• Prepare a lesson on a topic or skill and teach it to a class at St. Dominic’s.

• Look back at Summary Sheets B2 and B3 to help you to prepare the lesson.

• Consult your tutor and the teachers at St. Dominic’s for any materials or equipment you need.

• Consult the teachers so that your lesson fits into what St. Dominic’s’ students are learning.

• Look back at Summary Sheet B3 on how to teach content and skills.

• Find out about the background of the students from the teacher, or your readiness exercise B4.1,

• Think about all you have learnt in Unit B2 on how people learn.

• Watch some of the other students teaching and, if possible, watch some lessons taught by the St. Dominic’s staff.

• As you watch, think about the different kinds of methods which are used in teaching. Think about the methods you use also.

• Make a list of all the different kinds of methods or activities you saw in your observations or used yourself.

The following is a list of some of the methods of teaching likely to be used in RTCs.

• Read the description of each method, which will also be explained by your tutor.

• Did you include the method in your list for activity B5.2?

• Discuss each method in your groups.

• In the table below fill in some of the advantages and problems of using each method. These may be advantages or problems to you as a teacher or to the students.

• Decide on one topic or skill from your subject area for which each would be a good method.

a. Demonstrations: Teacher showing a skill to the students while they watch.

b. Practicals: All or some of the students practicing a skill which they have learnt or are learning.

c. Experiments: These are related to practicals and are mainly used in science-related subjects, including Agriculture and Home Economics or Life Skills. Students are asked to do something, observe and record the results of what they do, and try to explain these. Sometimes the teacher may do an experiment as a demonstration.

d. Lecturing: Teacher telling the students information or ideas while they listen.

e. Note-giving: Writing notes on the board for students to copy or giving handout for students to read.

f. Questioning: Teacher asking questions to individuals or whole class.

g. Discussion: Students talking to each other and sharing their ideas either in small groups or as a class. Teacher may or may not take part.

h. Brainstorming: Students asked to throw out as many ideas as possible in a short time either in groups or whole class. Usually someone writes the ideas down.

i. Seminars: One student asked to present a topic or teach a skill to the rest of the class. They must prepare this in advance.

j. Group work: Students work in groups on an activity. This may include making something; looking after a garden; or finding out about a particular topic. This may be for one lesson or for a group project lasting days or weeks.

k. Other methods: Add any other methods you thought of.

-- page break --

METHOD	ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES	TOPIC / SKILL
Demonstrations
Practical
Experiments
Lecturing
Note-giving
Questioning
Discussion
Brainstorming
Seminars
Group work
Other methods

-- page break --

Read summary sheet B6, Methods of teaching and B7, Advice on different teaching methods.

Your tutor will give you one of the above methods of teaching. Using the advice in the Summary sheets, prepare a teaching session of about 10 – 15 minutes on any topic using that method.

Teach this either to the rest of the class or to a group of St. Dominic’s students.

It is important to carry out each method in the right place with the right arrangement of furniture, if any.

Look at the list of places and arrangements below, and the list of methods in Activity B5.3. Suggest one or more suitable methods for each place.

PLACE / ARRANGEMENT	METHODS
A field in a farm.
A classroom with rows of desks and chairs facing the front.
A classroom with desks and chairs arranged in circles.
A workshop with a limited number of benches.
A workshop with individual benches.
A Home Economics room with one stove.
A classroom with chairs arranged in many small circles.
A dining hall used as a classroom.
A building site.
A computer room with 4 computers.

There are two ways of classifying methods of teaching.

1. Classify according to how the material is learnt:

Presentation is when the teacher is presenting something to the students: communication is mainly one-way, from teacher to student.

Interaction is the sharing of knowledge or ideas between teacher and student or amongst the students. Communication is two-way, from teacher to students and students to teacher or from students to students.

_{Search or practice is when students are finding out something or doing something for themselves, individually or in groups, with only guidance from the teacher}

Draw a table like the one below. Put each of the methods of teaching in Activity B5.3 under the correct heading.

PRESENTATION

INTERACTION

SEARCH / PRACTICE

2. Classify the activities according to their suitability for different sized groups of students.

This means that, if your class is large, you will have to break it down into smaller groups or individuals for some activities.

L = Large groups – more than 10.

S = Small groups – less than 10.

I = Individuals working on their own.

Draw a table like the one below. Decide which size of group each kind of teaching is suitable for. Some may be suitable for more than one size of group.

LARGE

SMALL

INDIVIDUALS

Read Summary sheet B8, Classification of Teaching Methods.

-- page break --