12 Instructional Methods Objective Explain the role of

12 Instructional Methods

Objective • Explain the role of all teachers in the development of critical-thinking skills. © michaeljung/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Instructional Methods • Instructional methods may also be called instructional strategies or teaching strategies – Discussions – Skits – Demonstrations © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Objective • Develop questions appropriate for instruction based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. © Dawn Shearer-Simonetti/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Engaging Learners in Critical Thinking • Bloom’s Taxonomy contains six levels: Knowledge Acquiring, recalling information Comprehension Understanding, using information Application Using information learned in a new situation Analysis Examining parts of a whole and their relationship Using parts in a new way to create Synthesis Evaluation Assessing, judging value based on information continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Engaging Learners in Critical Thinking • Lower levels are basic (elementary school) • Upper levels are higher-order thinking skills that are required for critical thinking (middle and high school) • In later childhood and adolescence, students develop the ability to think abstractly continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Engaging Learners in Critical Thinking • Building students’ abilities to use progressively more complex thinking skills is a major goal of education • Teachers begin to lay the framework for later critical thinking in elementary grades © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

For Discussion • Identify how Bloom’s Taxonomy is used in this chapter of your textbook. © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Objective • Analyze a lesson, identifying the teaching strategies and use of questioning, examples, and closure. © Diego Cervo/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Key Instructional Skills • Questioning • Using examples • Pacing • Achieving closure © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Questioning • A key part of almost every learning activity – Plan questions along with the lesson—provides structure for the lesson – Ask questions of varying difficulty—check all levels appropriate for students – Include open-ended questions—encourages higher-level thinking © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Encouraging Participation • Create an atmosphere where all students feel comfortable participating • Questions should be appropriate for students’ level • Use questions to generate interest • Allow wait time before calling on a student • Vary methods of asking for responses © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

For Discussion • How might you encourage participation from shy students? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Responding to Students’ Answers • If an answer is wrong, help lead students to the right answer • If an answer is partially correct, acknowledge what is accurate first • Pose follow-up questions during responses © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Responding to Students’ Questions • To further discussion, counter with another question © Tony Wear/Shutterstock continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Responding to Students’ Questions • If you cannot answer, acknowledge that and look it up later, or ask if anyone else can help • Give brief answers to off-topic questions • Help students understand which questions are inappropriate © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Using Examples • Increases understanding by bringing information to life • Helps students retain subject matter • Start with simple examples and progress to more complex • Ask students to provide examples to check their level of understanding © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Pacing • Pacing should be neither too fast nor too slow – Know your natural style—get feedback and adjust to meet learners’ needs – Look for signs of understanding—watch students reactions and use questions and activities to gauge understanding continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Pacing – Alternate types of activities—helps keep students involved, attentive, and learning – Plan for smooth transitions—make sure too much time is not lost changing activities; use clear guidelines to minimize inappropriate behavior © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Achieving Closure • Closure helps students – reflect on what they have learned and apply it – draw conclusions • Usually part of the Summary section of a lesson plan © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Objective • Identify the characteristics and uses of specific types of instructional strategies. © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Basic Teaching Strategies • Teacher-centered methods: teachers present the information and direct the learning process • Learner-centered methods: teachers act as facilitators or guides, and students actively direct and achieve their own learning © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

For Reflection • Would you be more comfortable using teacher -centered methods or learner-centered methods? Why? © Archipoch/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Lectures • Used frequently in upper grades • Puts students in the role of passive listeners • Suitable for presenting factual information continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Lectures • To make lectures more effective, – keep the lecture period short – add visual elements – insert a question-and-answer session – provide partial outlines or written questions – prepare well-organized material – convey enthusiasm – make eye contact with students © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Reading • A basic way of learning – Textbooks – Periodicals – Internet articles – Other research materials © Zurijeta/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Discussions • May be teacher- or learner-centered • Starts with a stimulating question without a simple answer • Teachers can use questions to guide the discussion toward the learning objective • Discussion helps young children learn to take turns and respect others’ opinions continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Discussions • In group discussions, the students keep the discussion on task • In panel discussions, the teacher acts as a moderator • In debates, participants try to persuade others to their opposing points of view © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Demonstrations • The best way to teach a process • Are usually teacher-centered • To involve students, – have students make predictions – ask students to perform steps in the procedure – have the students prepare and present the demonstration © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Guest Speakers • Guest speakers bring outside expertise into the classroom and generate interest continued © Tomas Skopal/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Guest Speakers • Check school’s policies before inviting guests • Prepare all participants ahead of time • Make sure the experience is positive for all involved © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Simulations • Simulations feel like the real situation, but risks are eliminated • Examples include – computer-based simulations – skits – role playing – case studies © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

For Discussion • When are simulations most effective as a learning tool? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Skits • Skits involve acting out stories • Based on scripts written by the teacher or the students © CREATISTA/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. continued Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Skits • Students play various parts • Actively involve students in learning • Adaptable to different ages, subject areas, and educational objectives • Process of writing requires additional skills © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Role Playing • In role playing, the teacher describes a situation with an issue or problem • Students act out roles of people in the situation – Base their actions and conversations on how they think the people would react – Work through the situation or solve the problem © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Case Studies • Case studies involve groups of students working together to analyze a situation continued © Dawn Shearer-Simonetti/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Case Studies • Allow students to apply knowledge and skills to solve real-life issues • Groups discuss possible solutions and agree on one • Teachers can use case studies to actively involve students in dealing with real issues © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Reflective Responses • Reflective responses prompt students to think deeply about what they have learned • They help teachers get a sense of where students are in their learning © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Labs • Offer students the opportunity to work with materials, ideas, people, or processes to solve a given problem • Productive labs focus on producing an end product • Experimental labs use formal processes to research a problem continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Labs • Teachers act as planners, organizers, and managers • Clear instructions are essential • Labs can be expensive © michaeljung/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Cooperative Learning • In cooperative learning, group members work together to achieve a common goal – Adaptable to most subjects/age groups – Also assesses individual accountability – Improves respect for others’ opinions, negotiation skills, self-esteem, and sense of responsibility © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Student Participation • May be oral, visual, or both • Helps students – share what they have learned – build communication skills – achieve a higher level of understanding © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

For Reflection • As a student, do you enjoy giving presentations? How might this impact your teaching career? © Archipoch/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Games • Can be fun and challenging while building skills and reinforcing learning – Paper-and-pencil games—often word games that build language skills – Card games—help review factual information – Board games—encourage group skills, math skills; can be adapted to meet learning objectives continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Games – Active games—encourage physical activity, good for kinesthetic learners, offer a change of pace in learning – Computer games—often targeted to meet specific learning needs; often have more than one level, allowing students to progress © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Objective • Explain teachers’ primary considerations when deciding which teaching strategies to use. © Zou/Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Choosing Appropriate Teaching Strategies • To choose, consider – student characteristics—ages and developmental abilities – the subject matter—may require repetition, creativity and exploration, or reinforcement – the teaching situation—must be practical for time, materials, space, equipment, and cost © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Key Points • Instructional methods help teachers meet learning objectives • Teaching skills include questions, examples, pacing, and closure • Teaching strategies may be teacher-centered or learner-centered © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review • What type of questions encourage higherlevel thinking? Ø open-ended questions • ____ between asking a question and calling on a student allows all students to mentally process the question and formulate their replies. Ø Wait time continued © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review • What is the difference between a skit and role playing? Ø Skits are based on scripts and role playing is not. • What should a teacher consider when choosing appropriate teaching strategies? Ø student characteristics, subject matter, teaching situation © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.