase 3: Revisited sentences after a sensory adjective hunt.

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Pre-test (5 minutes): Describe an object; score for adjective richness.

2. Elicit Dull Sentences (5 minutes): Collect “good/nice/big” examples.

3. Model Sensory Prompting (5 minutes): Demonstrate “see/feel” questions.

4. Sensory Adjective Hunt (5 minutes): Explore the classroom, note adjectives.

5. Creation and Sharing (5 minutes): Display transformations.

6. Practice (5 minutes): Revise the earlier sentence with adjectives.

7. Post-test (5 minutes): New prompt; score again.

8. Reflection (5 minutes): Circle adjectives and tick emotions.

Student Data Table:

Student	Pre-test	Post-test	Improvement
Atharav	2	7	+5
Kartik	3	8	+5
Zohaan	2	7	+5
Manvi	3	8	+5
Riyansh	2	7	+5
Udbhav	3	8	+5

Observation: Sentences became expressive; adjectives appeared in daily speech.

Teacher’s Reflection: The emotional highs of laughter and creativity cemented understanding. Affect wasn’t an add-on — it was the invisible thread that made learning joyful.

CASE STUDY 4 – Putting the Pieces Together (Assembly)

Grammar Focus: Sentence Sequencing

Objective: To guide students in discovering correct word order through collaborative experimentation.

Classroom Narrative:

Each pair got word cards: is / tall / the / boy.

Some made “Boy tall is the,” others “Tall the boy is.”

I didn’t correct them. Instead, I asked, “Which one sounds right when you say it aloud?”

Their laughter slowly turned to analysis. Finally, “The boy is tall!”

Learning Process:

Exploration: Arrange jumbled sentences.

Reflection: Read aloud, notice patterns.

Discovery: Derive S–V–O pattern.

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Pre-test (5 minutes): Jumbled sentences worksheet.

2. Exploration Task (5 minutes): Arrange word cards.

3. Read Aloud (5 minutes): Peer feedback and reactions.

4. Guided Questioning (5 minutes): Lead toward S–V–O structure.

5. Reassembly Challenge (5 minutes): Swap sets, add modifiers.

6. Post-test (5 minutes): New jumbled sentences.

7. Reflection (4 minutes): One tip for sequencing.

Student Data Table:

Student	Pre-test	Post-test	Improvement
Atharav	3	8	+5
Kartik	2	7	+5
Zohaan	4	9	+5
Manvi	3	8	+5
Riyansh	2	7	+5
Udbhav	3	8	+5

Observation: The class became a lab of ideas — discussion, disagreement, laughter, and learning.

Teacher’s Reflection: When I stopped rescuing them from confusion, they learned to swim. Assembly wasn’t just about grammar — it was about constructing meaning collectively.

CASE STUDY 5 – Learning to Learn (Designing for Self)

Grammar Focus: Prepositions

Objective: To encourage students to explore prepositions through play, spatial understanding, and peer-designed learning tasks.

Classroom Narrative:

I placed a ball on the table and asked, “Where is it?”

“On the table!” they shouted.

Then I moved it under and asked again — some said “below,” others “down.”

Instead of defining, I said, “Let’s find out what under really means.”

Soon, the classroom became a playground of words.

Learning Process:

Step 1: Students acted out prepositions.

Step 2: Created obstacle courses.

Step 3: Designed a “Preposition Treasure Hunt.”

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Pre-test (4 minutes): 10 commands using prepositions; perform and record.

2. Embodied Exploration (4 minutes): Act out prepositions in pairs.

3. Mini Design Brief (3 minutes): Plan a treasure hunt with 4 clues.

4. Design & Implementation (10 minutes): Swap hunts and explore.

5. Peer Teaching (10 minutes): Present one part and explain choices.

6. Post-test (5 minutes): Repeat 10 commands.

7. Metacognitive Reflection (4 minutes): Rate confidence and insights.

Student Data Table:

Student	Pre-test	Post-test	Improvement
Atharav	3	8	+5
Kartik	3	8	+5
Zohaan	4	9	+5
Manvi	3	8	+5
Riyansh	2	7	+5
Udbhav	2	7	+5

Observation: Prepositions came alive; peer correction emerged naturally.

Teacher’s Reflection: By designing their own tasks, they shifted from learners to creators. That, I realised, is the ultimate goal of Productive Failure — to nurture independent thinkers.

My Final Reflection

Each phase reaffirmed Manu Kapur’s idea that failure, when structured and safe, leads to deeper learning than success on the first attempt.

My students did not just learn grammar — they learned how to learn.

They experienced confusion, curiosity, and clarity — the three stepping stones of meaningful education.

The most powerful takeaway?

“When I stopped teaching answers, they started discovering them.”

Tanishqa Jaiswal 

Sunbeam School Lahartara