Teaching

METHODOLOGY
D I P L O M A
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Teaching
Methodology Handbook
Teaching Methodology Handbook

OVERVIEW Learning Aims & Outcomes

This course develops skills in teaching.
At 160 hours of study, this course includes, Part I
but exceeds the scope of a typical Training The five Backdrop of Teaching chapters will help you better know and understand
Course. yourself, your students, and the way you and they learn.
It shows you how to handle students more • In Chapter 1, Factors that Influence How We Teach, you will learn how your personal
effectively; how to enthuse them and keep characteristics, previous experiences in schools, and the setting you will work in
them committed to their studies. influence how you will teach.
There is a special focus on how to diffuse • In Chapter 2, The Challenge of Teaching in a Changing Society, you will find out how
problems that might undermine their ability societal changes are affecting the countries’ population, families, children and youth,
to effectively learn. and schools.
• Chapter 3, Teaching Diverse Students, will help you understand many of the
important ways students differ from one another.
• Chapter 4, Three Schools of Thought about Learning and Teaching, will enable you to
MISSION understand several prominent theories about the way humans learn and about the
The Diploma in Teaching aims to motivate, values and uses these theories have for teachers.
educate and inspire teachers as it helps them • Finally, Chapter 5, Getting to Know Your Students and Motivating Them to Learn, will
achieve their potential & improve students’ tell you how to find out about your students and encourage them to learn.
performances.

Part II
Motivating
& Inspiring
Teaching should be a conscious, deliberate act resulting from thoughtful decision
making about what to teach and how students learn best. The five chapters in Part II
are intended to help you become an accomplished teacher.

Teachers • Chapter 6, Planning Instruction, will make you aware of factors that influence what is
taught. Mostly, however, it concentrates on showing you how to make good
decisions about planning what and how you will teach.
• Chapter 7, Four Instructional Alternatives, and Chapter 8, Four More Instructional
Alternatives, contain readily usable information about eight prominent teaching
strategies, as well as brief references to many others.
DIPLOMA Objectives • Chapter 9, Evaluating Students’ Learning, will inform you of the importance of
• Discuss theories of development and accessing student learning and show you how you can do so effectively.
learning. • Finally, Chapter 10, Reflecting on Teaching, addresses the importance of being a
• Explain behavioural theories of learning reflective practitioner, that is, a lifelong student of teaching.

aspects of both learning and teaching. Part III

Describe processes involved in memory loss
and retention What exactly is an “effective” teacher? What makes one teacher more effective than
another, and what can be done to improve effectiveness? The four chapters in Part III
instruction to cater for individual needs. are devoted to answering these questions.
• Explain the relevance of constructivist • In Chapter 10, Effective Teachers: Personal Attributes and Characteristics, we
learning in education describe research on teaching and then examine the personal attributes or charac-
teristics associated with effective teachers.
the application of motivation to learning • In Chapter 11, Effective Teachers: Professional Skills and Abilities, we focus on the
• Determine the use of simple motivational professional skills effective teachers use to maximise their students’ learning.
skills in a training environment • In Chapter 12, How the Effective Teacher Manages the Classroom, we discuss the
organisational and managerial strategies effective teachers use to maintain a
positive learning environment.
• Finally, Chapter 13, The Teacher as a Problem Solver, explains how effective teachers
DIPLOMA Focus solve classroom problems.
The Diploma in Teaching Methodology is
intended to get its graduates
up-and-running, ready to teach. The content
is drawn from Educational Testing Service
Praxis II Standards and INTASK studies of
what pre-service teachers should know and
be able to do, and National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards of what
competent experienced teachers are like.

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 Teaching Methodology Handbook

COURSEWORK
Chapter One: Factors That Influence How We Teach Chapter Four: Three Schools of Thought about Learning
& Teaching
PART ONE

Personal Characteristics
• How Gender Influences Our Teaching The Cognitive School of Thought
• How Age and Experience Influence Our Teaching • Information Processing
• How Personality Affects Teaching • Meaningful Learning
• How Our Beliefs Affect Our Teaching • Cognitive Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Experience and Preparation in Education The Humanistic School of Thought

