SNAKE AND LADDER (GAME)
LITERATURE REVIEW

Basically Snake and Ladder is based on three theories: Silent Way, collaborative learning and peer assessment.

SILENT WAY
According to Caleb Gattegno's Silent Way (1972), teaching should be subordinated to learning, which means the teacher works with the student and the student works with the language. Silent Way allows students to make use of what they know and free themselves from any obstacles that would interfere with giving their utmost attention to the learning. They gain autonomy and actively engaged in exploring the language and by making choices. Students are able to use language for self-expression - to express thoughts, perceptions and feelings.
Self-correction is the main aspect in Silent Way that helps to facilitate language learning. Students develop own "inner criteria" for correctness - to trust and to be responsible for their own production in the target language. Students learn to rely on each other and themselves. Students are encouraged throughout the learning to co-operate with one another. This student-student verbal interaction is desirable because it enables students to learn from one another. Moreover, this interaction creates a relaxed and enjoyable learning environment.
As for the teacher, he or she remains silent but then still very active in the sense the teacher sets up situations to "force students' awareness" and also listening attentively to students' speech. Apart from that, teacher silently works with students on their production, in getting them to self-correct. Students' errors are seen as natural, indispensable part of the learning process. When the teacher does speak, it is to give clues to the students, not to model the language. Teacher would supply the correct language, but as a last resort where all self-correction options failed.
Teacher acts as a technician or engineer by giving what help is necessary and focus on students' perceptions. Teacher makes use of what students already know. The more the teacher does for the students what they can do for themselves, the less they will do for themselves. Therefore, teacher gives only what the students absolutely need to promote their learning. Apart from that, the teacher does not praise or criticise students' behaviour since this would interfere with students developing their own inner criteria.
Silence is a tool. It helps to foster autonomy, or the exercise of initiative. Silence also removes the teacher from the center of attention so he or she can closely listen and observe the students' behaviour. Teacher's silence frees him or her to attend to the students and to be aware of their immediate learning needs from their behaviour. The teacher's silence also encourages group co-operation, which is desirable.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING & PEER ASSESSMENT
Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning, which involves groups of students working together to solve a problem, to complete a task and to create a product. According to Gerlach (1994), collaborative learning is based on the idea that learning is a naturally social act in which the participants talk among themselves. It is through talk that learning occurs. For learners to retain and comprehend knowledge, it must be placed in a conceptual framework. In the small group setting, the learner has the opportunity to rehearse their understanding with other and to be exposed to other conceptual constructs.
Collaborative learning also enhances peer correction or assessment. Peer assessment helps to develop critical appraisal skills (Jaques, 1991), increase awareness of a range of solutions to problems (Gibbs, 1981; Gibbs et al., 1986), develop reflective skills (Schon, 1983, 1987), and contribute to development of self-reliant and self-directed learners (Boud, 1991; Brown & Knight, 1994; Boud & Holmes, 1995).


REFERENCES
Boud, D. (1991). Implementing Student Self-assessment. Cited in A. Sivan (2000). The Implementation of Peer Assessment: An Action Research Approach. Assessment in Education. 7(2). 193-213.
Boud, D. and Holmes, H. (1995). Peer and Self Marking in a Large Technical Subject, in: D. Boud (Ed.) Enhancing Learning through Self Assessment, pp. 63-78. Cited in A. Sivan (2000). The Implementation of Peer Assessment: An Action Research Approach. Assessment in Education. 7(2). 193-213.
Brown, B. and Knight, P. (1994). Assessing Learners in Higher Education. Cited in A. Sivan (2000). The Implementation of Peer Assessment: An Action Research Approach. Assessment in Education. 7(2). 193-213.
Gattegno, C. (1972). Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools: The Silent Way. 2d ed. New York: Educational Solutions, Inc.