Teaching Strategies

Introduction

A range of different teaching and learning strategies is described briefly to provide some ideas for actively engaging students in their learning and engaging higher order thinking. This list is not comprehensive and was created to provide extra information on teaching strategies contained in the VELS sample units.

Planning a range of challenging activities for students requires an understanding of their stage of cognitive development and knowledge of their preferred ways of learning. There may be significant differences in the strategies used to create a positive learning environment for students at different stages of development and schooling. It is important that students are taught how to use these tools and understand the purpose and thinking focus they reflect. When students have developed their knowledge, confidence and competence in their application they will begin to use them independently to improve their learning. Most of these strategies can be used with all students but will require different levels of support and scaffolding for different age groups.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is an individual and collaborative process which is used to generate a large number of ideas and encourage creative thinking.

For brainstorming to be effective a safe and supportive classroom culture is essential. Rules, protocols or agreements as outlined in Collaborative learning are essential.

DOVE guidelines

Teachers may wish to teach and use the DOVE guidelines for brainstorming as a protocol for these activities in the classroom. The DOVE guidelines for brainstorming call for all students to:

D – defer judgement on any one else's ideas or comments
O – opt for the unusual and creative
V – generate a vast number of ideas
E – expand on the ideas by piggy backing off others.

These guidelines can assist in the creation of an environment where all ideas are valued and where students listen effectively to others and value their opinions.

Teachers may wish to make A4 posters of these guidelines to place on the tables of all groups as a reference.

With all brainstorming activities it is important for deep understanding that all groups have the opportunity to report on the outcomes of their discussion and that teachers ask questions focusing on why they came up with those points, what the thinking was behind the responses, what was learnt from the activity and how it was learnt. Further detail on the types of questions that can be asked in these situations can be found in Strategies to support Personal Learning.

Further information on brainstorming can be found at: Step by Step Guide to Brainstorming

Think, pair, share

This strategy encourages students to think first by themselves and then discuss their opinions with a small group of people.

In groups students consider a question or issue. They begin by reflecting on their opinions and ideas on the topic and recording them on a template, pairing up with the student next to them to discuss their ideas and opinions. The next stage of the process requires the team to come together and share their ideas and collate a group response. This should then be fed back to the class as a whole.

Y chart

A Y chart is also known as 'looks like, sounds like, feels like' and encourages students to think outside of the square. On a large sheet of paper teachers or students draw a large Y shape and label the different sections as shown below. The results can be displayed around the room. Possible follow up activities could include all class members walking around the classroom, considering the responses given by each group and how they varied from their own.

Placemat

The placemat is drawn on a large sheet of paper. The page is divided so that each group member has a section to write in with a square or circle in the middle to record the group response. Students are given an issue, topic or question to consider and they begin the process by considering their responses and ideas. Responses are recorded in their section of the placemat. Students share their perspectives and an agreed team response is recorded in the middle of the sheet. Possible follow up activities could include all class members walking around the classroom, considering the responses given by different groups and how they varied from their own.

Graffiti wall

This process involves the collection of knowledge and ideas from all class members in the one process. Students are encouraged to use coloured markers to make the wall interesting.

Large sheets of paper are placed on the walls of the classroom. Students write their responses, draw pictures and record their thoughts on the given topic on the graffiti wall.

Sunshine wheel

The sunshine wheel is used to brainstorm ideas in groups. The central topic is written into the middle and then the arms on the outside are used to record student responses. They could be emotions associated with a word, components that make up an object or thing, adjectives to describe an object.

Depending on the developmental level of students, teachers can easily adapt this tool to make it more challenging and extend thinking in a particular direction. Teaching this tool is also a possible beginning step in introducing students to the process of mind mapping.

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