7 Effective Teaching Strategies for The

Classroom

The
classroom is a dynamic environment, bringing together students from different backgrounds
with various abilities and personalities. Being an effective teacher therefore requires the
implementation of creative and innovative teaching strategies in order to meet students’
individual needs.

Whether you’ve been teaching two months or twenty years, it can be difficult to know which
teaching strategies will work best with your students. As a teacher there is no ‘one size fits
all’ solution, so here is a range of effective teaching strategies you can use to inspire your
classroom practice.

1. Visualization

Bring dull academic concepts to life with visual and practical learning experiences, helping
your students to understand how their schooling applies in the real-world.

Examples include using the interactive whiteboard to display photos, audio clips and
videos, as well as encouraging your students to get out of their seats with classroom
experiments and local field trips.

2. Cooperative learning

Encourage students of mixed abilities to work together by promoting small group

or whole class activities.

Through verbally expressing their ideas and responding to others your students will
develop their self-confidence, as well as enhance their communication and critical thinking
skills which are vital throughout life.
Solving mathematical puzzles, conducting scientific experiments and acting out short
drama sketches are just a few examples of how cooperative learning can be incorporated
into classroom lessons.

3. Inquiry-based instruction

Pose thought-provoking questions which inspire your students to think for

themselves and become more independent learners.

Encouraging students to ask questions and investigate their own ideas helps improve their
problem-solving skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of academic concepts. Both of
which are important life skills.

Inquiries can be science or math-based such as ‘why does my shadow change size?’ or ‘is
the sum of two odd numbers always an even number?’. However, they can also be subjective
and encourage students to express their unique views, e.g. ‘do poems have to rhyme?’ or
‘should all students wear uniform?’.

4. Differentiation

Differentiate your teaching by allocating tasks based on students’ abilities, to ensure no one
gets left behind.

Assigning classroom activities according to students’ unique learning needs means

individuals with higher academic capabilities are stretched and those who are struggling get
the appropriate support.

This can involve handing out worksheets that vary in complexity to different groups of
students, or setting up a range of work stations around the classroom which contain an
assortment of tasks for students to choose from.

Moreover, using an educational tool such as Quizalize can save you hours of time because it
automatically groups your students for you, so you can easily identify individual and whole
class learning gaps.

5. Technology in the classroom

Incorporating technology into your teaching is a great way to actively engage your
students, especially as digital media surrounds young people in the 21st century.

Interactive whiteboards or mobile devices can be used to display images and videos, which
helps students visualize new academic concepts. Learning can become more interactive when
technology is used as students can physically engage during lessons as well as instantly
research their ideas, which develops autonomy.

Mobile devices, such as iPads and/or tablets, can be used in the classroom for students to
record results, take photos/videos  or simply as a behaviour management technique. Plus,
incorporating educational programmes such as Quizalize into your lesson plans is also a
great way to make formative assessments fun and engaging.

6. Behaviour management

Implementing an effective behaviour management strategy is crucial to gain your

students respect and ensure students have an equal chance of reaching their full potential.

Noisy, disruptive classrooms do no encourage a productive learning environment, therefore

developing an atmosphere of mutual respect through a combination of discipline and reward
can be beneficial for both you and your students.

Examples include fun and interactive reward charts for younger students, where
individuals move up or down based on behaviour with the top student receiving a prize at the
end of the week. ‘Golden time’ can also work for students of all ages, with a choice of
various activities such as games or no homework in reward for their hard work.

7. Professional development

Engaging in regular professional development programmes is a great way to

enhance teaching and learning in your classroom.

With educational policies constantly changing it is extremely useful to attend events where
you can gain inspiration from other teachers and academics. It’s also a great excuse to get out
of the classroom and work alongside other teachers just like you!

Sessions can include learning about new educational technologies, online safety training,
advice on how to use your teaching assistant(s) and much more.

Being an effective teacher is a challenge because every student is unique, however, by using
a combination of teaching strategies you can address students’ varying learning styles and
academic capabilities as well as make your classroom a dynamic and motivational
environment for students.
By Beth Lewis

The hierarchy of Bloom's Taxonomy is the widely accepted framework through which all
teachers should guide their students through the cognitive learning process. In other words,
teachers use this framework to focus on higher-order thinking skills.

