VIRTUAL CAMPUS, UNION TOWERS, 6TH FLOOR. P.O. BOX13495-00100 GPO NAIROBI. COURSE TITLE: INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS COURSE CODE: BECT2201 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS PURPOSE OF THE COURSE ................................................................................................................... 3 TEACHING/LEARNING METHODOLOGIES ......................................................................................... 3 COURSE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION ......................................................................................... 3 MODULE ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................................... 3 COURSE CONTENT ................................................................................................................................ 3 LECTURE ONE: THE INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM ....................................................................... 5 LECTURE TWO: WRITNG INSTRUCTION OBJECTIVES ...................................................................... 9 LECTURE THREE: TEACHING METHODS IN EDUCATION ............................................................... 14 LECTURE FOUR: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING .......................................................... 18 LECTURE FIVE: CLASS MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 25 LECTURE SIX: PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS ................................................................................... 44 LECTURE SEVEN: TESTS AND EVALUATION.................................................................................... 56 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 66 2 PURPOSE OF THE COURSE The purpose of this course is to develop student’s understanding of all the techniques, strategies and methods of teaching. TEACHING/LEARNING METHODOLOGIES This course will be offered and/or undertaken through tutorials, group discussions, group and individual assignments, presentations, interactive questions and answers, micro-teaching lessons, peer teaching and e-learning interactive forums. The learner will be required to go through this training module, make notes based on the objectives of the course and attempt the questions given at the end of every lesson. Further reading in this area of curriculum is encouraged. However all information gathered should be within the course description and objectives. COURSE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION Learning will be assessed through sit in Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs), Take Away Assignments and a Main Examination. The CATs will constitute 30% and the Examination 70% MODULE ORGANIZATION This module is organized in form of lessons. This is followed by the lesson objectives. Then, the learner is taken through the lesson content. The content may be sub-divided into sub-topics depending on the nature of the topic in a lesson. At the end of the lesson the learner is given activities. These activities are in form of questions and practical. It is good to note that this is not a text book. The content is therefore in form of lecture notes. Further reading from text books is recommended. A list of books to refer to is given at end of the module. COURSE CONTENT This unit covers the following: 3 Nature and components of teaching methods Distinguish between general methods and specific methods Problems encountered in teaching methodology and their possible solutions Indicators of conducive class and learning process Strategies for effective teaching and learning Methods techniques and procedures of evaluation and measuring learning outcomes Systems approach to teaching in a classroom and instructional objectives Methods of planning schemes of work and lesson plan Effective communication in the classroom Individual differences in teaching and learning Keeping students’ academic records and their importance 4 LECTURE ONE: THE INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM Lesson Objectives Define the term curriculum Discuss objectives of curriculum content in line with the vision 2030. Relevance of the Curriculum The National Goals of Education embodied in Vision 2030 focus on enlarging learners’ knowledge, experiences and imaginative understanding as well as developing an awareness of moral values and capacity for life-long learning. At the heart of this vision is a curriculum which will provide knowledge, skills, competencies and values to enable learners to move seamlessly from the education system into the world of work, with further academic, technical and vocational education adding value to what has been acquired through the education system. Definition of curriculum Curriculum is defined as ‘a plan for providing learning opportunities and experiences to the learners in order to achieve the educational goals and specific objectives required by Kenyan society’. It is the sum total of the learning opportunities presented to the learner (Education Act, Cap 211). The current primary and secondary school curriculum was reviewed in 2002, followed in 2004 by a review of the primary teacher education curriculum and the diploma teacher education curriculum in 2007. More recently in 2008, Kenya Vision 2030 established clear priorities for the curriculum, whilst the Constitution of Kenya (2010) and on-going changes in the broader economic environment following the 5 signing of the East African protocol impact directly on the shape and priorities of the curriculum,. Vision 2030 calls for a curriculum which accommodates individual and corporate social responsibility, and moral and ethical values. It also calls for the development of technical and entrepreneurial skills and competencies. The content of basic and higher education, therefore, shall need to be designed to equip all learners with relevant knowledge, skills, competencies and values, enabling learners to develop to their full capacity, enhance the quality of their lives, able to make informed decisions and predisposed to engage in lifelong learning. Aligning the curriculum to address the aspirations of Vision 2030, the Constitution and the East African Community protocol is a national priority. Curriculum content In addressing the need to construct a balanced education curriculum aligned to delivering the aspirations of Vision 2030, the Government focuses on core educational outcomes, independent of the subject being taught, and on developing a repertoire of skills and competencies required by all learners and teachers. These include: Literacy, numeracy, and enquiry skills i.e. the ability to read, write, compute, research and process information. Thinking skills i.e. the ability to comprehend, synthesise, evaluate and apply Information. Communication skills i.e. the ability to communicate verbally, in sign language, and in writing; to talk, listen and act on directions Observation and investigative skills i.e. the ability to find and record information, observe, review and assess Application and transferable skills i.e. the ability to make and create things, demonstrate and use skills and competencies in more than one context, Social and ethical skills i.e. the ability to understand, empathise, respond appropriately and to make wise ethical decisions. Entrepreneurial skills i.e. the ability to take independent and productive action based on an ability to review and evaluate that action. 6 The school curriculum should therefore ensure that these skills and competencies are developed in an incremental way across all subjects, irrespective of how the curriculum is constructed and what subjects are being taught, but taking into consideration the age of the learner. Further, in any scheme of work and series of lessons, teachers should be able to assess the extent to which activities included develop skills of reading, listening, comprehending, problem-solving, writing, communicating, speaking, investigating (discovering), making, doing and practising. Teacher competencies Core teacher competencies should be in line with delivering the above, and all teachers should be able to demonstrate the following skills and competencies: Practical competencies in teaching learners to acquire literacy, numeracy and enquiry skills. Practical competencies in planning teaching and learning. Practical competencies in teaching and managing a class, especially with large numbers of pupils in difficult environments and those with special needs and disabilities. Practical competencies in using print and electronic media as a creative learning resource and in making and using other teaching and learning materials. Practical competencies in monitoring, assessing, recording and reporting children’s progress and using this information to inform further planning. Curriculum subject knowledge and understanding. Assessment and Examinations The current curriculum advocates summative assessment at the end of primary cycle (KCPE) and at the end of secondary cycle (KCSE) as the determinant of a well understood curriculum in the Kenyan context. All school based examinations conducted at the end of the term and /or year are never considered at the end of the school cycle and are only valid for promotion to the next class or education level. 7 Lesson Activity Discuss teacher competencies significant to delivery of the curriculum. Explain various educational outcomes that the curriculum is supposed to develop in learners in line with the 2030 vision. 8 LECTURE TWO: WRITNG INSTRUCTION OBJECTIVES Lesson objectives Define the term instructional objectives Write the importance of instructional objectives Course Description, Goals and Objectives It is important to be able to differentiate the course description from the course objectives. A course description simply tells what the course is about. You might consider the goals of the course to be linked to the course description; they are broad educational statements fitting the mission and description of the course. Specific measurable objectives, however, tell what the learner will be able to do upon successful completion of the course. Instructional objectives result from meaningful conversations around the following three questions: As a result of completing your topic or lesson: What do you want your students to know by the time they finish your topic? What do you want students to be able to do with what they know? What do you want students to care about? Instructional Objectives Definition -- Instructional objectives describe the skills, knowledge, abilities or attitudes students should possess or demonstrate after they complete the training. The starting point for designing a course of study should include these instructional objectives; the objectives determine the intended outcomes of the training. Good 9 instructional objectives describe an observable performance, one that can be observed and measured by an instructor or manager. In a nutshell, instructional objectives: Describe a skill that students are expected to possess after instruction Describe a measurable performance Describe the performance conditions Importance of instructional objectives Instructional objectives clarify faculty expectations for what students should know, understand, be able to do, and value by the time they complete the course. They help shift discussions about the curriculum away from "coverage of topics" to improvement of student learning. Instructional objectives at the course level can act as a guide for class activities, assignments, and exams. Assessment of instructional objectives can provide information to students on their strengths and weaknesses in relationship to learning outcomes. Assessment of instructional objectives can provide information for the improvement of educational programs and for demonstrating their effectiveness. Learning Objectives -- Instructional Objectives are not just brief descriptions of lesson content or descriptions of student activities. Each question on a quiz should link to a specific learning objective in the course. One or more learning objectives are written for each module or lesson in the training. Learning Outcomes -- Well-written learning objectives describe what the student will be able to do after the training, programme or lesson; these objectives represent the intended learning outcomes from the training. It is a good practice to write Instructional Objectives before or while writing the course outline or Storyboard. That way, the course can "teach to the objectives." Then when the Instructional Designer writes the test, they will be able to test how well the course taught the objectives and how well 