Good teaching methods
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Teaching strategies are as varied as the classrooms theyre used in. Theres no one size fits all method for making learning happen. Show
But some teaching strategies reliably deliver the lightbulb moments. Weve compiled 12 of the most consistently effective teaching strategies here, so the next time youre stuck for lesson ideas youll have a proven toolkit to turn to. Station rotationStation rotation gets your students out of their seats and moving between different learning activities. Its so much more engaging than an hour spent sitting down at the same desk, and it allows them to experience the learning content in more ways than one. Separate your classroom into learning stations with a different activity at each, and then have students rotate through them in groups. The activities could use different modes (e.g. visual, text-based, digital), or they might be built around different problems (hint: using varying levels of difficulty allows for differentiation). Just make sure theyre all tied to the same learning goal. Use station rotation for: differentiation, immersion in new content, cooperative learning. Group workSilent individual work has its place, but sometimes you want to hear excited, on-topic conversations instead. Use group work to get students talking, bouncing ideas off each other, and exploring new perspectives. Here are a few models of group work: Jigsaws: assign each group a different aspect of a common topic. Once theyve researched it or completed the activity, they can share it with the rest of the class. Everyone ends up with a holistic understanding of the topic after hearing the findings of every group. Pass-arounds: after an individual exercise, have students pass their work around the table to get feedback from multiple peers. Each group can then choose an exemplar to share with the whole class. Group presentations: follow up a group exercise or discussion by getting groups to present their findings to the rest of the class. This encourages them to bring together their different perspectives, and it keeps them accountable during the task. Use group work for: cooperative learning, projects, student-led inquiry. Formative assessmentIts easy to become fixated on summative assessments when youve got grades to give, but dont forget about the formative ones, either. Formative assessments will clue you into student progress before the final test or assignment. Formative assessment can be as simple or as detailed as you like what matters is that they alert you to what has been understood, and what gaps need your attention. Here are some potential strategies:
Use formative assessment for: diagnosing individual needs, assessing whole-class comprehension, checks for understanding. Graphic organizersDespite all the information we give in our lessons, its easy for students to walk away with nothing committed to paper. Graphic organizers solve this problem by providing clear, logically structured spaces for students to record their thinking. They give students a tangible record of a learning activity and an opportunity to practice independent note taking. Use text boxes and headings so students can see what information goes where and how it all connects. Weve got some downloadable examples for science here. Use graphic organizers for: mind-mapping or brainstorming activities, assessment planning, student note taking. Response to interventionWhen a student is falling behind or they just dont get it, response to intervention strategies are the answer. These are the techniques you use to get struggling students back on track. Depending on the level of student difficulty, response to intervention strategies can range in intensity. Here are some examples:
Read more about response to intervention in our article here. Use RTI for: students needing extra support. ModelingWhen we want our students to understand or do something, we often show it to them first. This is where modeling comes into play. Its the process of demonstrating a skill or concept so learners can see it first-hand. Sounds simple, but its easy for modeling to leave students more confused than confident particularly when youre demonstrating something youve done 1000 times without a second thought. Effective modeling should be: Appropriately paced: slow enough for learners to see in detail what you are doing, but not so slow that your students begin to tune out. Broken down into steps: talk learners through the skill as a process. A good way to do this is by talking aloud (now Ive done x, Im going to do y). Visual: let students see how you demonstrate the skill. This might be in the form of a live demonstration, a step-by-step guide, or a diagram. Patient: remember, no matter how second nature it might seem to you, it will be new to your students. Demonstrate the skill multiple times and in different ways if youre still getting confused looks. High-order questioningHigh-order questions are the ones that lead to whole class discussions, hands shooting up, debates, and digressions. They get everyone participating not just the usual suspects and youll probably learn a thing or two from your students answers as well. A high-order question should be: Open-ended: avoid yes/no answers. Authentic: ask because you want to know what your students think, not because youre fishing for a specific answer. Followed up with meaningful discussion: even if a student misses the mark with their answer, acknowledge it and use it to redirect the discussion (e.g. I like the way youre thinking, but theres one thing were forgetting). Even better, try and join the dots between different students thinking to build the sense of a broader discussion (Interesting, that comes back to what Jack said, but Julia seems to think differently). Ask questions to: check for understanding, drive discussion, hook students with a new topic. ScaffoldingA single, big learning goal can seem overwhelming for you as well as your students. Thats why scaffolding is such an important teaching strategy. Its the process of constructing learning bit by bit, as opposed to doing everything at once. A good way to do this is via backward mapping: think of the final learning goal for a lesson and then work backwards through all the different steps learners will have to take to get there. Each one becomes a mini learning goal or checkpoint where you make sure students have understood everything so far. Use scaffolding foroverall lesson and activity design. Inquiry-based learningIf youre running out of breath after taking charge of every learning activity, it might be time for some student inquiry. Your students will spend less time listening to you, and more time actively exploring worlds of knowledge on their own steam. Inquiry-based learning starts with a question or problem students can investigate independently. For example:
