BTE2601
ASSESSMENT 3
CLOSING DATE: 20 August 2025
2025
QUESTION 1
1.1 As a student teacher preparing to teach a diverse Grade 9 classroom
in a South African school, you are required to:
a) Define the concept of a teaching strategy and explain its importance
in lesson planning. marks)
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,BTE2601 ASSESSMENT 3: BECOMING A TEACHER
DUE 20 AUGUST 2025
QUESTION 1
1.1 As a student teacher preparing to teach a diverse Grade 9 classroom in a
South African school, you are required to:
a) Define the concept of a teaching strategy and explain its importance in lesson
planning. marks)
A teaching strategy is the method or approach a teacher uses to help learners
understand and learn a topic. According to Killen (2015), a teaching strategy gives
structure to the lesson and guides how information is shared and how learners
take part. It is important in lesson planning because it helps the teacher choose
the best way to reach different learners, especially in a diverse classroom. A good
strategy also makes learning clear, organised, and engaging. This allows all
learners to take part and succeed, no matter their background or learning style.
Reference
Killen, R. (2015). Teaching strategies for quality teaching and learning. Juta.
b) Select one of the following teaching strategies and briefly describe how you
would implement them in your lesson to develop critical thinking and problem-
solving skills:
• Cooperative Learning
• Discovery Learning
, • Problem-Based Learning
• Direct Instruction
I choose Cooperative Learning. This strategy means learners work together in
small groups to help each other learn. Each learner has a role and shares ideas to
solve problems or complete tasks. It helps learners think deeply, listen to others,
and learn how to work as a team.
Teaching strategies are important because they help the teacher reach all
learners. Some learners understand better when they talk, others when they
write or draw. A good strategy makes learning fair and fun for everyone.
According to Killen, teaching strategies help teachers plan lessons that support
learning goals and meet learners’ needs.
In Cooperative Learning, I would divide the class into mixed groups with learners
of different strengths, languages, and backgrounds. For example, in a Grade 9 Life
Orientation lesson about healthy choices, each group could create a poster
showing how to make good decisions. One learner could draw, another could
write, and others could present. This way, all learners take part and learn from
each other. It also helps them think about real-life problems and how to solve
them together.
Reference: Killen, R. (2007). Teaching strategies for outcomes-based education.
Juta.
1.2 In your own words, explain the difference between the formal, informal, and
hidden curriculum. For each type, provide one relevant example from a school
context. (9 marks)