10 the students learned them. In this way, Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes are directly related. Measurable Performance -- A good learning objective describes a measurable performance. Instructional objectives should ask students to perform a task that is observable and measurable. Thus, objectives should: · Include a verb that describes a student performance that can be observed · Include a list of criteria to be used to measure student performance The verb in a learning objective plays a key role in determining whether the objective is measurable or observable. Verbs like "know" and "understand" should be avoided because whether or not a student "knows" or "understands" something cannot be measured. Writing Instructional Objectives To describe what students will do, student learning outcomes use active verbs such as demonstrate, apply, analyze and compare. Typically, student learning outcomes are written using one of the following methods: 1. Formula: Time Frame + Student focus +Action Verb + Product/process/outcome = Instructional Objective 1. ABCDs of writing objectives. Method #1: Learning Outcome = Time Frame + Student focus +Action Verb + Product/process/outcome Example: Instructional Objective “By the end of the library lesson the student should be able to identify a relevant database for their term paper research.” Formula: . Time frame: “By the end of the library session…” Student focus: “…students should be able to…” 11 . Action verb (Bloom’s taxonomy): “…identify…” . Product/process: “…a relevant database for their term paper research.” . Examples of Action Verbs demonstrate illustrate participate specify analyze apply describe interpret perform summarize classify design judge predict support communicate distinguish justify produce translate construct evaluate modify recognize volunteer create explain order review write define identify organize Common Ambiguous Terms Not Measurable Know Understand Appreciate Grasp the significance of Become familiar with Become aware of Learn 12 solve An instructional objective is one sentence that indicates what students should represent, demonstrate or produce as a result of what they learn. It describes an intended result of instruction, rather than the process of instruction itself. An instructional objective should be S- specific M-measurable A-achievable R-realistic T- time bound Lesson Activity Discuss the significance of instructional objectives 13 LECTURE THREE: TEACHING METHODS IN EDUCATION Lesson objectives Discuss the various approaches that can be used in teaching Apply the teaching methods appropriately in curriculum delivery To achieve the goal of teaching, the teacher must adopt effective teaching methods in education. The teacher has many options to choose from different teaching techniques designed specifically for teaching and learning. Writing lesson plans is a foremost thing that a teacher must do before executing any teaching strategy in the class. The teaching method should be adopted on the basis of certain criteria like the knowledge of the students, the environment and the set of learning goals decided in the academic curriculum. Students respond differently to different methods of teaching. Also, the students have their unique way of demonstrating the knowledge acquired and absorbing the information that is imparted. So, to aid this process of demonstrating the knowledge, the teacher has to adopt a technique that assists the students in retaining the information and increasing their understanding. There are many techniques to teach students like questioning, modeling, demonstrating, collaborating, and explaining that have been discussed here. Questioning 14 Testing and questioning are always known to be effective methods due to its interactive nature. The questions are asked by the teacher with an intention to know what the student has learned from earlier discussions and what it helps in deciding what should be taught further. This can be even vice-verse, students questioning the teachers to clarify the doubts that would enhance their understanding of the subject. The inquisitive instinct of the students evoke them to ask questions and satiate their query. The teacher should encourage this in a positive way so that the student's critical thinking is developed. Testing differs in one aspect from questioning. Test is done in order to know about the previous knowledge and already taught things to the student. Explaining Sometimes the experiences can also be shared as a part of knowledge that would work as a source of inspiration for the students. While adopting this method the teacher should give an introduction and a proper summary. Make sure that the information is specific to the audience. The explanation should be accompanied with suitable examples for the better understanding of the students. It is like a discourse on a particular subject or topic that is for the entire class or public. Explaining can be clubbed with the modelling process to be more effective and to have a long-lasting effect on the pupils. Modeling Modeling is a type of visual aid for teaching as well as learning. It is a known fact that human brain absorbs more and understands better when visual aid facilitates explanation. This method works on three criteria - observing, retaining and replicating. The students learn more by observing the things and acquire it by imitating it time and again. This is also known as reinforced behaviour. This type of learning has very 15 important role to play in the learning process especially during the childhood, though it can happen in any stage of life. This helps the students to visualize the things and, then hypothesize the solution. Demonstrating With the help of demonstrative teaching, students get an opportunity to explore the various aspects and understand the theory from a different perspective. Demonstration is a step-by-step explanation along with their reasons and significance for the better understanding of the student. It enhances the student's understanding by practically applying the knowledge and sharpens their skills and hence, they become capable of identifying and organizing the subject matter in a more efficient way. Practical experimentation is a very good method used for demonstrating the subject. Collaborating Teamwork is a contemporary form of collaboration. The students are taught to work in a group that makes the instructing easier for the teacher. This method of teaching promotes a sense of mutual responsibility among the students. They learn to put in more effort to research for the topic and apply effective techniques to get the result. This inculcates patience and develops an ability to critically analyze a subject. It gives an opportunity to the students to solve the problem by a healthy discussion and co-operation. This is what we call 'group discussions' which motivates the students to perform in a team, show leadership skills and enhances the presentation capabilities as well. This is one of the best direct instructional methods. These techniques for special education are a little different from the methods and theories for others. The education is imparted to these students based on their strengths and weaknesses. The teachers cater to the special needs of the students like modification in the regular teaching program, use of supplementary aids that allows students to participate in the learning process. Different effective teaching strategies are adopted on the basis of the 16 disabilities. Four kinds of provisions are adopted in special education and they are inclusion, mainstream, segregation and exclusion. Apart from these defined methods, many other methods are being adopted to give quality education. The methods are Role-play story games presentations Brainstorming case study educational trips audio-visual aids like documentary films, Computers & internet, etc. have been introduced in education. These new methods have increased the pace of learning and understanding. This also enhances the capability of the students to research and logically think for a given problem. Lesson activity Discuss various teaching approaches What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method listed above 17 LECTURE FOUR: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING Lesson Objectives Highlight different type of learners found in the classroom Discuss different type of learning disabilities Understanding more about the internal dynamics of the students and how to manage different learners will make class management easy and also enable the teacher choose appropriate instruction methods to fit the type of students. Below is a list of types of challenging learners expected in some classes handled by teachers. Challenging learners The dominant learner The arrogant learner – the know-it-all The learner who wants to be the centre of attention at all times The aggressive or argumentative learner The offensive and rude learner The politically incorrect learner The flirtatious learner The joke-a-minute learner The garrulous learner 18 The disengaged learner The bored learner The learner who relies on everyone else to do the work The lazy learner The shy learner The delicate, tearful learner The over-dependent learner The constantly late learner The frequently ill learner The mentally disturbed learner Below are some methods a teacher can use to manage different type of learners in the classroom: The persistent talker For Monopolizing group discussions – a teacher can summarize their main points and divert the discussion to others; interrupt with a yes/no question and ask someone else to comment; give them a specific task (e.g. taking notes, writing on a flipchart) so that they have to listen to others; divide the group into sub-groups for specific tasks and ask them to chair or act as scribe so their focus is on others’ contributions. For Rambling and diverting the discussion – a teacher may break in and bring the discussion back to the point; be direct; indicate pressure of time and the need to get on with the task; ask questions of other people in the group. For students who always try to answer every question –a teacher can acknowledge their help but suggest you seek out several ideas/answers; direct questions to other people in the group. For students who keep talking to others nearby and not joining in with the whole group – a teacher may directly address them and ask them to contribute to the whole group; stop talking until they realize others are listening. Quiet people For Shy and timid students– they may speak quietly or cannot find the words to say what they mean. You can help them by allowing time for them to respond; asking ‘easy’ questions of them; asking the same question of different trainees with them safely in the middle; protecting them from mockery or teasing; acknowledging their contribution; putting the group into pairs on a task to increase confidence. For Reticent – often has a valid contribution but is unwilling to participate. You can draw them into the discussion by name; invite them to comment about something you know they have experience of; motivate by focusing on something they find interesting; positively reinforce any contribution. 