Wei-Yu (Wendi) ChanCDEV150Tracy BurtApril 2011

Teaching Strategies Toolkit

Summary of Strategy Purpose/Rationale“Cocktail Party” It is similar to role play. Everyone in class is supposed to pick an educator/philosopher (depending on what is provided by the teacher), read the brief biography and the information provided at the back and then go around meeting others as the character chosen.

● Getting to know and understand the chosen educator/philosopher better

● Socializing time with classmates and learn as a group

● Active and interactive learning method.

InterviewStudents are supposed to get into pairs and share experiences and ask each other certain questions related to the theme of the lesson (teachers can provide those questions)

● Everyone gets to share their experiences and at the same time hear about his/her partner’s experience

● A chance for small discussions● Keeps the classroom interactive

Group AgreementsStudents are encouraged to share what standards or discipline they want for the class. Usually at the beginning of the classes

● Maintain friendly and peaceful classroom learning environment throughout the semester

● Encourage people to share and speak up for what they believe

● To boost self-confidenceQuick-writeAt the end of the lesson, students are told to take out a sheet of paper and jot down their reflections about the lesson plans without any restrictions of what to write about.

● Allows the students to write down their thoughts freely without being penalized

● A less-stressed assignment that can be done in class

● Quick assignment/reflection of the day

● Allows the teacher to know what each student is thinking about and hear the opinions of most of the students.

“Jigsaw”The class is broken down into small groups and each group is assigned to a section of the reading. They are supposed to pick some quotes or some principles from the section that stood out to them and write a brief description to why it stood out to them.

● Stimulates discussion and consensus-building skills

● Brings awareness that collective learning can be done by splitting up the work

● Co-operation of the class fulfills the lesson plan.

Then they are brought together and shared in the class.Gallery WalkThis is similar to the “Jigsaw” activity except, instead of sharing their work in class, they are told to put them up on the walls. Students are to walk around the class to read each group’s work.

● Creates movement in the class, wakes the students up

● Allows personal analysis● Provide some time to share each

other’s opinions in small talk.

Circle discussion with a ballThe class is to sit in the shape of a circle. The teacher will bring a ball to the class and the person speaking will have possession of the ball, when that person is done, he or she will pass the ball on to someone else. Sometimes he or she might need to throw the ball across the room to someone on the other side of the circle.

● Keeps the class alert because they would have to catch the ball.

● Less tension in class, less formal● Eye contact when classmates share

opinions● Able to see everyone

Video and Video NotesWatch a video in class and the students were supposed to jot down notes from the video. It would help if the teacher could provide certain questions that he or she would like the students to answer because that way the students can focus on specific issues and can therefore take better notes.

● Helps the students focus on certain points of the video

● Provides another form of learning other than mere talking and lecturing.

● Another form of resource● Guided note-taking

Writing ExerciseTeachers tell the students what he or she expects from their papers and provides them with the rubric so they can evaluate themselves before turning them in.

● Lets them know what the teacher expects or where the standards are

● Allows the students to set their own standards and permit self-improvement

●

Guest SpeakerBring in guest speakers related to the subject/topic

● Allow question and answer sessions● Shares experiences from professional

field● Allows advice and opportunities to

get into the fieldReflective Journals/PapersAfter a certain number of lessons, the students are to turn in journals or papers. It stimulates analysis of the readings, lectures, in-class activities and a combination of other resources.

● Allows the students to relate and share on paper

● Gives the shy students a chance to speak up in class and share with the teacher his or her experience

● Allows students to practice writing papers and reports

Human ScavengerTeacher hands out several traits and the students are to walk around the classroom to

● Encourages classmates to get to know each other.

● Interesting activity

find people who have those character traits. ● Good ice breakerFish BowlThe class is to get into two circles, one within the other. While the smaller circle inside, discusses and shares opinion, the people on the outer circle take notes and just listen. After a while, they rotate – the people on the outer circle move to the inner circle and continue the debate with aid from their notes of the previous discussion. The teacher determines the number of rotations and the duration of the discussions; group consensus are welcome.

● Stresses people to speak up, because the circle is smaller

● More attention is dedicated to the discussion

● More intense, and therefore, should be more productive and analytical

Study GroupHaving a study group outside the class time really helps in understanding the lesson materials and gain advice in how to study for that class and also teachers (who should be there too) can find out who is having problems with the class and what can he or she can do to help that student.

● Allocate study time for review or revision for a particular class

● Give those students who need help a chance to catch up

● Provide more attention to the students

Everybody be a teacherEveryone in class has to find a topic to research about. Everyone is also given a certain amount of time to present it to the class.

● Equal grounds between students and teachers, this time the teacher becomes a student and listen to what the student has to present

● Student gets to experience being a teacher for a while

● Improve presentation and speech skills

● Deeper understanding of the topic when doing own research

Field TripsThe class can go on field trips to visit places that are cheap and/or free but related to the subject. It’s a fun chance to have the lesson outside the classroom.

● Outdoor lesson● Active learning● Stimulates more interest due to the

different setting●

Peer TeachingFirstly, everyone is separated into small groups. Everyone in the group is numbered. Each number will then get together and will be assigned a specific topic. They will then discuss about what is important in that topic and what should be addressed that other people should know about. After some time, the original groups get back together and each number presents to the rest of the group

● Gives everyone a chance to be a teacher

● Not as stressed for shy students to be teachers in small groups

● Informal learning environment● Interactive learning● Concise learning

about the topic. While presentation, the other group members are to take notes because the teacher might not go over what’s discussed.ProjectsStudents are to visit places and come up with either a presentation or a report of a decent length. They can either do it by themselves or they can work together in groups. Group projects have higher expectations. In the education field, site visits are a great form of projects; making a resource binder is another

● Allows to students to work on their own

● Encourages the students to use their imagination and creativity to plan and present their work.

● Students can work at their own speed at their own comfort geographical zone (especially when students come from many places)

● Gives international students a chance to travel and explore the field

● Students learn more by asking questions directly to the professionals.

Plain Lectures and Reading AssignmentsTeacher lectures and the students take notes, if they want to. Reflective journals and papers will reflect how well the student pays attention in class and how the student can relate to the class materials. Reading assignments are to give the students a heads up as to what will be discussed in the next class

● Beneficial for those who are learn more just by listening and taking notes

● Allows the teacher to share with the class his or her knowledge in a formal classroom environment

● Reading assignments allow the students to keep up in class

Extra Credit OpportunitiesTeachers decide what to give as extra credit opportunities, like attending a workshop, being a volunteer in a certain event, reports, presentations, homework and more.

● Gives students who are not doing well a chance to make up their grade

● Build confidence that there is still chance to do well

● Encouragement Commercials/ AdvertisementsBreak the class into small groups of 4-5 people. Assign each group a theme or merely give the class one theme. Each group is supposed to come up with a commercial that shares with the class what is important in that area of discussion and entertain the class with their creativity.

● Creativity can shine● Entertaining● Fun and stress-free assignment● Beneficial for interactive learners

and those who learn better with hands on activities.

QuizzesPop quizzes or small quizzes are a nice way to buzz the students. Not every student is a test taker so this may not be the most efficient way for a student to learn. Allows the teacher to assess the students

● Beneficial for test takers● A little stress on the students

sometimes is good● Pushes the students to stay on track

on their own

understanding.Word PoemBreak the class into groups of 3-4 people. Each group is assigned a section of the reading. Pick out words that stand out to them individually and then put them into a poem as a group. After it is done, it will be shared with the class.

● Allows creativity● Fun with literature● Artistic talents with underlying

meaning