Three Teachers: Presenting Instruction

In education, presenting information isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. What resonates with one student might not click with another. In a previous discussion, we highlighted the importance of teacher-learner interaction and encouraging student participation. These are crucial, but they’re just the beginning.

Traditional vs. Inductive Reasoning

The way you structure a lesson can significantly impact how well students grasp the material. A classic method involves:

1. Teaching: Clearly explaining rules and concepts.
2. Modeling: Providing examples.
3. Questioning: Checking for understanding.

It’s straightforward and widely used. However, there’s another fascinating approach: Teaching Using Inductive Reasoning.

Instead of giving the rules upfront, you:

1. Present examples or models.
2. Encourage students to infer the rules themselves.
3. Facilitate elaboration and refinement of those rules.

This “model, infer, and elaborate” structure places the responsibility on learners, encouraging them to grapple with the language and concepts to formulate their own understanding. It fosters problem-solving skills and a sense of collaborative discovery.

Three Teachers, Three Approaches

Let’s look at three teachers and how they present information.

• Teacher 1: This teacher uses an inductive approach to teach the difference between “a” and “an.” By using an analogy of pets and presenting examples on the board, the teacher encourages students to identify the pattern themselves. The teacher also anticipates common errors and challenges students’ initial assumptions.
• Teacher 2: This teacher uses a more direct approach to teaching past tense and regular verbs. They start by eliciting verbs from the students and then explain the rule for forming the past tense. The teacher then introduces the concept of irregular verbs as “bad boys” who don’t follow the rules, using an analogy to make the concept more relatable.
• Teacher 3: This teacher uses a flipped classroom model. Students watch videos and complete a Venn diagram as homework, and then they discuss and compare their findings in class. This approach places the students in charge of their learning and encourages critical thinking and collaboration.

Making it “Sticky”

Effective teachers strive to make information “sticky” – memorable and easily retained. This often involves:

• Visual aids
• Highlighting key information
• Engaging questions
• Creating a critical learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Ultimately, the goal is to break down content in a way that resonates with learners, providing illustrations and examples that illuminate the concepts.

You’re a smart Banana! *sticks gold star on your forehead*