Approaches, Methods and Techniques in Teaching EPP

Teaching Approach, Strategy, Method and Technique

Teaching Approach – is a set of principles, beliefs or ideas about the nature of learning which is
translated into the classroom. It springs from a teacher’s own philosophy of education, the nature
of education, the role of the teacher and that of the student 
Teaching Strategy – is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. Strategy
applies to many disparate fields such as a military strategy, economic strategy, teaching strategy
and the like. 
Teaching method – is a systematic way of doing something. It implies an orderly logical
arrangement o steps. It is more procedural. 
Teaching technique – is a well defined procedure used to accomplish a specific activity or task. It
is a teacher’s particular style or trick used to accomplish an immediate objective. Techniques are
consistent with a given approach, strategy and method. The relationship among the three is shown
below:
Approach Strategy Method Technique
An approach gives rise to a strategy which may use more than one method of teaching. One
teaching method may be employed differently by two different teachers whose teaching style may
lead to the use of different techniques. Techniques has something to do with teacher’s personal
style of teaching
Teaching Approaches
1. Teacher-centered approach – the teacher is perceived to be the only reliable source of
information in contrast to the learner-centered approach which is premised on the belief that
the learner is also an important resource because he/she too knows something and is
therefore capable of sharing something. Teaching consists of teacher telling and
prescribing what learners should do. The teacher –centered approach is teacher
dominated.
2. Subject-mattered approach - subject matter gains primacy over that of the learner. By all
means teacher finishes teaching subject matter as scheduled even if the learners have not
learned it. Sticking to course syllabus or lesson plan is priority of the subject- centered
teachers. It is also teacher- dominated. In contrast in the learner-centered classroom the
teacher makes adjustments in his/her lesson plans to accommodate learner’s interest and
concerns.
3. Interactive Classroom – more student talk and less teacher talk. Students are given the
opportunity to interact with teacher and with other students
4. Constructivist approach – students are expected to construct knowledge and meaning
out of what they are taught by connecting them to prior experience.
5. Banking approach - teacher deposits knowledge into the “empty” minds of students for
students to commit to memory. The students are perceived to be “empty receptacles”
willing to be filled. These facts that are deposited are withdrawn gradually every time
quizzes/tests are given until at the end of the term everything is withdrawn in the final
examinations thus students’ minds are once more empty ready to filled in the next school
year.
6. Integrated teaching approach – makes the teacher connects what he/she teaches to the
other lessons of the same subject (intra disciplinary) or connects his/her lessons with other
subjects thus making his/her approach inter disciplinary and multidisciplinary.
 7. Disciplinal approach – limits the teacher in discussing his/her lessons within the boundary
of his her subject matter.
8. Collaborative approach – welcome group work, team work, partnership, group discussion.
9. Individualistic approach – want individual students working by themselves.
10. Direct teaching approach – teacher directly tells or shows or demonstrates what is to be
taught.
11. Guided approach – teacher guides the learner to discover things for himself/herself. The
teacher facilitates the learning process by allowing the learner to be engaged in the learning
process with his/her guidance. OTHER TEACHING APPROACHES
12. Research-based approach – teaching and learning are anchored on research findings
13. Whole child approach – the learning process itself takes into account not only the
academic needs of the learners, but also their emotional, creative, psychological, spiritual
and developmental needs.
14. Metacognitive approach – the teaching process brings the learner to the process of
thinking about thinking. The learner reflects on what he learned and on his/her ways of
learning.
15. Problem-based approach - the teaching-learning process is focused on problems. Time is
spent on analysing and solving problems. TEACHING METHODS
16. Demonstration Method – the teacher or an assigned student or group shows how a
process is done while the students become observers. This method is employed in
presenting lesson that use sophisticated equipment and technical know-how. The
demonstrator is knowledgeable in preparing the materials needed according to the steps to
be followed. The rest of the class becomes focused on the activity and concentration on the
subject is assured.
