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LESSON 6

TEACHING- LEARNING STRATEGIES

A strategy is a course of action to achieve the goals / objectives of the subject.

Depending on the objectives to be achieved, the following strategies can be used.

Strategic learning means making decisions and purposefully taking action to

increase academic success or achieve an educational goal.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TEACHING STRATEGIES

It is important to underscore their essential characteristics:

(1) They have a normative character without the rigidity of a rule; they are the

training component of dynamic situations, characterized by flexibility and internal

elasticity. The general teaching approach outlined by educational strategies can be

"adjusted" and adapted to the training events and conditions. The strategies largely

carry the footprint of the trainer’s teaching style, creativity and personality;

(2) They have a structuring and modeling function to link the learning situations

where learners are placed and to trigger their psychological mechanisms of

learning;

(3) The components of the strategy (methods, means and organization forms of the

work) form a system, establishing the connection between them, even

interrelations and interdependencies. A teaching strategy can be decomposed into a

series of operations, steps, rules of conduct specific to different teaching sequences

so that each decision indicating the transition to the next sequence by exploiting

the information obtained in the previous step;

(4) They do not identify either with the opted methodological system or the basic

teaching method because the teaching strategy aims at the training process as a

whole, not a single training sequence;

(5) They have probabilistic meaning, that is that a particular teaching strategy,

although scientifically founded and appropriate for the psychological resources of

participants, cannot guarantee the success of the training process because there is a

large number of variables that can intervene in the process;

(6) They involve the students in specific learning situations and rationalize and

adequate the training content to their personality; and

(7) They create an ideal framework for interactions between other components of

the training process

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY, DEFINITION AND

EXAMPLES
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Direct Instruction- The Direct instruction strategy is highly teacher-directed and

is among the most commonly used. This strategy is effective for providing

information or developing step-by-step skills. It also works well for introducing

other teaching methods, or actively involving students in knowledge construction.

Possibilities Include: Lecture, Slide Presentation, Explicit Teaching, Drill and

Practice, Didactic Questions, Demonstrations, Guided and Shared – reading,

listening, and viewing thinking, Guest Lecture, Video, Multimedia Presentation

Interactive Instruction- Interactive instruction relies heavily on discussion and

sharing among participants. Students can learn from peers and teachers to develop

social skills and abilities, to organize their thoughts, and to develop rational

arguments. The interactive instruction strategy allows for a range of groupings and

interactive methods. It is important for the teacher to outline the topic, the amount

of discussion time, the composition and size of the groups, and reporting or sharing

techniques. Interactive instruction requires the refinement of observation, listening,

interpersonal, and intervention skills and abilities by both teacher and students.

Possibilities Include: Debates, Role Playing, Panels, Brainstorming, Peer Partner

Learning, Peer Assessment, Discussion, Laboratory Groups, Labs,

Think/Pair/Share, Co-operative Learning, Jigsaw, Problem Solving, Tutorials,

Interviewing, Conferencing, Team-Based Learning, Seminars

Indirect Instruction- In contrast to the direct instruction strategy, indirect

instruction is mainly student-centered, although the two strategies can complement

each other. Indirect instruction seeks a high level of student involvement in

observing, investigating, drawing inferences from data, or forming hypotheses. It

takes advantage of students' interest and curiosity, often encouraging them to

generate alternatives or solve problems. In indirect instruction, the role of the

teacher shifts from lecturer/director to that of facilitator, supporter, and resource

person. Possibilities Include: Problem Solving, Case Studies, Reading, Inquiry,

Reflective Discussion, Writing, Concept Formation, Concept Mapping, Tutorials

Independent Study- Independent study refers to the range of instructional

methods which are purposefully provided to foster the development of individual

student initiative, self-reliance, and self-improvement. While independent study

may be initiated by student or teacher, the focus here will be on planned

independent study by students under the guidance or supervision of a classroom

teacher. In addition, independent study can include learning in partnership with

another individual or as part of a small group. Possibilities Include: Essays,

Computer Aided Instruction, Journals, Learning Logs, Reports, Learning

Contracts, Homework, Research Projects, Assigned Questions, Learning Centres,

Independent Project/Course, Self-Assessment

Experiential Learning- Experiential learning is inductive, learner centered, and

activity oriented. Personalized reflection about an experience and the formulation

