TEACHING STRATEGIES

What is TEACHING STRATEGIES

Teaching strategies refer to methods used to help students learn the desired course contents
and be able to develop achievable goals in the future. Teaching strategies identify the different
available learning methods to enable them to develop the right strategy to deal with the target
group identified.

I. INTEGRATED TEACHING - THREE-LEVEL STRATEGY

One characteristics of an effective teaching strategy is that it is integrated. The word

"integrated" comes from the Latin word integer which means whole. An integrated strategy will
put together the parts of a whole in order to arrive at a wholistic, complete and more accurate
view of reality.

An integrated teaching strategy is permeated by the multiple intelligences, the varied learning
styles and daily experiences of the learners. Its use also means empowering learners to become
"lifelong learners and active makers of meaning".

THE THREE-LEVEL STRATEGY

This was popularized by advocates of value clarification like Charles E. Merrill. The proponents
of this integrated teaching strategy asserts that the teaching-learning process should touch the
facts-level, the, concepts-level and values level.

On the facts level, the students learn isolated facts.

On the concepts level, these fragmented and meaningless facts are viewed and organized into
concepts fewer than the facts.

On the values level, the knowledge acquired are related to the student's life.

II. INTEGRATED TEACHING: Learning Style - Multiple Intelligence - Based Instructional

Strategies

A teaching strategy is integrated when it is permeated by the concepts of multiple intelligences

(MI) and varied learning styles of the learners. We used to think of intelligence in terms of
linguistic and logical-mathematical aspects only.

But with Gardner's MI Theory, we are introduced to six (6) more intelligences, namely: (1)
bodily-kinesthetic, (2) spatial, (3) musical, (4) intrapersonal, (5) interpersonal, and (6)
naturalist intelligences. All these intelligences are represented in every classroom since every
learner has all the intelligences with just one or two that are dominantly expressed. The ideal is
for every learner to have a balance developmet of all the eight intelligences.

Intelligences as Dispositions

Disposition/Intelligence Sensitivity to Inclination to Ability to

Verbal-Linguistic sounds, meanings, speaking, writng, speak effectively

Intelligence structure and styles listening, reading (teacher, religious
of language leader, politician)

or write effectively
(poet, journalist,
novelist, copywriter,
editor)

Logical-Mathematical patterns, numbers finding patterns, work effectively with

Intelligence and numerical data, making calculations, numbers
causes and effects, forming and testing (accountant,
objective and hypothesis, using the statistician,
quantitative scientific method economist) and
reasoning deductive and
reason effectively
inductive reasoning
(engineer, scientist,
computer
programmer)

Spatial Intelligence colors, shapes, visual representing ideas create visually (artist,
puzzles, symmmetry visually, creating photographer,
lines, images mental images, engineer, decorator)
noticing visual and
details, drawing and
visualize accurately
sketching
(tour guide, scout,
ranger)

Bodily-kinesthetic touch, movement, activities requiring use the hands to fix

Intelligence physical self, strength, speed, or create (mechanic,
athleticism flexibility, hand-eye surgeon, carpenter,
coordination and sculptor, mason) and
balance
 use the body
expressively (dancer,
athlete, actor)

Musical Intelligence tone, beat, tempo, listening, singing, create music (song
melody, pitch, sound playing an writer, composer,
instrument musician conductor)
and

analyze music (music

critic)

Interpersonal body language, noticing and work with people

Intelligence moods, voice, responding to other (administrators,
feelings people's feelings and managers,
personnalities consultant, teachers)
and help people
identify and
overcome problems
(therapists,
psychologists)

Intrapersonal one's own strengths, setting goals, mediate, reflect,

Intelligence goals amd desires assessing personal exhibit self-
abilities and descipline, maintain
liabilities, composure and get
monitoring one's the most out of
own thinking oneself

Naturalist Intelligence natural objects, identifying and analyze ecological

plants, animals, classifying living and natural
naturally occuring things and natural situations and data
patterns, ecological objects (ecologist and
issues rangers), learn from
living things
(zoologist, botanist,
veterinarian) and
work in natural
settings (hunter,
 scout)

