Teaching methods/approaches 1. The demonstration method 2. The discovery/inquiry method 3. The problem- solving method 4. The field trip/study tour method 5. Guest speaker method

Demonstration method;

Meaning of the theory

Demonstration is an act of showing something by giving proof or evidence. (according to oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)

Demonstration method; is a teaching method used to communicate an idea with the aid of visuals such as flip chart, posters, power point etc. or is a process of teaching someone how to make or do something in a step-by step process. It is a teaching method that allow students to see the teacher actively engaged as a learner and a model rather than merely telling them what they need to know.

When to use the demonstration method

Ø  When introducing a new topic.

Ø  When you summarize the important points

Ø  When you revising the previously lesson 

Why demonstration method

-          It stimulates interest in a particular topic

-          It illustrates points effectively

-          It provides changes of pace

-          It provides model forteaching specific skill

-          It overcome resource constraints

How to use the method?

-          Discuss the main topic

-          Explain each step

-          Keep it simple but include the steps necessary to make or do what is intended.

Advantages and some limitations of demonstration method

Advantages of the method

i)                    It helps a student in having a deeper understanding of a topic

ii)                  It helps a student remain active in teaching and learning process

iii)                It leads to permanent learning

iv)                It accounts for the principle of reflective thinking

v)                  It helps to create interest for the topic among the students

vi)                It helps in arousing the spirit of discovery among students

vii)              It imparts maximum learning to students

Limitation of demonstration method

i)        It can be a time consuming method

ii)      It can be costly as it requires costly materials

iii)    It is not based on learning by doing

iv)    This method does not provide training for the scientific method

v)      There is a lack of experienced teachers to carry out the demonstration.

The method should not be abandoned because

It is a most suitable method for teaching the secondary classes. if a teacher feels that the demonstration method is taking much time than he would have to take the help of students. This might help in removing objection regarding non-availability of learning by doing approach.

The discovery /inquiry method;

Meaning of the method

Is a technique of inquiry based instructing and considered a constructivist based approach to education supported psychologists such as Jean Piaget Jerome Bruner and Seymour Papert.the idea of this philosophical movement suggests that students “learn by doing”. discovery learning can occur whenever the students are not provided with an exact answer but rather themselves

When to use the discovery method

i)                    Discovery learning take place in problem solving situation where the learner draws on his own experience and prior knowledge

ii)                  Is a method of instruction through which students interact with their environment by exploring and manipulation objects.

iii)                Used during problem solving exercise and educational programs

iv)                When they are looking at their own experience and knowledge in their studies and enquiring about further information to improve their understanding

Why discovery/inquiry method

-          It is naturally students-centred

-          It focuses on questions and the process of answering those questions rather than the answer itself

-          It promotes depth of knowledge

-          It provides opportunities for autonomy

-          It builds soft skill and can build confidence and relationship too.

-          It builds citizenship-digital citizenship and local or physical citizenship

-          It teaches a student to think

How to use the theory?

Assign the interviews to spark curiosity

Helps a student discover the amazing information they can gather just by talking with people and a student write a summary of what they learned

Have a student’s go solo

Some of the best discovery learning projects are done solo. Give your students a problem or subject to research on their own. Encouraging them to use technology as part of their research and come with feedback.

Inco-operate data-based project

Assign data that is related to a topic and encourage students to investigate, ask question and form their own conclusion

Do a virtual dissection

Sometimes hands-on materials are taught to locate or purchase. Use a virtual dissection to encourage students to discover how things work.

Encourage mistakes and productive struggle

When students take control of their own learning, mistakes are part of discovery learning provide timely feedback guide correcting mistakes

Advantages and some limitations of the method.

Advantages of discovery/inquiry method

-          It enables the development of lifelong learning skills.

-          It personalizes the learning experiences

-          It builds on learner’s prior knowledge and understanding

-          It provides a student to get early feedback on their understanding

-          It supports an active engagement of the learning process

Disadvantages of discovery/inquiry method

Ø  It has potentials to confuse learner’s if not initial frame work is available

Ø  It is insufficient

Ø  It is too time consuming for all academic activities

Ø  Requires that a teacher be prepared for too many corrections

Ø  It can become a vehicle to reject the ideas that there are important skills and information.

