EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING

AND LEARNING
Introduction
The need to strengthen the quality of teachers hence increase their competence and education
quality is critical and currently, it is a top priority agenda in all nations. In Sub Saharan Africa, almost
all countries have been involved in Education Reforms, especially in developing new curricular. The
need has been driven by changing demands in education such as meeting Sustainable Development
Goals and in particular Goal 4; Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) advocating for quality
inclusive education that will enable all individuals to contribute to sustainable development. In order
to realize this, teachers’ competence and teacher performance is critical. They are challenged to be
highly resourceful, well informed and possess effective teaching skills (Wen, Penga, McNessa, & Sally,
2014). (UNESCO, 2015) advocated for teachers to use interactive learner-centered teaching and
learning, action oriented transformative pedagogy that supports participation, collaboration, problem
oriented and inter-intra disciplinary approaches.

In Uganda, The New thematic curriculum (2004), for the primary schools, advocates for rapid
development of Literacy, numeracy and life skills. The Revised Primary Teacher Education (PTE)
curriculum, launched in 2013 (LaMendola 2014), aims at strengthening teachers’ practical and interactive
ability by increasing pedagogical competence to meet challenges of the 21st Century. The MoES,
through the department of Teacher Instructors Education and Training (TIET), in collaboration with
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), are currently implementing education interventions aimed
at improving pedagogical practices of teachers in the primary schools and primary teachers colleges.
The effectiveness of a teacher is greatly measured by knowledge and pedagogical skills possessed and
ability to use them appropriately to create conditions that sustain learners in the learning process,
hence increasing their capacity to learn. Active teaching and learning gained popularity as an effective
approach and has been adopted by the recent education reforms in Uganda and indeed worldwide.

However ELECU during the implementation of MOSIQUE project identified that despite all these
interventions, active teaching/ learning practices are rarely and inadequately utilized by the teachers
to activate learning as advocated by the recent educational reforms. Many teachers have abandoned
effective methods of teaching and instead concentrate on drilling and “coaching” students in order
to pass the national examinations Otaala, Maani & Bakaira (2013) Okonye; 2007). Otaala et a; l,
(2013) further observe that practical methodologies such as active learning of teacher training have
been undermined and are inadequately implemented in the Teacher Training Programs in Uganda.
According to TIISA Report by MoES (2012,2014 ) as well as UNEB (2011), in a report of the National
Assessment of Progress of Education (NAPE), the quality of PTC graduates is very low, they lack
effective teaching skills and competence in handling classroom teaching and learning. Furthermore,
NAPE 2011, 2013,2015) have consistently shown that about 75% o f teachers in Uganda do not meet
the expected proficiency in teaching. Similarly The world Bank service delivery (2013) indicators
found that 4 out of 5 teachers did not possess the minimum knowledge in pedagogy.

It is in this regard that ELECU has developed a simple teachers’ handbook taking teachers at all levels
through the various indicators of Active teaching and learning practices. It spells out how the teacher
can effectively use these indicators to activate learning during the classroom teaching.
Contents
TOPIC ONE: THE CONCEPT OF PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGY 06
TOPIC TWO: ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING 08
TOPIC THREE: ENGAGING LEARNERS ON TASK 10
TOPIC FOUR: SCHEMING AND LESSON PLANNING 12
TOPIC FIVE: CONCEPT BUILDING 15
TOPIC SIX: ASSESSMENT DURING THE TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS 17
TOPIC SEVEN: QUESTIONING AND ANSWERING 19
TOPIC EIGHT: PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE LEARNERS 22
TOPIC NINE: GROUPWORK 24
TOPIC TEN: USING TEXT BOOKS 26
TOPIC ELEVEN: USING WORKSHEETS 27
TOPIC TWELVE: INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 29
 Page 6 TOPIC O1: THE CONCEPT OF PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGY

01
THE CONCEPT OF PARTICIPATORY
METHODOLOGY
Teaching is a process that facilitates and promotes learning i.e. brings changes in the learner
in order to achieve desired outcomes. An outcome is what learners can demonstrate after a
learning experience. Learning outcomes can be content, skills or attitudes. Examples of learning
outcomes are: ability to read and write; solve mathematical problems; communicate, and work
cooperatively; and interpret situations /events. In order for learners to benefit in classroom
instruction and achieve intended learning outcomes, teachers should use participatory methods of
teaching and learning.

