Top Teaching Strategies for Your Classroom

Written by Sasha Blakeley

Instructional Strategies

As any teacher education program will tell you, there are many different kinds of instructional strategies that have been developed and implemented in classrooms over the years. In contemporary pedagogical research, some of these methods are considered more effective than others at engaging students, helping everyone absorb information, and creating positive learning spaces. The following are a few teaching methods that can work for students of all ages.

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is a method where an instructor will alter their teaching style to be more accessible for all members of a classroom. This usually means presenting the same information in different ways or providing learning activities that are tailored to students' individual levels and needs. Differentiated instruction can be particularly effective in classrooms with multiple English language learners (ELLs) to ensure that all students can understand the content being presented, regardless of their English abilities.

Classrooms where students are at multiple grade levels, or classes with students who have learning disabilities, can also benefit from differentiated teaching.

To implement differentiated teaching, you can:

• Deliver content and educational materials (lectures, readings, and more) at various levels of linguistic complexity so that all students are adequately challenged.

• Offer a variety of potential project formats that have the same learning outcomes, which allows students to choose the format that best suits their skills.

• Give excelling students the option to access extra credit projects and assignments that will allow them to challenge themselves further.

Differentiated instruction requires that teachers get to know their students and understand their needs. While it can be applied to any classroom and any subject, this is a teaching strategy that is likely to evolve over the course of the semester or school year. It requires flexibility on the part of the instructor as well as good perceptual skills so that teachers can see what individual students need the most.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

As a teacher, chances are you are working with students from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. Culturally responsive teaching is a relatively new teaching style that seeks to integrate students' cultures and experiences into the classroom in a positive and respectful way.

This kind of teaching can manifest in a wide variety of different ways.

Culturally responsive teaching is one of the best ways to create a safe and enriching learning environment for all students. It allows students to feel understood and accepted, promotes understanding among peers, and even allows teachers to learn from their students' experiences.

In North America in particular, culturally responsive teaching might take the form of an emphasis on indigenous culture and teaching methods. This can help indigenous students connect to and share their cultures while also teaching non-indigenous students about the land on which they are living.

Active Teaching and Learning

Active learning requires students to take an active role in their education rather than just listening to their teachers. Whether you are teaching writing strategies, mathematics, or science, there are ample opportunities in every subject for students to get actively engaged in the learning environment.

With some students, encouraging active learning is easy: teachers can give students the chance to answer questions, present on various topics, and participate in activities. For students who are not as naturally enthusiastic or interested in the subject matter at hand, active learning requires active teaching.

To help students who are less engaged to become active learners, try the following techniques:

• Engage students on an individual basis to see what aspects of a subject they find most interesting
• Create activities that require all members of the class to join in, but provide various roles for students to fill so that they can do what they are most comfortable with
• Introduce humor or competition into learning activities
• Provide positive reinforcement when students participate
• Help students understand the value of participating in their own education

Some students will prefer more individual or subtler forms of participation, and that can be its own form of active learning. Not all students will be comfortable speaking in front of the class or joining in with activities. Completing assignments, good focus levels, and enjoyment of the subject matter are all considered active learning.

It is also important to remember that students who have difficult home lives or other considerations may struggle to be active learners and may need extra support from teachers to allow them to participate in a way that works for them.

Varied Teaching Aids

As a teacher, your presentation style is one of the most important ways that you can engage with students. There are several ways that you can optimize your teaching style to make your lessons as engaging and interesting for students as possible. The first important way to do this is to present information using a variety of teaching aids.

In addition to presenting lessons by speaking to your class, make sure to incorporate visual references whenever possible. Other forms of teaching aids that can be helpful include examples, gestures and kinesthetic instruction, tactile learning aids, and audiovisual presentations like videos or slideshows.

Varied teaching aids are helpful for a wide variety of subjects, from literacy to biology to fine arts. Some students learn best by listening, some by watching, some by writing, and some by tactile or kinesthetic experiences. Many students also find it easier to retain information that has been provided through multiple memorable formats rather than just one. Try to switch up your methods to keep your presentation style interesting and effective. Talk to your students in a personable way to engage them, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. All of these factors can help you build a stronger relationship with your students while also providing them with a rich and varied learning experience whenever possible.