You can think of Bloom's Taxonomy as a pyramid, with simple knowledge-based recall
questions at the base. Building up through this foundation, you can ask your students
increasingly challenging questions to test their comprehension of a given material.

Utility

By asking these critical thinking questions or higher-order questions, you are developing all
levels of thinking. Students will have improved attention to detail, as well as an increase in
their comprehension and problem-solving skills.

Levels

There are six levels in the framework, here is a brief look at each of them and a few examples
of the questions that you would ask for each component.

 Knowledge: In this level students are asked questions to see if they have gained insight from
the lesson. (What is... Where is... How would you describe?)
 Comprehension: During this level, students will be asked to interpret facts that they learned.
(What is the main idea... How would you summarize?)
  Application: Questions asked during this level are meant to have students apply or use the
knowledge learned during the lesson. (How would you use... How would you solve it?)
 Analysis: In the analysis level, students will be required to go beyond knowledge and see if
they can analyse a problem. (What is the theme... How would you classify?)
 Synthesis: During the synthesis level of questioning students are expected to come up with a
theory about what they learned or use predictions. (What would happen if... What facts can
you compile?)
 Evaluation: The top level of Bloom's Taxonomy is called evaluation. This is where students
are expected to assess the information learned and come to a conclusion about it. (What is
your opinion of...how would you evaluate... How would you select... What data was used?)

Corresponding Verb Examples

 Remembering: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize,
relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state
 Understanding: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate,
recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate
 Applying: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate,
practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write
 Analyzing: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate,
discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test
 Evaluating: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend estimate, judge,
predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate
 Creating: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate,
manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write

By Melissa Kelly

In 1956, American educational psychologist Benjamin Samuel Bloom strove to create a

system for explaining the progression of steps for learning. His book, "Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals" showed a way to categorize
reasoning skills based on the amount of critical thinking involved. His work led to a still
widely used educational concept known as Bloom's Taxonomy, which was revised slightly in
2001.
In Bloom's Taxonomy, there are six levels of skills ranked in order from the most basic to the
most complex. Each level of skill is associated with a verb, as learning is an action. As a
teacher, you should ensure that the questions you ask both in class and on written
assignments and tests are pulled from all levels of the taxonomy pyramid.

Objective assessments (multiple-choice, matching, fill in the blank) tend to focus only on the
two lowest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: remembering and understanding. Subjective
assessments (essay responses, experiments, portfolios, performances) tend to measure the
higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

To incorporate Bloom's Taxonomy into lessons, present different levels beginning with the
most basic at the beginning of a unit. Once you reach the end of a unit, the lessons should
incorporate the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

01) Remembering Verbs and Question Stems

The remembering level forms the base of the Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid. Because it is of the lowest
complexity, many of the verbs in this section are in the form of questions. You can use this level of
questioning to ensure that students learned specific information from the lesson.

 What do you remember about _____?

 How would you define_____?
 How would you identify _____?
 How would you recognize _____?
Define
Define mercantilism.

Who
Who was the author of "Billy Budd?"

What
What is the capital of England?

Name
Name the inventor of the telephone.

List
List the 13 original colonies.

Label
Label the capitals on this map of the United States.

Locate
Locate the glossary in your textbook.

Match
Match the following inventors with their inventions.

Select
Select the correct author of "War and Peace" from the following list.

Underline
Underline the noun.

02) Understanding Verbs and Question Stems

At the understanding level, you want students to show that they can go beyond basic recall by
understanding what the facts mean. The verbs at this level should allow you to see if your students
understand the main idea and are able to interpret or summarize the ideas in their own words.

 How would you generalize_____?

 How would you express _____?
 What can you infer from _____?
 What did you observe_____?

Explain
Explain the law of inertia using an example from an amusement park.

Interpret
Interpret the information found in this pie chart.

Outline
Outline the main arguments for and against year-round education.