19 Negative attitude These people may like to talk but have a negative attitude that can affect others. For Superior students who appear to know everything. –appreciate them by indicating how others can learn from their experience; ask for specific examples, ask the group to comment, then ask the person to summarize the rest of the group’s points; indicate to the group that they will learn more if everyone shares experience and knowledge. For the Complainer who blames others and finds fault. -Get them to be specific about the problem and invite the group to think of positive solutions; be direct and say that the group has to get on with the task. For the Clown who ridicules discussion by joking or making irritating remarks. -Ask them for a serious contribution; acknowledge any valid contribution; be direct and say that although this was amusing, the group must move on to complete its task. For the Arguer who is often aggressive, hostile and antagonistic. -Rephrase the point in milder terms; acknowledge that they feel strongly about the issue and invite the group for their comments; avoid lengthy debates by saying you can discuss this after the session; defuse the ‘heat’ and then move on; as a last resort, ask them to leave the group. Types of Learning Disabilities Auditory Perception. (Also called Receptive Language) The individual might have difficulty distinguishing subtle differences in sound (called phonemes) or might have difficulty distinguishing individual phonemes as quickly as normal. Either problem can result in difficulty processing and understanding what is said. Individuals might have difficulty with what is called auditory figure-ground. They have difficulty identifying what sound(s) to listen to when there is more than one sound. Visual Perception. One might have difficulty distinguishing subtle differences in shapes (called graphemes). They might rotate or reverse letters or numbers (d, b, p, q, 6, 9); thus misreading the symbol. Some might have a figure-ground problem, confusing what figure(s) to focus on from the page covered with many 20 words and lines. They might skip words, skip lines, or read the same line twice. Others might have difficulty blending information from both eyes to have depth perception. They might misjudge depth or distance, bumping into things or having difficulty with tasks where this information is needed to tell the hands or body what to do. If there is difficulty with visual perception, there could be problems with tasks that require eye-hand coordination (visual motor skills) such as catching a ball, doing a puzzle, or picking up a glass. INTEGRATION Once information is recorded in the brain (input), three tasks must be carried out in order to make sense or integrate this information. First, the information must be placed in the right order or sequenced. Then, the information must be understood beyond the literal meaning, abstraction. Finally, each unit of information must be integrated into complete thoughts or concepts, organization. Sequencing. The individual might have difficulty learning information in the proper sequence. Thus, he might get math sequences wrong, have difficulty remembering sequences such as the months of the year, the alphabet, or the times table. Or, she might write a report with all of the important facts but not in the proper order. Abstraction. A person might have difficulty inferring the meaning of individual words or concepts. Jokes, idioms, or puns are often not understood. He might have problems with words that might have different meanings depending on how they are used. For example, “the dog” refers to a pet. “You dog” is an insult. Organization. An individual might have difficulty organizing materials, losing, forgetting, or misplacing papers, notebooks, or homework assignments. She might have difficulty organizing her environment, such as her bedroom. Some might have problems organizing time. They have difficulty with projects due at a certain time or with being on time. (Organization over time is referred to as Executive Function.) MEMORY Three types of memory are important to learning. “Working memory” refers to the 21 ability to hold on to pieces of information until the pieces blend into a full thought or concept. For example, reading each word until the end of a sentence or paragraph and then understanding the full content. “Short-term memory” is the active process of storing and retaining information for a limited period of time. The information is temporarily available but not yet stored for long-term retention. “Long-term memory” refers to information that has been stored and that is available over a long period of time. Individuals might have difficulty with auditory memory or visual memory. One reads a sentence and hold on to it. Then the next and the next. By the end of the paragraph, he pulls together the meaning of the full paragraph. This is working memory. He continues to read the full chapter and study it. Information is retained long enough to take a test and do well. This is short-term memory. But, unless the information is reviewed and studied over a longer period of time, it is not retained. With more effort over time, the information might become part of a general body of knowledge. It is long-term memory. OUTPUT Information is communicated by means of words (language output) or though muscle activity such as writing, drawing, gesturing (motor output). An individual might have a language disability (also called expressive language disability) or a motor disability. Language Disability. It is possible to think of language output as being spontaneous or on demand. Spontaneous means that the person initiates the conversation. Thoughts have been organized and words found before speaking. Demand language means that one is asked a question or asked to explain something. Now, she must organize his thoughts, find the right words, and speak at the same time. Most people with a language disability have little difficulty with spontaneous language. However, in a demand situation, the same person might struggle to organize her thoughts or to find the right words. Motor Disability. One might have difficulty coordinating teams of small muscles, called a fine motor disability. He might have problems with colouring, cutting, 22 writing, buttoning, or tying shoes. Others might have difficulty coordinating teams of large muscles, called a gross motor disability. She is awkward when running or jumping. Each individual will have his or her unique pattern of LD. This pattern might cluster around specific common difficulties. For example, the pattern might primarily reflect a problem with language processing: auditory perception, auditory sequencing/abstraction/organization, auditory memory, and a language disability. Or the problem might be more in the visual input to motor output areas. Some people with LD will have a mixture of both. These more specified types of learning disabilities are categorized as follows: Dyslexia – A reading disability where the student has trouble reading written words fluently, out loud. Dysgraphia – A writing disability where the student has difficulty with forming letters and legibility. Dyscalculia – A math disability where the student struggles with math problems and concepts. Dyspraxia – A motor coordination disability which is also known as Sensory Integration Disorder. Dysphasia – A language disability where the student has difficulty with reading comprehension. Aphasia – A language disability where the student has difficulty understanding spoken language. Central Auditory Processing Disorder – A sensory disability related to processing sounds. Visual Processing Disorder – A sensory disability related to processing images. Non-Verbal Learning Disorder – A visual-spatial disability related to body control. 23 Lesson Activity Discuss various learning disabilities found in some learners 24 LECTURE FIVE: CLASS MANAGEMENT Lesson Objectives Discuss various roles of the teacher in class management Roles of Teachers Teachers play many different roles and present many different images. Some of these roles and images are: 1. Representatives of society. Teachers reflect and develop values, moral attitudes, and thinking patterns typical of the community. 2. Judges. Teachers judge students' behaviour, character, work, and progress. 3. Source of knowledge. Teachers are the primary source of knowledge, a resource from which to obtain information. 25 4. Helpers in learning. Teacher’s help students learn by giving directions, furnishing information, requiring that work be done, removing obstacles to learning, and facilitating problem solving. 5. Referees. Teachers arbitrate and make decisions when disputes arise. 6. Detectives. Teachers maintain security in the classroom, discover wrongdoing, and hand-out consequences. 7. Models. Teachers model customs, manners, values, and beliefs that students are to imitate. 8. Caretakers. Teachers reduce anxiety by maintaining standards of behaviour, consistent environments, regular schedules, and freedom from danger or threat. 9. Ego supporters. Teachers support student ego by building student self-confidence and bettering selfimages. 10. Group leaders. Teachers facilitate harmonious and efficient group functioning. 11. Surrogate parents. Teachers are a source of protection, approval, affection, and advice. 12. Targets for hostility. When student hostility cannot be appropriately expressed to other adults, it may be displaced onto teachers. 13. Friends and confidants. Teachers can be talked with and confided in. 14. Objects of affection. Teachers are often objects of affection and esteem, as well as crushes and hero worship. Below are key major roles that teachers play in curriculum instruction and delivery. 26 Teacher Roles - Planning Introduction Effective teaching, learning and classroom management depend on effective planning. A great deal of this planning takes place outside the confines of the classroom prior to classroom interaction. However, the relationship between planning and implementation is a dynamic one, and planning for immediate future activities may well take place in the classroom virtually as implementation occurs. An example is as the lesson is implemented the teacher receives feedback concerning the efficacy of the decisions that were made during the planning process, and modifies and adjusts those decisions as required. While planning for effective classroom management tends to focus on teaching and learning activities, it also includes planning related to the organisation and management of students, resources, time and space. Planning decisions by teachers reflect their beliefs and perceptions. Planning is a value-based activity, thus it is important for teachers to be aware how their own values may inform their decision making. Aims of planning Establish the goals and purposes of the class agenda within the wider agenda of the school, and the general strategies for attaining them. Set specific objectives for particular classroom programs and devise coordinated ways of accomplishing them. Anticipate possible problems so that these can be avoided or overcome. Optimize the use of such resources such as time, space, personnel and finance to achieve the objectives and purposes of the class goals. Develop guidelines for decision making and decision taking with students so that policies and programs can be implemented. Provide opportunities for students to participate in decisions related to the planning and implementation of activities and programs so that they not only achieve better understanding and acceptance of these but also enhance their own learning and growth. Establish a basis for determining whether class and school goals are being achieved. Ensure coordination of long-range and short-term plans so that the activities of the classroom are coherent and consistent and move in agreed-upon directions. Strategies for implementing a plan 27 Effective planning relies on (a) input from stakeholders, and (b) key principles involved for providing an effective framework. These key principles may relate to style of classroom management, and include student involvement, flexibility and review. Other principles relate to the characteristics of the emergent plan. These include stability, continuity and simplicity. When formulating an effective plan, it is suggested the following seven key principles be involved. 1. Staff Involvement In the process of planning, the teacher must ensure that persons concerned with, and affected by, the purposes of the plans have an opportunity to participate in their formulation. Such persons might include students, other teachers, parents, and possibly members of the school community. The advantages of participation include better understanding and acceptance of plans and programs developed, and greater commitment to participate in them. 2. Flexibility The plans that are eventually formulated should not be regarded as set in concrete. Their implementation will doubtless necessitate fine tuning and modification as unforeseen problems and circumstances arise. A number of alternate plans may be devised to facilitate flexibility. 3. Stability While a plan must be flexible, it must also have stability; it should not have to be abandoned or modified extensively. If plans change too often, the stakeholders will become confused and resentful, and goal attainment will be impossible. 4. Continuity Planning should have continuity so that when one plan is completed or has outlived its usefulness, it is replaced by another so that the guiding action provided by planning is continuous. 5. Simplicity Often plans are more complex than they need to be. The more complex a plan, the more difficult it is to communicate, follow and implement. It is essential that classroom plans are simply expressed if students are to participate fully in their development and implementation. 