Education and Learning Strategies

Students learn in a variety of different ways. Some of these types of learning have only been more recently researched, while others are well-established. You can structure your classroom environment to promote the following types of learning so that students can have the opportunities to explore and participate in education in a variety of ways. These learning strategies accept that there are many ways for students to engage with educational materials and thrive in a learning environment.

Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is an educational style that encourages in-depth student engagement. It goes beyond just doing projects in a classroom environment and instead focuses on long-term projects that have real-world applications. This is a method that encourages students to participate in the local community and have educational experiences that really make a difference.

Project-based learning can help students gain a better understanding of how the world works, their place in the community, and the methods involved in the practical application of what they are learning. Project-based learning can be applied to many different subjects, though some kinds of projects may require teachers and school administrators to get in touch with community organizations to set up learning opportunities.

Examples of potential projects include:

• Students learning about plant biology participate in an invasive plant pull or other ecological restoration initiative.

• Students in a physics class work together to create solutions to community problems using physics and design principles.

• A class of intermediate or advanced Spanish students works on a real-world translation project alongside the local Spanish-speaking community.

• A history class works with the local archives on a digitization project to preserve primary sources.

These are just a few examples of projects where students can make a difference while being part of a learning environment. In addition to helping students learn, these kinds of projects can also provide professional development experience to help students understand more about the kinds of jobs they might be interested in doing in the future.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is often confused with project-based learning, but in fact the two teaching techniques have different applications and goals. Experiential learning is a broad term for any learning style that allows students to get hands-on experience that enriches their learning, whether or not that experience is part of a community-based project. Many pedagogical theories recommend incorporating experiential learning as it can help with retention of information, improve student interest, and give students a better understanding of the applicability of what they are studying.

Examples of experiential learning include:

• Nature walks and outdoor activities
• Roleplay and practice activities that apply newly learned principles
• Field trips to places that are related to the activities in question
• Projects where students make physical objects based on recent learning
• Projects based on real-life experiences that students have had

All of these kinds of experiential learning can be tailored to students' individual learning goals and needs. The purpose of experiential learning is to help students engage directly in their education in a way that is meaningful for them, memorable, and helpful for them as learners. For some students, experiential learning can make them come alive and can make learning feel more real. You may have heard the common complaint from your class, 'when are we ever going to use this in real life?' Experiential learning is a great way to answer that question.

Inquiry-Based Learning

Traditional teaching techniques have sometimes required students to follow a narrow learning path that fits into specific curriculum criteria without focusing very much on students' individual interests and skills. Inquiry-based learning is a technique that allows students to expand on what they are learning based on their own particular interests. It encourages students to ask questions and pursue their own lines of exploration and inquiry to produce new results.

Imagine a class that is learning about, for example, ancient Mesopotamia. A teacher who was focusing on inquiry-based learning might start by delivering one or several lectures on ancient Mesopotamia, covering broad-ranging topics and an overarching timeline of events. Once this material had been delivered, the teacher would talk to students about their particular interests and the kinds of questions that they had about the material.

Students would each choose a research topic and do their own inquiry-based learning. The teacher would provide support for students as they researched their topic and would offer a variety of formats for the final results, like a project or an oral presentation of students' findings. Some students might learn about food production and agriculture, some about tool use or trade, and others about culture and social structure.

Inquiry-based learning has the benefits of not only improving student interest in a topic but also providing more breadth and depth of information to a class. It can teach students to be self-sufficient in their research and to take initiative. It can also be rewarding for students who ask questions and who want to go above and beyond what is taught in class.

Inquiry-based learning has the benefits of:

• Improving students' interest in a topic
• Providing more breadth and depth of information to a class
• Teaching students to be self-sufficient in their research
• Teaching students to take initiative
• Being rewarding for students who ask questions and want to go above and beyond what is taught in class

If you are interested in integrating inquiry-based learning in your classroom, make sure to support students by providing clear guidelines, access to primary and secondary sources, and support for students as they examine different questions and modes of inquiry.