Discuss
Discuss what it means to use context to determine the meaning of a word.

Translate
Translate this passage into English.
Restate
Restate the steps for a bill to become a law in your own words.

Describe
Describe what is happening in this Civil War picture.

Identify
Identify the correct method for disposing of recyclable trash.

Which
Which statements support implementing school uniforms?

Summarize
Summarize the first chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

03) Applying Verbs and Question Stems

At the applying level, students must show that they can apply the information they have learned.
Students can demonstrate their grasp of the material at this level by solving problems and creating
projects.

 How would you demonstrate ____?

 How would you present ____?
 How would you change ____?
 How would you modify ____?

Solve
Using the information you have learned about mixed numbers, solve the following questions.

Use
Use Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how a model rocket works.

Predict
Predict whether items float better in fresh water or salt water.

Construct
Using the information you have learned about aerodynamics, construct a paper airplane that
minimizes drag.

Perform
Create and perform a skit that dramatizes an event from the civil rights era.

Demonstrate
Demonstrate how changing the location of the fulcrum affects a tabletop lever.

Classify
Classify each observed mineral based on the criteria learned in class.

Apply
Apply the rule of 70 to determine how quickly $1,000 would double if earning 5 percent interest.

04) Analyzying Verbs and Question Stems

The fourth level of Bloom's Taxonomy is analyzing. Here students find patterns in what they learn.
Students move beyond simply remembering, understanding, and applying. At this level, they begin
to take a more active role in their own learning.
  How can you sort the parts _____?
 What can you infer_____?
 What ideas validate _____?
 How would you explain _____?

What?
What is the function of the liver in the body?

What is the main idea of the story "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

What assumptions do we have to make when discussing Einstein's Theory of Relativity?

Analyze
Analyze President Lincoln's motives for delivering the Gettysburg Address.

Identify
Identify any biases that might exist when reading an autobiography.

Examine
Examine the results of your experiment and record your conclusions.

Investigate
Investigate the propaganda techniques used in each of the following advertisements.

05) Evaluating Verbs and Question Stems

Evaluating means that students make judgments based on the information they have learned as well
as their own insights. This is often a challenging question to evaluate, particularly for end-of-unit
exams.

 What criteria would you use to assess _____?

 What data were used to evaluate _____?
 How could you verify _____?
 What information would you use to prioritize _____?

Evaluate
Evaluate the accuracy of the movie "The Patriot."

Find
Find the errors in the following math problem.

Select
Select the most appropriate action that you should take against a school bully. Justify your answer.

Decide
Decide on a meal plan for the next week that includes all the required servings according to the
USDA ChooseMyPlate nutrition guide.

Justify
Are the arts an important part of a school's curriculum? Justify your answer.

Debate
Debate the pros and cons of charter schools.

Judge
Judge the importance of students reading a play by William Shakespeare while in high school.
06) Creating Verbs and Question Stems
At the creating level, students move beyond relying on previously learned information and analyzing
items that the teacher has given them. Instead, they create new products, ideas, and theories.

 What alternative would you suggest for ___?

 What changes would you make to revise___? 
 How would you generate a plan to ___? 
 What could you invent___?  

Create
Create a haiku about a desert animal.

Invent
Invent a new board game about Industrial Revolution inventors.

Compose
Compose a new piece of music that includes chords in the key of C major.

Propose
Propose an alternative way to get students to clean up after themselves in the lunchroom.

Plan
Plan an alternative meal to serve vegetarians during Thanksgiving.

Design
Design a campaign to help stop teenage smoking.

Formulate
Formulate a bill that you would like to see passed in Congress.

Develop
Develop an idea for a science fair project that focuses on the effects of pollution on plant life.

Source : Armstrong, Patricia. “Blooms Taxonomy.” Vanderbilt University, 25 Mar.

2020, cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/.
6 Teaching Strategies to Differentiate
Instruction

By Janelle Cox

Research shows that one of the most effective ways to meet all learners' needs is to
differentiate instruction. Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies because it
allows them to engage their students by accommodating each unique learning style. However,
when you have a large group of students, it can be tough to keep up with each child’s
individual needs. It takes time to come up with and implement differentiated activities. To
help keep the workload manageable, teachers have tried a variety of strategies, from tiered
assignments to choice boards. Try teacher-tested teaching strategies to differentiate
instruction in your elementary classroom. 