• How the Way We Were Taught Affects Our Teaching • Beliefs of the Humanistic School
• How the Way We Prefer to Learn Affects Our Teaching • Humanistic Approaches to Teaching
• How the Way We Prefer to Teach Affects Our Teaching
• How Our Knowledge of Subject Matter Affects Our Teaching The Behavioural School of Thought
• How Our Teaching Preparation Influences our Teaching • Continuity
• Classical Conditioning
Context • Operant Conditioning
• How Student Differences Affect Our Teaching • Social Learning
• How Class and Classroom Size Affect Our Teaching • Behavioural Approaches to Teaching
• How Availability of Material and Equipment Affect Our
Teaching Is There a Single Best Approach to Student Learning?
• How Available Time Affects Our Teaching
• How the Nature of Lesson Objectives Affects Our Teaching Chapter Five: Getting to Know Your Students and Motivating
• How National Imperatives Affect Our Teaching Them to Learn
How You Can Get to Know Students?
Chapter Two: The Challenge of Teaching in a Changing Society
The Countries’ Changing Population Using Existing Records
• Minority Population Growth • Cumulative Records
• Minority Population Distribution
• Other Noteworthy Population Changes Unearthing New Information about Students
• Implications of Population Changes for Teachers • Observing Students
• Interviewing Students
The Changing Family • Using Questionnaires
• Family Trends • Using Sociometry
• Family Influence on Schooling • Using Autobiography
• Implications of Family Changes for Teachers • Using Parents and Guardians as Sources
• Using Cases
The Changing Nature of Childhood and Youth
• Economically Disadvantaged Children Evaluating and Using Information
• Children with Inadequate Supervision • Evaluating Information
• Abused and Neglected Children • Using Information Properly
• At-Risk Children
• Hurried Children Motivating Students to Learn
• Disengaged Children
The Changing School

Chapter Three: Teaching Diverse Students

Student Diversity
• Socioeconomic Differences
• Cultural Differences
• Gender Differences
• Sexual Preference Differences
• Developmental Differences
• Learning Style Differences
• Learning Ability Differences
• Attention Differences
• Implications for Teachers

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 Teaching Methodology Handbook

Chapter Six: Planning Instruction Chapter Seven: Four Instructional Alternatives: Presentation,
Discussion, Independent Study, and Individualised Instruction
PART TWO

Some Benefits of Instructional Planning

• Planning Benefits Teachers Instructional Alternatives Defined
• Planning Benefits Students Presentation: Teaching as Telling and Showing
Instructional Planning May Be Mandated
• What Is a Presentation?
Different Approaches to Planning • Purpose and Characteristics of Teacher Presentations
• The Process Approach • Good Presenters
• The Product Approach • Good Presentations
• Which Approach to Use? • When Teacher Presentations Should Be Used
• Limitations of Presentations
Deciding What to Teach • Summary of Presentation
• Factors That Influence What We Teach
Discussion: Learning Through Informative Interaction
The Formal and the Taught Curricula • What Is a Discussion?
• The Formal Curricula • Purposes and Characteristics of Discussion
• The Taught Curricula • Good Discussion Leaders
• Good Discussions
Writing Instructional Objectives • When Discussions Should Be Used
• Kinds and Classifications of Learning Outcomes • Limitations of Discussion
• Another Way of Classifying Learning Outcomes • Summary on Discussion
• General (Broad) versus Specific (Narrow) Objectives
• Writing Specific Objectives Independent Study: Teaching as Giving and Guiding
• When Are Objectives Good? Seat-Work and Homework Assignments

Preparing Instructional Plans of Varying Duration • What is Independent Study?

• The “Long and Short” of Planning • Purpose and Characteristics of Independent Study
• Preparing Long-Range Plans • Good Independent Study Leaders
• Preparing Unit Plans • Good Independent Study
• Preparing Lesson Plans • When Independent Study Should Be Used
• Evaluating Lesson Plans • Limitations of Independent Study
• Review of Plans of Varying Duration • Making Good Homework Assignments
• Resources Useful When Planning • Summary on Independent Study
• Cooperative or Team Planning
Individualised of Differentiated Instruction: Tailoring Teaching
• What is Individualised Instruction?
• Purpose and Characteristics of Individualised Instruction
• Types of Individualised Instruction Programmes
• Good Users of Individualised Instruction
• Good Individualised Education Programmes
• When Individualised Instruction Should Be Used
• Limitations of Individualised Instruction
• Summary of Individualised Instruction

The “Best” Instructional Alternatives

Overview of Thirty Instructional Alternatives
A Special Note about Using Technology in Teaching

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Teaching Methodology Handbook

Chapter Eight: Four More Instructional Alternatives: Cooperative Chapter Nine: Evaluating Students’ Learning
Learning, Discovery Learning, Constructivism and Direct Instruction
Defining Classroom Assessment, Measurement, and Evaluation
Cooperative Learning: Teaching Learners to Like and Care for Factors Influencing Assessment Quality
One Another • Sources of Information
• What is Cooperative Learning? • Accuracy of Information
• Purpose and Characteristics of Cooperative Learning • Types of Assessment: Formative versus Summative
• Variations on the Theme of Cooperative Learning
• Good Leaders of Cooperative Learning Standardised Testing and Standard Scores
• Good Cooperative Learning • The Standardised Testing Process
• When Cooperative Learning Should Be Used • Interpreting Standardised Test Results
• Limitations of Cooperative Learning • Types of Scores from Standardised Tests
• Summary on Cooperative Learning • Summary of Standardised Testing

