A thousand teachers a thousand methods.

By Chinese Probverb

1. Teaching Strategy-It is a long term plan of action designed to achieved to a

particular goal.

Top 5 Teaching Strategies

By: Janelle Cox

Effective teachers are always on the prowl for new and exciting teaching strategies that will keep
their students motivated and engaged.

Whether you’re a new or experienced teacher, you may feel inundated by all of the new educational
buzzwords, theories, and new strategies that are out there.

With all of this information available, it’s hard to decide which strategies are right for your classroom.
Sometimes, the old tried-and-true ones that you have been using in your classroom just happen to
work the best, and that’s OK. Teaching strategies that are considered “new” may just not fit into
your teaching style.

Here are a few teaching strategies that have been a staple in most classrooms. Depending upon
your style, preference, and your students, choose the ones that suite your needs.

1.Cooperative Learning: The Jigsaw

Cooperative learning gives students the opportunity to work with others and see different points of
view. Research shows that students learn more effectively when working together rather than apart,
and it is also known to improve self-confidence in students. The jigsaw technique is especially
effective because each student is responsible for one another’s learning, and students find out really
quick that each group member has something equally important to contribute to the group in order to
make the task a successful one. Students are exposed to and use many skills throughout this
strategy: Communication, problem-solving skills, cognition, and critical thinking -- all of which are
essential for a successful academic career.

2.Inquiry-Based Instruction

Inquiry-based learning implies involving students in the learning process so they will have a deeper
understanding of what they are learning. We are born with the instinct to inquire -- as babies we use
our senses to make connections to our surroundings. Inquiry-based learning strategies are used to
engage students to learn by asking questions, investigating, exploring, and reporting what they see.
This process leads students to a deeper understanding of the content that they are learning, which
helps them be able to apply these concepts they are learning in new situations. In order for our
students to be able to be successful in the 21stcentury, they need to be able to answer complex
questions and develop solutions for these problems. The Inquiry-based learning strategy is a great
tool to do just that.

...

3. Differentiated Instruction: Learning Stations

Differentiated instruction strategies allow teachers to engage each student by accommodating to

their specific learning style. According to Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, every
person has a different mind, and therefore each person learns and understands information
differently. Differentiating instruction offers a way to meet all students’ needs. One helpful strategy to
differentiate instruction is learning stations. Learning stations can easily be designed to enable
students with diverse learning needs. Teachers can set up each station where students will be able
to complete the same task, but at the level and style that is specifically designed for them.

4.Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are a simple and effective tool to help students brainstorm and organize their
thoughts and ideas in a visual presentation. Simply put, they help students organize information so it
is easier for them to comprehend. Graphic organizers can be used for any lesson; to structure
writing, brainstorming, planning, problem solving, or decision-making. The most popular organizers
are the Venn diagram, concept map, KWL chart, and T Chart.

5. Utilizing Technology in the Classroom

Integrating technology into the classroom is a great way to empower students to stay connected in
this technological era. Technology-rich lessons have been found to keep students motivated and
engaged longer. Some examples of utilizing technology in the classroom is to create web-based
lessons or a Webquest, multimedia presentations such as a video, animation, or some type of
graphic, utilizing a tablet or an iPad, taking your class on a virtual field trip, participating in an online
research project, or even creating a class website. Any of these technology integration strategies will
have a positive impact on student learning.

An experienced teacher knows that not every teaching strategy that you use will be an effective one.
There will be some hits and misses, and depending upon your teaching style, and the way your
students learn, you will figure out which strategies work and which do not. It may take some trial and
error, but it doesn’t hurt to try them all.

What are your top 5 teaching strategies to use in the classroom? Do you have a favorite that
works well in your classroom? Share with us in the comment section below, we would love to
hear your ideas.
Teaching Strategies: What Works Best
By Ginny Osewalt
Share & Save
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ SendPrint this

Save

Back to Navigation

prowl or o move through a place or area especially while searching for something

VAK Education researchers Dr. Rita Dunn and Dr. Kenneth Dunn determined that
teachers can reach all learning styles through small-group activities in which students
collaborate on a topic. Team activities and brainstorming can also aid in teaching diverse
learning styles effectively.

Visual learners: Teachers should consider the use of maps, flowcharts or webs to help these
students learn concepts. They appreciate opportunities to highlight material or to use
checklists. Visual learners represent about 65 percent of the population.

Auditory: Teachers can best foster learning for these students through repeating
instructions and key concepts, being open to music and videos in the curriculum and
implementing oral presentations.