Choice Board

Choice boards are activities that give students options as to what activities to complete to
meet class requirements. A great example of this comes from a third-grade teacher named
Mrs. West. She uses choice boards with her third-grade students because she feels it is the
easiest way to differentiate instruction while keeping students engaged. While choice boards
can be set up in a variety of ways (student interest, ability, learning style, etc.), Mrs. West
chooses to set up her choice boards by using the Multiple Intelligence Theory. She sets up the
choice board like a tic tac toe board. In each box, she writes a different activity and asks her
students to choose one activity from each row. The activities vary in content, product, and
process. Here are examples of the types of tasks she uses on her students' choice board:

 Verbal/Linguistic: Write instructions on how to use your favorite gadget.

 Logical/Mathematical: Design a map of your bedroom.
  Visual/Spatial: Create a comic strip.
 Interpersonal: Interview a friend or your best friend.
 Free Choice
 Body-Kinesthetic: Make up a game.
 Musical: Write a song.
 Naturalist: Conduct an experiment.
 Intrapersonal: Write about the future.

Learning Menu

Learning menus are much like choice boards, whereas students have the opportunity to
choose which tasks on the menu that they would like to complete. However, the learning
menu is unique in that it actually takes the form of a menu. Instead of having a nine-square
grid with nine unique choices on it, the menu can have an unlimited amount of choices for the
students to choose from. You can also set up your menu in a variety of ways, as mentioned
above. Here is an example of a spelling homework learning menu:

Students choose one from each category.

 Appetizer: Sort spelling words into categories. Choose three spelling words to define and
highlight all vowels.
 Entree: Use all spelling words to write a story. Write a poem using five spelling words or
write a sentence for each spelling word.
 Dessert: Write your spelling words in alphabetical order. Create a word search using at least
five words or use a mirror to write your spelling words backward. 

Tiered Activities

In a tiered activity, all students are working on the same activity but the activity is
differentiated according to ability level. A great example of this type of tiered strategy is in
an elementary school classroom where kindergartners are at the reading center. An easy way
to differentiate learning without the students even knowing it is to have the students play the
game Memory. This game is easy to differentiate because you can have beginning students
try to match a letter with its sound, while the more advanced students can try and match a
letter to a word. To differentiate this station, have different bags of cards for each level and
direct specific students to which cards they should choose from. To make differentiation
invisible, color-code the bags and tell each student which color he or she should choose.

Another example of tiered activities is to break the assignment into three sections using
varied levels of tasks. Here is an example of a basic tiered activity:

 Tier One (Low): Describe how the character acts.

 Tier Two (Middle): Describe the changes the character went through.
 Tier Three (High): Describe the clues that the author gives about the character.

Many elementary school teachers find that this differentiated instructional strategy is an
effective way for students to reach the same goals while taking into account each student's
individual needs.

Adjusting Questions

Many teachers find that an effective questioning strategy is to use adjusted questions to help
differentiate instruction. The way this strategy works is simple: use Bloom's Taxonomy to
develop questions starting with the most basic level, then move toward the more advanced
levels. Students at varying levels are able to answer questions on the same topic but at their
own level. Here is an example of how teachers can use adjusted questing to differentiate an
activity:

For this example, the students had to read a paragraph, then answer a question that was tiered
to their level.

 Basic learner: Describe what happened after...

 Advanced learner: Can you explain why...
 More Advanced learner: Do you know of another situation where...

Flexible Grouping

Many teachers who differentiate instruction in their classroom find flexible grouping an
effective method of differentiation because it provides students with the opportunity to work
with other students who may have a similar learning style, readiness, or interest as them.
Depending on the purpose of the lesson, teachers can plan their activities based on students’
attributes, then use flexible grouping to group them accordingly.