6. Review Teachers must periodically and/or continuously monitor and evaluate the progress of their plans to determine whether they are on course or whether encountering difficulties. These reviews may 28 make it necessary to redraw the plans to meet desired goals or to change the goal themselves Teacher Roles - Organizing The organizing role involves teachers in making arrangements and developing an orderly structure, which will unify all elements in the classroom into a coherent and functioning whole. It is through the organizing tasks of developing and modifying structures and routines, orienting participants, assigning tasks, coordinating and sustaining contributions, that teachers arrange classroom space, time and resources and coordinate the efforts of individuals towards the achievement of the educational objective of the class, and the broader goals of the school. Sound organizing is closely linked with systematic planning. Whereas planning is concerned with the identification of appropriate activities, organizing is concerned with making arrangements and structuring the classroom to implement planned activities. In fact the organizing role of the teacher links planning with all the other roles of communicating, motivating and controlling. Each person in a classroom affects every other person, and some, most frequently 'leaders' and ‘deviants’; influence the behaviour of members of the group more than others (Johnson & Johnson, 1984). In most cases a number of sub-groups and cliques are found, and it is an important task for the teacher to organize the classroom to overcome differences and problems, and to develop a feeling of group cohesion among all individuals and groups. Aims The major aims of the organizing role are to establish within a classroom a structure which will: Facilitate the achievement of the classroom mission within the constraints imposed by the school and classroom settings. Implement the policies, goals, and plans formulated by the school. Realise specific objectives of school programmes through planned and effective courses of action. Carry out agreed-upon tasks within the classroom in as efficient a manner as possible. Foster positive classroom climate through a sense of achievement resulting from success in the cooperative implementation of plans of action. Achieve efficiency and optimal student learning through sound management of time, personnel and material resources. Ensure all pupils understand their roles and accept tasks properly assigned to them. Coordinate individual and group efforts within the classroom in an appropriate way. 29 Teacher Roles - Motivating Motivation is a vital factor in the teacher's management of learning and behaviour in the classroom. Motivation signifies the causes or 'why' of behaviour; it is concerned with questions of the energising of behaviour and the direction given to behaviour. In the classroom, motivation is observed as students show interest and enthusiasm, and give attention and concentration to learning tasks. Conversely, low levels of motivation are observed in student apathy and misbehaviour. Motivation is closely related to self-concept and to personal needs. Maslow described a hierarchy of needs extending in pyramid fashion from basic physiological and safety needs to needs for belongingness and love, to self-esteem needs, and to the highest level need for self-actualisation. Self-actualisation involves striving for the full realisation of a person's potential. The motivating role of teachers encompasses attempts to create conditions within a classroom which will energise, direct and sustain students' performance. This role is important for promoting morale and climate, and involves the sustaining of enthusiasm and positive attitudes towards school goals and learning tasks, both those assigned and those self-generated by the students. Aims As mentioned previously, the motivating role is primarily concerned with energising behaviour by tapping internal forces which will initiate and sustain the work of students for whom classroom teachers are responsible. Classroom teachers will seek to achieve the following: Ensure commitment of all students to the school's mission. Create conditions which will energise and direct the efforts of students towards achieving learning goals. Sustain levels of motivation which will keep the students persevering with their assigned tasks. Provide an appropriate model of enthusiasm and diligence, displaying warmth and a high level of effective interpersonal relationships and communication. Foster classroom climate through a proper sense of student achievement which comes from felt success in achieving school and personal goals. Categories of Motivation 30 There are two broad categories of motivation - intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is a response to needs within the student, such as curiosity, the need to know, or feelings of competence and growth. Internal satisfaction a student feels about a particular task is another aspect of intrinsic motivation. For example, some students might find activities involving movement to be intrinsically satisfying. Extrinsic motivation is motivation from outside the learner and has to do with external rewards for completion of a task. Words of praise from the teacher, a higher grade, or a privilege are examples. The reinforcement of extrinsic motivation can be effective; but be aware that excessive use of rewards may be decreasingly successful in new situations, foster dependence on the teacher, and undermine intrinsic motivation. Six strategies for motivating students to learn: 1. Capture Student Interest in the Subject Matter. Take student interest into account Capitalise on the arousal value of suspense, discovery, curiosity, exploration, and fantasy. Try to make study of the subject matter as active, investigative, adventurous, and social as possible. Use questions and activities to capture student interest in the subject matter. Use games, simulations, or other fun features. 2. Highlight the Relevance of the Subject Matter. Select meaningful learning objectives and activities. Relate the subject matter to students' everyday experiences and backgrounds. Call attention to the usefulness of the subject matter. Have students use what they previously learned. 3. Help Students Maintain Expectations for Success. Have students set short-term goals. Help students assess their progress toward their goals. Allow students a degree of control over their learning. 31 Draw attention to the successes students have achieved. 4. Design the Lesson to Maintain Interest and Promote Student Success State learning objectives and expectations, and provide advance organisers. Vary instructional approaches and present the subject matter in interesting, novel ways. Plan active student involvement. Select stimulating, appropriate tasks. Occasionally do the unexpected. Use familiar material for initial examples, but provide unique and unexpected contexts when applying concepts and principles. Design activities that lead to student success. Provide an appropriate level of challenge and support. Plan for individual, cooperative, and competitive activities. Adapt tasks to match motivational needs. Promote feelings of control by giving students a voice in decision making. Communicate desirable expectations and attributes. Minimise performance anxiety. Establish a supportive environment. 5. Express Interest in the Content and Project Enthusiasm. Model interest in learning and motivation to learn. Model task-related thinking and problem solving. Project enthusiasm. 6. Provide Feedback and Rewards for Performance. Provide frequent opportunities for students to respond and to receive feedback about their academic work. Offer rewards as incentives. Give some rewards early in the learning experiences. Help students attribute achievement to effort. Help students recognise that knowledge and skill development are incremental. Provide remedial socialisation for discouraged students. 32 The six strategies for motivating students to learn were adapted from 'Burden. P. R., 1995, Classroom Management and Discipline, Longman, New York'. Roles of the Teacher - Communicating Learning and teaching in the classroom predominately take place through interpersonal communication between teachers and students. The context in which this communication occurs and the relationships between teachers and students are neither fixed nor predetermined. Rather they are constructed by the teacher and students, and negotiated by them as they act and react through verbal and non-verbal behaviour. The management of communication is one of the central tasks of the classroom teacher. Effective student learning depends largely upon the strong and positive management of classroom communication in all its forms and situations. In turn, effective classroom management and the roles of planning, organizing, controlling and motivating depend upon the management of effective communication. Communication is at the heart of classroom processes Aims The major aims of the communicating role in the classroom are to: Initiate and sustain effective communication systems and techniques so as to establish and maintain group cohesion and on-task behaviour. Develop communication skills of teacher and students to facilitate the management of classroom activities, both behavioural and instructional. Maximize the exchange of information within the classroom and with other sections of the school and its community, so as to develop common understandings Devise effective communication strategies for overcoming classroom management issues. . 33 Types of Communication There are numerous types of communications that relate to interactions within the classroom, these include written, verbal and nonverbal, and direct and indirect. Conran (1989) discussed three types of communication that may be found in a typical classroom environment, each type having a different purpose and effect. The first form is called Proactive Communication. This type of communication is a closed and direct form, mainly used by the teacher. Its purpose is ordering or directing. It is characteristic of structuring a task and producing instructions. The second form is Defensive Communication. This type is employed when someone feels threatened. It is not an open form of communication and is neither constructive nor effective. It has the result of closing off communication. The third form is Interactive Communication. This type is indirect and an open form of interaction used to describe and explore. It is characteristic of many teaching/learning situations. While each of these forms of communication has a place in the classroom, the open and interactive form is probably most effective in facilitating successful learning by students, fostering positive classroom climate, and enhancing relationships between teacher and students. Interactive communication is based on trust and respect and is important in achieving goals of the class agenda. Interactive communication is characterized by the use of humour, which has been found to be an important feature of successful classroom teachers. Research has shown that teachers are responsible for 60% or more of classroom interactions, and that 60% or more of these interactions are directive and proactive. A more effective management of communication would move towards reducing the directive dominance of classroom communication and emphasize more interactive and open communication. Face-to-face, which is the common form of communication, is richest because it provides immediate feedback through verbal and visual cues. Comprehension is generally higher when material is presented in written form, while changes of opinion and belief occur through face-toface interactions The appropriate medium depends on the purpose of the message. Generally the most effective 34 communication uses a combination of oral and written media. In addition it employs the principle of redundancy (repetition of the message in different forms). Thus a teacher might convey the same message verbally while using the blackboard or the overhead projector. These are different media and are supported by a third, body and facial expressions. Usually, within reason, the more media used to convey a message, the more likely it is that the message will be transmitted effectively. At least as important as verbal, graphic, and numeric media are non-verbal signals and paralanguage such as stress, inflection and speed of speech as well as grunts and laughter. This emphasizes the importance of nonverbal gestures and the body positions of teachers and students in classroom communication. Tone of voice, however, carries a much greater proportion of verbal messages than words, while sight is a more important receptor of information than ears or body. There have been many studies that have investigated teacher's communicating behaviour. In summary, the following findings can be noted: Student achievement is maximized when teachers actively present material, structure it by providing overviews of the