Teaching Strategies and Teaching Styles

Introduction How can we keep or more children motivated to become and remain involved in practice that will lead to learning and understanding? (Graham, 2001, chp. 7)

Three Keys to Motivating Children –Make Activities Success Oriented –Structure Activities to be Intrinsically Motivating –Structure Activities to be Developmentally Appropriate

Make Activities Success Oriented –Challenges should be achievable most of the time –Employ task and game modifications e.g. Self-adjusting target throwingSelf-adjusting target throwing Slanty ropeSlanty rope Varied ball sizesVaried ball sizes Varied basket heightsVaried basket heights

Structure Activities to be Intrinsically Motivating –Practice for self-satisfaction rather than for rewards or winning –Compare to self rather than others (deemphasize comparisons, offer choices, and remember the ultimate goal is to stay active)

Structure Activities to be Developmentally Appropriate –Consider age-related and physical differences in children –See Developmentally Appropriate Guidelines from COPEC

Teaching Styles Teacher Centered versus Student CenteredTeacher Centered versus Student Centered Affects decision making and taking responsibility for learningAffects decision making and taking responsibility for learning Mosston’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles identifies 8 different stylesMosston’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles identifies 8 different styles

Mosston’s Teaching Styles 1. Command 2. Practice/Task 3. Reciprocal 4. Small Group 5. Individual Program/Self-check 6. Inclusion 7. Guided Discovery 8. Divergent

Command Style Characteristics: Teacher dominates all decision making. Students comply and copy. Demo/Explanations are critical elements. Advantages: Transmit lots of information. Control is easiest. Uniformity possible. Teacher requires less knowledge. Disadvantages: Poor demonstration Incorrect skill. Few questions. Lack of individualization. Not motivating. Does not develop creativity.

Practice/Task Style Characteristics: Students make some decisions about when to begin and can practice at own pace. Advantages: More freedom. Range of acceptable performance can be set. Frees teacher to move around class. Feedback can be given privately. Equipment use more effective because not all students are performing identically. Disadvantages: Simple tasks still lack individualization. Students can give low effort and not be seen.

Reciprocal Style Characteristics: Students given more responsibility but limited to what teacher specifies (e.g. error correction). Can use in many situations. Advantages: 1 to 1 student/teacher ratio. Immediate feedback possible. Raises student self-confidence. Students can be effective even if their skill is low. Disadvantages: Teacher must allow students to teach and intervene for safety reasons only. Risk of students being overcritical. Students must learn how to praise as well as criticize. Correct FB must be given.

Small Group Characteristics: Similar to reciprocal but more than pairs. Have to find a role for each student (e.g. shooter, evaluator, rebounder, etc.) Advantages: Similar to reciprocal. Immediate feedback possible. Raises student self-confidence. Students can be effective even if their skill is low. Utilizes limited equipment Disadvantages: Similar to reciprocal. Teacher must allow students to teach and intervene for safety reasons only. Risk of students being overcritical. Students must learn how to praise as well as criticize. Correct FB must be given.

Individual Program/Self- Check Characteristics: Increases student decision making opportunities. Student controls speed of progression. Often uses task cards with progressions. Advantages: Students have more freedom and if allowed to choose their activities it can be more motivating. Disadvantages: Requires lots of planning. Teacher must be flexible and have excellent content knowledge because of planning challenges. Success depends of student motivation to give best effort.

Inclusion Characteristics: Similar to self-check but student now has different levels of performance as a choice. Student chooses where to begin and how fast to progress. Advantages: Because learner sets performance level it better suits individual needs. Fewer students fail. Disadvantages: Lots of planning. Easy for students to elect to give little effort because levels of achievement are not specified.

Guided Discovery Characteristics: Adds to previous styles the challenge of intellectual development (thinking!). Teacher guides students through the process of “discovering” the correct skill responses. Advantages: Enhances student understanding which might transfer to other skills. Better understanding can increase confidence. Disadvantages: Teacher must be very knowledgeable and adaptable. Takes time. Perhaps not appropriate for certain skills? (e.g. throwing javelin!)

Divergent Characteristics: Students encouraged to create own response. Not “right” way. Helps to develop individuality and creativity? Advantages: Can help conceptualize skills. Can be highly motivating and make students think. Stimulates discussion and interaction Disadvantages: Doesn’t work if specific solutions wanted. Only appropriate with certain activities. Can be boring if poorly implemented.

Teaching With Style - 1 Which style should you use?Which style should you use? –What are your learning objectives? –Are you trying to develop student decision making and responsibility? –Consider the nature of the activity –Consider the readiness of students to make decisions. –Consider your personality

Teaching With Style - 2 Variety is the KeyVariety is the Key –No one style is always best –Vary styles within the lesson –Success of any style depends on YOU –If a style doesn’t work ask “Why?” Look inwards –Be cautious moving too fast to student centered styles

Challenge 1. Get into groups of three. 2. Choose a skill to teach. 3. Write down (briefly) how you might teach that skill using each of the eight teaching styles. Be sure to note how your teaching would look different depending on the style. 4. Be prepared to report back to the group. 5. Write any questions that remain unclear so that you are prepared for the upcoming test!