The demonstration method follows a systematic procedure, hence students will be able to learn
from a well-tried procedure since the demonstrators are selected and adjudged to be skilled  The
use of expensive equipment and machines will be maximized  Possible wastage of time, effort
and resources will be avoided the demonstration is supposed to be well planned in advance  It
will not result to trial-and-error learning as what happens with unplanned learning activities  The
findings are reliable and accurate since the procedure had been tried before  The value of
confidence is developed among the demonstrators for such hands-on demonstration  Curiosity
and keen observing ability are instilled among the observers
2. Project Method - learners solved a practical problem over a period of several days or
weeks. The projects may be suggested by the teacher, but they are planned and executed
as far as possible by the students themselves, individually or in groups. Project work
focuses on applying, not imparting specific knowledge or skills, and on improving student
involvement and motivation in order to foster independent thinking, self-confidence and
social responsibility.  It is a significant and practical activity that is problematic in nature,
planned and completed by learners in a natural manner, involving the use of physical
materials to complete the unit of experience. Four Main Types of Projects
3. Construction Project – to make something into a concrete form such as preparing a
diorama or a painting for the library
4. Enjoyment project – the motive is participation in an activity that is accompanied by
enjoyment and satisfaction such as planning and taking part in a school program
5. Problem project – the motive is to master some intellectual difficulties which come from
the learner himself/herself. Curiosity or interest is the fuel for this kind of project
 6. Learning project – the inner drive is toward the acquisition of a skill or some knowledge in
learning how to cook a dish or bake a cake Characteristics of the Learning Activities in a
Project Method
1. Activities are problematic in nature
2. Activities should work toward a definite and attainable goal
3. Activities should be purposeful, natural, lifelike, and significant
4. Learners should plan, direct and execute activities
5. Values that are Developed in Project Method
6. The project method provides a motive for learning
7. It trains learner to be responsible and to develop initiative
8. It trains learners to solve problems in real-life situations
9. It develops the spirit of cooperation
10. It gives training of perseverance
11. It develops the attitudes like alertness, open-mindedness, and tolerance
12. It develops value judgement
13. It encourage creative activity
14. It furnishes the learner with a hobby Steps to be followed
15. Purposing or statement of objectives- the nature and goals of the project are determined.
Goals and activities can be decided upon cooperatively and both students and teacher
16. Planning- when activities are planned and initiated by the pupils, they perform their parts
willingly and enthusiastically
17. Executing – carrying out activities as planned and envisioned by the class. This may take
one class period, a week, a month or the whole semester depending on the project being
undertaken
18. Evaluating – the finished products are displayed and judged by both pupils and teacher.
Here is an excellent chance for the teacher to help develop critical thinking among his
pupils.
19. Cooperative Learning - makes use of a classroom organization where students work in
groups or teams to help each other learn. Concepts from small group theory and group
dynamics serve as the basis upon which skills in democratic procedures and collaborations
are developed. This approach evolved strategies and procedures that can help small
groups solve their own problems and acquire information through collective effort. The
learning environment is characterized by strong motivation and smooth interpersonal
interactions
Characteristics Feature
1. It has two important components, namely:  A cooperative incentive structure – one where
two or more individuals are interdependent for a reward. They will share if they are
successful as a group  A cooperative task structure – a situation in which two or more
individuals are allowed, encouraged or required to work together on some tasks,
coordinating their efforts to complete the task
2. Student work in teams to tackle academic tasks
3. Rewards system are group-oriented rather than individually-oriented
4. The interactions within the group is controlled by the members themselves
5. Teams are made up of mixed abilities – high, average and low achievers
 6. Hands-on is another way to learn.
Some children learn best by looking at visuals. Some children learn best by listening to a parent or
teacher speak. And some children learn best by reading and writing about something. These are
called visual, auditory, and reading/writing learning styles, respectively. But there is a fourth
learning style that is easy to overlook: Kinesthetic learning, which is a fancy way of saying
“learning by doing.”
When students are forced to do something, they are engaged in active learning. They’re practicing
their skills and they’re putting their knowledge to the test. Most importantly, they are actively
creating knowledge, instead of passively consuming it.
In order to create, in order to do, students must be engaged in their education. And engagement
has for years been linked to greater academic success like increased test scores and greater
academic achievements.
2. Hands-on gives students practice.
Beyond simply leading to better engagement, hands-on learning allows students to practice the
skills that they have already learned. As anyone who has ever learned a skill or learned
information can attest to, the more practice you get, the better you will be at that skill, and the
better you will be able to retain the information.
3. Hands-on gives students something “real.”
Incorporating hands-on learning into the classroom or into the home is an easy way for parents
and teachers to show their children exactly how what they are learning can be used in the real
world.
Through hands-on learning, students will often actively create something, whether an essay, story,
piece of art, construction project, or something else. This is something real. It is something that a
student can look at and think: I was able to create this because of what I have learned and
because of the skills that I have practiced. Because of me, it is here.
