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Teaching Strategies, Methods and Techniques of Teaching

Teaching Strategies
A teaching strategy is an overall plan to ensure that the learning content is well prepared in terms
of what content or activities are to be taught and how they are to be taught using appropriate
transmission methods, techniques or approaches (Ayot and Patel, 1992)
...
There are many teaching methods and some of them are presented below
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It involves provision of play time, adequate play materials, play
space, Play Company and safety in terms of the activities
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Play always relates to what goes on in this environment/related to their daily experiences
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ii) It is voluntary or freely chosen, spontaneous and unpremeditated
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iv) It is participatory, flexible (has no rigid rules) and involves repetition
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vi) It emphasises on process (doing) rather than outcome/goal
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Types of Play
Children engage in different types of play classified into two major categories according to their
age
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Onlooker play:
This is a non-social type of play where a child simply watches or listens to other children as they
play, but does not participate in playing with them
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Parallel play:

It is a type of play whereby children play side by side using similar materials but independently
without involving other children
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Cooperative play:
It includes social pretend and constructive play
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They could pretend to be a mother, aunt, father,
uncle, teacher, pupil etc
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They use/share the
same play materials, talk together or imitate each other but the play is uncoordinated and they are
never very clear on exactly what they are trying to accomplish
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During dramatic play, the children pretend to be somebody else
or in another place
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Importance of Play
Play enhances children’s holistic development (physically, mentally, language, socioemotionally)
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It enhances acquisition of many concepts
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They also gain skills/experiences in handling different play materials/apparatus
and to relate them in daily life (home corner)
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It helps children learn how to share materials
...
g
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Play helps children to relax and enjoy themselves
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It also helps
children explore and develop personal talents e
...
working towards becoming professional
athletes
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How can you enhance play in children?
You can enhance play through provision of developmentally appropriate play
materials i
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they should be attractive, adequate, durable, repairable, cleanable,
locally available or familiar, cost-effective and safe for use
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The discussion could
be planned or unplanned
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Children could for example be given an
opportunity to describe their own activities to other children/teacher, tell stories, talk about

familiar objects/things in their environment e
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animals, plants, friends, toys, buildings, family,
photographs, pictures, their own work/painting or drawing
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g
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For
example the child may say, “Oh the baby fall down! or He goed home”
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For example, all children must
listen to the speaker
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Discussions could be carried out using the whole class, small groups or even in two’s
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It enhances their
imagination and logical thinking
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Disadvantages of Discussion Method
Discussions are time consuming
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Bright children tend to monopolise the discussions
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It is not very easy to evaluate a discussion
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Children enjoy
gazing at things and cross examining them a lot
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It is said, that children retain much of what they perceive with
their sense of sight than they do with any other sense
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The observation method is important because it helps children see contrasts in the various
colours/pictures or objects presented to them
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To be good
observers, children need to be trained to observe accurately because a good observer is one who
has learned to use his senses appropriately
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E
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they can play games such as
picture/colour/letter or word domino and lotto matching games
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They can play sound games

to stimulate their auditory sense or touching and feeling games
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Other games that can help children develop their observation skill are the dice game, dart game,
skittle aiming, card game, picture/letter/word hopscotch game, games involving fixing picturepuzzles and story-picture-puzzles (in sequence), etc
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They can listen to the radio or already tape-recorded
conversation, songs, poems, riddles, songs etc
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g
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Children can also name/discuss real objects such as puppets, models, pictures, specimens etc
presented to them
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The observation method helps children to learn from their own experiences (first hand) rather than
depending on someone else’s report
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The teacher however offers guidelines on what is to be done, guidance and supervision
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ii) Word building where children work together to form as many words as possible
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iv) Collecting things for a particular theme to be taught etc
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The teacher needs to offer encouragement for children to do as shown and also exercise
patience when children appear not to do very well
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Advantages of Demonstration Method:






Children are trained to observe
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Materials used help arouse/motivate children’s interests
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New skills are effectively taught/learnt
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To
improve on this, children could be given materials to work with the teacher step by step
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