task and advance organizers, outline content and signal transitions between lesson parts, Summarise sub-parts during the lesson and review main ideas at the end. Student achievement appears to be higher when information is presented clearly, with enthusiasm, and with a degree of redundancy or repetition through various channels. Teacher questioning is most effective when questions are pitched at the appropriate conceptual level, are asked clearly, and are followed by a pause to allow students to think before responding. Student responses should be acknowledged by providing verbal and constructive feedback, and assisting partially correct respondents to greater success through prompting and rephrasing of questions. * Teachers should encourage student initiations, directing them to other class members for comment and response, and including them within the talk about the topic. Apart from the importance of managing effective classroom communication, teachers must also coordinate communication with parents and members of the school community. Parents generally wish to be involved in their children's education (Lindle, 1989), and have a right to be informed about their own children's progress and achievement. Generally, findings from research into 35 teacher/parent communication suggests that it is insufficient, irregular, infrequent and based too heavily on symbolic and numeric forms. In addition, it tends to occur when there is a problem rather than emphasizing student success and achievement (Mellor & Hayden, 1981). Roles of the Teacher - Controlling Controlling is the process by which teachers ensure that the learning activities and behaviour of children in the classroom are consistent with the objectives, expectations and plans of both teachers and school. Controlling is closely related to planning. Planning involves the establishment of instructional objectives and the development of strategies, while controlling establishes standards of performance, influences, monitors and measures performance, compares performance with standards, and takes corrective action if needed. Indeed the initial step of the controlling process itself is actually a planning step establishing standards or, more narrowly, rules. It must be emphasized that the controlling process is essentially a positive one, its basic purpose is to facilitate and ensure attainment of instructional objectives. In the past, however, the terms control and controlling have generally conveyed the negative connotations of discipline and punishment which constrict student freedom and introduce teacher dominance, order and inflexibility in classrooms. A section dealing with discipline as a separate issue is included in this program. Today controlling is being recognized as a process through which teachers stimulate and guide productive learning behaviours rather than one through which they typically command and coerce students. Through controlling, teachers establish and maintain those conditions in which instruction can take place effectively and efficiently and in which their students feel comfortable and unthreatened. Aims The general aims of the controlling role is to ensure that instructional objectives and plans are attained by influencing the pace and direction of classroom activities and engagement in them, and by detecting actual or potential deviations and disruptions and by taking action to correct or prevent them. Subsidiary to this aim are four other aims. Controlling seeks to: Establish standards of performance and expectations of students consistent with instructional goals and plans. Influence and monitor student performance in the learning activities towards the attainment of standards, goals and plans. 36 Locate through evaluation, instances where performance does not meet standards so that corrective action can be taken or planned. Motivate individuals and build the morale of groups by providing feedback, recognition, advice and encouragement on their performance and progress towards instructional goals. Principles of Controlling The following six principles are important in the implementation of the controlling role in classrooms. The initial three are basic and the latter three are highly desirable: 1. Controls should be clear and acceptable: Students often resent controls, especially those considered to be vague or excessive. They should be able to grasp clearly what is expected of them as well as the purpose and process of the controls. If controls are excessive they signal that students are not able or trusted to act on their own. 2. Controls should encourage participation: If students are to accept controls they should participate in the controlling process that is, in establishing standards and rules, providing feedback, in locating deviations, and in determining correct action. To an appropriate degree, moreover, students may be delegated responsibility for controlling their own learning and significant parts of the class's activities. 3. Over control should be avoided: Over control, where teachers view control as an end and not a means, or where they use it to coerce children to meet unreasonable demands should be avoided. Over control may lead to resentment and even rebellion, and is a barrier to motivation and learning. 4. Controls should be flexible: Controls should be sufficiently flexible to be adapted to the styles of teachers and the needs of individual students. 5. Controls should be economical: The less time and effort devoted to controlling the better. The fewer controls needed the more effective they will be. 6. Controls should be operational: 37 Controls must lead to action that corrects differences between standards and performance. While careful pro-active planning is essential to the success of the various roles of classroom management, it is especially pertinent to the task of establishing standards in the controlling role. It is now recognized that a crucial factor in pre-empting misbehaviour and promoting student selfdiscipline lies in establishing clear guidelines and expectations regarding classroom behaviour. The role of the teacher in class Discipline Glasser (1978) firmly believes that teachers hold the key to good discipline. He concludes that both teachers and students have important roles to play in maintaining effective discipline, but today he puts much greater responsibility on the shoulders of teachers than he formerly did. He has always maintained that the following actions are the teacher's responsibility, they are: 1. Stress student responsibility. Since good behaviour comes from good choices and since students ultimately must live with the choices they make, their responsibility for their own behaviour is always kept in the forefront. Discussions in which this responsibility is explored and clarified occur in classroom meetings. These meetings occur as regular parts of the curriculum. Students sit in a tight circle with the teacher and discuss matters that concern the class. 2. Establish rules that lead to success. Glasser considers class rules to be essential. He has given many examples of programs and classes that have attempted to operate without rules, in the mistaken belief that rules stifle initiative, responsibility, and self-direction. He stresses that rules are essential, especially for students who have done poorly in school. Permissiveness for those students tends to be destructive. It fosters antagonism, ridicule, and lack of respect for teachers and others. Rules should be established by teachers and students together, and should facilitate personal and group achievement. Rules should be adapted to the age, ability, and other realities of the students. One thing is essential: Rules must reinforce the basic idea that students are in school to study and learn. 38 Furthermore, rules should constantly be evaluated to see whether they are useful. When no longer useful, they should be discarded or changed. So long as they are retained, however, they must be enforced. 3. Accept no excuses. For discipline to be successful, teachers must accept no excuses. Glasser uses this "no excuse" dictum in two areas. The first has to do with conditions outside the school. What goes on there does not excuse bad behaviour in school. Those conditions may, indeed, cause bad behaviour. but that does not make it acceptable. The teacher must never say "we can excuse Bill's behaviour. Today because he has trouble at home. It is okay if he yells and hits." The second area in which Glasser says teachers should accept no excuses concerns student commitment. Once a student has decided on a course of good behaviour and has made a commitment to it, the teacher must never accept excuses for the student's failing to live up to that commitment. A teacher who accepts an excuse says, in effect, that it is alright to break a commitment that it is alright for students to harm themselves. Teachers who care, Glasser says, accept no excuses. 4. Call for value judgment. When students exhibit inappropriate behaviour, teachers should have them make value judgments about it. Glasser (1977) suggests the following procedure when a student is misbehaving: Teacher: "What are you doing?" (Asked in unthreatening tone of voice.) Student: (Will usually give an honest answer if not threatened.) Teacher: "Is that helping you or the class?" Student: "No." Teacher: "What could you do that would help?" Student: (Names better behaviour. if can think of none, teacher suggests appropriate alternatives and lets student choose.) Sometimes the student does not respond in an acceptable way, but instead replies hostilely or 39 caustically. For that eventuality, Glasser presents the following scenarios: i) Student misbehaving. Teacher: "What are you doing? Is it against the rules? What should you be doing?" Student: (Responds negatively, unacceptably.) Teacher: I would like to talk with you privately at (specifies time). ii) Private conference between teacher and student. Teacher: “What were you doing? Was it against the rules? What should you have been doing?" Student: (Agrees to proper course of behaviour.). iii) Student later repeats the misbehaviour. Teacher calls for another private conference. Teacher: "We have to work this out. What kind of plan can you make so you can follow the rules? Student: "I'll stop doing it". Teacher: “No, we need a plan that says exactly what you will do. Let's make a simple plan that you can follow. I'll help you." Teacher assigns "time out". This is isolation from the group. Student is not allowed to participate with the group again until making a commitment to the teacher to adhere to the plan. If the student disrupts during time out, he is excluded from the classroom. (A contingency plan should be set up in advance with the principal.) v) Student, after returning to the group, disrupts again. Teacher: "Things are not working out here for you and me. We have tried hard. You must leave the class. As soon as you have a plan you are sure will allow you to follow the rules of the class, let me know. We can try again, but for now, please report to the principal's office." (Principal was informed in advance of this possibility.) vi) If a student is out of control, principal notifies parents and asks them to pick up the student at school immediately. vii) Students who are repeatedly sent home are referred to a special school or class, or to a different community agency. By following this procedure consistently, teachers can cause students 40 to doubt the value of their misbehaviour. make responsible and better choices, and thus gradually make a commitment to choosing behaviours that bring personal success instead of failure. 5. Suggest suitable alternatives. First grader Nathan has been having trouble lining up promptly when the bell rings. Mrs Smith offered him two choices: either (i) get in line immediately when the bell rings, or (ii) be last to go for recess. Nathan chose number one. He understands that he is expected to live by his choice, and Mrs Smith helps him remember that. Misbehaving students will sometimes be unable to think of appropriate behaviours they might select. The teacher should then suggest two or three acceptable alternatives. 6. Invoke reasonable consequences. Glasser stresses that reasonable consequences must follow whatever behaviour the student chooses. These consequences will be desirable if good behaviour is chosen and undesirable if poor behaviour is chosen. Never should teachers manipulate events so that these consequences do not occur. The knowledge that behaviour always brings consequences, and that individuals can largely choose behaviour that brings pleasant as opposed to unpleasant consequences, builds the sense that people are in charge of their own lives and in control of their own behaviour 7. Be persistent Caring teachers work toward one goal - getting students to commit themselves to desirable courses of behaviour Commitment means constancy, doing something repeatedly, intentionally, while making sure that it is right. To convey this idea and help implant it in students, teachers themselves must be constant. They must always help students make choices and have them make value judgments about their bad choices. 