What is meant by participatory methods?

These are methods which provide opportunity for the learners to get actively involved in their
own learning. With this method, the pupils explore, interact with the learning materials, share
views and ideas, learn in groups, investigate, make decisions, observe, and solve practical problems.
These methods are experiential as pupils learn by doing activities. Participatory methods are
also called active learning or learner-centered learning, because these methods take account of
learners needs; abilities, interest, age, background, and experiences, including special needs.

Examples of participatory methods

Participatory methods include: games, role plays, experimentation, discussion, inquiry based,
problem-solving, projects, rhymes, storytelling, debate, and case studies.

What is the role of the teacher in using participatory

methods?
i. Structure the learning environment
ii. Guide the learning process e.g. using probing questions, illustrations, relevant examples
iii. Relate the teaching to the real life experience
iv. Use varied instructional materials and media
v. Use varied techniques within the lesson such as learning in groups
vi. Use learners experiences and ideas
vii. Differentiate tasks i.e. structure tasks in relation to the various learning needs
viii. Continuously monitor and assess the learners during the teaching learning process
ix. Provide constructive feedback
x. Offer a warm, friendly, nurturing environment that encourages participation
 TOPIC O1: THE CONCEPT OF PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGY Page 7

Using participatory learning methods requires a teacher to have the following personal and
professional qualities:
i. Have a passion for teaching and a sound knowledge of subject matter
ii. Prepares well for teaching and displays high organizational skills
iii. Have effective communication skills
iv. Be a reflective teacher, creative and resourceful, reflecting on your actions in order to improve
v. Ability to build strong relationships with learners and community
vi. A role model displaying high professional ethics and moral conduct

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

vii. Have affection for the learners
viii. Empathy – showing genuine concern, understanding, and being supportive
ix. Humuor – providing an environment of fun, Laughter without compromising learning.
x. Concern and commitment
xi. Attributes of honour such as honesty, cleanliness, punctuality, and respect for others etc.

You now understand that participatory learning is about the learner; all that the teacher does is about
helping the learner. It is a complex interplay between the teacher, the learner, and the subject matter.

Reflection
1. What challenge would you anticipate in using participatory methodology?
2. How would you overcome this?
Children from Kimotozi, Nakaseke District using
instructional materials

Believe that all children can learn, at their own pace, time,
and through encouragement.
 Page 8 TOPIC O2: ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING

02
ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Active teaching and learning involves guiding pupils through varied learning experiences in order
to attain set competences. This calls for the teacher’s use of effective participatory methods and
strategies. Active learning is based on learner-centered approaches of teaching which the teacher has
to plan her/his teaching to suit learners’ interests, experiences, and abilities. In this approach learners
are given the opportunity to perform activities that stimulate learning and enable them to discover
knowledge on their own.This is opposed to a teacher-centered approach, which focuses more on what
(the content), is taught rather than the learner. In this approach, the teacher transmits knowledge while
learners listen passively.

What is active learning?

Active learning refers to a set of teaching strategies in which learners are actively engaged and
participate in learning activities under the guidance of the teacher. Such activities include: learning
games; paired discussions in small groups; role playing; problem solving activities; think-pair-share, and
collaborative learning.

The learner
Interests, age, prior knowledge,
cognitive ability, health conditions,
special needs

The learning process

The teacher Learning activities,
Personality, competence, differentiated learning
preparedness attitudes, ACTIVE LEARNING tasks, learning experiences,
motivation, and support methods and strategies of
teaching, assessment for
learning (continuous)

Teaching learning facilities

Instructional materials
Classroom environment
(learning centers)
 TOPIC O2: ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING Page 9

The illustration above shows that the elements of active learning are integrated. The learner’s
abilities, aptitudes, values, home background, all determine the capacity to engage in learning
activities. The teacher on the other hand should have the best practices, sound pedagogical
principles, and subject knowledge to make the lessons more interesting and insightful for the
learners. It also calls for a good teacher-learner relationship and an open learning environment
where different opinions are equally respected and where there is no fear of ridicule from either
one’s peers or the teacher.

