Approach, Method, Technique, Strategies

Summary

This lesson explores the differentiation of four key teaching concepts: approach, method, technique, and strategy. It explains how a teacher’s philosophy shapes their approach, which can be teacher-centered or student-centered, and how this guides the selection of methods like lectures or group activities. Techniques reflect the teacher’s personal style within a method, while strategies are flexible plans adapted to real-time classroom situations. Using concrete examples, such as teaching past and present tense, the video emphasizes the importance of aligning all four elements to achieve learning objectives. Flexibility and adaptation to learners, content, and teaching philosophy are highlighted as essential for effective teaching.

Takeaways

• 😀 Teaching concepts such as approach, method, technique, and strategy are often confused and need clear differentiation.
• 😀 A teaching approach is a set of principles or beliefs about learning that guides a teacher's philosophy and classroom practices.
• 😀 Approaches can be teacher-centered, student-centered, subject-focused, or group/individual-focused depending on the teacher's beliefs and goals.
• 😀 A teaching method is a systematic, procedural way of implementing an approach with specific steps.
• 😀 Methods are narrower than approaches and provide structured ways to deliver content, such as the lecture method.
• 😀 Teaching techniques reflect a teacher's personal style or 'flavor' in implementing a method, making each teacher's delivery unique.
• 😀 Strategies are flexible plans or operational modes that adapt to situational needs in the classroom, inspired by military planning concepts.
• 😀 There is a hierarchical relationship: Approach → Method → Technique → Strategy, moving from broad principles to specific actions.
• 😀 Alignment among approach, method, technique, and strategy is essential to achieve lesson objectives effectively.
• 😀 No single approach, method, technique, or strategy is universally best; selection depends on learner type, subject, and teacher philosophy.
• 😀 Teachers can adapt their strategies to engage students actively, such as using interactive lectures or think-pair-share activities.
• 😀 The ultimate goal is consistent achievement of learning objectives, allowing flexibility in the means or routes to reach that goal.

Q & A

What is a teaching approach?

A teaching approach is a set of principles, beliefs, or ideas about the nature of learning, which guides how a teacher conducts the classroom. It reflects the teacher's overall philosophy of teaching.

How does a teacher-centered approach differ from a student-centered approach?

In a teacher-centered approach, the teacher is the main source of knowledge, delivering information directly to students. In a student-centered approach, students actively construct their own knowledge, with the teacher facilitating rather than directing learning.

What are the types of focus in teaching approaches?

Teaching approaches can focus on the subject matter (content-centered), the type of students (student-centered), the individual student (individual-centered), or groups of students (group-centered).

What is a teaching method?

A teaching method is a systematic, logical, and procedural way of implementing a teaching approach. It provides an organized sequence of steps to deliver the lesson effectively.

How are teaching techniques different from methods?

Teaching techniques are the teacher's personal style or 'flavor' applied within a method. While a method provides a systematic procedure, techniques reflect how a teacher delivers it, such as using interactive elements in a lecture.

What is a teaching strategy?

A teaching strategy is a flexible plan or mode of operation used to achieve specific learning goals. It is adaptable depending on the classroom situation and student needs.

Can you give an example that aligns approach, method, technique, and strategy in a lesson?

For teaching the difference between past and present tense: Use a teacher-centered approach, a lecture method, an interactive lecture technique, and a strategy such as think-pair-share to engage students if they appear sleepy.

How does the concept of a spiral illustrate the relationship between approach, method, technique, and strategy?

The spiral shows that the outermost layer is the approach (broad philosophy), then method (systematic implementation), technique (teacher’s personal style), and the innermost layer is strategy (flexible plan). Each layer narrows and aligns toward achieving lesson objectives.

Why is it important to align approach, method, technique, and strategy?

Alignment ensures that every element of teaching is consistent and coherent, leading to more effective lesson delivery and better achievement of learning objectives.

Is there a single best approach, method, technique, or strategy for all lessons?

No, the effectiveness depends on the learners, subject matter, and the teacher's philosophy. Different approaches, methods, techniques, and strategies can be used to achieve the same learning goals.

How does observation influence the use of teaching strategies?

Teachers can adjust their strategies based on classroom observations. For example, if students appear disengaged, the teacher can modify the activity or use interactive techniques to re-engage them.

What role does teacher philosophy play in selecting an approach?

A teacher's philosophy determines whether they prefer teacher-centered or student-centered approaches and guides how they design lessons to align with their beliefs about how students learn best.