Different Approaches and Methods PDF

Different Approaches and Methods “A thousand teachers, a thousand methods” - Chinese Proverb Introduction Teaching Approach is a set of principles, beliefs, or ideas about the nature of learning which is translated into the classr...

Different Approaches and Methods “A thousand teachers, a thousand methods” - Chinese Proverb Introduction Teaching Approach is a set of principles, beliefs, or ideas about the nature of learning which is translated into the classroom. An approach is a way of looking at teaching and learning. Underlying any language teaching approach is a theoretical view of what language is, and of how it can be learnt. An approach gives rise to methods, the way of teaching something, which use classroom activities or techniques to help learners learn. Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: 1. Differentiate teaching approach, strategy, method, and technique; 2. Identify several examples of teaching approaches; and 3. Design appropriate teaching approaches for each lesson. Content Teaching approach is a set of principles, beliefs, or ideas about the nature of learning which is translated into the classroom. It springs from a teacher’s own philosophy of education, the nature of education, the role of the teacher and that of the student. Teaching strategy is a long-term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. Strategy applies to many disparate fields such as military strategy, economic strategy, teaching strategy and the like. Teaching method is a systematic way of doing something. It implies an orderly logical arrangement of steps. It is more procedural. Teaching technique is a well-defined procedure used to accomplish a specific activity or task. It is a teacher’s particular style or trick used to accomplish an immediate objective. More than one technique may be available for accomplishing a specific activity or task. Techniques are consistent with a given approach, strategy and method. Examples of Teaching Approaches  Teacher-centered Learner-centered Subject matter-centered Learner-centered Teacher-dominated Interactive “Banking” approach Constructivist Disciplinal Integrated Individualistic Collaborative Indirect, guided Direct In the teacher-centered approach, the teacher is perceived to be the only reliable source of information in contrast to the learner-centered approach which is premised on the belief that the learner is also an important resource because he/she too knows something and is therefore capable of sharing something. The teacher-centered approach is also teacher-dominated. In the subject matter-centered approach, subject-matter gains primacy over that of the learner. The subject mattered-centered approach is also teacher-dominated. Learner-centered classroom the teacher makes adjustments in his/her lesson plans to accommodate learners’ interests and concerns. Students are given the opportunity to interact with teachers and with other students. In the constructivist approach, students are expected to construct knowledge and meaning out of what they are taught by connecting them to prior experience. In the “banking” approach, the teacher deposits knowledge into the “empty” minds of students for students to commit to memory. The students are perceived to be “empty receptacles” waiting to be filled. Integrated teaching approach makes the teacher connect what he/she teaches to the other lessons of the same subject (intradisciplinary) or connect his/her lessons with other subjects thus making his/her approach interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary. Disciplinal approach limits the teacher to discussing his/her lessons within the boundary of his/her subject. Collaborative approach will welcome group work, team work, partnerships, group discussion while an individualistic approach will want individual students working by themselves. Direct teaching approach, teacher directly tells or shows or demonstrates what is to be taught while in the guided approach, teacher guides the learner to discover things for himself/herself. In the guided approach, the teacher facilitates the learning process by allowing the learner to be engaged in the learning process with his/her guidance. Other teaching approaches cited in education literature are: 1. Research-based approach – as the name implies teaching and learning are anchored on research findings. 2. Whole child approach – the learning process itself takes into account not only the academic needs of the learners, but also their emotional, creative, psychological, spiritual, and developmental needs. 3. Metacognitive approach – teaching process brings the learner to the process of thinking about thinking. 4. Problem-based approach – as the name implies, the teaching-learning process is focused on problems. Direct/Expository Approach 1. Direct Instruction/Lecture Method Direct instruction is aimed at helping students acquire procedural knowledge which is knowledge exercised in the performance task. Direct instruction is also used for lessons that are factual and non-controversial. Steps of the Direct Method of Lecture Method To employ this methodology in teaching skill/s, follow these steps: a) provide the rationale, b) demonstrate the skill, c) provide guided practice until mastery, d) check for understanding and provide feedback, e) provide extended practice and transfer, and f) assess learning at the end. If you teach facts, principles or laws, your steps are similar to those of teaching a skill. a.) give a short introduction by providing the rationale, b.) present your lesson, c.) develop the lesson by explaining, illustrating it with diagrams if appropriate and/or by giving concrete examples, d.) give application of the lesson and e.) check for understanding and provide feedback. 