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Characteristics of active learning
i. Promotes learners’ participation and engagement and so increases their interest and
motivation to learn.
ii. Involves students in learning-process activities rather than passive listening.
iii. Provides more frequent and immediate feedback to students.
iv. Promotes deeper learning and leads to development of higher order skills and competences
such as critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.
v. Learners master the concepts learnt and so are able to retain and apply what is learnt.
vi. Learners are able to monitor their own learning and so take greater responsibility over it.
vii. Improves interpersonal skills, such as team spirit, collaboration, collective responsibility.
viii. Creates opportunities for differentiated instruction.
ix. Promotes understanding: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

Guidelines for teachers to implement active teaching and

learning in the classroom
i. Provide a variety of learning styles and strategies including individual and group activities.
ii. Provide learners’ the opportunity to touch, manipulate, and experiment; this will enable them
to use their senses to learn. Experiential learning has a more lasting effect.
iii. Allow learners opportunities to ask questions, solve problems, and think independently.
iv. Respect and trust that all learners can learn. Provide differentiated tasks to enable each
learner to reach her/his own pace and realize intended outcomes.
v. Integrate the content across all the learning areas.
vi. Provide for extensive discussion to improve communication abilities as well as expressive
opportunities.
vii. Structure the learning environment with educative learning centers of varied areas of
learning.
viii. Conduct continuous assessment (for learning) intended to help each learner to make
progress in her/his learning.
Page 10 TOPIC 03: ENGAGING LEARNERS ON TASK

03
ENGAGING LEARNERS ON TASK
Participatory learning requires that the teacher plans his/her lessons to ensure that learners are using
all the allocated time of the lesson to learn.When a pupil is concentrating, engaged in learning activities,
it can be said that she/he is On-Task and so that pupil is learning. On the other hand, when the learner
is not doing any learning activity, or is engaged in doing an activity which is not related to what the
teacher is doing, she/he is Off-Task, and therefore that pupil is not learning. A good teacher will always
want to ensure that all the learners are On-Task; remember all children have a right to education and
to learn. When pupils are not learning, the teacher has denied them the opportunity to learn.

Students learn according to what they do, not according to what their teacher does. Therefore the
teacher has to keep all the learners engaged in learning during the lesson. This is done by providing
them opportunities to learn by doing carefully selected learning activities and learning experiences.
The more learners spend time on doing learning activities, the greater is the increase in learning.

There are two types of On-Task activities

1. Active on Task: the learner her/himself is actively doing something e.g. reading, doing an exercise,
writing, taking part in the discussion, demonstrating, explaining, describing.
2. Passive on Task: The pupil is listening to the teacher, peers’ presentation, or observing a
demonstration

Roles of an interactive teacher

What is interactive teaching? This is the type of teaching in which learners are given the opportunity to
express their ideas, brainstorm, reflect on them with the teacher and peers, and agree on consensus.
The following are some of the roles of a teacher in maintaining an interactive classroom:
Controller: Teacher controllers determine what the learners do. They ensure that the learners are
engaged in learning activities.They can often predict what is going to happen in their classroom because
everything is mapped out ahead of time.
Director: The teacher structures the classroom in such a way that the learners are given direction.
Manager: Plans lessons and activities but allows the learners to take up responsibility to display their
own creativity and develop their expertise or practice.
Facilitator: This is a less directive role in facilitating the learning process. The teacher motivates
learners by preparing the learning environment and providing guidance that will lead learners to
explore and discovery on their own rather than transmitting knowledge to them.
Resource: This is the least role less directive.
Note that in a participatory methodology, the teacher should sufficiently use active on-task behavior
and less of passive on-task behavior.
Review Table 1 and reflect on your class behavior during previous lessons.
 TOPIC 03: ENGAGING LEARNERS ON TASK Page 11

Table 1: On-task and off-task behaviour

On-task behaviour (all focused on the Off-task behavior (not focused on the current
current lesson) lesson)

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Participating in a discussion Playing with objects
Responding to the teacher Inappropriate gestures
Doing seat work exercises Throwing things
Carrying out an experiment Lying on the bench
Explaining to peers Sleeping
Listening Making noise
Paying attention Daydreaming,
Counting Looking out of the window
Reading a book Disturbing other children
Working cooperatively with others Yawning and feeling bored
Page 12 TOPIC O4: SCHEMING AND LESSON PLANNING

04
SCHEMING AND LESSON
PLANNING
A. SCHEMES OF WORK
Schemes of work are essential for efficient teaching and learning. A scheme of work is an interpretation
of the syllabus. It is a plan which consists of the number of lessons planned to cover a specified period
of time; a term, or a year of study. Making a scheme of work requires a lot of time hence it calls for
the patience and commitment of the teacher. A high level of organization and critical thinking is also
required if a teacher is to develop a quality and comprehensive scheme of work.
It is important that a scheme of work should be ready by the beginning of the term (year), since it is
a working tool providing an overview of what to be taught. It is also intended to guide in developing
lesson plans. Before planning a scheme of wok, one has to take into consideration the goals and
objectives of education, the course content, and how much focus is allocated for each topic. The
syllabus therefore is a teacher’s major reference when developing a scheme of work.

What are the elements/components of a scheme of work?

The basic information: This includes week, lesson, and date.
The topic or theme preceded by the subtopic: Indicate precisely the aspect which is to be
covered.
The competences (or the objectives) of the theme/lesson of study: A competence is an
ability to do something. Examples of abilities include: Ability to draw, ability to write, ability to count,
and ability to label the parts of a system. Competences are stated in terms of individual learners i.e.
what a learner can do. It is not generalized. This implies that the teacher has to ensure that each
learner at his pace is helped to achieve this competence. Competences emphasize learning by doing.
These must be stated in behavioral terms. The Uganda Primary Curriculum is competence based.
Primary 1-3, follows a thematic approach, and the subject-based curriculum Primary 4-7 spells out
language to be developed to boost children’s literacy as well as subject competences.
The content (subject matter): This is what the learners will learn. It consists of the comprehensive
key ideas, knowledge (facts, concepts, and ideas), skills and attitude. A good lesson should strive to
develop all these aspects; this is called holistic development.
The learning activities and learning experiences: These are what the teacher has planned for
the learners to do in order to achieve the intended competences. They may include experiments,
solving number problems, writing, observing and interpreting pictures, specimens and environment,
reading an essay/text book, constructing sentences, drawing and labeling diagrams such as maps,
listening to different sounds, and watching a film. The learning activities will portray the assessment
procedure that will be used to gauge the progress of learning by individual learners. Pupil’s activities
are the basis of children’s learning.
 TOPIC O4: SCHEMING AND LESSON PLANNING Page 13

The methods and techniques: These refer to the teachers instructional (delivery procedure). They
include: role-play, small group discussion, think-pair share, discovery/inquiry, project, brainstorming,
reciting, demonstration, interactive lectures and many others.

The learning resources (teaching learning aids): Learning can best be achieved when learners
interact with the learning materials. A teacher should strive to have an instructional/learning material
in every lesson because they support learning by providing an experience. These include print and non-
print material equipment, specimens, real objects, pictures, text books, wall charts and maps, abaci, and

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

others. They help the teacher to explain new concepts clearly, resulting in better student understanding
of the concepts being taught.

Lifeskills and values: These are skills needed by an individual in order to lead a productive, fulfilling
to cope with challenges. They are not taught directly during the teaching but learners experience them
through the activities and methods used.
References: Is the title and page of the textbook used to derive the content.

What are the benefits of making a scheme of work?

i. It builds confidence when making a lesson plan.
ii. It breaks the syllabus into manageable teaching units.
iii. Once made, it saves a lot of time since it clearly spells out what to do at a specified time.
iv. All the topics will be covered if the scheme of work is followed well.
v. It clearly guides in the achievement of objectives/competences and differentiated learning objectives.

B. LESSON PLANNING
Lesson planning is a process of identifying, reflecting, and aligning content, methods, learning activities,
learning experiences, and resources in order to have an effective lesson delivery and so achieve intended
learning outcomes. Good lesson planning is a vital and essential process of teaching and learning.A lesson
plan is derived from the schemes of work i.e. interpretation of the scheme of work. It is a visualization
of how the instruction will flow; it is teaching before the real lesson. A well-prepared teacher will always
be able to conduct a successful lesson.

The elements of a lesson plan

A lesson plan consists of elements that are closely integrated. They include the following: objectives /
competences; content/subject matter; learning activities and learning experience.

Teaching aids / media and evaluation procedure

A good lesson plan also consists of assessment procedures in which a teacher systematically monitors
how pupils are progressing towards meeting the learning competences. Teachers continuously assess
the learner during the teaching learning process i.e. continuous assessment. This will give teachers
information about how a learner is progressing. Continuous assessment caters for individual needs.