8. Carry out continual review. For Glasser, the classroom meeting is central to implementation of a good system of discipline. Glasser advocates three types of classroom meetings: (i) Social problem solving, (ii) educational diagnostic, and 41 (iii) open ended. Discussions in classroom meetings focus on two things: (i) Identifying the problem, and (ii) seeking solutions to the problem. Students are never allowed to find fault with others, place blame on them, or seek to punish them. The teacher remains in the background during the discussion, giving opinions sparingly and participating in a way that reflects student attitudes back to the group for examination. Glasser stresses that the meetings require practice before they are successful, and that unless they are focused on finding solutions, they will not produce the desired effect. It is reasonable to conclude that Glasser would have teachers begin with organizing their classes so as to meet students' needs to the extent possible. But he concedes that probably about 25% of the secondary students will be unproductive. And of course even productive students often present discipline problems. Once the class is better organised to meet students' needs, then Glasser's earlier suggestions on how to deal with misbehaving students are still appropriate. Simple improvement in meeting student needs, while tremendously important, does not do away with all misbehaviour Students therefore should still be helped to see that good behaviour choices lead to better results. They should still be urged to show responsibility for their actions and to be considerate of others. Thus, Glasser's model of discipline can now be seen in this expanded form - first organize the class to meet needs as well as possible, then continue to use intervention strategies for controlling and improving behaviour 42 Lesson Activity Discuss various roles played by the teacher in the classroom 43 LECTURE SIX: PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS: Lesson Objectives Discuss various professional documents kept by the teacher Planning a Lesson As you plan a lesson, also plan for motivation, and plan that each time phase of the learning sequence includes positive motivational influences. There are three critical periods in a learning event. These are: 1. Beginning a lesson - when the student enters and begins the learning process. 2. During a lesson - when the student is involved in the body or main content of the learning process. 3. Ending a lesson - when the student is completing the learning process. Beginning a Lesson At the beginning of a learning activity, you need to consider two motivational factors when selecting motivational strategies: attitude and needs. Attitude deals with the student's view of the subject matter, the general learning environment, and other factors. Needs deal with the students' basic needs at the time of learning. As you plan for the beginning of a learning event, ask yourself two questions: What can I do to establish a positive learning attitude for this learning sequence? How do I best meet the needs of my learners through this learning sequence? Attitude is the student's stance toward the learning environment, teacher, subject matter, and self. When planning to incorporate motivational factors at the beginning of a lesson, you need to select strategies that positively affect the student's attitude about themselves, yourself as the teacher, the 44 subject, and the learning situation, while also establishing learner expectations for success. To positively affect attitude about yourself as a teacher, you might plan to establish a relationship with the students by sharing something of value with them. Listening to them with empathy, treating them with warmth and acceptance, and using class or individual meetings to establish relationships. To positively affect attitude toward the subject and learning situation, plan to make conditions surrounding the subject positive, model enthusiasm for the subject, associate the student with other students who are enthusiastic about the subject, positively confront the student about erroneous beliefs, and make the first experience with the subject matter as positive as possible. You can positively affect the students' attitude toward themselves by promoting success, giving encouragement, emphasizing students' personal causation in their learning, and using group process methods to enhance a positive self-concept. Finally, when trying to establish learner expectancy for success, you could interview students and help them set goals or contracts for their learning. A need is a condition experienced by the individual as a force that leads the person to move in the direction of a goal. Maslow's hierarchy of needs provides a framework to examine strategies that teachers could select in addressing students' needs at the beginning of a lesson. When planning for meeting psychological needs, you could select content, examples, and projects that relate to students' psychological needs, and could be alert to restlessness so you can relieve the causes producing it. For example, students may not be physically comfortable after sitting for long periods of time, or after being asked to do one task for a long time. Instead, have a change of activities or break the tasks up into shorter segments. During a Lesson During a learning activity, two motivational factors need to be considered stimulation and affect. Stimulation deals with attention and involvement during the learning process. Affect deals with the affective or emotional experience of the student while learning. As you plan for this part of the learning activity, ask yourself two questions: What about this learning sequence will continuously stimulate my learners? In what way is the affective experience and emotional climate for this sequence positive for learners? 45 Stimulation has to do with holding attention and building involvement. When you introduce or connect learning activities, draw attention to the new learning activity or topic. Use movement, voice, body language, and props to vitalize and accentuate classroom presentations. To promote interest and involvement, relate learning to student interest, and use humour, examples, analogies, stories, and questions. When asking questions, limit informational questions and selectively increase questions that require comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. To create disequilibrium, introduce contrasting information, play the devil's advocate, and be unpredictable to the degree that students enjoy the spontaneity. To be unpredictable, for example, you could alter your conduct of each review session before a test. Affect pertains to the feelings, concerns, values, and passions of the students while learning. When planning lessons, try to encourage and integrate learner emotions, and maintain an optimal climate within the learning group. Feelings are the emotions that accompany the how and what a student is learning. Awareness and communication allow feelings to become a vital influential aspect of motivation. Integrate what is being taught with how the student feels now about the content and then establish a relationship between this content and the student's life. You can also take steps to establish a climate that promotes positive interrelationships among class members. Ending a Lesson At the end of a learning activity, two motivational factors are considered: competence and reinforcement. Competence deals with the degree of progress the students feel they have made. Reinforcement deals with feedback on their progress. When you plan for the ending of a learning activity, ask yourself two questions; 'How does this learning sequence increase or affirm the learner's feelings of competence?' and 'What reinforcement does this learning sequence provide?' Competence refers to the sense of growth and content mastery that a person recognizes. As you plan for the end of a learning activity, take into account at least two aspects of competence. First, make sure students have opportunities to become aware of their progress and mastery. You can do this by providing feedback on mastery of learning, offering constructive criticism, and facilitating successful completion of the learning task. Second, students need to be aware at the end of the activity that theory 'personally caused' their own learning. This can be done by acknowledging and affirming the student's responsibility in completing the task, using a competence checklist for students self-rating, and acknowledging the risk taking and challenge involved in the learning accomplishment. 46 Reinforcement is an event of a state of affairs that changes subsequent behaviour. For example, a student who is given praise for efforts made in studying for a test will tend to continue these efforts after the praise is given. Reinforcement can be in the form of artificial rein forcers such as tangible or concrete materials, or extrinsic symbols for learning behaviour. Gold stars, prizes, trinkets, certificates, and points are examples. When natural consequences (e.g., reading can produce new insights and expand awareness) of student learning are evident, emphasis the result of the learning behaviour and highlight it as a part of the learning process. You can take steps to enhance the intrinsic value of traditional grading and limit its negative intrinsic value. Provide alternative forms of feedback to students about their performance, clearly explaining the grading policy to students, and perhaps using student self-evaluation as part of the grading decision. REASONS FOR PLANNING LESSONS 1. To anticipate the teaching resources, the sitting arrangements and the timing necessary for teaching given concepts and skills 2. Because the head of the school will need to make timely decisions for the running of the school, such as on the use of finances and other resources as well as the implementation of the national curriculum. 3. To ensure that all of the stakeholders, such as members of the community support teaching and learning in the school. 4. There is need to provide a guide on what the students will learn during the year. One should know what to present to the students, when and how to enhance their learning. 5. The knowledge, skills and expected levels of competencies should be established so that the pupils’ performances can be measured. This should be in the following areas: - Concepts and skills to be taught; - Activities and methods to use; - When they should be taught; - Duration of lesson - Teaching and learning resources to be used. 47 Teachers’ Professional Documents Teachers should use the syllabus in planning in order to enable their learners to compete favorably with other learners country wide. KIE produces other useful teaching and learning guides. Though approved textbooks may act as a guide in planning, teachers should have more confidence in their capacity to understand and interpret the syllabus which is the basic planning tool. Textbooks and guides simply provide additional information. Let us now look at the teacher’s professional records Schemes of Work Purpose Of Schemes Of Work The scheme of work helps the teacher to: Break the syllabus into units easy to teach Rearrange the content so that closely related topics are put together and in a logical order Shows in advance what will be taught, and when it can be taught Helps the teacher to anticipate and prepare the necessary teaching and learning resources. Helps the teacher to anticipate and provide for possible learning difficulties Is the road map guiding the teacher towards effective coverage of the syllabus Helps the school administration to budget for and provide relevant support The schemes of work has the following columns: Time The time Indicates when you hope to teach the lesson e.g. week and lesson when the topic will be taught. 