2. Demonstration Method The demonstration method of the teacher of an assigned student or group shows how a process is done while the students become observers. 3. Indirect/Guided / Exploratory Approach  Indirect instruction method is best used when the learning process is inquiry-based, the results are discovery and the learning context is a problem. a. Inquiry Method Provide them with opportunities to explore, inquire and discover new learnings. What are the steps in the inquiry method? ⮚ Define the topic or introduce the question. ⮚ Guide students plan where and how to gather data, information. ⮚ Students present findings through graphs, charts, powerpoint presentation, models, and writing. b. Problem Solving Method Problem solving is a teaching strategy that employs the scientific method in searching for information. The five basic steps of the scientific method or investigatory process are: ⮚ Sensing and defining the problem ⮚ Formulating hypothesis ⮚ Testing the likely hypothesis (by observing, conducting an experiment, collecting and organizing data through normative surveys.) ⮚ Analysis interpretation and evaluation of evidence ⮚ Formulating conclusion This method is used most often in science and mathematics classes. The students are trained to be sensitive to any puzzling situation or to any difficult situation that needs to be solved. Advantages o This method is most effective in developing skill in employing the science processes. o The scientific method can likewise be used effectively in other non-science subjects. o The student’s active involvement resulting in meaningful experiences serves as a strong motivation to follow the scientific procedure in future undertakings. o Problem-solving develops higher level thinking skills. o A keen sense of responsibility, originality and resourcefulness are developed, which are much-needed ingredients for independent study. o The students become appreciative and grateful for the achievement of scientists.  o Critical thinking, open mindedness and wise judgment are among scientific attitudes and values inculcated through competence in the scientific method. o The students learn to accept the opinions and evidence shared by others. c. Project Method Project method learners solve a practical problem over a period of several days or weeks. It may involve organizing a fundraising campaign for the flood. Advantages o It is a teaching method that emphasizes learning by doing.” o Constructing projects develops the students’ manipulative skills. o The planned design of the project tests the students’ originality in choosing the materials to be used. o It can be employed among students who are weak in oral communication. o The completed project adds to one's feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. o It instills the values of initiative, industry and creativity. o Working on a project in groups develops the spirit of cooperation and sharing of ideas. o In addition to learning a concept, students become productive and enterprising. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning makes use of a classroom organization where students work in groups or teams to help each other learn. Characteristic Features 1. It has two important components, namely: - A cooperative incentive structure – one where two or more individuals are interdependent for a reward. They will share if they are successful as a group and a cooperative task structure – a situation in which two or more individuals are allowed, encouraged or required to work together on some tasks, coordinating their efforts to complete the task. 2. Students work in teams to tackle academic tasks. 3. Reward systems are group-oriented rather than individually-oriented. 4. The interactions within the group are controlled by the members themselves. 5. Teams are made up of mixed abilities – high, average and low achievers. 6. Each individual learner is accountable for his/her learning. 7. The group reflects on and evaluates the group process they underwent. Advantages of Cooperative Learning o Interdependent relationships are strengthened and reinforced when group cooperation is rewarded.  o Group work develops friendliness, willingness to assist and the more worthwhile value of caring and sharing. o Cooperation in groups promotes maximum generation and exchange of ideas, tolerance and respect for other people’s point of view. o Cooperative learning groups exhibit less competitive behavior compared to whole-class teaching classrooms. o The group members gain skills of cooperation and collaboration through experience. Peer tutoring/Peer teaching It is said that “the best way to learn something is to teach it.” Make students teach each other in a “Think, Pair, Share!” manners. Peer tutoring is commonly employed when the teacher requests the older, brighter and more cooperative member of the class to tutor (coach, teach, instruct) other classmates. a. Instructional tutoring b. Same age tutoring c. Monitorial tutoring d. Structural tutoring e. Semi-structural tutoring Partner Learning This is learning with a partner. A student chooses a partner from among his/her classmates. It can be employed when you get your students rehearse what they have learned and explore their understanding of content with a partner. This may also mean assigning “study buddy.” Deductive Method versus the Inductive Method All teaching methods can be classified into two, namely deductive and inductive methods. The direct method and the demonstration method of instruction are deductive. The inquiry method, problem-solving method, and project method are inductive. Deductive Method The teacher tells or shows directly what he/she wants to teach. This is also referred to as direct instructions. How does the teacher proceed when he/she teaches deductively? Advantages of the Deductive Method 1. Cover inning of the lesson. We do not need to worry about what questions to ask to lead the learners to generalization or conclusion. Disadvantages of the Deductive Method  1. It is not supportive of the principle that learning is an active process. 