The learning group might be too large hindering some children to understand/follow the
teacher
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NOTE:
i) Be at the same level with the children if they are sitting, you should also sit as you
demonstrate
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iii) Always establish dialogue while doing the demonstration
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Some students may be good in one activity area and weak in another
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g
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Prepares work for each group before the lesson
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g
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and it may have a negative effect on learning
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Children should therefore be grouped according to the task at hand, but can move to another group
if they are bored with the activity at hand or if they are done with one activity
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Bright children should not be
held back but given opportunities, which are commensurate to their ability in order to keep them
busy
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Advantages of Grouping
All children learn at their own pace
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Children learn how to share and experience warmth or a sense of
belongingness
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It encourages healthy competition and offers an opportunity to
train children in leadership/responsibility (group leaders
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Disadvantages of Grouping:
Group method is time consuming especially in preparation for the different groups
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Sometimes it is difficult to divide time appropriately for every group
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Categories of groups
i)
Mixed Ability Groups:
This is creating a balance within groups by distributing evenly in a group, children who are above
average, average and weak
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It is also the most natural group composed of children from all ability groups like in
any normal circumstances
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Their social interaction and social skills such as sharing, co-operating, patience and turntaking are enhanced
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It is
however best in primary schools and should be used sparingly in pre-school
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They may also dominate the group
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The teacher may not
be able to attend effectively to all children due to their diverse needs
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They could engage in word building or construction using letters and sound cards
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g
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Children could fix numbers, letters or picture puzzles, paint, model or mosaic and collage
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g
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Children could be provided with a picture
or pictures where three names are placed against them from which children circle the correct name
of picture
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They could engage activities involving
discrimination
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g
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i)
Gender Groups
Although seen to be discriminatory, they also have their place in the society because culturally
there are some specific gender roles/activities, which are emphasised, and the pre-school teacher
must take note to strengthen positive cultural aspects
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ii)
Interest Groups
They provide opportunity for making choices and enhancement of independence
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In life we cannot do as we please without taking note of others
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i
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iii
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Questions also help the teacher to establish the effectiveness of the teaching method
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When asking questions, the teacher should use simple language and
distribute the questions to all children according to their strengths so that they all have
an opportunity to participate
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He/she plans and writes out questions to ensure they are clear and useful
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He/she directs questions to specific children by name and even
to those who never put up their hands
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 Exploration and Discovery Method
Children are naturally curious and love to explore by nature
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The teacher can guide children’s exploration and
discovery through asking then questions like what happened when you did…or what will happen,
why did this happen?
The exploration and discovery method is an interesting learning method, which does not place too
much restriction on the child
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The teacher should give children opportunities to do activities related to what they have
seen/experienced
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It is however
difficult to use this method if the teacher has a large class
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In the individualised educational programme (IEP), a child systematically works on his own
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The teacher
makes use of feedback and through feedback, the teacher is able to know how well or not the child
has understood a concept and to help him learn that which has not been understood
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There are two different types of programmed learning namely the linear and branching
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It also employs a lot of repetition to aid the
learner to learn and retain content
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However, it is designed in a manner that the learner can foretell
common mistakes in order to be able to avoid such pitfalls and hence allows for rapid learning to