Discovery Learning: Figuring Things Out for Yourself Teacher-Made Assessments

• What is Discovery Learning? • Pencil-and-Paper Tests
• Purposes and Characteristics of Discovery Learning • Observational, Performance, and Authentic Assessment
• Good Facilitators of Discovery Learning
• Good Discovery Learning Grading and Assigning Grades
• Facilitating Discovery Learning Online • What Should You Consider When Assigning a Grade?
• When Discovery Learning Should Be Used • What Standard Should You Use?
• Limitations of Discovery Learning • How Will Assessment Information Be Synthesised?
• Summary on Discovery Learning
Chapter Ten: Reflecting on Teaching
Constructivist Teaching and Learning: Maximising Learner
Understanding
A Tale of Two Student Teachers
• What is Constructivism?
• Purposes and Characteristics of Constructivism
Characteristics of Reflective Practitioners
• Good Constructivist Teaching and Learning
• Good Facilitators of Constructivist Learning
Benefits of Reflecting on Teaching
• When Constructivism Should Be Used
• Summary on Constructivism
Developing Reflective Abilities
• Dialogue Journals
Direct Instruction: Teaching in the Most Efficient Way
• Discussions
• What is Research-Based Direct Instruction?
• Portfolios
• Purpose and Characteristics of Research-Based Direct
• Action Research
Instruction
• On-Campus Laboratory Experiences
• Variations of Research-Based Direct Instruction
• Good Direct Instructors
• Good Research-Based Direct Instruction
• When Research-Based Direct Instruction Should Be Used
• Limitations of Research-Based Direct Instruction
• What is Learning Theory-Based Direct Instruction
• Purpose and Characteristics of Learning Theory-Based
Direct Instruction
• Variations of Learning Theory-Based Direct Instruction
• Good Learning Theory-Based Direct Instructors
• Good Learning Theory-Based Direct Instruction
• When Learning Theory-Based Direct Instruction Should Be
Used
• Limitations of Learning Theory-Based Direct Instruction
• Summary of Direct Instruction
• Is There a Single Best Instructional Alternative?

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 Teaching Methodology Handbook

Chapter Eleven: Effective Teachers: Personal Attributes Chapter 14: Challenges Classroom Teachers Face
and Characteristics
What Is a Problem?
PART THREE

Research on Teaching Sources of Problems

• Defining Effective Teaching What Are the Classroom-Related Problems Teachers Face?
• The Search for Effective Teachers
• Affiliation
Effective Teachers: Personal Attributes and Characteristics • Control
Motivating Personality • Parent Relationships and Home Conditions
• Enthusiasm • Student Success
• Warmth and Humour • Time
• Credibility
Preventing and Resolving Classroom Problems
Professional Demeanour • Preventing Classroom Problems
Business-like • Resolving Classroom Problems
• Goal-Oriented • Developing a Problem-Solving Attitude
• Serious
• Deliberate
• Organised

Adaptable/Flexible ASSESSMENT
Knowledgeable ASSESSMENT & Grading System
The Teaching Methodology Diploma is achieved by satisfactorily
Chapter Twelve: Effective Teachers: Professional Skills and Abilities completing; 11assignments
Focusing and Engaging Students’ Attention
• Establishing Set Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
• Using Variety 5 assignments 4 Assignments 2 Assignments 11assignments

Using Instructional Time Efficiently Number of Words per Assignment Average 500 words
• Optimising Time
Programme graduates are awarded one of the following grades;
Conducting Interactive Instruction
• Using Questions Grade C, Pass, have completed the course satisfactorily. They have
• Providing Clear Instruction attained an adequate standard in all the modules.
• Monitoring Students’ Progress
• Providing Feedback and Reinforcement Grade B, pass with Credit; have shown that they are able to relate the
theoretical issues studied to practical teaching situations.
Chapter Thirteen: How the Effective Teacher Manages
the Classroom Grade A, Pass with Distinction, have demonstrated an ability to express
original thinking, and a sound knowledge of TEFL techniques.
What is Classroom Management?
Preventing Management Problems
• Establishing the Physical and Psychological Environment Grading Scale
• Establishing Classroom Rules and Routines
• Starting the School Year Grade Comment
A+ Distinction
Monitoring Students’ Behaviour
• Holding Students Accountable A Excellent with Honour
• Rewarding and Reinforcing Students
A- Excellent
Reacting to Misbehaviour
B+ Very Good
• Why Students Misbehave
• Deciding How to React to Misbehaviour B Good with Merit
• Types of Intervention
• Using Punishment in the Classroom B- Good
Re-establishing the Learning Environment
C+ Promising

C Satisfactory

C- Pass

R Refer

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