Teaching Skills: Variation & Explanation

**3.9.4 The Skills of Variation** The skills of variation cover the activities the teacher can introduce to vary the presentation methods used in a lesson. We are concerned with three main areas of teaching. 1. The manner, voice, and personal teaching style of the teacher. 2. The media and mate...

**3.9.4 The Skills of Variation** The skills of variation cover the activities the teacher can introduce to vary the presentation methods used in a lesson. We are concerned with three main areas of teaching. 1. The manner, voice, and personal teaching style of the teacher. 2. The media and materials used in instructions. 3. The teacher/pupil relationship during the lesson. **Skill Component of Variation** 1. **Movement:** A simple component of this skill is teacher movement in the classroom. A few paces along the front of the classroom or a short walk along either sides of the classroom can help to keep the students alert and more interested in the lesson. Restless pacing up and down is more likely to distract students' attention and should be avoided. 2. **Gestures:** The teacher's use of natural movements of the body need to be varied from to time. The teacher can use head, hands, to emphasize a point. Meaningless gestures will only distract students' attention and should not be used. 3. **Varying Speech Pattern:** A teacher changes the speed, volume or pitch of his speech more especially when using oral questions. 4. **Students Verbal Participation**: The teachers' verbal interactions with the students could be during introduction, discussion, as well as asking questions. The teacher needs to vary this verbal participation by involving students from different positions in the classroom. He should also be gender friendly. 5. **Using Different Senses**: Here the teacher varies the activity so that students move from the use of one sense to another. Another example is the use of pictures and models by the teacher during the lesson. The teacher needs to vary the uses of pictures and models from time to time because this will not only increase the attention of the students but make information dissemination more effective and enhancing students' performance. 6. **Students' Physical Activities:** Here the teacher introduce dramatization and also allows the students to manipulate apparatus. It also allows students to take note of diagrams and any other activities. **Guidelines in the Use of Variation Skills** 1. The teacher must be clear in his mind about the purpose of the changes in activities i.e. the changes must be related to the general aims and contents of the lesson. 2. The teacher must introduce variation smoothly so that the flow of the lesson is not interrupted. 3. The teacher must carefully plan and organize his lesson particularly if he intends to use audio-visual aids. 4. The teacher should be able to modify his use of variations in relation to the feedback he obtains from his students. **3.9.5 The Skill of Explaining** Explaining is the process of giving clearer information to someone else for the purpose of understanding. The skill of explaining accurately and effectively is a skill a teacher should strive to perfect. There are many levels and forms of understanding and there are many levels and forms of explaining. This are concerned with three main types: a. The interpretative b. The descriptive c. The reason-giving. The interpretative type specifies the central meaning of a term or statement or clarifies an issue e.g. A novel is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ might be used to state an explanation of this type. - Descriptive: This describes processes, structures and procedures e.g. "How a bicycle pump works" might be an example. - Example of reason giving would include a topic like "why people pay taxes". **The Skill Component of Explaining are;** 1. Introduction: Here the teacher gains and holds the students' attention by establishing rapport during the lesson introduction. Therefore, the teacher's introduction must have focus on the lesson introduction for the purpose of explaining new ideas: a. Use of Keys: The teacher here clearly and concisely states the key factors involved during introduction. b. Use of Examples: The teacher must use various types of examples during explanation. c. Conclusion/Summary i.e. the teacher brings together the main points of the explanation and makes conclusion. 2. Presentation Component a. Use of Clarity: The teacher here uses appropriate languages as well as relevant illustrations to make his points clear. b. Uses of Emphasis Variation: The teacher uses different level of voices, pitch and tones to emphasize a particular point as well as using gestures and movements. c. Use of Emphasis Pointers, Links and Priorities: i.e. a teacher explains his points for students to understand him e.g. a pointer might be something like this "There are three main areas that deals with ". Links established relationship e.g. "The main area of the study leads to... while priorities give the importance of something which follows e.g. "Listen to this it is the heart of the problem... d. Avoiding Vagueness: This skill is related to clarity in that they both aim at a smooth and economic presentation of' the lesson e.g. many teachers are vague when explaining the use phrases like "and so on", "and things like that" etc. Vagueness of this type does not help the learner. If another example is needed during explanation, it should be carefully thought out and presented. e. Sequential and Logical Presentation: Here the teacher needs to arrange what he want to explain in an orderly manner as well as in sequence. This can follow from simple to complex, from specific to general, from known to unknown as well as from definition to characteristic etc. f. Feedback: Teachers explanation should not be too long in order to avoid the students having difficulties in responding to the teacher's explanation. Students should be allowed to display their own understanding, attitudes and curiosity. **3.9.6 The Skill of Reinforcement** Reinforcement is the skill we use when describing the teaching technique used to modify or change students behaviour in a number of positive ways e.g. when the teacher reinforces good behaviour with a smile or praises encouraging slow learner or writing "well done" in a piece of work. Thus, signs should lead to a repetition of the students' behaviour and positive attitude. Reinforcement can be applied equally to a single student, group of students or the whole class. **Components of Skill of Reinforcement** i. **Verbal reinforcement:** e.g. teachers comment or encouragement on student with the use of words like "good", "correct", "that's right", "what a good work" or using sentences like "1 am pleased with your work", "what a sensible answer". ii. **Gesture/reinforcement**: Here the teacher uses facial expressions such as a smile or a delighted laugh as well as bodily expressions such as clapping, nodding, or raising arms. iii. **Proximity reinforcement:** Here the teacher displays an interest in the student's performance by moving nearer or standing next to him as well as sitting near the student. iv. **Contact reinforcement**: i.e. The teacher shows his approval by patting the students head, shoulder or back or even shake hand with the student concerned. **Note:** for cultural reasons as well as religious aspect, contact reinforcement is not possible in some societies. v. **Activity reinforcement:** Here the teacher uses an activity or gives the students some task they prefer as reinforcement. vi. **Token reinforcement:** This is a situation where teacher writes comment on a test paper or assignment or in a situation where teacher gives sweets, money as well as awarding marks and also uses of progress chart on individual student where possible or a whole class. **Guidelines** 1. **Warmth and Enthusiasm:** Several researches have shown that the warmth and enthusiasm displayed by the teacher towards students' behaviour and achievement is an important aspect of the skill of reinforcement. 2. **Variety of Usage:** The teacher must avoid using the same style or type of reinforcement again and again. Constant repetition of the same words or gestures will soon make them meaningless to the students. 3. **Positive Reinforcement**: Researches suggest that positive reinforcement such as praise for correct answers is much more effective than negative reinforcement such as ridicule or criticism for a wrong answer. 4. **Students Understanding of Reinforcement**: If reinforcement is to be effective, students must have an understanding of the relationship between the reinforcement and their behavior. Student will ignore that praise which is insincere or inappropriate to the achievement or behaviour. Before a teacher uses reinforcement, he must take in account the students age, sex, and social group.