TEACHING AND LEARNING STYLES
Teaching and learning styles
Teaching styles (methods)
There are many different styles or methods of teaching. Research I did showed at least 150 different styles from lecturing to brainstorming and vocabulary drills. I have identified the following styles as most often used:
Demonstrations & Practicals/Experiments:
When teachers show learners skills while they watch, followed by the learners practicing the skill they’ve learnt. Additionally learners may observe and record results of what they have done ultimately explaining these results where experiments are involved. According to Gordon Dryden and Dr Jeannette Vos, in their book “The New Learning Revolution” 2010, applying what has been learnt in purposeful, real-life situations, is a far better test of acquired knowledge than written tests. This method of instruction is therefore effective and suitable for all learning styles.
Lecturing & note-giving or questioning:
This method entails the teacher telling learners about information or ideas while the learners listen. Additional information may accompany lectures in the form of written notes on a board that learners copy or hand-outs which they are required to read. Teachers may ask individual learners or the whole class questions. This method would be more effective when mind-maps are used instead of linear notes and even learners whom are print-orientated or linguistic would benefit by reinforcing information learnt with pictures or sounds incorporated through audio- or video tapes.
This method combines well with active learning strategies, may be used successfully to instruct a great number of learners simultaneously and grants the facilitator more control without being threatening to learners. Unfortunately it leaves little room for feedback from learners and the facilitator may have an unrealistic idea of the learners’ level of understanding. Many learners may become uninterested and forget much of the information.
Brainstorming and discussions:
Teaching styles (methods)
There are many different styles or methods of teaching. Research I did showed at least 150 different styles from lecturing to brainstorming and vocabulary drills. I have identified the following styles as most often used:
Demonstrations & Practicals/Experiments:
When teachers show learners skills while they watch, followed by the learners practicing the skill they’ve learnt. Additionally learners may observe and record results of what they have done ultimately explaining these results where experiments are involved. According to Gordon Dryden and Dr Jeannette Vos, in their book “The New Learning Revolution” 2010, applying what has been learnt in purposeful, real-life situations, is a far better test of acquired knowledge than written tests. This method of instruction is therefore effective and suitable for all learning styles.
Lecturing & note-giving or questioning:
This method entails the teacher telling learners about information or ideas while the learners listen. Additional information may accompany lectures in the form of written notes on a board that learners copy or hand-outs which they are required to read. Teachers may ask individual learners or the whole class questions. This method would be more effective when mind-maps are used instead of linear notes and even learners whom are print-orientated or linguistic would benefit by reinforcing information learnt with pictures or sounds incorporated through audio- or video tapes.
This method combines well with active learning strategies, may be used successfully to instruct a great number of learners simultaneously and grants the facilitator more control without being threatening to learners. Unfortunately it leaves little room for feedback from learners and the facilitator may have an unrealistic idea of the learners’ level of understanding. Many learners may become uninterested and forget much of the information.
Brainstorming and discussions: