Effective Instructional

Techniques andEffective Teaching

Effective Teaching• Effective teaching focuses on how the

teaching competencies and skills of the teacher facilitate the students' intellectual growth.

• It is safe to conclude that teaching effectiveness is one component or dimension of expert teaching in Philippine Higher Education.

Effective teaching may be broken down into six domains:

• Subject matter expertise• Classroom management expertise • Instructional expertise• Communication expertise• Diagnostic expertise; and• Rational expertise

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE

byRonaliza Esguerra

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISEDefined as having thorough mastery of content as indicated by knowledge of latest advancements related to the lesson, relationship of the lesson to other subjects or disciplines, varied examples and application, and effective way of organizing content to facilitate learning.

STRANDS OF SUBJECT MATTER

EXPERTISE

1. Thorough/excellent knowledge of content

• All of the expert teachers possess a thorough mastery of what they teach.

• An expert shares the personal outlook that reflects humility: “Remember that no one knows everything and that you learn even from an educated person”

2. Being up-to-date with the latest developments in their fields

Example:Explains new alternative ways of solving a chemistry problem based on the latest book edition.

3. Knowledge of the interrelationships among the

structural elements or concepts of the subject matter

• The expert teachers have a clear, coherent view of their course content in terms of the interrelationships among the various topics or constructs comprising it.

4. Knowledge of the relationship of

the lesson with other courses or disciplines

• An expert teacher asserts: "A teacher must have the diligence to know not only the specific subject matter that she teaches but also the related subject area."

5. Knowledge of practical application and concrete,

interesting examples to clarify abstract ideas/concepts

• The expert teachers have readily available examples, which are simple, clear, and interesting, to clarify or concretize abstract ideas.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE

byJennica Cabrera

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE

Another sub-domain of effective teaching is Classroom management expertise. This sub-domain consists of the following strands:

STRANDS OF CLASSROOM

MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE

1. Efficient handling of routine activities and time management• All expert teachers manage classroom

routine and time efficiently. This is another essential of teaching expertise. One class observer notes:

“She knows all the names of her students and calls them by their first names or nicknames. She knows who are absent without looking at the class record and seat plan.”

• In the classrooms of the expert teachers, classes are started and ended on time, checking of class attendance is done in the shortest time possible, enough time is allotted for group activities, and activities are completed with the time limit.

2. Maintenance of students’ on- task behavior.

• The expert teachers keep their students highly participative during class discussions. An expert teacher maintain that students are generally serious and quiet while answering seat works or experiment, and attentive while listening to the teachers or to their classmates.

3. Absence of class disruptions

• Expert teaching makes sure that classes do not experience interruptions or delays in learning which are often caused intentionally by bored, disinterested, or misbehaving students.

• Alexander (1996) describes expert teachers as those who experience very few interruptions or delay. Alexander gave reasons for the absence of learning interruption is the ability of the teacher on the following:

Ability to plan Ability to engage students in creating

meaningful and interesting activities Ability to hold students’ attention when

they lecture; Ability to clearly communicate their

expectations of student behavior and of class activities.

INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERTISEby

Marie Crizelle Navarro

INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERTISE

The third domain of teaching expertise is instructional expertise. It refers to the facility in the use of varied instructional methods and strategies, effective use of instructional devices and materials, and instructional clarity to facilitate learning.

STRANDS OF INSTRUCTIONAL

EXPERTISE

1. Use of varied teaching activities

• Expert teachers employ teaching strategies suited to the students’ interests, experiences, and maturity levels.

• The teachers can employ lecture and recitation, together with at least one of the following teaching strategies to make the learners active participants in the learning process:

concept mapping brainstormingsong and movement role-playing pantomime choral readingvisual imagery simulation individual/group reporting jazz chants debate; and cooperative learning, among others.

2. Use of varied instructional equipment and materials to

enhance instruction • The experts use instructional devices and

materials to clarify concepts, enrich or strengthen an input lecture, sustain students’ attention and encourage their participation, induce reflective thinking, and test students’ comprehension of the lesson or ability to apply learned concepts.

The following are the materials to enhance instruction:ComputerSlide projectorLaboratory apparatusesFilmsPowerPoint presentationsVideos and audio tapes

PicturesScience specimensDrawingsCartoonsPlay/cue cardsStudents’ projects; andOrdinary materials (e.g., paper clips,

leaves, news paper, cartolina and Manila paper.

3. Instructional clarity

• Explanations of expert teachers are well-organized, easy to follow, and direct to the point. The experts signal transitions and give clear, practical examples to facilitate students’ understanding of the lesson.

COMMUNICATION EXPERTISEby

Aiman Dale Andres

Communication expertise refers to the skillful and expressive use of verbal and non-verbal language that serves to arouse and maintain student’s interest and attention and to facilitate instruction. In the absence of communication expertise, subject matter expertise would be useless and instruction would suffer.

COMMUNICATION EXPERTISE

STRANDS OF COMMUNICATION

EXPERTISE

1. Expressive nonverbal or body language

The expert teachers are very expressive in driving home a point their voice, facial expressions, hand and arm gestures, and whole body movement.

