Teaching

1.1 CONCEPT OF TEACHING

 Definition / Meaning
  • Teaching-learning is a communication between two or more persons who influence each other by their ideas and learn something in the process of interaction.
  • It is a systematic process in which the following are organized to attain some pre-determined goal:
    • Learner
    • Teacher
    • Curriculum
    • Other related variables
 How Teaching can be Analysed

Teaching can be analysed in terms of teacher behaviour at three levels:
  1. Component teaching skills
  2. General teaching behaviours
  3. Specific teaching behaviours
Simple Explanation: Teaching is not just "telling." It is a two-way communication where both teacher and student influence each other, and everything (student, teacher, syllabus) is arranged systematically to reach a fixed goal.













1.2 OBJECTIVES OF TEACHING

(A) General Objectives of Teaching
No.
 
General Objective
 
1.
 
To develop all-round personality of the learner through the curriculum
 
2.
 
To shape the behaviour of the learner in a desired direction
 
3.
 
To help the student to adjust and live harmoniously in the new situation/environment
 
4.
 
To encourage the student to learn and think for themselves to solve problems
 
5.
 
To acquaint the student with the content of the subject to be taught
 
(B) Specific Objectives of Teaching
  • To Develop Critical and Logical Thinking
  • To Create Interest in the Study
  • To Develop Understanding
  • To Develop Knowledge
 Example: A teacher teaching forensic science develops knowledge (specific objective) and also builds the student's overall personality and thinking ability (general objective).

1.3 ROLE OF A TEACHER

The teacher performs the following roles:
  • Facilitating learning — helping students learn without directly instructing them on new concepts.
  • Being sensitive to the previous experiences of each and every student in the class.
  • Providing authentic tasks — i.e., real-world and contextual tasks.
  • Providing as many materials and experiences from the immediate environment as possible; manipulating materials and events so students can gather more experience.
  • Providing real-world, context-based learning environments rather than predetermined instructional sequences — making learning more realistic, relevant and contextual.
  • Focusing on realistic approaches to solve real-world problems.
  • Providing/encouraging students to come out with multiple representations or alternative solutions when solving a problem.
  • Allowing students to ask questions and encouraging them to raise intelligent questions.
  • Fostering reflective practice — encouraging intelligent questions indirectly puts pressure to think reflectively.
  • Supporting cooperative and collaborative learning in the classroom.
  • Connecting school activities with activities outside the school.
  • Encouraging self-analysis and self-assessment of students' learning progress.
 Example: Instead of lecturing about water pollution, a teacher takes students to a nearby lake, lets them collect samples, and ask questions — this is facilitating, real-world, contextual learning.

1.4 THREE LEVELS OF TEACHING
Level
 
Key Points
 
1. Memory Level
 
• Means committing factual information to memory

• It is the least thoughtful form of teaching/learning

• Recall, recognition and retention are specially emphasized
 
2. Understanding Level
 
• Reached when thorough understanding of the subject matter is gained through planned learning

• Involves exploration, presentation, assimilation, organization and recitation

• Recitation can be through oral presentation or a written paper
 
3. Reflective Level
 
• Consists of two phases: (1) Problem raising and (2) Problem solving

• Involves careful and critical examination of an idea or problem

• Uses the 'problem solving approach'
 
 Simple Comparison:
  • Memory level = Rote learning (e.g., memorizing dates)
  • Understanding level = Grasping the concept (e.g., explaining why an event happened)
  • Reflective level = Highest level — student critically examines and solves problems on their own



1.5 TYPES / FORMS OF TEACHING

(A) Teaching can be DIRECT or INDIRECT
Aspect
 
Direct Teaching
 
Indirect Teaching
 
Methods used
 
Lecture, demonstration, etc.
 
Role-play, project, assignment, inquiry or similar activities
 
Interaction
 
Face-to-face interaction
 
Student-centered, activity-based
 
Nature
 
Teacher teaches students directly
 
Teacher teaches indirectly through activities
 
(B) Teaching can be VERTICAL or HORIZONTAL
Aspect
 
Vertical Teaching
 
Horizontal Teaching
 
Meaning
 
Teacher leads students deep into the topic
 
Teacher teaches one topic and moves on to more and more topics
 
Depends on
 
Objectives of teaching
 
Coverage of many topics
 
Focus
 
Depth
 
Breadth
 
 Example: Spending the whole week on "fingerprint analysis" in depth = Vertical. Touching fingerprint, blood, DNA, ballistics one after another briefly = Horizontal.

(C) Teaching may be PLANNED or UNPLANNED
Aspect
 
Planned Teaching
 
Unplanned Teaching
 
Traditional approach
 
Teachers plan for instruction before going to the classroom
 
—
 
Active learning era
 
—
 
With active learning methods, no strict planning is possible because one is not clear in advance what could be the possible way of organizing teaching-learning activities
 
1.6 COMPONENTS OF TEACHING
Component
 
Role / Description
 
1. Teacher
 
Plays a vital and important role of planning, organizing, leading and controlling the teaching in order to provide full learning facilities to the students
 
2. Students
 
Dependent upon the teachers for the learning strategies and the content chosen by the teacher. Pupils act according to the planning and organization of the teacher to maximize learning
 
3. The Curriculum
 
A medium of interaction between students and teachers; an intervening variable to facilitate learning. Includes methods, teaching strategies or techniques through which various interactions between students and teachers take place
 
 Simple Explanation: Think of teaching like a bridge — the teacher builds it, the student crosses it, and the curriculum is the bridge itself (the connecting medium).

1.7 TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE
  1. Focusing
  2. Direct Instruction
  3. Monitoring
  4. Modelling
  5. Non-Verbal Cuing
  6. Environmental Control
  7. Low-Profile Intervention
  8. Assertive Discipline
  9. Consistency (Consistently)
  10. Rule Avoidance
 Example of Non-Verbal Cuing: A teacher simply making eye contact or raising a finger to stop a talkative student — without speaking — maintains discipline.

1.8 QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS
  1. Role of Caring
  2. Listening
  3. Understanding
  4. Knowing Students
  5. Role of Fairness and Respect
  6. Social Interactions with Students
  7. Promotion of Enthusiasm and Motivation for Learning
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