BTE2601
Assignment 3
DUE 20 August 2025
,SIGNED DECLARATION at the beginning of your assignment
Your name and student number
The assignment number (03)
Module code: BTE2601
Subject name: BECOMING A TEACHER
QUESTION 1
1.1 (a) Definition of a teaching strategy and its importance
A teaching strategy is a deliberate plan or method that a teacher uses to facilitate
learning and help learners achieve specific learning outcomes. According to Becoming a
Teacher (2020), teaching strategies are purposeful and structured approaches that
guide the teaching process, ensuring that lessons are engaging, meaningful, and
accessible to all learners.
Importance in lesson planning:
1. Promotes effective learning: Teaching strategies help structure lessons so that
learners understand content, acquire skills, and retain knowledge.
2. Supports diverse learners: By using appropriate strategies, teachers can
address learners’ different learning styles, abilities, and cultural backgrounds.
3. Encourages learner engagement: Strategic planning ensures that learners
actively participate, think critically, and develop problem-solving skills.
4. Guides assessment: Teaching strategies provide a framework for assessing
learners’ understanding and adjusting instruction to meet learning needs.
In essence, teaching strategies are vital because they transform curriculum content into
meaningful learning experiences while accommodating the diversity in a classroom.
1.1 (b) Teaching Strategy: Cooperative Learning
, Brief description:
Cooperative Learning is a teaching strategy where learners work together in small
groups to achieve a common learning goal. Each member contributes actively and is
accountable for both individual and group learning. It promotes collaboration,
communication, and critical thinking.
Why teaching strategies are important:
• They structure interaction among learners and guide them in acquiring
knowledge effectively.
• They ensure that learners are not passive recipients of information but active
participants in the learning process.
• They support higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and the development of
social skills, which are crucial in a diverse classroom.
Implementation of Cooperative Learning in a Grade 9 classroom:
1. Lesson Context: Topic: Environmental Pollution in Natural Sciences.
2. Group Formation: Divide learners into diverse groups of 4–5, ensuring a mix of
abilities, language backgrounds, and learning styles.
3. Task Assignment: Each group researches a type of pollution (air, water, soil, or
noise) and identifies its causes, effects, and possible solutions.
4. Roles Within Groups: Assign roles such as researcher, recorder, presenter, and
timekeeper to ensure active participation.
5. Collaboration: Learners discuss their findings, critically evaluate solutions, and
support each other in understanding complex concepts.
6. Presentation: Groups present their solutions to the class. Other learners ask
questions, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving.
7. Teacher’s Role: Facilitate discussion, provide guidance, and assess both group
and individual contributions.
Assignment 3
DUE 20 August 2025
,SIGNED DECLARATION at the beginning of your assignment
Your name and student number
The assignment number (03)
Module code: BTE2601
Subject name: BECOMING A TEACHER
QUESTION 1
1.1 (a) Definition of a teaching strategy and its importance
A teaching strategy is a deliberate plan or method that a teacher uses to facilitate
learning and help learners achieve specific learning outcomes. According to Becoming a
Teacher (2020), teaching strategies are purposeful and structured approaches that
guide the teaching process, ensuring that lessons are engaging, meaningful, and
accessible to all learners.
Importance in lesson planning:
1. Promotes effective learning: Teaching strategies help structure lessons so that
learners understand content, acquire skills, and retain knowledge.
2. Supports diverse learners: By using appropriate strategies, teachers can
address learners’ different learning styles, abilities, and cultural backgrounds.
3. Encourages learner engagement: Strategic planning ensures that learners
actively participate, think critically, and develop problem-solving skills.
4. Guides assessment: Teaching strategies provide a framework for assessing
learners’ understanding and adjusting instruction to meet learning needs.
In essence, teaching strategies are vital because they transform curriculum content into
meaningful learning experiences while accommodating the diversity in a classroom.
1.1 (b) Teaching Strategy: Cooperative Learning
, Brief description:
Cooperative Learning is a teaching strategy where learners work together in small
groups to achieve a common learning goal. Each member contributes actively and is
accountable for both individual and group learning. It promotes collaboration,
communication, and critical thinking.
Why teaching strategies are important:
• They structure interaction among learners and guide them in acquiring
knowledge effectively.
• They ensure that learners are not passive recipients of information but active
participants in the learning process.
• They support higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and the development of
social skills, which are crucial in a diverse classroom.
Implementation of Cooperative Learning in a Grade 9 classroom:
1. Lesson Context: Topic: Environmental Pollution in Natural Sciences.
2. Group Formation: Divide learners into diverse groups of 4–5, ensuring a mix of
abilities, language backgrounds, and learning styles.
3. Task Assignment: Each group researches a type of pollution (air, water, soil, or
noise) and identifies its causes, effects, and possible solutions.
4. Roles Within Groups: Assign roles such as researcher, recorder, presenter, and
timekeeper to ensure active participation.
5. Collaboration: Learners discuss their findings, critically evaluate solutions, and
support each other in understanding complex concepts.
6. Presentation: Groups present their solutions to the class. Other learners ask
questions, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving.
7. Teacher’s Role: Facilitate discussion, provide guidance, and assess both group
and individual contributions.