The following indicates how the expert teachers use nonverbal language to communicate in the classroom:Her eyes are very expressive, and she is very

likely. She is a visual aid herselfThe teacher’s gestures and facial expressions

are more than enough to explain his point of view. He is very convincing.

Face is very expressive, changes expressions according to moods.

• The expert teachers who are expressive with their voice, eyes, face, hands, arms, and bodies are more able to hold students’ attention than those who are not, oral communication skills being equal.

2. Excellent oral communication skills

• Most of the expert teachers are very fluent, articulate, and have good voice quality (well-modulated, pleasant or not irritating to the ears, and clear. When they talk, they vary their voice pitch, intonation, and volume and rate of speech, depending on what they what to emphasize.

3. Provision for two-way communication

Experts provide for two-way communication in the classroom. However, they differ in that some experts speak more expressively or emphatically than others. They vary their tempo or rate of speech, intonation, and voice volume to stress important points during instruction.

These teachers possess good voice quality (pleasant, well-modulated, and clear). They are highly articulate, fluent, and concise. Their expressiveness in oral communication helps arouse and sustains attention.

DIAGNOSTIC EXPERTISEby

Catherine Acuna

Diagnostic expertise is defined as sensitivity to students’ learning problems or difficulties, anticipation of probable learning problems or misconceptions, and knowledge of students’ interests and ability levels.

DIAGNOSTIC EXPERTISE

STRANDS OF DIAGNOSTICEXPERTISE

1. Sensitivity to students’ learning problems/difficulties

• An expert teacher is likely to pause and ask if students have questions or if they understand what is being presented/discussed. An expert teacher approaches different groups to check if they are on the right track. All of the experts demonstrate sensitivity to students who are unable to follow a lecture or a discussion.

2. Anticipation of probable learning problems or

misconceptions• Expert teacher determines students’

learning problems or misconceptions about the lesson through oral questions and sensitivity to nonverbal clues.

• Teachers get clues from students’ body language. A number of the experts informally talk to students before or after the classes. They are well-informed as to where their students coming from.

RELATIONAL EXPERTISEby

Rjhay Capatoy

RELATIONAL EXPERTISERelational expertise refers to the teachers’ human relations skills in the classroom, which facilitate the establishment of high rapport with the class and provision of a nonthreatening, psychologically safe learning atmosphere that enhances students’ self-esteem.

STRANDS OF RELATIONALEXPERTISE

1. Nonthreatening disposition

• The expert teachers have very pleasing personalities. They appear nonthreatening, non-intimidating, and patient. They smile as they explain or listen to the students’ responses. They are patient and do not mind giving additional examples and explanations as needed.

Try to think if your teacher

looks like . . .

2. Enthusiasm

• The teacher is very lively and enthusiastic throughout the lecture. There has never been dull moment in the class. He is full of stories and examples related to the topic

3. Providing a psychologically safe learning environment

• The effective teacher addresses their students by name, express concern towards their students, and treat them with respect, promoting psychologically safe learning environment.

4. Making learning pleasant and enjoyable

• Some teachers conduct their classes seriously in a nonthreatening manner. However, other teacher go further to make learning pleasant and enjoyable instead of being boring. Their well-planned, interesting, and exciting learner-centered activities bring about this kind of learning situation.

Following are some suggestion for the beginning teacher:

In teaching symptoms of infections of fallopian tube, the teacher makes use of a popular television advertisement:Amuy-amuyin (foul odor)Pisil-pisilin (tenderness)Silip-silipin (if there are discharges or

if there is swelling)

In a class, cooperative learning teams present their assignments through songs, monologues, and drama.

After a class activity, a teacher tells her students to do a “firecracker clap”.

5. High rapport with students

• The teachers enjoy what they teach and their interaction with students.

• Even if the teachers are nonthreatening, they are still respected by the students.

•

Example: A teacher interview

“ There is camaraderie between me and my students, a wholesome relationship, but there is respect. When I am angry, they are afraid of me. In class, they know I mean business. Outside the classroom, they can approach me, even shares jokes with me, but the respect is still there.

6. Affectionate interactions with students

• They consider students as “special” and “important persons” instead of “numbers’ that comprise a class. They give each student a feeling of being appreciated.

Responsible Teachingby

John Elly Baylon

Responsible teaching

• Responsible teaching is a component of expert teaching characterized by learner-centerdness, development of students who can assume responsibility for their own learning, and values integration.

Responsible teaching is demonstrated by teachers when they are:

1. Integrate values in teaching;2. Communicate their belief in the students’

capacity for learning;3. Facilitate development of understanding

and draw out generalizations and insights from students;

4. Provide students with opportunities to assume an active role in the learning process and to be responsible for their own learning; and

5. Select and implement teaching strategies, learning activities, and instructional materials in consideration of the varying needs, interests, and backgrounds of the learners.

Effective Instructional

Techniques andEffective Teaching