Teaching Strategies in English
8Teaching Strategies
1. Take Five
Procedure: In pairs, students take five minutes to orally review a concept and present it to the class, usually at the beginning or end of a class period.
Purpose
• Briefly consolidate or reinforce learning.
Payoff
Students will:
• develop a strategy that can be used to review content material in all areas.
• share responsibility for teaching and reviewing with each other.
• “talk” their way into meaning and understanding through verbal rehearsal.
• perceive continuity with content from class to class, especially when a lot of material is being covered quickly.
Tips and Resources
• Use this review-and-share strategy on a regular basis to reinforce the learning of subject-specific vocabulary.
• Have the take-five pairs present their reviews on sheets of chart paper, which you can then post in the classroom for ongoing review.
• Try not to pair students who are too far apart in their ability or understanding of the material.
Further Support
• ESL students may benefit from pairing with a partner who speaks the same first language so that they can clarify the concepts in their first language and build more confidently on their prior knowledge.
2. Timed Retell
Procedure: In this strategy, students practise their listening and speaking skills. Students divide into pairs and take turns speaking, listening, and retelling information in timed steps.
Purpose
• Enhance critical thinking skills.
• Create an argument and be concise in its delivery.
• Develop attentive listening skills while sharing viewpoints on an issue.
• Make connections between written and oral skills.
Payoff
Students will:
• share ideas.
• develop listening skills.
• apply skills in different ways – in pairs, small groups, and with the whole class.
Tips and Resources
• Timed Retell can be informal or more formal, as described here. In the more formal approach, students require more confidence.
• Students may make notes during the
1. Take Five
Procedure: In pairs, students take five minutes to orally review a concept and present it to the class, usually at the beginning or end of a class period.
Purpose
• Briefly consolidate or reinforce learning.
Payoff
Students will:
• develop a strategy that can be used to review content material in all areas.
• share responsibility for teaching and reviewing with each other.
• “talk” their way into meaning and understanding through verbal rehearsal.
• perceive continuity with content from class to class, especially when a lot of material is being covered quickly.
Tips and Resources
• Use this review-and-share strategy on a regular basis to reinforce the learning of subject-specific vocabulary.
• Have the take-five pairs present their reviews on sheets of chart paper, which you can then post in the classroom for ongoing review.
• Try not to pair students who are too far apart in their ability or understanding of the material.
Further Support
• ESL students may benefit from pairing with a partner who speaks the same first language so that they can clarify the concepts in their first language and build more confidently on their prior knowledge.
2. Timed Retell
Procedure: In this strategy, students practise their listening and speaking skills. Students divide into pairs and take turns speaking, listening, and retelling information in timed steps.
Purpose
• Enhance critical thinking skills.
• Create an argument and be concise in its delivery.
• Develop attentive listening skills while sharing viewpoints on an issue.
• Make connections between written and oral skills.
Payoff
Students will:
• share ideas.
• develop listening skills.
• apply skills in different ways – in pairs, small groups, and with the whole class.
Tips and Resources
• Timed Retell can be informal or more formal, as described here. In the more formal approach, students require more confidence.
• Students may make notes during the