of plans to apply learning to other contexts are critical factors in effective

experiential learning. The emphasis in experiential learning is on the process of

learning and not on the product. Possibilities Include: Field Trips, Narratives,

Conducting Experiments, Simulations, Games, Storytelling, Field Observations,

Role-Playing, Model Building, Surveys, Studio Labs, Community Engaged

Learning, Study Abroad, Community Service Learning, Undergraduate Research,

Internships, Practicum, Co-op Placement, Apprenticeship, Field Courses

The principles of Effective Teaching Strategy

Devlin and Samarawickrema (2010: 113-114) proposed ten principles of

effective teaching strategy. They are:

(1) Teaching and curriculum design need to be focused on meeting students’

future needs, implying the development in students of generic capabilities such as

critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills, amongst others;

(2) Students must have a thorough understanding of fundamental concepts

even if that means less content is covered;

(3) The relevance of what is taught must be established by using real-life,

current and/or local examples and by relating theory to practice;

(4) Student beliefs must be challenged to deal with misconceptions;

(5) A variety of learning tasks that engage students, including student

discussion, need to occur in order that meaningful learning takes place;

(6) Genuine, empathetic relationships with individual students should be

established so that interaction can take place;

(7) Teachers should motivate students through displaying their own

enthusiasm, encouraging students and providing interesting, enjoyable and active

classes;

(8) Curriculum design should ensure that aims, concepts, learning activities

and assessment are consistent with achieving learning outcomes related to future

student needs;

(9) Each lesson must be thoroughly planned but flexible so that necessary

adaptations may be made based on feedback during the class; and

(10) Assessment must be consistent with the desired learning outcomes and

should, therefore, be authentic tasks for the discipline or profession.

TEACHER’S COMPETENCIES FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Definition: Competencies are the skills and knowledge that enable a teacher to be

successful. To maximize student learning, teachers must have expertise in a wide-

ranging array of competencies in an especially complex environment where

hundreds of critical decisions are required each day (Jackson, 1990). Few jobs

demand the integration of professional judgment and the proficient use of

evidence-based competencies as does teaching.

Which competencies make the biggest difference? An examination of the

research on education practices that make a difference shows that four classes of

competencies yield the greatest results.

 Instructional delivery

 Classroom management

 Formative assessment

 Personal competencies (soft skills)

1. Instructional delivery: Research tells us what can be expected from a teacher

employing instructional strategies and practices that are proven to lead to

increased mastery of lessons. Better learning happens in a dynamic setting in

which teachers offer explicit active instruction than in situations in which

teachers do not actively guide instruction and instead turn control over content

and pace of instruction to students (Hattie, 2009). The structured and

systematic approach of explicit instruction emphasizes mastery of the lesson to

ensure that students understand what has been taught, become fluent in new

material, and can generalize what they learn to novel situations they encounter

in the future.

The following are hallmarks of an explicit approach for teachers (Archer &

Hughes, 2011; Knight, 2012).

 Teacher selects the learning area to be taught.

 Teacher sets criteria for success.

 Teacher informs students of criteria ahead of the lesson.

 Teacher demonstrates to the students’ successful use of the knowledge/skills

through modeling.

 Teacher evaluates student acquisition.

 Teacher provides remedial opportunities for acquiring the knowledge/skills,

if necessary.

 Teacher provides closure at the end of the lesson.

Effective explicit instruction practices include these features.

a) Well-designed and planned instruction: Instruction that is well planned

moves students from their current level of competency toward explicit

criteria for success.

Instructional design with clear instructional objectives: The teacher should

present these objectives to students for each lesson.

Scope and sequencing: The teacher should teach the range of related skills

and the order in which they should be learned.

b) Instruction that offers sufficient opportunities for successful acquisition:

High rates of responding for each student to practice the skill: The teacher

should provide sufficient opportunities for unpunished errors and ample

reinforcement for success.

Sufficient quantity of instruction: The teacher should allocate enough time

to teach a topic.
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c) Teaching to mastery: Students need to learn the knowledge/skills to

criteria that are verified by teachers or students’ peers.

d) Teaching foundation knowledge/skills that become the basis for teaching

big ideas: Current lessons should be built on past knowledge to increase

fluency and maintain mastery of material. The teacher should relate

lessons to complex issues and big ideas that provide deeper meaning and

give students better understanding of the content.

2. Classroom management: Classroom management is one of the most persistent

areas of concern voiced by school administrators, the public, and teachers

(Evertson & Weinstein, 2013). Research consistently places classroom

management among the top five issues that affect student achievement.

A good body of research highlights four important areas that classroom teachers

should be proficient in to create a climate that maximizes learning and induces a

positive mood and tone.

Rules and procedures: Effective rules and procedures identify expectations and

appropriate behavior for students. To be effective, these practices must be

observable and measurable.

 School wide rules and procedures: Clearly stated rules identify, define,

and operationalize acceptable behavior specific to a school. These rules,

applicable to all students, are designed to build pro-social behavior and

reduce problem behavior in a school. They distinguish appropriate from

problem behavior as well as specify consequences for infractions.

 Classroom rules and procedures: Another set of clearly stated rules

establishes acceptable behavior specific in a classroom. These rules need

to be consistent with school wide rules, but may be unique to meet the

needs of an individual classroom.

Proactive classroom management: These are the practices that teachers and

administrators can employ to teach and build acceptable behavior that is

positive and helpful, promotes social acceptance, and leads to greater

success in school. The key to proactive classroom management is active

teacher supervision. The practice elements that constitute active supervision

require staff to observe and interact with students regularly. The goal is to

build a positive teacher-student relationship by providing timely and

frequent positive feedback for appropriate behavior, and to swiftly and

consistently respond to inappropriate behaviors.

Effective classroom instruction: The key to maintaining a desirable

classroom climate is to provide students with quality instructional delivery

aligned to the skill level of each student. This enables students to experience

success and keeps them attentive.

Behavior reduction: These practices, designed to reduce problem and

unacceptable behavior, are employed in the event the first three strategies

fail. Behavior reduction strategies include giving students corrective

feedback at the time of an infraction, minimizing reinforcement of a

student’s unacceptable behavior, and guiding students in how to behave

appropriately.

3. Formative assessment: Effective ongoing assessment, referred to in education

literature as formative assessment and progress monitoring, is indispensable in

promoting teacher and student success. It is frequently listed at the top of

interventions for school improvement (Walberg, 1999). Feedback, a core

component of formative assessment, is recognized as an essential tool for

improving performance in sports, business, and education. Formative

assessment consists of a range of formal and informal diagnostic testing

procedures, conducted by teachers throughout the learning process, for

modifying teaching and adapting activities to improve student attainment.

4. Personable competencies (soft skills): An inspiring teacher can affect students

profoundly by stimulating their interest in learning. It is equally true that most

students have encountered teachers who were uninspiring and for whom they

performed poorly. Unfortunately, effective and ineffective teachers have no

readily discernable personality differences. Some of the very best teachers are

affable, but many ineffective instructors can be personable and caring.

Conversely, some of the best teachers appear as stern taskmasters, but whose

influence is enormous in motivating students to accomplish things they never

thought possible.

What soft skills do successful teachers have in common? Typically, the finest

teachers display enthusiasm and excitement for the subjects they teach. More

than just generating excitement, they provide a road map for students to reach the

goals set before them. The best teachers are proficient in the technical

competencies of teaching: instructional delivery, formative assessment, and

classroom management. Equally significant, they are fluent in a multilayered set of

social skills that students recognize and respond to, which leads to greater learning

(Attakorn, Tayut, Pisitthawat, & Kanokorn, 2014). These skills must be defined as

clear behaviors that teachers can master for use in classrooms.

Indispensable soft skills include:

Establishing high but achievable expectations

Encouraging a love for learning

Listening to others

Being flexible and capable of adjusting to novel situations

Showing empathy

Being culturally sensitive

Embedding and encouraging higher order thinking along with teaching

foundation skills

Having a positive regard for students