The key to making flexible grouping effective is making sure the groups are not static. It's
important that teachers continually conduct assessments throughout the year and move
students among the groups as they master skills. Often, teachers tend to group students
according to their ability at the beginning of the school year and then forget to change the
groups or do not think they need to. This is not an effective strategy and will only hinder
students from progressing.

The Jigsaw

The Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy is another effective method to differentiate

instruction. In order for this strategy to be effective, students must work together with their
classmates to complete an assignment. Here's how to works: Students are divided into small
groups and each student is assigned one task. This is where the differentiation comes in. Each
child within the group is responsible for learning one thing, then bringing the information that
they learned back to their group to teach their peers. The teacher can differentiate learning by
choosing what, and how, each student in the group will learn the information. Here is an
example of what a jigsaw learning group looks like:

Students are divided into groups of five. Their task is to research Rosa Parks. Each student
within the group is given a task that suits their unique learning style. Here is an example.

 Student 1: Create a fake interview with Rosa Parks and find out about her early life.
 Student 2: Create a song about the Montgomery bus boycott.
 Student 3: Write a journal entry about Rosa Parks' life as a civil rights pioneer.
 Student 4: Create a game that tells facts about racial discrimination.
 Student 5: Create a poster about Rosa Parks' legacy and death.

In today's elementary schools, classrooms are not taught with a “one size fits all” approach.
Differentiated instruction allows teachers to meet the needs of all learners while still
maintaining high standards and expectations for their students. Whenever you teach a concept
in a variety of different modalities, you increase the chances that you will reach each and
every student.
Differentiated Instruction and Assessment

By Sue Watson

If teaching were as simple as using the one best way to teach everything, it would be
considered more of a science. However, there isn't just one best way to teach everything and
that's why teaching is an art. If teaching meant simply following a textbook and using the
'same size fits all' approach, then anyone could teach, right? That's what makes teachers and
especially special educators unique and special. Long ago, teachers knew that individual
needs, strengths, and weaknesses must drive instructional and assessment practice.

We've always known that children come in their own individual packages and that no two
children learn the same way even though the curriculum may be the same. Instructional and
assessment practice can (and should) be different to ensure that learning happens. This is
where differentiated instruction and assessment comes in. Teachers need to create a variety
of entry points to ensure that student differing abilities, strengths, and needs are all taken into
consideration. Students then need varying opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge
based on the teaching, hence differentiated assessment.

Here are the nuts and bolts of differentiated instruction and assessment:

 The choice is key to the process. Choice of learning activity as well as choice in the
assessment (how the student will demonstrate understanding).
 The learning tasks always consider the students' strengths/weaknesses. Visual learners will
have visual cues, auditory learners will have auditory cues etc.
 Groupings of students will vary, some will work better independently and others will work in
various group settings.
 Multiple intelligence is taken into consideration as are the students' learning and thinking
styles.
 Lessons are authentic to ensure that all students can make connections.
  Project and problem-based learning are also key in differentiated instruction and
assessment.
 Lessons and assessments are adapted to meet the needs of all students.
 Opportunities for children to think for themselves is clearly evident.

Differentiated instruction and assessment is not new; great teachers have been implementing
these strategies for a long time.

What does differentiate instruction and assessment look like?

First of all, identify the learning outcomes. For the purpose of this explanation, I'll use
Natural Disasters.

Now we need to tap into our student's prior knowledge.

What do they know?

For this stage, you can do brainstorm with the whole group or small groups or individually.
Or, you can do a KWL chart. Graphic organizers work well for tapping into prior knowledge.
You may also consider using a who, what, when, where, why and how graphic organizers
individually or in groups. The key to this task is ensuring that everyone can contribute.

Now that you've identified what the students know, it's time to move into what they need and
wants to learn. You can post chart paper around the room dividing the topic into subtopics.
For instance, for natural disasters, we would post chart paper with different headings
(hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes etc.). Each group or individual comes to the
chart paper and writes down what they know about any of the topics. From this point you can
form discussion groups based on interest, each group signs up for the natural disaster they
want to learn more about. The groups will need to identify the resources that will help them
gain additional information.