Kenisthetic

Teaching Visual Learners

Visual learners do best through viewing concepts. These learners benefit from reading, seeing,
writing or drawing concepts, and like written instructions. They learn best when they can observe,
and pictures, diagrams, films and displays are effective for them. Flashcards, cartoons and the use of
highlighted material or different computer fonts is appealing to them. Teachers should consider the
use of maps, flowcharts or webs to help these students learn concepts. They appreciate opportunities
to highlight material or to use checklists. Visual learners represent about 65 percent of the
population.
Teaching Auditory Learners
Auditory learners comprise about 30 percent of the population and master new material best through
hearing. Written information tends to have little meaning for these learners until they have the
opportunity to discuss it. They benefit from speaking information aloud and repeating key concepts.
In contrast to visual learners, auditory learners prefer spoken instructions and benefit from lectures,
debates, audiotapes and discussions. Teachers can best foster learning for these students through
repeating instructions and key concepts, being open to music and videos in the curriculum and
implementing oral presentations.
The Kinesthetic Learner
Kinesthetic learners comprise only about five percent of the population. They learn best when
permitted to move, touch and get active in some way. They enjoy discovery and benefit from using
tools and building models from hands-on teaching techniques. Field trips and labs are well-matched
to these students. Teachers will do well to encourage and allow physical movement from these
students. These students study most effectively when permitted to fidget, hum or move about. They
tend to seem "slower" to teachers because traditional classroom teaching doesn't permit them to
practice, touch and perform what they are learning. Clearly, teachers can empower students by
analyzing their learning styles and accommodating them.

Sponsored links
 At a Glance
 The best teaching strategies are based on research.

 Effective teachers use research-based instructional strategies.

 Research-based strategies are linked to successful student outcomes.

Good teachers know that the best teaching strategies are based on research. Most of
this research looks at how students take in what they’re learning and how the best
teachers give students information. Here are some teaching strategies that work for all
children, including those with learning and attention issues.

Begin a lesson by reviewing the last lesson.

The best teachers make sure students really understand the skills they need for the
day’s lesson. That’s because the new lesson builds on the lesson of the day before. A
study found that when teachers spent eight minutes every day going over homework
and common mistakes, and practicing skills their students needed to memorize,
students got higher test scores.

Present new information in small steps.

The place in our brains where we process information is small—so when we’re asked to
learn too much at one time, we can get overwhelmed. A strategy called “chunking” can
help with this. Chunking means teaching in small steps while checking for
understanding along the way.

Ask many questions and talk about the answers.

Effective teachers ask lots of questions. They ask their students to explain how they got
their answers. In a recent study, one group of teachers was asked to teach new material
by asking questions and discussing. Their students ended up with higher scores than
students whose teachers did not teach this way.

Provide models.
Good teachers show examples of problems that have already been solved. This can be
very helpful, especially in math.

Ask students to explain what they learned.

Asking a student to think out loud while solving a problem or when planning to write an
essay helps the teacher identify areas where a student needs more help. Research
shows that this kind of out-loud thinking works much better than when a teacher simply
asks students “Are there any questions?”

Provide scaffolds when teaching something difficult.

“Scaffolds” are teaching aids. Research tells us that aids like cue cards and charts can
help children think more clearly as they learn new information. When teaching difficult
material, teachers expect that students will make mistakes. So they show them ahead
of times examples of the kinds of mistakes that are likely.

Review.
 We know that students need a lot of practice and review to build and keep track of new
ideas in their long-term memory. It’s easier for students to solve new problems when
they have a wealth of background knowledge. Children will often forget material if they
don’t keep practicing it.

These teaching strategies are good for all students—including students with learning
and attention issues. Learn more about common techniques for teaching struggling
learners.

Key Takeaways
 Effective teachers present material in small steps.

 Effective teachers ask questions and discuss as they teach.

 Effective teachers give their students “scaffolds” for learning difficult tasks.

Effective teaching strategies help to engage students in

learning, develop critical thinking skills, and keep
students on task.
KEY POINTS[ EDIT ]
 A teaching strategy is the method used to deliver information in the classroom, online, or in
some other medium.
 One conceptualization of different styles of learning identifies three main modalities: visual
learning, auditory learning, and kinesthetic learning.

TERMS[ EDIT ]
 teaching strategy
A teaching strategy comprises the principles and methods used for instruction.
 auditory learning
Auditory learning is a learning style in which a person learns through listening.
 learning style
Learning style is an individual's natural pattern of acquiring and processing
information in learning situations.
 visual learning
Visual learning is a learning style in which ideas, concepts, data and other information
are associated with images and techniques.
 kinesthetic learning
Kinesthetic learning is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student
carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture.
Give us feedback on this content:

Register for FREE to remove ads and unlock more features! Learn more

FULL TEXT[ EDIT ]

A teaching strategy is the method used to deliver information in the

classroom, online, or in some other medium. There is no one best strategy; we

can select from several instructional strategies for just about any subject.