take place
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 Experiential Learning/Teaching Method
Pre-school children have already experienced and therefore learnt many things from home
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Through children’s real life experiences, the teacher can use their experiences to enrich
learning (using their past, present and possibly future experiences)
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Children feel appreciated when they are used as a source of knowledge
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They also feel involved when they
are given opportunities to share their experiences
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Teaching Techniques
A teaching technique is a skill or tactic that is used to enhance learning or teaching methods
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The story telling technique is one
of the oldest and interesting ways of teaching children
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It also requires creativity and some people are not creative by nature
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Some of them are traditional or folktales, general stories of
adventure, stories of heroes or heroines, religious stories, topical stories with themes of moral
teaching, health, environmental conservation, HIV prevention or Child protection and stories from
other societies or countries
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e
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Importance of Stories
Stories can be used to teach certain concepts/values e
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friendship, team work
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Stories enhance
children’s social aspects e
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cooperation, turn taking, confidence etc
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Stories can be used to
teach about gender roles and social relationships
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Principles of Good Story Telling
Choose or create a simple and relevant story according to children’s age
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Use gestures, facial expressions, relevant songs/poems to the
story, puppets, and good illustrations/pictures/real objects to enhance the emotions needed
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End the story at the peak of the climax e
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“They
lived happily thereafter or The hare won the price of his good work”
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 Singing Teaching Technique
A song may be defined as a chant, hymn or tune produced by children or even birds in the
environment
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e
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They should be
meaningful and purposeful, action oriented, morally appropriate and relevant to learning
theme/topic being taught or occasion
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They can be used to introduce a lesson thereby arousing
children’s learning interest
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Songs can be used to end boredom in children, help them appreciate their
cultural heritage and enhance their physical development
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 Recitation/Memorization Teaching Technique
To recite or memorize is to learn something by heart or rote
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Recitation or memorization is an important learning method because
there are important things that children need to remember by heart
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They also need to memorize songs and poems
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Children
however should note just be engaged in memorizing learning content without understanding
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Dramatization on the other hand requires guidance or
instructions from the teacher
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In order to
enhance children’s ability to role play, dramatise or mimic it is important to ensure they are
provided with of lots of materials, costumes and time to perform
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It provides practice in oral speech and offers enjoyment and relaxation to children
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Role of the Teacher in Role Play, Dramatization, Imitation and Mimicking
You can listen to children to note whether they have problems in articulating words
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g
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Encouraging children
to perform in the best way they can without pressuring them is another role and to provide them
with materials for use and time to perform
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However,
unlike nature walks, study/field trips are organised visits planned by teachers to specific places of
interest outside or far away from the school
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Trips should be organised to the animal orphanage, aquarium, snake park, ostrich park, giraffe
centre, an agricultural farm, airport, railway station, soda factory or tea or coffee factory
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Planning an Effective Field Trip:
Identify the place to be visited and give justification/reasons or objectives for the trip to this venue
and seek contacts and clearance from relevant authorities from the school, head teacher, parents or
place to be visited
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Inform parents of the intended visit using
a newsletter, showing the cost, date, expected time of departure as well as arrival back in school
and ensure their support
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Inform children of date and venue to be visited as well as expected
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Encourage them to ask questions prior and during
the visit and ensure they get answers
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g
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Remind them that
they must be in full school uniform and carry lunch and drinks if these will not be provided
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Carry the letter showing
proof of invitation to the study site, contact of place to be visited, contact of parents, tissue papers,
pain killers and ensure children have enough food
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And keep an eye on each and every one of them all the time
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Ensure good teacher-child ratio to march the number
of children
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Role of the Teacher after the Trip
Have follow-up activities to reinforce what was learnt during the trip
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g
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You can make the children draw, paint what they
saw, role play or dramatize events relating to the trip
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You can help the children come up with a
learning corner or class project relating to the trip in groups or as a class
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The
activities assist children to see relationship between what was taught in class and what was seen
during the visit
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They provide children with a forum to share their experiences concerning the trip and an
opportunity to learn from others
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Children relax and enjoy themselves
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They widen children’s knowledge
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They enhance social interaction
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They provide real learning experience in particular areas of interest
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ii)
They require financing by parents or school
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iv)
Road accidents could occur
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Characteristics of a Video Programme
A video programme has the following characteristics: motions, reinforcement or follow up of what
has been taught in class, intended specific knowledge to learners and familiar pictures or content
from the child’ local environment
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Merits of a Video Programme
There are various benefits
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There is easy understanding of
learning content because it can be replayed as many times as desired
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Children learn problem solving skills as they interact with new
knowledge and also test themselves by use of self-help or made up tests
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In
addition, it provides good opportunity for individualised teaching and eases the teachers’ workload
Demerits of a Video Programme
Some of the disadvantages of a video programme are that it requires use of television/computer,
electricity or battery which might not be available in some local pre-schools
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Staring at the learning screen over a long time may cause
eye problems to children
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I
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(2008)
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Nairobi: Kenya Institute of Education
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K
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Ecd 015: Introduction to general methods in early chilhood
Kenyatta University
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Ginsberg, M
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& Wlodkowski, R
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2000)
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San
Francisco: C
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Jossey Bass
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I
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(2000)
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Nairobi: K
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E
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McKeachie, W
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(1999)
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Boston: Houghton Mifflin
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Instructional methods
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Bonwell, C
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and Eison, J
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(1991)
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Bredekamp, S
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Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs
serving children fro birth through age 8 (ed)
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K
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E
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Kenya pre-school teachers’ activities guide series 1: management
language activities
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K
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E
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Kenya pre-school teachers’ activities guide series 2:
play and creative activities
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K
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E
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Kenya pre-school teachers’ activities guide series 3: mathematics and
environmental activities
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and



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