Now it's time to determine how the students will demonstrate their new knowledge after their
investigations/research which will include books, documentaries, internet research etc. For
this, again, the choice is necessary as is taking into consideration their strengths/needs and
learning styles. Here are some suggestions: create a talk show, write a news release, teach the
class, create an informational brochure, create a PowerPoint to show everyone, make
illustrations with descriptors, give a demonstration, role-play a newscast, create a puppet
show, write an information song, poem, rap or cheer, create flow charts or show a step by
step process, put on an informational commercial, create a jeopardy or who wants to be a
millionaire game. The possibilities of any topic are endless. Through these processes,
students can also keep journals in a variety of methods. They can jot down their new facts
and ideas about the concepts followed by their thoughts and reflections. Or they can keep a
log of what they know and what questions they still have.

A Word About Assessment

You can assess the following: completion of tasks, the ability to work with and listen to
others, participation levels, respects self, and others, ability to discuss, explain, make
connections, debate, support opinions, infer, reason, re-tell, describe, report, predict etc.

The assessment rubric should contain descriptors for both social skills and knowledge skills.
As you can see, you have probably already been differentiating your instruction and
assessment in much of what you're already doing. You may be asking, when does direct
instruction come into play? As you're watching your groups, there will always be some
students who will need some additional support, recognize it as you see it and pull those
individuals together to help move them along the learning continuum.

If you can answer the following questions, you're well on your way.

1. How are you differentiating content? (variety of leveled materials, choice, varied
presentation formats etc.)
2. How are you differentiating assessment? (students have many options to demonstrate their
new knowledge)
3. How are you differentiating the process? (choice and variety of tasks that consider learning
styles, strengths, and needs, flexible groupings etc.)

Although differentiating can be challenging at times, stick with it, you will see results.

How to Get Students to Talk in Class

By Janelle Cox

Most elementary students like to talk, so it usually isn't a problem when you ask a question
that you will have a lot of hands go up into the air. However, most activities in an elementary
classroom are teacher-directed, which means the teachers do most of the talking. While this
traditional way of teaching has been a staple in classrooms for decades, today's teachers are
trying to steer away from these methods and do more student-directed activities. Here are a
few suggestions and strategies to get your students talking more, and you talk less.

Give Students Time to Think

When you ask a question, don't expect an immediate answer. Give your students some time to
gather their thoughts and think about their answers. Students can even write down their
thoughts on a graphic organizer or they can use the think-pair-share cooperative learning
method to discuss their thoughts and hear the views of their peers. Sometimes, all you need to
do to get students talking more is just let it be silent for a few extra minutes so they can just
think.

Use Active Learning Strategies

Active learning strategies like the one mentioned above is a great way to get students talking
more in class. Cooperative learning groups offer students the opportunity to work together
with their peers and discuss what they are learning, rather than having to take notes and listen
to the teacher lecture. Try using the Jigsaw method where each student is responsible for
learning part of the task, but must discuss what they learned within their group. Other
techniques are round-robin, numbered heads, and team-pair-solo.

Use Tactical Body Language

Think about the way students see you when you are in front of them. When they are talking,
do you have your arms folded or are you looking away and are distracted? Your body
language will determine how comfortable the student is and how long they will talk. Make
sure that you are looking at them when they speak and that your arms are not folded. Nod
your head when you agree and do not interrupt them.

Think about Your Questions

Take some time to form the questions that you ask students. If you are always asking
rhetorical, or yes or no questions then how can you expect your students to talk more? Try
having students debate an issue. Formulate a question so that students will have to choose a
side. Divide students into two teams and have them debate and discuss their views. 

Instead of telling a student to look over their answer because it may be incorrect, try asking
them how they came to get their answers. This will not only give them a chance to self-
correct and figure out what they did wrong, but it will also give them the opportunity to talk
with you.

Create a Student-Led Forum

Share your authority by having students pose questions. Ask students what they want to learn
about the subject that you are teaching, then ask them to submit a few questions for
classroom discussions. When you have a student-led forum students will feel freer to talk and
discuss because the questions were posed from themselves, as well as their peers.