Ø  It is taken as an overriding education theory it is apt to produce an inadequate

The method should not be abandon because;

It allows students to air out their views concerning the matter taught in the class. Also it enhances the students’ motivation to develop their grammar during conversation.

The field trip/study tour method.

Meaning of the field trip/study tour method

According to G. Shilliber defined that a field trip is a visit to a place outside the regular classroom which is designed to achieve certain objectives which cannot be achieved as well as by using other means.

When to use the field trip/study tour method

·         When conducting a researches about a certain project outside the school context

·         During remedial time when the students are free from class business

·         When there is an apple time for both teachers and students to conduct a certain field work                                                                

Why this method?

Ø  to provide students with experience outside their everyday activities

Ø  it observes the subject in its natural state and possibly collect samples

Ø  Also provide the students the opportunity to take a break from their normal routine and experience more hand on learning.

Ø  It provides a common ground with more – advantaged and less- advantaged children to have some of the same cultural experiences in the art.

Advantages and some limitations of the theory

Advantages of field trip/study tour method

i)                    Real-word experience

It allows students to have a real word experience for example a textbook lesson on domestic animals can be enhanced.

ii)                  It increases in equality of education

For example, a biology field trip could take kids on a hut for bugs or certain types of flower.

iii)                Improvement of the social relations

It is a way of bring the students closer together. Many field trips combine together.

Disadvantage of field trip/study tour method

Time consuming

Difficulty in preparation (getting approval from various head of administration) and fitting the trip as per school time table which takes more time

Lack of support from school administrations for field trips.

It means school cannot afford the materials and sometime can provide financial also where student have to search their own ways.

Poor student behaviour and attitudes

Means loss over students like sometime they don’t listen to the teacher showing their ego attitude and doing the things on their own.

Shortage of resources and choice of venue.

Means that sometime school cannot provide the materials and teacher also cannot have the correct materials

Medical risk

For example, like while travelling via vehicles some children get motion sickness

The theory should not be abandoned because

A good planning must precede field trips careful attention should be given to trip selection, previse, preparation the trip itself appropriate follow up and evaluation. When considering a field trip teachers are advised to first consult with their admins traitor regarding.

Guest speaker method

The meaning of the theory

Give a student the opportunity to as real time questions. Inviting a guest speaker to the classroom give students the occasion to engage in discussion.

How to use the method?

-          Be a certain the speaker has appropriate credentials

-          Provide the speaker with your goals for the presentation

-          Familiarize the speaker with the kinds of students he or she will be presenting

-          Encourage the speaker to prompt questions from your students

-          Tell your students about the speaker in advance and have them prepare some questions they would like to ask.

When to use the method of guest speaker

-          Guest speakers make treaties relevant.

Students may wonder “how treaties relevant to me?”, “treaties are about the past, not the present.

-          Guest speakers give students the opportunity to ask real – time questions.

                        Inviting the guest speakers in classroom gives the students the occasion to engage in a discussion; it is a model of citizen in action. Provide students a wealth of information ontreaty- related topic.

-          Guest speakers give a different perspective.

Guest speakers can provide students an insight into different careers as well as them the chance to hear a perspective on treaties and indigenous issues they may not have heard before.

-          A Guest speaker inspires.

Guest speakers can inspire students to care about where their education can take them. they can influence students to ask questions, investigate, apply newfound knowledge, and follow a path of lifelong learning.

Why this method

-          To enhance the students educational experience

-          Students gets to make the link between what they learn in the textbook and what they learn from the guest speaker

-          To build the important connection between they are learning and the real word

-          It motivates students to actively participate in the classroom with different person who can answer their questions.

Advantages and some limitation of the method

  Advantage of the method

Students have the opportunity to learn something new

This is the favourite reason on the list because students like to learn something new. When they had scientist come into the class trawler and fighter.

Creates amazing community relations.

A lot of schools struggle with good “town grown” relation. One of the best ways to get in good grace is by working with community leaders and organization for being in the staff to speak to students.

To give a professional chance to connect with students

There are many professionals who would jump at the chance to come speak to a classroom full of your students

It supports subjects you may not know a lot about

That is a perfect scenario for guest speaker or another teacher if that is easier. Having another person teach a quick selection of your class is a nice break for students and it leads a different prospective

Parents love participation in their kid’s class

Offer another option like displaying a hobby or interest side project they worked on. Parents like to be involved and see what their children are proud of them

Limitations of this method

        i.            It is not always successful and it can certainly influence the way a student performs in the class

      ii.            It takes a time out of the class to include these practise in

    iii.            It might not be always available or near the place where they are needed. This might cause the class to not even use this resources at all

This method should not be abandoned because

it is very helpful not only to students, but also it contributes to the teacher’s knowledge and practices, it also makes a class approachable and appealing for students.

