Teaching Approaches

Teachers have individualistic approaches to teaching - and pupils have traditionally recognised, even celebrated this.   There is no standard approach to teaching which every teacher should strive to adopt, but certain strategies are valuable in the classroom.   Both formal and informal teaching approaches can be very effective when these principles are observed.

Points Arising from Research

Teachers’ own preferred ways of learning tend to affect the ways in which they teach.

	A greater awareness of learning preferences in general, and of their own in particular, can help teachers to be more aware of their own personal teaching ‘style’
	Learning more about their own teaching style does not necessarily mean that teachers should be encouraged to change their style
	Teachers tend to be most effective when they teach to their own preferred style, but do so in a way that takes account of and respects different learning preferences
	An awareness of different learning styles can help teachers to sustain motivation by encouraging and facilitating pupils’ use of preferred styles but also providing support when using alternative approaches.
	Effective teaching involves effective organisation and management, but no single style or approach to class organisation is best

Key Elements of Teaching Approaches

Pupil Perceptions

	Pupils appreciate teachers who value and appreciate them as individuals
	Good discipline is important, but pupils need to understand/recognise the need for it
	Pupils look for consistency of approach from a teacher
	Showing genuine interest in pupils’ lives is important, as is sharing aspects of your own life
	Pupils respond to teachers who genuinely care about them and want them to succeed
	Pupils react positively when the teacher listens and responds to their ideas rather than just assessing or judging - this will involve being prepared to deviate from the lesson plan
	Pupils need to feel that the teacher is on the ball and aware of what is going on in the class
	Pupils respond well to teachers who show personal enthusiasm for what they are teaching

Being Clear About Learning Purposes And Learning Outcomes

	Be aware of differences among learners e.g. preferred learning styles (see Toolkit sections on Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences). Teaching styles should accommodate all learning styles by providing opportunities to see the written word, to respond physically etc.
	Be aware that pupils learn at different speeds, some pupils will require much greater support and/or time in completing tasks.
	Develop a sense of when it is appropriate to move on to the next phase of teaching, when to stop and go back over things, when to pause for consolidation, when to accelerate the pace of learning.

 

Using Different Interactions To Match Different Purposes And Outcomes
(informing, describing, explaining, modelling, demonstrating, coaching, listening, watching, questioning)

	Allow time for pupils to be actively involved in their learning, to rehearse new learning, to reflect, to do something with their new learning, to make concrete links between new and prior learning
	Pay particular attention to opening and closing sessions: use established but varying routines
	Pull the class together at the start to motivate, enthuse, clarify, focus
	Make specific links between what has gone before and how that fits into the ‘big picture’ - be clear on the overall aims of the study
	Allocate some time at the close to ‘pull’ things together, reiterating what has been learned, praising pupil effort and achievement
	Use peripherals and archetypes. Visual display of the subject material around the classroom improves the long-term learning by 90%. Archetypes are positive role models
	Memory maps for note taking. Use colour, bold images and space on the page to enable learners to build up their own unique way of making sense of the material.

Use Flexible Groupings

	Be clear about the appropriateness of group work: the learning outcomes should determine the method of working and will include direct interactive teaching, whole class, group and individual work
	Pupils should be encouraged to work collaboratively and independently.

Skilful Use Of Questions

	Use a variety of questions
	Offering alternative answers gives additional listening input to the learners, gives time for reflection and is useful in developing problem-solving skills
	Use open questions
	Phrase ideas in straightforward language appropriate to the level of the class
	Ensure careful listening to the answers given
	Allow adequate thinking and answering time.

Managing Time To Observe, Circulate, Respond And Intervene

	Ensure that you are available to interact with pupils as they undertake their tasks e.g. observing and listening, evaluating individual responses, intervening to support and/or inject a degree of unpredictability into the conversation
	When possible, differentiate material by providing open-ended, problem-solving activities with a holistic approach to a topic
	Provide opportunities to demonstrate the new knowledge
	Circulate among the pupils to ensure that they remain on-task and to provide support and assistance when needed
	Build in fun.   If we can build in open-mindedness, receptivity and sense of exploration to learning then outcomes will be achieved more quickly.

 

Reflection and Discussion
 

Which of the above approaches do you recognise in your current classroom practice?
 

Are there any approaches that you would consider adopting to improve your current classroom practice?
 

Is there a conflict between letting your guard down with pupils and maintaining discipline?