Learning Unit 3: Teaching strategies
Theme 1
LO 1: Identify appropriate teaching strategies to achieve specific learning outcomes
LO 2: Apply appropriate teaching strategies when planning
LO 3: Create motivating learning environments
LO 4: Critically reflect on the effectiveness of lessons
LO 5: Evaluate the effectiveness of lessons
Direct instruction:
Whole class expository teaching techniques
Lectures & demonstrations
Teacher-centred approaches
Highly structured format
Directs activities of learners & maintains focus on academic achievement
LO 1: Identify appropriate teaching strategies to achieve specific learning outcomes
Direct instruction:
Required learning outcomes & success criteria are made clear to learners before instruction starts
Teacher organises & control the sequencing of all lesson activities Strong emphasis on academic
achievement
Carefully monitors learners’ activities & gains frequent feedback on their understanding
The teacher provides frequent, clear feedback to learners
When do you think it is appropriate to use this strategy?
When learners are introduced to a new area of study
Emphasis is on ‘teaching in small steps, providing for student practice after each step, guiding
students during initial practice and providing all students with a high level of successful practice’
Steps for direct instruction:
1. Start with an overview that reviews prerequisite learning and tells students what they will be
learning and why. This provides structure
2. Give a clear explanation of the knowledge & skills to be learned
3. Students should be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their initial understanding in
response to teacher probes
4. When the teacher is satisfied that the students are ready, they should be given guided practice
5. Finally, learners engage in independent practice
1
,Reasons for using direct instruction:
Academic learning is influenced by the amount of time that learners spend engaged in appropriate
academic activities
Learning is easier for students when their teachers carefully structure new info
Should help learners relate new info to what they already know
Teachers should monitor learner performance & provide corrective feedback
Reasons for using direct instruction: (refer to pg. 139-140)
Efficient way to introduce learners to a new area of study
Enable the teacher to convey a strong personal interest in the subject
Reduces the cognitive load on students Show learners how to think like a ‘geographer’
Highlight important points or possible difficulties for learners
Equally effective for large & small classes Effective for teaching explicit concept
Useful way to provide info for learners who are poor readers
Alternative perspectives on issues
Learn more deeply from strongly guided learning
Create non-threatening learning environment
Can challenge learners to consider apparent disjunctions between theory
Concentrate on the results of some event rather than technicalities of achieving the result
Useful when there is insufficient equipment
Lends itself to teacher reflection
2
, Issues to consider before using direct instruction? (refer to pg. 140-141)
Learners interest will be lost, remember little of content if does not involve any learner participation
See teacher as ‘all knowing being’
Learners will struggle if they are not very good at listening, observing & note taking
May not provide learners with sufficient opportunities to process & understand when info is
complex, detailed or abstract
Difficult to cater for differences
Don’t develop social & interpersonal skills
Problem solving skills might not develop
Limited opportunities to explore or debate
Teacher may overlook misconceptions by students
Many learners are not skilful observers
Psychomotor skills cannot be taught through direct instruction
If teacher is not prepared, the students will become bored or distracted
Use direct instruction if?
Learners have limited prior knowledge
Concepts & relationships are complex & difficult to identify
Focus on learning then on the procedure of learning
Want to introduce learners to a broad range of ideas & examples in a short time
Lack skills to learn independently or collaboratively
Do not use direct instruction if?
Learners are highly motivated to work independently or collaboratively
Content to be learned requires a lot of time to assimilate
Extreme variations in learner’s prior knowledge and/or abilities
Develop their social skills while learning academic content
Requires individual interpretation
3
Theme 1
LO 1: Identify appropriate teaching strategies to achieve specific learning outcomes
LO 2: Apply appropriate teaching strategies when planning
LO 3: Create motivating learning environments
LO 4: Critically reflect on the effectiveness of lessons
LO 5: Evaluate the effectiveness of lessons
Direct instruction:
Whole class expository teaching techniques
Lectures & demonstrations
Teacher-centred approaches
Highly structured format
Directs activities of learners & maintains focus on academic achievement
LO 1: Identify appropriate teaching strategies to achieve specific learning outcomes
Direct instruction:
Required learning outcomes & success criteria are made clear to learners before instruction starts
Teacher organises & control the sequencing of all lesson activities Strong emphasis on academic
achievement
Carefully monitors learners’ activities & gains frequent feedback on their understanding
The teacher provides frequent, clear feedback to learners
When do you think it is appropriate to use this strategy?
When learners are introduced to a new area of study
Emphasis is on ‘teaching in small steps, providing for student practice after each step, guiding
students during initial practice and providing all students with a high level of successful practice’
Steps for direct instruction:
1. Start with an overview that reviews prerequisite learning and tells students what they will be
learning and why. This provides structure
2. Give a clear explanation of the knowledge & skills to be learned
3. Students should be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their initial understanding in
response to teacher probes
4. When the teacher is satisfied that the students are ready, they should be given guided practice
5. Finally, learners engage in independent practice
1
,Reasons for using direct instruction:
Academic learning is influenced by the amount of time that learners spend engaged in appropriate
academic activities
Learning is easier for students when their teachers carefully structure new info
Should help learners relate new info to what they already know
Teachers should monitor learner performance & provide corrective feedback
Reasons for using direct instruction: (refer to pg. 139-140)
Efficient way to introduce learners to a new area of study
Enable the teacher to convey a strong personal interest in the subject
Reduces the cognitive load on students Show learners how to think like a ‘geographer’
Highlight important points or possible difficulties for learners
Equally effective for large & small classes Effective for teaching explicit concept
Useful way to provide info for learners who are poor readers
Alternative perspectives on issues
Learn more deeply from strongly guided learning
Create non-threatening learning environment
Can challenge learners to consider apparent disjunctions between theory
Concentrate on the results of some event rather than technicalities of achieving the result
Useful when there is insufficient equipment
Lends itself to teacher reflection
2
, Issues to consider before using direct instruction? (refer to pg. 140-141)
Learners interest will be lost, remember little of content if does not involve any learner participation
See teacher as ‘all knowing being’
Learners will struggle if they are not very good at listening, observing & note taking
May not provide learners with sufficient opportunities to process & understand when info is
complex, detailed or abstract
Difficult to cater for differences
Don’t develop social & interpersonal skills
Problem solving skills might not develop
Limited opportunities to explore or debate
Teacher may overlook misconceptions by students
Many learners are not skilful observers
Psychomotor skills cannot be taught through direct instruction
If teacher is not prepared, the students will become bored or distracted
Use direct instruction if?
Learners have limited prior knowledge
Concepts & relationships are complex & difficult to identify
Focus on learning then on the procedure of learning
Want to introduce learners to a broad range of ideas & examples in a short time
Lack skills to learn independently or collaboratively
Do not use direct instruction if?
Learners are highly motivated to work independently or collaboratively
Content to be learned requires a lot of time to assimilate
Extreme variations in learner’s prior knowledge and/or abilities
Develop their social skills while learning academic content
Requires individual interpretation
3