You might even instruct students to research a whole new subject independently before reporting back with their findings. In any case, the learning comes from student activity instead of teacher input. Use inquiry-based learning for: new topics, projects, extension activities. Direct instructionIf youre starting a complex or unfamiliar topic, your students might need a firm grounding from you before getting hands on. This is where the classic strategy of direct instruction comes in handy. Direct instruction starts with explicit teaching (e.g. a lecture), progresses to group practice, and then independent student work. To do it effectively make sure you: Assess prior knowledge: start by finding out how much your students already know about the topic. This will give you an indication of how much input they really need. Engage students: the teacher-centric aspect of direct instruction can be a drag for students if youre not careful. Jazz up lectures and explanations with digital components, dynamic speaking, and strategies for student engagement. Break it up: parcel your explicit instruction out bit by bit, instead of giving it all at once. This will make it much easier for students to digest, and theyll be less likely to disengage. Use direct instruction for: introducing unfamiliar material, revisiting challenging concepts. Project-based learningProjects are one of the easiest ways to personalize learning in your classroom. Let students choose what they want to produce and theyll have the freedom to learn in a way that engages them and plays to their strengths. Make this happen by loosening up your task briefs. Explain what you want to see in terms of criteria as opposed to a final product. For example, a research task on a given topic could take the form of an infographic pamphlet, podcast, or mini-documentary. Use PBL forpersonalized learning, summative assessments GamificationLooking to boost student engagement? Try gamifying aspects of the learning process. Youll bring up the fun and energy levels while motivating students to try harder than ever before. Take inspiration from the games that already have your students hooked. For example, you might create:
You could also trial a gamified learning program to make the experience even more engaging. In Mathletics, for example, students can compete in a live mathematics challenge against peers in class and around the world. The more points they score, the more in-game rewards they can purchase. Whichever approach you choose, you can be confident that your students are getting more than just fun and games. Theres a growing body of research linking games to improved educational outcomes and cognitive abilities, too. Read up on our full guide to gamification here. Use gamification for: revision, drill and practice, homework. Add to your teacher toolkit with one of our award-winning learning programsExplore programsI remember how, as a new teacher, I would attend a professional development and feel inundated with new strategies. (I wanted to get back to the classroom and try them all!) After the magic of that day wore off, I reflected on the many strategies and would often think, "Lots of great stuff, but I'm not sure it's worth the time it would take to implement it all." We teachers are always looking to innovate, so, yes, it's essential that we try new things to add to our pedagogical bag of tricks. But it's important to focus on purpose and intentionality -- and not on quantity. So what really matters more than "always trying something new" is the reason behind why we do what we do. What Research SaysThis leads me to educational researcher John Hattie, who wrote Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning. Through his research, one of his goals is to aid teachers in seeing and better understanding learning through the eyes of their students. Hattie has spent more than 15 years researching the influences on achievement of K-12 children. His findings linked student outcomes to several highly effective classroom practices. Here I'd like to highlight five of those practices: 1. Teacher Clarity When a teacher begins a new unit of study or project with students, she clarifies the purpose and learning goals, and provides explicit criteria on how students can be successful. It's ideal to also present models or examples to students so they can see what the end product looks like. 2. Classroom Discussion Teachers need to frequently step offstage and facilitate entire class discussion. This allows students to learn from each other. It's also a great opportunity for teachers to formatively assess (through observation) how well students are grasping new content and concepts. 3. Feedback How do learners know they are moving forward without steady, consistent feedback? They often won't. Along with individual feedback (written or verbal), teachers need to provide whole-group feedback on patterns they see in the collective class' growth and areas of need. Students also need to be given opportunities to provide feedback to the teacher so that she can adjust the learning process, materials, and instruction accordingly. 4. Formative Assessments In order to provide students with effective and accurate feedback, teachers need to assess frequently and routinely where students are in relation to the unit of study's learning goals or end product (summative assessment). Hattie recommends that teachers spend the same amount of time on formative evaluation as they do on summative assessment. 5. Metacognitive Strategies Students are given opportunities to plan and organize, monitor their own work, direct their own learning, and to self-reflect along the way. When we provide students with time and space to be aware of their own knowledge and their own thinking, student ownership increases. And research shows that metacognition can be taught. Collaborating with ColleaguesGreat teachers are earnest learners. Spend some time with a colleague, or two or three, and talk about what each of these research-based, best classroom practices looks like in the classroom. Discuss each one in the context of your unique learning environment: who your students are, what they need, what they already know, etc. How do you already bring these five classroom practices alive in your classroom? Please share in the comments section below. |