4. Hands-on lets students be creative.
Creativity is a muscle. Just like other muscles, it needs to be regularly exercised or else it will
become harder and harder to be creative. Hands-on learning gives a child one more opportunity to
exercise their creative skills so that they don’t lose them.
Creativity encourages children to develop a new way of thinking about something. This new way of
exploring a concept or idea can lead to insights that may otherwise have been hidden. For
example, your child may have learned to complete a math problem in a certain way. But that
doesn't mean it’s the only way that the problem can be solved. A creative student may look at a
problem and find a brand new way of completing it.
.
Hands-on learning is an incredibly powerful tool, but it won’t replace traditional learning entirely.
While it’s beneficial to get excited about hands-on sessions in your field of study, don’t neglect
reviewing your notes, or collaborating with peers to ensure you understand important concepts. If
you feel like you understand your hands-on session well but struggle with test and quiz concepts,
be sure to confer with your instructor to bring your learning experience back into balance. Just as
all students learn in different core methods, their ideal mix of the three learning methods will vary
as well.
5. Community-based learning (CBL) - is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates
meaningful community engagement with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning
experience with a greater emphasis on reciprocal learning and reflection.
 Community Based Learning (CBL) - is a pedagogical approach that is based on the
premise that the most profound learning often comes from experience that is supported by
 guidance, context-providing, foundational knowledge, and intellectual analysis. The
opportunity for students to bring thoughtful knowledge and ideas based on personal
observation and social interaction to a course’s themes and scholarly arguments brings
depth to the learning experience for individuals and to the content of the course. The
communities of which we are a part can benefit from the resources of our faculty and
students, while the courses can be educationally transformative in powerful ways.”
(Swarthmore College | tinyurl/jrhpf4x)
Community-based learning refers to a wide variety of instructional methods and programs that
educators use to connect what is being taught in schools to their surrounding communities,
including local institutions, history, literature, cultural heritage, and natural environments.
Community-based learning is also motivated by the belief that all communities have intrinsic
educational assets and resources that educators can use to enhance learning experiences for
students. (Glossary of Education Reform | edglossary/community-based-learning/)
marshall/ctl/community-engagement/cbl/benefits-of-service-learning-for-community-partners
Benefits of Community Based Learning Community partnerships benefit everyone involved
6. Concern individual differences.
7. Association, structure sequence of knowledge.
8. Systematically organized learning opportunities.
9. Utilization of a variety of media.
10. Active participation by learner.
11. Immediate reinforcement of responses.
12. Mastery of evaluation strategy.
13. Evaluation of the work.
Structure of Module
1. The title
2. The Introduction
3. The overview
4. The instruction to the users
5. The pre-test evaluation and feedback, which may show how prepared or unprepared the
students is for the module
6. The objectives , which states what the student is expected to know, do or feel after
accomplishing the module
7. The learning activities which serve as “study guide” and which may enable the students to
objectives, if done
8. The formative test, evaluation and feedback
9. The summative evaluation and feedback
Principles Underline in Planning Learning Activities
1. Plan learning activities on the basis of entry behavior of the learners.
2. Base learning activities on the terminal behavior.
3. Base learning activities on the needs of learner
4. Make careful gradation.
5. Provide adequate for individual differences.
6. Provide adequate with his progress.
Advantages of Module
1. Learning became more effective.
2. It establishes a system of assessment other than marks or grade.
3. Users study the modules in their own working environment.
4. Users can study without disturbing the normal duties and responsibilities
5. Modules can be administered to single use, small group or large group.
 6. Modules are flexible so that implementation can be made by a variety of patterns.
7. It is more appropriate to mature students.
8. It enables the learner to have a control over his learning.
9. Accept greater responsibility for learning.
10. It already got wider accessibility in the present educational scenario.
Disadvantages of module
1. Modules are economical in their use.
2. Appropriate only for matured students.
3. This methods demands smart classrooms.
raijmronlineresearch.files.wordpress/2017/07/29_169-171-dr-kandarp-sejpal.pdf
4. Field Trip/Home Visit
Field trip is an educational procedure by which the learners obtain first hand information by
observing places, objects, phenomena and processes in their natural setting.
 Is an out-of –the-classroom activity whereby children study things in their natural setting
PURPOSES of FIELD TRIP
 To provide real life situations for first hand information. • To supplement class room instructions.
