Teachers are always on the lookout for innovate teaching strategies to ensure that they maximise the impact of learning to students. Teachers need to be creative as well as they will always have students of different background and with different personalities and interest which are all needed to be met.
The teachers usual practice or strategy may not work for some students. Hence, we have prepared some teaching solution to ensure what that your practices will work for the majority of the class.
The use of Visuals
Some students may find academic not so interesting. This is a challenge teachers need to overcome immediately to divert bored students to active and enthusiastic students. The use of visuals such as interactive whiteboard for images, audio and video can help students to understand a complex idea easier.
Integrate Technology
Text loaded exercise books can be really informational but could also be a dull source of knowledge especially to younger students. Textbooks, however, should not be replaced with videos or any visuals. It’s just advisable to have a one to two minutes slide to further explain the knowledge being read as well as stimulate insightful conversation between students.
Cooperative learning
Grouping students to promote student interaction gives them a lot of learning advantages. Encouraging small groups to perform class activities will develop their confidence, communication skills, and critical thinking which is essential to be utilised throughout their learning journey and beyond that. Working and learning with students with mixed abilities also promotes new knowledge and skill acquisition.
Some examples of cooperative learning to incorporate in class are solving puzzles, conducting experiments, and performing short dramatisation. Most international schools are into peer learning as they believe verbally expressing ideas has positive impact between students. Most of the best international schools in Singapore practice cooperative learning for this reason.
Use Humour
Students would appreciate some dose of humour you initiate in class. Using humour at appropriate times can promote better engagement and build up their confidence. Being too authoritative can lead to disheartened and unmotivated students.
Show a genuine love for teaching
If teaching is your passion and you sincerely hope your students will really learn, then it will naturally come and the practices and strategies you devise will surely work. By also showing your passion in teaching and sharing your knowledge and ideas to the class, you will get students attention with no sweat at all. Students positively respond to authenticity and your positive attitude is like their inspiration to genuinely love learning as well.
The classroom is a dynamic environment that requires aggressive and advance teaching and learning practices to adapt to the ever-changing expectations of students. As time passes by, even the young learners would demand enhance classroom activities and learning methods for it’s very easy to acquire knowledge with technology nowadays.
Schools and teachers should need to always come up with new ideas to keep the interest and engagement inside the classroom and prepare students well for succeeding years of learning and beyond.
