Teaching strategy: Teaching strategy means the arrangements of teaching activities and the true communication between teacher

and student. To be more exact, it refers to a series of effective teaching actions to achieve the expected result (Xiong, 1997:38). The term strategy is derived from the Greek word strategos, literally translated as the art of the general. As a military term, it appeared in the literature in the latter part of the 18th century, referring to the larger aspects of conducting war. In the context, it was defined as the efficient application of resources to the accomplishment of objectives, primarily the defeat of the enemys armed forces. While the larger aspects of conducting war were called strategies, smaller movements were referred to as tactics (Levis, 1985).

(It was in the writing of American theorists and researchers such as B.O Smith and Hilda
Taba where the notion of a teaching strategy first appeared. But it was Willard B. Spalding who used the term strategy earlier when, in 1958, he stated that the curriculum is the strategy by which the schools attempt to fulfill the goals of education. Referring to strategy as applied to curriculum- as a sound calculation and coordination of the means and ends, Spalding pointed out.) Stone and Morris have defined teaching strategy in the following words; Teaching strategy is a generalized plan for a lesson which includes structure, instructional objectives and an outline of planned tactics, necessary to implement the strategies. Smith (1963) defined teaching as a system of actions intended to induce learning, and strategy as a pattern of acts that serves to obtain certain outcomes and to guard against certain others. It is obvious that Smith was adapting military concepts to a classroom setting.

Another theorist, Taba (1969) also focused attention on the concept of teaching strategy. In her view, it was useless to study teaching as a global process; rather, it was necessary to identify particular teaching strategies required for particular types of instructional

objectives. The main aim of strategies, she proposed, was the development of childrens thinking skills.

Aber et.al (1971) defined teaching strategy as: teaching strategy is a purposefully conceived and determined plan of action. Ideally, the strategy is designed to facilitate a particular kind of learning in a given situation and in terms of a specific learning objective. (The strategy is selected for use after a comprehensive assessment of the specific situation prior to the actual instructional art. The operations of assessing the situation and selecting the strategy represent the professional expertise that the teacher brings to the instructional setting.)

McClosky (1971) says: teaching strategy is a teaching approach that is used either in solving a classroom problem or in improving instruction.

According to Frankael (1973), teaching strategies represent the combinations of specific procedures or operations, grouped and ordered in definite sequence that teachers can use in the classroom to implement both cognitive and affective objectives.

The Nature of Teaching Strategies Teaching strategies refer to teaching procedures that could stimulate certain learning strategies and have direct effect on the development of the learners proficiency. Teaching strategies are principles for classroom instruction, under which a number of techniques are applied. The use of strategies depends on the goal of education, the requirements of learning, the objectives of study, and the content of course and the qualifications of the teachers who use them. In strategy of teaching, realization of objectives is given more importance than presentation of lesson. A strategy does not follow a single track all the time, but it changes according to the demands of the situations such as age, level, needs, interests and abilities of the students. It is directional in nature. It refers to goal directed activities of the teachers. Thus, it is more close to science than arts.

 Strategy indicates broad intentional action, referring to categories of instruction and belongs to the policy level, while technique is intended for more specific behaviors, operations, procedures, and activities, and thus belongs to the practical action level. Technique is the application of strategies. Many people identify teaching strategies with techniques, methods or ways. Teaching strategy means selecting appropriate techniques according to the characteristics of different teaching tasks. Concepts of teaching strategies vary from person to person, however all agree that teaching strategies are guidelines for effective teaching, ranging from principles to follow, category of instruction to adopt, and techniques to apply.

(Strategy refers to principles and approaches in relation to the changing situations, and the art of planning, of using existing means. In brief, strategy can refer to tact, technique and art. Classroom procedures vary greatly, but only those aimed at training strategies and developing abilities can be called teaching strategies.)