Cooperative Learning

Teachers have long recognized the importance of teamwork and collaboration in the classroom, and cooperative learning is a great way for you to emphasize teamwork among your students. Cooperative learning teaches students to value each other and to value their own unique skills and contributions to the learning environment. In many cases, you can use cooperative learning as an alternative to the traditional, more individualistic way that students are encouraged to learn. Rather than emphasizing individual achievement, cooperative learning teaches students to work together to find solutions and to share those solutions so that everyone benefits.

Examples of cooperative learning include:

• Group projects where each student has a different role.

• Problem-solving activities conducted in groups or as a class.

• Roleplay activities where students can play a variety of parts.

• Activities that require students to generate solutions based on a variety of different skills and areas of expertise.

There are times when cooperative learning is appropriate, as in the above scenarios, and times when it might not be the best choice for a class. Tests and individual assessments, for instance, may not be a time when group collaboration is acceptable. However, cooperative learning is a good way to for students to learn social skills as well as potential skills for professional development in the future. It also teaches students leadership abilities and helps them understand how they can contribute to group activities.

It is important to monitor cooperative learning carefully to ensure that students are all playing to their strengths in a group, rather than one or two students doing almost all of the work. Explaining expectations clearly and offering ongoing support throughout the cooperative learning process are good ways to ensure a positive result for all of your students.

Teacher and Student Activities

Some of the best methods a teacher can use in the classroom take the form of specific activities that teachers and students can do in a classroom setting. These activities can improve student learning while also preparing students for further education and a career. Many of these activities and strategies are evolving rapidly because of the changing technologies and cultural environments that students are likely to encounter in today's world. All of them can help you develop stronger teacher-student relationships and create a more innovative and effective classroom environment.

Gamification

Gamification is a term for the process of turning a lesson or learning objective into a game. Some of these games may make use of digital technologies, while others can be played using traditional mediums. Turning a lesson into a game is a great way to boost student engagement and make class more fun for everyone.

Gamification can include class-wide competitions, group games, or even single-player games. Almost any subject, from memorizing the rules of the order of operations to spelling difficult words, can benefit from gamification.

Examples include:

• A race to see who can fill out a times table sheet the fastest.

• A game of charades using chemistry vocabulary words.

• A drawing game where a student draws on the board and their teammates have to guess what concept they are depicting.

• Online single-player games to help students learn math, spelling, or typing skills.

• Homework that takes the form of games to provide students with practice.

• Word puzzles to help students learn grammar concepts.

• Riddles to promote creative thinking.

All of these types of games can be modified for different school levels and subjects. Make sure that games allow all students to participate and that they are engaging for your class. If students respond well to a particular game format, consider repeating it with different material at a later date. Games should be fun, after all, so work with your students to figure out what kinds of games work best for them.

Peer Teaching

Peer teaching is a term for any activity where students teach each other to assist with their own learning. Many teacher training programs have recognized the effectiveness of this method for a long time, but it is important to note that some kinds of peer teaching tend to work better than others. In order for students to get the most from peer teaching, they need consistent support from instructors, clear expectations for their roles as teachers and learners, and the ability to work to their own strengths.

One great way to promote peer teaching is through research projects. Have students research particular topics either alone or in small groups, with each student or group tackling a different subject. Explain to the students that it is their job to teach the rest of their class about their subject. The students will do their own research and structure a lecture for their classmates that goes into detail. Their lecture might include a visual presentation or class activities.

This kind of project can improve students' teaching skills, allow them to become experts in their own topic, and teach them to deliver information clearly and answer their peers' questions. Peer teaching can also be used to provide an extra challenge for students who excel in class while providing extra learning opportunities for students who are struggling.

Media Literacy

In an increasingly online world, students interact with media more than ever before. Many teachers are finding that it is increasingly important to work with students to improve media literacy skills so that students are better able to navigate online sources and make informed decisions about what they are reading and watching. Teaching media literacy can help your students identify misinformation, understand how to locate and cite primary and secondary sources, and how to engage with media with a critical eye.

You can improve your students' media literacy through many different strategies: