LESSON 3 – CHALLENGES IN TEACHING

This is all about the challenges of teachers either in local or global context. This starts with
addressing cultural diversity, responding to the needs of special learners, handling class size, dealing
with learners with various talents and intelligences and how to integrate ICT in the teaching and learning
process.

We will discuss the different challenges teacher encounter and experience in school.

A. Teaching in multicultural and multilingual classroom

 Multicultural education is for every learner in school. Since our learners are diversified,
they have different language, religion, belief, nationality and culture.
 Each learner in class may be a member of a different cultural group, attends a different
church, speaks a different language or behaves differently.
 Teachers are challenged to use pedagogical approaches that are culturally relevant and
responsive.
 Teachers are encouraged to develop instructional materials and curriculum models that
are culturally inclusive.
 Cultural diversity – demands all teachers to be equipped and empowered to address
the needs of a culturally diverse classroom – it is important for teachers to promote
equity, fairness and respect among students
 Language – plays an important role in the teaching and learning process; given that the
Philippines is a country of many local languages, the deped has recently implemented
the Mother Tongue based Multilingual education in its K-12 education program
 Instructional strategies that can be used in addressing cultural diversity in the
classroom:
o Content integration – cultural practices, cultural values, history and respect for
cultural diversity can be integrated in the various contents of the subjects
taught in basic education
o Cultural immersion – students can be immersed in different cultures; allow
students to observe the life of other people and to have a firsthand experience
of their culture and values
o Celebrating cultural diversity – similar to what is done in the UN Month
celebration, lingo ng Wika, students can experience and enjoy different cultural
dance, folk literature, music, visual arts and costumes
o Culture responsive pedagogy- use pedagogical methods, approaches and
techniques that respect the cultural values, mindset and practices of learners
o Teaching local culture – introduce local culture through lectures, fora and
symposia
o Using the local language as medium of instruction – teachers need to support
the implementation of the Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education
program of the deped; help in the development of instructional materials for
teaching local language and culture to the students
  Since the Philippines is home to various indigenous group, Pawilen (2013) identified
several approaches that can be used to integrate indigenous knowledge in the
curriculum:
o Real-life story model –daily life experience of young children; Drake (1998)
proposed the idea to use stories called “story model” which develops a
personal, cultural, and global story as the context of any topic to be learned
o Problem-based approach – learners are exposed to different lessons in problem
–solving; learners are exposed to practical situations or issues that are
important to them and to their community
o Inviting local folks and community leaders as resource person in school –
allows community leaders and elders to share their knowledge and wisdom to
the students
o Developing instructional materials for teaching indigenous knowledge –
teachers can develop modules, worksheets and learning kits that will help
introduce local history, community values, and indigenous knowledge of the
community to the learners

B. Teaching special education classes

 Special education is an area in education that seeks to understand the nature and needs
of different learners with special needs
 Teachers and other professionals are trained to respond to the needs of the special
learners in terms of pedagogy, curriculum and other forms of educational interventions
 In a regular classroom, we can observe students with learning difficulties, physical
disabilities, behavioral problems and who are gifted
 Various classifications of children with special needs: deafness, dual sensory
impairments, hearing impairments, mental retardation, multiple handicaps, orthopedic
impairment
 Category of special learners include those who are considered twice exceptional,
intellectually genius and gifted
 Here in the Philippines, few are offering programs for gifted students – like science
schools, special science classes in regular schools, Philippine School for the Arts
 Many gifted learners remain in regular schools because they have no access to special
schools for the gifted
 Twice exceptional students – sometimes unnoticed by teachers who seem to focus only
on the weakness of such students
 It is also a challenge to encounter learners with special needs and also in classroom
management but also un curriculum and instruction – as teachers we need to modify
the curriculum and use instructional approached that are relevant and responsive to the
needs of special learners

C. Teaching in Multi-Grade Classes

 Involves the teaching of students from different grade levels in one classroom
  Teachers need to employ effective instructional methods and strategies and versatility
to design an instructional plan that will cover all topics and activities for all students
from varying grades
 As teachers, they need to perform multiple tasks for all grade levels in the classroom, no
matter what subject is being learned
 In private schools, multigrade teaching is done when they have small enrolment
 Teacher teaching a multi-grade class prepares lessons, worksheets and activities for
each grade level
 Most public schools operating multi-grade classes are located in local communities that
are geographically far
 Teachers sometimes spend their own money to buy materials and meals and snacks for
their students
 Multi-grade teachers in public schools are also like missionaries in far-flung communities
 They travel for a long distance to reach the school and the students
 During their free time, they engage themselves in teaching basic literacy to adult
learners in the community

D. Teaching in multiple intelligence

 Gardner (1983) published his book, Frames of Mind, which he presented the concept of
multiple intelligences
 His theory of multiple intelligences(MI) presents powerful notion that there are
different separate human capacities, namely:
o Linguistic intelligence – ability to analyze information and create products
involving oral and written language
o Logical and mathematical intelligence – ability to develop equations and
proofs, make calculations, and solve abstract problems
o Spatial intelligence – ability to recognize and manipulate large-scale and fine-
grained spatial images
o Musical intelligence – ability to produce, remember and make meaning of
different patterns of sound
o Naturalist intelligence – ability to recognize and distinguish among the different
types of plants, animals and weather formations that are found in the natural
world
o Bodily kinesthetic – ability to use one’s body to create products to solve
problems
o Interpersonal intelligence – ability to recognize and understand other people’s
moods, desires, motivations, and intentions
o Intrapersonal intelligence – ability to recognize and understand his/her moods,
desires, motivations and intentions

E. Teaching in a learner-centered and constructivist classroom

 This is one of the promising products of the progressive movement in education

  This a kind of education that considers the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and
interests and beliefs that learners bring into the classroom
 Pays attention to the needs, concerns and expectation of the learners, and also includes
curricular and instructional practices that are developmentally appropriate for leaners
 Constructivist teaching and learning lead to:
o Active learning
o Learning in a meaningful context
o Reflective and intuitive problem solving
o Doing investigations
o Providing real-life and hands-on experiences to the learners

F. Brain-based education

 Another challenge to teachers is to understand and apply the principles of brain-based

education
 Teachers need to apply brain-based learning principles to designing and implementing
instruction
 There are 12 brain-based learning principles
 Interactive teaching elements
o Orchestrated immersion – learning environments are created that immerses
students in a learning experiences
o Relaxed alertness – eliminate fear while maintaining a highly challenging
environment
o Active processing – learner consolidates and internalizes information by actively
processing it; information should be connected to prior learning and
experiences

G. ICT integration

 Another challenge is the integration of technology in teaching and learning

 This include knowing new technological tools in education to enhance their teaching of
different classes