 To serve as a pre view of a lesson and gather instructional material. • To verify previous
information, class discussion & to conclude individual experience.  To create situational teaching
for cultivating observation, keenness and discovery.  To serve as a means to develop positive
attitudes, values and specific skills.
GUIDELINES FOR USING FIELD TRIP AS A TEACHING METHOLOGY
1. The field trip must be planned to meet specific educational objectives rather than merely a
picnic activity. • Plan field trip with a specific checklist (permission, transport, booking
boarding, parental notification, safety & emergency arrangements).
2. Plan a schedule & route plan for the field trip. Identify leaders & sub leaders.
3. Assign responsibilities to individuals and make them understand their role.
4. Have list of all candidates, contact numbers of people to be contacted in case of emergency
& special needs. • Submit report on field visit and analyze
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE A FIELD TRIP
Follow-up Activities
Upon returning from the field trip, a follow-up activity is a must. An evaluation of the learning
experience gained would certainly serve as feedback for future trips to be made. Recall the
objectives of the trip and determine whether they are achieved. The teacher may give a short quiz
or ask for an oral evaluation of their learning as in storytelling. Individual or group reports may be
undertaken regarding specific questions on the concepts being studied.
7. Home visit - is a way to bridge the gap between school and home for students, families, and
teachers. A growing amount of research points to the importance of parents supporting their
children’s' learning in the home. A home visit is one way to deepen the partnership between
teacher and parent and increase the students' chances for success.
5 Steps for Effective Home Visits
“No longer reserved for home-schooled or troubled students, home visits are a great way to bridge
the gap between parents and educators”
1. Collaborate with Colleagues
Before taking any steps to contact parents or organize home visits, teachers must meet with
administration and faculty. The goal of conducting home visits is to establish greater
communication, Therefore starting with colleagues is the best, most effective method for clearing
the path towards of it Understanding and transparency. Prior to planning home visits, the National
Education Association (NEA) advises the following:
 half — if not more — of the faculty should be willing  no member of the staff should be forced to
participate or penalized for lack of participation  teachers should be paid for this time  everyone
should participate in a training program prior to the visit.
2. Introduce Yourself
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons
Parents who recognize the genuine interest teachers have in their lives will be more responsive to
home visits. Before reaching out to parents regarding a potential home visit, send an introduction
note. In a letter sent via e mail or with a student, relay interest in collaborating in their child’s
future. Outline all methods of keeping in touch: telephone number, e mail address and class
Facebook page – if applicable. Emphasize that your most important priority is their child’s
education and success relies on strong parent-teacher collaboration
3. Do Your Homework for Home Visits
Prior to meeting with parents, assign a project to students through which they will provide
background regarding their families. Suggest that students include information such as whether
their family is headed by a single parent, follows a nuclear model, or comprises a large, supportive
extended family unit of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. If possible, ask students to
identify parent careers, interests, accomplishments, and the types of activities they enjoy most
with family family environment and provides casual conversation starting points to put everyone at
ease when home visits begin.
4. Keep it Comfortable
 Discuss child’s current growth and development
 Solicit family feedback and concerns
 Discuss current parent/child activities and recommend others Update families on upcoming
program activities
8. Resource Person
A resource person is anybody who can supply learners with useful information not available. The
person could be either a professional or a non-professional. Examples of resource people are:
civic leaders, government officers, village elders, religious leaders, and war veterans, fellow
teachers in the school students, parents, craftsmen, and blacksmiths.
How a teacher can make use of a resource person.
 Identify the resource person.  Invite the resource person through the head teacher.  Inform
the resource person about what you intend to teach together with the level of the learners. 
Prepare the learners for the talk from the resource person by informing them of the topic.  Inform
the other teachers in case the discussion takes more time.  A teacher can use a resource person
if he/she doubts to teach a certain topic.  A resource person can even teach during field trips
Disadvantages of using a resource person
 If not guided, the person may deviate from the topic  Inviting a resource person may interfere
with the school program  It is time-consuming  It is expensive  Failure of the resource person
to turn up may demotivate the pupils  They may at times give the gloomy pictures of their
profession e doctors  They are not teachers so may be unable to handle the class well and
deliver the content. mysominotes.wordpress/2017/07/18/what-is-the-importance-of-resource-
persons-in-the-teaching- and-learning-of-history-and-government/
A community resource is anything that has the potential to improve the quality of life in a
community
In every community there are many resources available to enrich classes
Use of community resources can take two forms:
 Resource person can be brought into the classroom  A class can take a field trip into the
community