Learning Style
Learning style is an individual's natural or habitual pattern of acquiring and

processing information in learning situations. A core concept is that

individuals differ in how they learn. The idea of individualized learning styles

originated in the 1970s, and has greatly influenced education. Proponents of

the use of learning styles in education recommend that teachers assess the

learning styles of their students and adapt their teaching strategies to best fit

their students' learning styles.

One conceptualization of different styles of learning identifies three main

modalities: visual learning, auditory learning, and kinesthetic learning.

Visual Learning
Visual learning is a learning style in which ideas, concepts, data and other

information are associated with images and techniques.

Recommended Techniques
Graphic organizers are visual representations of knowledge, concepts,

thoughts, or ideas. To show the relationships between the parts, the symbols

are linked with each other; words can be used to further clarify meaning. By

representing information spatially and with images, students are able to focus

on meaning, reorganize and group similar ideas easily, make better use of

their visual memory.

Auditory Learning
Auditory learning is a learning style in which a person learns through

listening. An auditory learner depends on hearing and speaking as a main way

of learning. Auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said in order

to understand and may have difficulty with instructions that are written. They

also use their listening and repeating skills to sort through the information

that is sent to them.

Recommended Techniques
Teachers might use these techniques to instruct auditory learners: verbal

direction, group discussions, verbal reinforcement, group activities, reading

aloud, and putting information into a rhythmic pattern such as a rap, poem, or

song.
Kinesthetic Learning
Kinesthetic learning (also known as tactile learning) is a learning style in

which learning takes place by the student carrying out a physical activity,

rather than listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration. Tactile-

kinesthetic learners make up about five percent of the population.

Recommended Techniques
When learning, it helps for these students to move around; this increases the

students' understanding, with learners generally getting better marks in exams

when they can do so. Kinesthetic learners usually succeed in activities such as

chemistry experiments, sporting activities, art and acting; they also may listen

to music while learning or studying. It is common for kinesthetic learners to

focus on two different things at the same time, remembering things in relation

to what they were doing. They possess good eye-hand coordination. In

kinesthetic learning, learning occurs by the learner using their body to express

a thought, an idea or a concept (in any field).

Effective Teaching Strategies

A teaching strategy comprises the principles and methods used for instruction.

The choice of teaching strategy or strategies to be used depends largely on the

information or skill that is being taught, and it may also be influenced by the

learning style, aptitude, skills, and enthusiasm of the students.

Lecture
Lecture is the process of teaching by giving spoken explanations of the subject

that is to be learned. Lecturing is often accompanied by visual aids to help

students visualize an object or problem.

Demonstration
Demonstrating is the process of teaching through examples or experiments.

For example, a science teacher may teach an idea by performing an

experiment for students. A demonstration may be used to prove a fact through

a combination of visual evidence and associated reasoning.

Demonstrations are similar to written storytelling and examples in that they

allow students to personally relate to the presented information.

Memorization of a list of facts is a detached and impersonal experience,

whereas the same information, conveyed through demonstration, becomes

personally relatable. Demonstrations help to raise student interest and

reinforce memory retention because they provide connections between facts

and real-world applications of those facts. Lectures, on the other hand, are

often geared more towards factual presentation than connective learning.

Collaboration
Collaboration allows students to actively participate in the learning process by

talking with each other and listening to other points of view. Collaboration

establishes a personal connection between students and the topic of study and

it helps students think in a less personally biased way. Group projects and

discussions are examples of this teaching method. Teachers may employ

collaboration to assess student's abilities to work as a team, leadership skills,

or presentation abilities.

Collaborative discussions can take a variety of forms, such as fishbowl

discussions or group projects. After some preparation and with clearly defined

roles, a discussion may constitute most of a lesson, with the teacher only

giving short feedback at the end or in the following lesson.

Learning by Teaching
In this teaching strategy, students assume the role of teacher and teach their

peers. Students who teach others as a group or as individuals must study and

understand a topic well enough to teach it to their peers. By having students

participate in the teaching process, they gain self-confidence and strengthen

their speaking and communication skills.

Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct

experience, i.e., "learning from experience. " Experiential learning focuses on

the learning process for the individual. An example of experiential learning is

going to the zoo and learning through observation and interaction with the zoo

environment, as opposed to reading about animals from a book. Thus, one

makes discoveries and experiments with knowledge firsthand, instead of

hearing or reading about others' experiences.

Source: Boundless. “Effective Teaching Strategies.” Boundless Education. Boundless, 10 Sep.

2016. Retrieved 25 Oct. 2016 from https://www.boundless.com/education/textbooks/boundless-
education-textbook/working-with-students-4/teaching-strategies-21/effective-teaching-strategies-
64-12994/