As to learning style, introduced by Silver and Hanson (1998), namely: (1) sensing-thinking
(mastery style), (2) sensing feeling (interpersonal style), (3) intuitive-thinking (understanding
style), and (4) intuitive-feeling (self-expressive style)

To understand Silver's learning style profile, a brief introduction is in order. We perceive the
world either by our five senses or by intuition or by a combination of both, which is ideal. But
some take the world more through their senses then with their intuition. Others perceive the
world more by intuition and less by the five senses. Those who perceive the world by just
sensing "like to live and work in the here and now. They are motivated by practicality and
usefulness, they generally have a realistic outlook on life and they like to operate according to
procedures and toward definite goal." (Silver, 2000). On the other hand, intuitives "trust their
own insights, go where their inspiration and vision take them, and often feel constrained by
procedures. They like flexibility and the freedom to explore possibilities and ideas." (Silver,
2000)

Styles as Dispositions

Disposition Style Sensitivity to Inclination to Ability to

Sensing-Thinking acts, details, physical remembering, organize, report,

actions and steps describing, build and plan and
MASTERY
manipulating, ordering carry out projects

Intuitive-Thinking gaps/flaws, analyzing, argue, research,

questions, patterns, testing/proving, develop theories and
UNDERSTANDING
ideas examining, connecting explain

Intuitive-Feeling hunches, images, predicting/speculating, develop original

possibilities and imagining, generating solutions, think
SELF-EXPRESSIVE
inspiration ideas and developing metaphorically,
insights articulate ideas,
express and create

Sensing-Feeling feelings, people, gut supporting, build trust and

reactions and personalizing, rapport, emphatize,
INTERPERSONAL
experiences expressing emotions respond and teach
and learning from
 experience

III. BRAIN - COMPATIBLE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Integrated teaching also incorporates successful, research based instructional strategies into
teaching. Brain-based instruction is the application of teaching-learning principles based on
findings about the brain and learning.

The following are some research findings cited by Patricia Wolfe in her book Brain Matters:
Translating Research Into Action.

Some Research Findings about the Brain

1. Without rehearsal or constant attention, information remains in working memory for only
about 15 to 20 seconds. This implies the need for memory aids

2. Learning is a process of building neural networks. This network is formed through concrete
experience, representational or symbolic learning and abstract learning. There are three levels
of learning, namely: concrete, symbolic and abstract. This implies that teaching strategies
make the students experience the concrete through field trips, use of realias (real things) or
through actual experience in solving authentic problems in the community. From the concrete
level of learning we go higher to the symbolic and to the abstract levels.

3. Our brain have difficulty comprehending very large numbers because we have nothing in
our experience to "hook" them to.

4. The eyes contain nearly 70 percent of the body's sensory receptors and send millions of
signals every second along the optic nerves to the visual processing of the brain. The capacity
of the long-term memory for pictures seems almost unlimited. Several studies show how well
the mind processes and remembers visual information. The expressions "I never forget a face",
" I see what you mean", "I can picture but I can't recall the name" attest to this finding.

5. There is a little doubt that when information is embedded in music or rhyme, its recall is
easier than when it is in prose. If you were asked to write the Pambansang Awit, I bet, we
have to sing the song in order to remember the lyrics.

Brain-based Strategies

1. Involving Students in Real-life or Authentic Problem Solving

2. Using Projects to Increase Meaning and Motivation

3. Simulations and Roleplays as Meaning Makers

At times activities are not feasible, so simulation which are not real events, are our resort.

4. Classroom Strategies Using Visual Processing

This being the case we make it a point to have visual aids.

5. Songs, jingles abd raps

Content can be more easily trained when they give it a tune or make it into rhyme through their
personally composed songs, jingles and raps.

6. Mnemonic Strategies

These assist students in recalling important information.

7. Writing Strategies

Make students write their own word problems and make them ask their classmates to solve
them.

8. Peer Teaching

Make studenst teach each other in a "Pair, Think, Share" manner.

9. Active Review

Instead of the teacher conducting the review, students are given their turn.

10. Hands-on Activities

Concrete experience is one of the best ways to make long lasting neural connections.