48 Topic and sub topic Topic covers the broad content while sub topic covers the specific content; For example in a form 1 Mathematics lesson, the teacher might indicate: The Topic as: Numbers The sub topic as: Pre numbers Objectives Objectives State the behavioural change the teacher expects in the learner by the end of the lesson... They should address the three domains of development: “By the end of the lesson, pupils in form one should be able to:o “State the parts of the digestive system.” (Cognitive Domain) “Develop and demonstrate attitudes of co-operation, as they work together in groups.” (Affective Domain) ”Develop and demonstrate observation and recording skills as they complete the floating and sinking experiments.” (Psycho-motor Domain) Teacher’s activity These are activities which the teacher hopes to use to stimulate, encourage and challenge the learners. The type of teacher activity will depend on the teaching approach he/she prefers which in effect affects the classroom processes. While most teachers have established traditions of teaching it is important to reflect on the effectiveness of the preferred teaching approach for the current content. In filling the teacher activity column one should reflect on the extent to which the planned activities will assist in achieving the set objectives. A teacher may ask the following questions How do I facilitate my pupils to engage, grapple with and understand this concept? What do my pupils need to see, hear, feel, talk about, and experience in order to understand this concept? What advise will they need? 49 What classroom management challenges could I anticipate What precautions might be necessary? What should I not do? The last question is necessary because it allows the teacher to avoid falling back on tradition and limiting the pupils learning opportunity. Learning activities Detail the activities you propose to engage the learner in during the lesson. A lot of careful thought should be given to this column. The teacher should ask these questions What should the learner do within the given time frame to master the intended knowledge and skill? Should the learner perform the tasks alone, in pairs, in a group or as a class? What resources will they need? What learning challenges/disabilities may limit the full participation of some/all learners in the designated activity? Are there alternative activities Active learning seeks to prevent learners from becoming mere passive listeners to the teacher’s oratory skills An example of schemes of work Week LESSON TOPIC SUBTOPIC OBJECTIVES TEACHING/LEARNING REFERENCES ACTIVITIES 3 1 Listening speaking and PRONUNCIATION By the end of the lesson -pronunciation -NIE BK 3 pg. Homophones, the learners should be -Reading 135-136 homonyms, and able to: -Writing -Teachers silent - Use homophones, - book pg69-72 consonants Homonyms and silent consonants correctly in sentence construction. -Identify homophones, homonyms and silent 50 REMARKS consonants in a passage. 2 Reading Dreams and By the end of the lesson Reading the passage NIE Bk 3 pg. Comprehension Mood the learner should be Answering questions 138-140 able to: -Read fluently Answer the passage questions correctly 3 Grammar Conditional Underline conditional Writing NIE Bk 3 pg. Clauses clauses in given passage Reading 144-145 -construct simple sentences using conditional clauses 4 Lesson Plans A Lesson plan may be defined as “a set of learning/teaching activities for pupils to be carried out within a defined time frame”. A lesson plan usually covers a single or double lesson and the learning activities are arranged in a chronological pattern with clearly defined steps. Importance of lesson plans: Remind the teacher of the lesson’s objectives and the learning materials required Identify what the children should learn during the lesson. Help the teacher to address the learning needs of the individual pupils in a more systematic way. To guide the teacher on how to introduce the lesson To remind the teacher of the sequence of stages of the lesson thereby providing for the efficient management of class time To assist the teacher to plan in advance for such things as the most effective methods for engaging pupils in the lesson, most suitable location for the class, most appropriate sitting plan and grouping of pupils as well as pre-lesson assignments for pupils. To guide the teacher on how best to conclude the lesson. Structure of a Lesson Plan 51 A lesson plan should show the following 1. Administrative information (date, class, subject, time, and roll 2. Topic 3. Sub-topic 4. Objectives 5. References and resources 6. Lesson development (duration, teacher’s activities, and learners activities) 7. lesson evaluation 8. Take away 9. Conclusion (i) Lesson objectives Without clearly stated lesson objectives, it is difficult to measure the level of achievement of the learners. Lesson objectives are derived from the scheme of work you prepared earlier. They reflect what should be achieved by the end of the lesson e.g. ‘By the end of this lesson the learner will be able to recognize the numerals the parts of a dissected insect’ In preparing the lesson objectives the teacher focuses on the anticipated behavioral change of individual learners, hence the need to state the objectives in the singular form of the noun- learner. (ii) Teaching and learning resources/ materials These are activities that actually make the lesson and are drawn from the scheme of work prepared earlier. They are influenced by the lesson objectives, the teaching aid/materials available and the teaching method you choose. The test of whether a lesson is learner centred or not lies in the way the teacher proposes responsibilities and activities under this section. In learner centred lesson plans the teacher will aim at assigning responsibility and activities to learners either individually, in pairs or groups. The teacher will also pay attention to the materials required in order to involve the learner in the 52 designed learning tasks. The teacher should consider the improvisation necessary if the materials cannot be easily found within the immediate vicinity of the classroom. Agree with the participant that most lesson plans follow these steps: Introduction presentation Consolidation summary 1. Introduction – to find out what the learners know, remind them of what they have learned or set the scene for the whole lesson 2. Presentation – steps where the main teaching and learning activities occur. 3. Consolidation – section where concepts or skills being learned during the Presentation are tied together or strengthened. 4. Summary/Recapitulation – an important step in which the main points of the lesson are re-enforced through revision and question and answer. 5. Conclusion – giving assignments to link the lesson with others to follow it. Even in a thematic lesson, we use these steps, but we blend them together so as to blur any distinction between them. 6. A take away activity is one that helps the pupils to link what they have learnt in the lesson to their everyday life. Lesson Evaluation It is important to determine whether the lesson objectives were achieved and the materials used were appropriate. The evaluation also helps you to establish whether the content was appropriate for this level of learners and whether remedial classes will be necessary and which pupils will need them. Finally, it helps you to seek solutions to any difficulties faced during the lesson by either you or your pupils. The evaluation need not be done only after the lesson. As the lesson goes on, you will determine 53 the level of engagement of the majority of learners and the possible inhibitions to their full participation. These will help you to evaluate your lesson and make suitable adjustments to future classroom management procedures. CLASS TIME TABLE A time table is a schedule showing the type of experiences that children are supposed to be involved in every day. It is both a planning as well as an organizing tool in a school. Planning involves specification of events that are set ahead of time. Organization on the other hand involves placing both human and material resources in an orderly way for the smooth running of events. The timetable should be well displayed for all to see Purpose of a time table A time table has the following uses: It indicates who should perform a certain task in order to accomplish the objectives set. It determines when teaching is to be done. As an organizing tool, it enables division of labour, that is, a clear distribution of the tasks to be undertaken. It ensures allocation of the teaching load fairly to each member of staff according to qualification, competence and areas of interest. It coordinates the teaching in each subject in a given class to avoid any clash or Overloading in timing of various activities of a particular class. RECORD OF WORK It should be written weekly to show the work that the teacher has taught during that week DATE TOPIC SUBTOPIC CONTENT COVERED 54 REFERENCES REMARKS Other documents include: Syllabus Lesson notes Class register Students’ progress records Lesson Activity Define all the professional documents listed above Prepare a one week scheme of work in a subject of our choice Discuss the importance of all the professional documents 55 LECTURE SEVEN: TESTS AND EVALUATION Educational Evaluation Educational evaluation involves the systematic assessment of educational activities. Objects of evaluation include instructional programs, school initiatives and education goals. Everything related to school activities and education can be evaluated. e.g. objectives the scope of the content the quality of personnel in schools student performance the relative importance of various school subjects the equipment and materials for instruction Function Educational evaluation strives to assess the merits and the impacts of educational programs and initiatives. Methods Educational evaluation uses many of the research methods employed by education and social science researchers. Evaluation involves data collection and analysis, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Benefits Evaluation can help educators determine the success of their programs and pinpoint efforts to improve student achievement. It also can help school systems identify the characteristics of 56 successful programs. Assessment The purpose of assessment practices in education depends on the theoretical framework of the practitioners and teachers, their assumptions and beliefs about the nature of human mind, the origin of knowledge and the process of learning. There are three levels of assessment. These include: i) Testing the knowledge acquired, ii) Application of the skills learnt, iii) Ability to use the same information effectively over time Assessment helps teachers to: o Know or find out how much of what learners are supposed to learn have actually been learnt, o Identify learning weakness of individual pupils; o Maintain education standards, o Keep track of their own teaching, o Measure specific abilities and identifying children’s different abilities, o Classify pupils for learning organizations, and o Enables pupils of one class move to the next at the end of the year. Importance of evaluation: Determine whether the lesson objectives were achieved Determine whether the syllabus objectives have been met Determine whether the content was appropriate Determine whether there is a need for remedial lessons. 