2. Lesson appears uninteresting at first. Inductive Method The opposite of direct method and deductive method is the inductive method. This is also called indirect instruction. The inquiry method or problem solving method and project method fall under indirect, guided and exploratory approach to instruction. They begin with questions, problems and details and end up with answers, generalization and conclusions. Advantages of the Inductive Method 1. The learners are more engaged in the teaching-learning process. With our facilitating skills, the learners formulate the generalization of rule. 2. Learning becomes more interesting at the outset because we begin with the experiences of our students. We begin with what they know. 3. It helps the development of our learners’ higher-order-thinking-skills (HOTS). Disadvantages of the Inductive Method 1. It requires more time and so less subject matter will be covered. 2. It demands expert facilitating skills on the part of the teacher. Other Approaches a. Blended Learning Blended learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and is based on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course. “Integrative Learning”, “hybrid learning”, “multi-method learning”, “It combines classroom learning, mobile learning, and on-line learning.” b. Reflective teaching Students/teachers learn through an analysis and evaluation of past experience. Strategies o Self-analysis  ▪Keep a record of his/her success or failure in employing a strategy, problems and issues confronted, and significance of learning events that occurred. o Writing journals ▪ A journal entry includes: a.) a description of the teaching/learning event, b.) outcomes of the event, c.) value or worthiness of the outcomes, and d.) causes of success or failure. A journal reveals feelings about the day’s activities including what could have enhanced or inhibited their learning. c. Keeping a portfolio o A portfolio is a very personal document which includes a frank, honest and on-the-spot account of experience. 3. Metacognitive Approach The metacognitive approach has been introduced very briefly in the first part of the chapter. The prefix ‘’meta’’ means beyond. Therefore, a metacognitive approach is an approach that goes beyond cognition. It is an approach that makes the student think about their thinking. It has something to do with our students monitoring their own cognitive processes as they are engaged in their cognitive tasks. Linda Darling – Hammond and colleagues (2008) emphasized this principle of learning that should guide teaching in the 21st century- “student learn more effectively when they are aware on their learning of how they learn and know how to monitor and reflect.’’ 4. Constructive Approach ‘’student come to the classroom with prior understandings and experiences and to promote student learnings, teachers must address and build upon this prior knowledge.’’ The constructivist approach is anchored on this. Constructivists view learning as an active process that results from self-constructed meanings. A meaningful connection is established between prior knowledge and the present learning activity. 5. Integrated Approach Integrated approach is intradisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary. In an integrated approach, there are no walls that clearly separate one subject from the rest.  An intradisciplinary approach is observed when teachers integrate the subdisciplines within a subject area. Integrating, listening, writing, speaking and viewing in language arts is a common example. Problem-based learning (PBL) – This is a concrete example of transdisciplinary teaching. After studying approaches and methods, let’s put together the characteristics of teaching methods that have been proven to be effective. They are given below: 1. Interactive – You make learners interact with you (their teacher), with their classmates and with learning materials. 2. Innovative – Your teaching is fresh because you introduce new teaching method/s. you don’t overuse one teaching method. 3. Integrative – You connect your lesson to one another, to other disciplines and to life. 4. Inquiry-based – You ask questions and the learners look for answers. 5. Collaborative – You make learners work together. 6. Constructivist – You make learners construct knowledge and meaning by connecting lessons with their past experiences. 7. Varied – You don’t stick to just one teaching method. You have a ready repertoire of teaching methods from which to draw any time. 8. Experiential (Hands-on, minds-on, hearts-on) – You engage learners in varied activities. 9. Metacognitive – You make learners think about their cognitive and thought process. 10. Reflective – You make your students reflect on what they have learned and how they have learned.