The problem solving method

Meaning of the method

Is the process of weakening through details of a problems to reach a solution.it may include mathematical or systematic operation and can be a gauge of an individual’s critical thinking skills.

How to use the method?

-          Identify the issues or problem

Be clear about what the problem is by remembering that, different people have different views of what the issues are

-          Understand everyone’s interest

This is a time for active listening and put down your different for a while and listen to each other with the intention to understand.

-          List the possible solution or options

      This is a time to do some brainstorming there may be lost of room for creative

-          Evaluate the options

What are the pluses and minuses honestly

-          Select an option (s)

Is there a way to bundle a number of options together for a more satisfactory solution

-          Document the agreements

Writing down will help you think through all the details and implications

-          Agree some contingencies, monitoring and evaluation

Condition may change make contingency agreement about fore see able future circumstance

When to use the method

-          Model a useful problem- solving method

A problem solving can be difficult and sometimes tedious

-          Teach within the specific context

      Teach a problem – solving skills in the context which they will be used.

-          Help students understand the problem

In order to solve problem, students need to define the end goal

-          Take enough time

When planning a lecture budget enough time for understanding the problem and defining the goal

-          Ask questions and make suggestion

Ask students to predict “what would happen if….” Or explain why something happened.

-          Link errors to misconceptions

      Use errors as evidence of misconceptions not carelessness or random question

Why this method?

-          Improving performance to the students

Individuals and organizations do not exist in isolation in the environment

-          Fixing things that are broken

Some things wear out and break over time others are flawed from day-1

-          Addressing risk

Humans have learned to identify trends and developed an awareness of cause-end effect relationship in the environment.

-          Seizing opportunity.

Problem – solving is not just about responding to (and fixing) the environment that exists today.it is also about innovation, creating new things and changing the environment to be more desirable.

Advantages and some limitations of the method

Advantages of the theory

A student become a better thinker

They might think a certain solution which can be used to solve such issue for a temporary basis Advantages of problem solving method in teaching and learning process

Become also a better risk handling

It might seem a bit composing for people when it comes to risk, more people can handle the higher amount of risk. This helps to grow better in the professional output

Better communication

A problem can be solved in a better way with a proper communication between people.

It increases understanding to the students

Due to the better communication lead to the problem solver to build better understanding between teammates. This helps in problem solving ability

It increases the team potentials

People in group increases chance of his/her potential and ability in relation to a problem because of some uncertain situation where in which a person can face so uncertain situation in terms of their professional parameter.

Encourages creative ideas

The method makes students to be creators pf various ideas since they have high thinking capability that helps them in production of new ideas.

Disadvantages of this method are;

        i.            Lack of objective guidelines

      ii.            Time constraints

    iii.            Unequal participation

    iv.            Unwillingness to participate

      v.            Increases cost

The method should not be abandoned because

The method is crucial to successful learning of problem solving

Skill because it helps a students answer the questions “what?” and “why?” finding the question to “how?” will be answer

Generally; all disused method has advantages and disadvantages to where their put into use. So the users of those methods have to be ready and awareness it when they decided to use it to the certain context or of the field of study.

             REFERENCES

Advanced oxford learner’s dictionary 7^th edition.

Brown, R, et al (1982). Curriculum and instruction: an introduction to methods of teaching. London. MacMillan education LTD.

Bruner, J.A (2009). The process of education. Harvard university press.

Highest G, (1989). The art of teaching or vintage books.

Steve Beser, musexplore net (2016). The benefit of learning through field trips

                                          QUESTIONS.

Teaching methods/approaches

1.      The demonstration method

2.      The discovery/inquiry method

3.      The problem- solving method

4.      The field trip/study tour method

5.      Guest speaker method

Required; for each of the methods/approaches listed above, provide information on the following

a)      What does the method/approach mean?

b)      When will you use it?

c)      How will you use it?

d)     What are the advantages and some limitations of it?

e)      Should the method/approach be abandoned because of its disadvantages? If YES or NO, Why?.