57 Determine whether resources used were appropriate. Determine the effectiveness of the teaching approaches employed Formative and Summative Assessments In a balanced assessment system, both summative and formative assessments are an integral part of information gathering.. Summative Assessments are given periodically to determine at a particular point in time what students know and do not know. Many associate summative assessments only with standardized tests such as state assessments, but they are also used at and are an important part of district and classroom programs. Summative assessment at the district/classroom level is an accountability measure that is generally used as part of the grading process. The list is long, but here are some examples of summative assessments: District benchmark assessments End-of-unit or chapter tests End-of-term or semester exams Scores that are used for accountability for schools and students (report card grades). The key is to think of summative assessment as a means to gauge, at a particular point in time, student learning relative to content standards. Although the information that is gleaned from this type of assessment is important, it can only help in evaluating certain aspects of the learning process. Because they are spread out and occur after instruction every few weeks, months, or once a year, summative assessments are tools to help evaluate the effectiveness of programs, school improvement goals, alignment of curriculum, or student placement in specific programs. Summative assessments happen too far down the learning path to provide information at the classroom level and to make instructional adjustments and interventions during the learning process. It takes formative assessment to accomplish this. Formative Assessment is part of the instructional process. When incorporated into classroom practice, it provides the information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening. In this sense, formative assessment informs both teachers and students about student understanding at a point when timely adjustments can be made. These adjustments help to ensure students achieve, targeted standards-based learning goals within a set time frame. Although 58 formative assessment strategies appear in a variety of formats, there are some distinct ways to distinguish them from summative assessments. One distinction is to think of formative assessment as "practice." We do not hold students accountable in "grade book fashion" for skills and concepts they have just been introduced to or are learning. We must allow for practice. Formative assessment helps teachers determine next steps during the learning process as the instruction approaches the summative assessment of student learning. A good analogy for this is the road test that is required to receive a driver's license. What if, before getting your driver's license, you received a grade every time you sat behind the wheel to practice driving? What if your final grade for the driving test was the average of all of the grades you received while practicing? Because of the initial low grades you received during the process of learning to drive, your final grade would not accurately reflect your ability to drive a car. In the beginning of learning to drive, how confident or motivated to learn would you feel? Would any of the grades you received provide you with guidance on what you needed to do next to improve your driving skills? Your final driving test, or summative assessment, would be the accountability measure that establishes whether or not you have the driving skills necessary for a driver's license—not a reflection of all the driving practice that leads to it. The same holds true for classroom instruction, learning, and assessment. Another distinction that underpins formative assessment is student involvement. If students are not involved in the assessment process, formative assessment is not practiced or implemented to its full effectiveness. Students need to be involved both as assessors of their own learning and as resources to other students. There are numerous strategies teachers can implement to engage students. In fact, research shows that the involvement in and ownership of their work increases students' motivation to learn. This does not mean the absence of teacher involvement. To the contrary, teachers are critical in identifying learning goals, setting clear criteria for success, and designing assessment tasks that provide evidence of student learning. One of the key components of engaging students in the assessment of their own learning is providing them with descriptive feedback as they learn. In fact, research shows descriptive feedback to be the most significant instructional strategy to move students forward in their learning. Descriptive feedback provides students with an understanding of what they are doing well, links to classroom learning, and gives specific input on how to reach the next step in the learning progression. In other words, descriptive feedback is not a grade, a sticker, or "good job!" A 59 significant body of research indicates that such limited feedback does not lead to improved student learning. There are many classroom instructional strategies that are part of the repertoire of good teaching. When teachers use sound instructional practice for the purpose of gathering information on student learning, they are applying this information in a formative way. In this sense, formative assessment is pedagogy and clearly cannot be separated from instruction. It is what good teachers do. The distinction lies in what teachers actually do with the information they gather. How is it being used to inform instruction? How is it being shared with and engaging students? It's not teachers just collecting information/data on student learning; it's what they do with the information they collect. Some of the instructional strategies that can be used formatively include the following: Criteria and goal setting with students engages them in instruction and the learning process by creating clear expectations. In order to be successful, students need to understand and know the learning target/goal and the criteria for reaching it. Establishing and defining quality work together, asking students to participate in establishing norm behaviors for classroom culture, and determining what should be included in criteria for success are all examples of this strategy. Using student work, classroom tests, or exemplars of what is expected helps students understand where they are, where they need to be, and an effective process for getting there. Observations go beyond walking around the room to see if students are on task or need clarification. Observations assist teachers in gathering evidence of student learning to inform instructional planning. This evidence can be recorded and used as feedback for students about their learning or as anecdotal data shared with them during conferences. Questioning strategies should be embedded in lesson/unit planning. Asking better questions allows an opportunity for deeper thinking and provides teachers with significant insight into the degree and depth of understanding. Questions of this nature engage students in classroom dialogue that both uncovers and expands learning. An "exit slip" at the end of a class period to determine students' understanding of the day's lesson or quick checks during instruction such as "thumbs up/down" or "red/green" (stop/go) cards are also examples of questioning strategies that elicit immediate information about student learning. Helping students ask better questions is another aspect of this formative assessment 60 strategy. Self and peer assessment helps to create a learning community within a classroom. Students who can reflect while engaged in metacognitive thinking are involved in their learning. When students have been involved in criteria and goal setting, self-evaluation is a logical step in the learning process. With peer evaluation, students see each other as resources for understanding and checking for quality work against previously established criteria. Student record keeping helps students better understand their own learning as evidenced by their classroom work. This process of students keeping ongoing records of their work not only engages students, it also helps them, beyond a "grade," to see where they started and the progress they are making toward the learning goal. All of these strategies are integral to the formative assessment process, and they have been suggested by models of effective middle school instruction. Balancing Assessment As teachers gather information/data about student learning, several categories may be included. In order to better understand student learning, teachers need to consider information about the products (paper or otherwise) students create and tests they take, observational notes, and reflections on the communication that occurs between teacher and student or among students. When a comprehensive assessment program at the classroom level balances formative and summative student learning/achievement information, a clear picture emerges of where a student is relative to learning targets and standards. Students should be able to articulate this shared information about their own learning. When this happens, student-led conferences, a formative assessment strategy, are valid. The more we know about individual students as they engage in the learning process, the better we can adjust instruction to ensure that all students continue to achieve by moving forward in their learning. Student Tests - Bloom's Taxonomy Bloom's Taxonomy -- In 1956, Benjamin Bloom wrote that over 95 % of the test questions 61 students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level ... the recall of information. Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain, from the simple recollection of facts, knowledge -- the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels to the highest order, classified as evaluation. Hierarchy -- Bloom and his co-workers established a hierarchy of educational objectives, generally referred to as Bloom's Taxonomy, an attempt to divide cognitive objectives into subdivisions. The taxonomy provides a useful structure in which to categorize test questions, since professors will characteristically ask questions within particular levels. Verbs -- Like writing instruction objectives, writing test questions involves verb selection. Listed below are examples of verbs often used in test questions. Using Bloom's Taxonomy as a guide, the verbs below have been categorized according to the intellectual activity they represent, ranked here from the highest to the lowest level. evaluation appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate [Do you agree ...] synthesis arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, set up, write [What might happen if ...] analysis calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, question, test [Classify ... according to ...] application apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, 62 write [How is ..., Why is ...] comprehension classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate [Which picture depicts ...] knowledge arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state [Name the ...] Test Question Examples -- The sample questions below demonstrate the use of these verbs, from the most simple to the highest knowledge level: Knowledge: Who fought in the War of 1812? Comprehension: Name the states in the Confederacy. Application: Why was the Boston Tea Party a significant act for the settlers? Analysis: How does the American Civil War compare with the French Civil War? Synthesis: If you can only take 10 cultural items to a new world, what will you take? Evaluation: Do you agree with the main precepts of the Green Party? Why or why not? The ADDIE Model Definition - Traditionally, the ADDIE model is used by instructional designers and training developers. ADDIE is an acronym for the five phases of the training building process—Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The ADDIE Model represents a flexible guideline for building effective training. ADDIE Model Steps and Procedures ANALYSIS analyze student characteristics define learning goals and objectives set realistic expectations for the course 63 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT decide on the main instructional method(s) design an assessment plan create detailed course outline construct a detailed syllabus develop PowerPoint, PDF, Flash, and other course documents IMPLEMENTATION develop assessment items launch the course using in a Learning Management System or an online system like Blackboard or WebCT EVALUATION adjust instructional strategies according to students' interaction with the content and feedback from the instructor Collect course feedback through course surveys, email, etc. validate content accuracy and completeness, teaching methods and communication approach revise as necessary Variations of the ADDIE Model - Most of the current instructional design models are variations of the ADDIE model. One commonly accepted improvement to this model is the use of rapid prototyping: that is, receiving feedback while instructional materials are being created. This model attempts to save time and money by catching problems while they are still easy to fix. For example, the ADDIE model was used in the framework for 64 helping create new research topics in learning technology. Lesson Activity Differentiate between summative and formative evaluation 65 REFERENCES Ayot H.O and Patel M.M. (1992) : Instructional Methods (General Methods) ;Nairobi EREP Bennars G.A. Otiende J.E and Boisvent R (1994) Theory and practice of education; Nairobi EREP Jowi O and Mukwa C.W. (1988) General Mehtod :Nairobi African Urban Quartely Gill Nicholas (2004) introduction to teaching: A handbook for primary and secondary school teachers: Routlage/ Falmer Glasser, W., 1985, Control theory in the classroom, Perennial Library, New York. Glasser, W., 1990, The quality school: Managing students without coercion, Harper and Row, New York. www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/types.asp www.learningrx.com/some-types-of-learning-disabilities.htm www.washington.edu/doit/Careers/articles?70 www.efc.dccd.edu/core/SLO-MVC.PDF 66 67 68
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