Timing
Teachers plan different learning activities and assessment on time. They make sure students are active
for the larger part of the lesson.
Typically, a lesson will contain four phases: introduction, presentation of new information, stabilization,
and practicing with new information and evaluation.
Page 14 TOPIC O4: SCHEMING AND LESSON PLANNING

Basic structure of a lesson plan

Preliminary section: This provides information such as the class, the subject, the number of the
learners and the time in which the lesson will be taught. The kind of learning activities, instructional
materials, grouping, and the length of the lesson is based on the information revealed in this section.
Step 1: Introduction: Getting learners ready to learn; e.g. calling attention with a related activity
to the lesson (song, game, mental activity, physical etc.) review of homework, doing corrections,
orientating to the new lesson.
Step 2: Presentation:This is a stage of lesson the actual lesson development. New concepts are
introduced through various appropriate learning experiences and learners are engaged in doing
learning activities, (doing activities, observing, carrying experiments, rhymes games, reading, trying out,
interpreting, role playing etc.). The learners are also engaged in interacting with learning instructional
materials. The teacher uses planned methods such as interactive lecture, role play, group discussions,
inquiry /discovery methods to enable learners gain planned competences.
Step 3: Practice: Use, apply the concept taught (practicing language vocabulary, solving number
problems, discussing daily applications of what has been learnt)
Step 4: Production: Creativity: Pupils create their own work using learnt knowledge/skills (drawing,
writing an essay or a poem, constructing sentences, modeling)
Step 5: Lesson evaluation:The teachers find out whether learners have grasped what was learnt
during the lesson. This is done using oral questions, written exercise, and simple project work.
Assessments can also be done throughout the stages of the lesson to inform how learners are
progressing in their learning.
 TOPIC O5: CONCEPT BUILDING Page 15

05
CONCEPT BUILDING

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Concept building is a process in which new concepts are introduced to the minds of the learners.
This is important because, once the concept has been clearly grasped in the learners mind it forms
a foundation of learning of that specific topic. It is essential for the transfer of knowledge and skills.
Every lesson has a topic where new words or concepts are introduced to the learners, for instance
in the following examples: in teaching Mathematics to young lower grade pupils, you will need to
introduce the concepts of ‘subtraction or comparing sets’. In a science lesson the teacher may have
to introduce concepts such as evaporation, sanitation, density, mass using active learning strategies.

What is a concept?
This is a representation of a picture of something in one’s mind. It is a mental picture, or a perceived
idea about an object, person, or event.
There are different categories of concepts and they include:
i. Concrete concepts: These can be observed, i.e. seen, touched or even heard. Examples are, water,
furniture, bicycle, shape, colour
ii. Abstract concepts: These cannot be seen; examples are; an atom, weight, energy
iii. Process concepts: Evaporation, germination, photosynthesis
Active teaching and learning requires that these concepts should be introduced to the learners in
effective and efficient ways so that they can easily be understood by learners.
Page 16 TOPIC O5: CONCEPT BUILDING

Guidelines for effective strategies in concept building

A teacher should create a rich realistic context for the learners; this can be done by using real
material (concrete) to explain concepts e.g. ball for round or an egg for oval shapes.
i. It is also important for the teacher to use the prior knowledge of the learners (what they
already know about the topic/concept). Research shows that if learners can connect new
concepts to prior knowledge, learning becomes more effective; these concepts become part
of the long-term memory (Perkins D.N. 1992. Smart Schools. Better Thinking and Learning for
ii. Every Child. New York: The Free Press.)
iii. Teachers should allow learners to practice concept building: Learners will make mindmaps or
word spiders, listing their associations, and make relationships with the new concept e.g. “Ball
iv. is round”, “clay-pot”, “evaporate- heat”.
v. Teachers should use active learning strategies to engage learners: Stimulate active learning e.g.
vi. think-pair-share method, role play, and games.
vii. Use a drawing before or after the lesson: Children draw what they already know or what they
viii. have just learnt.
ix. Teachers should provide opportunity for the learners to observe a situation, interpret
x. pictures or talk about events.
xi. Provide opportunity to reflect: Children reflect on what they have learnt or what they still
want to know (From: Marzano, 2008. Dimensions of learning).
 TOPIC O6: ASSESSMENT DURING THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS Page 17

06
ASSESSMENT DURING THE TEACHING

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

AND LEARNING PROCESS
What is assessment?
Assessment refers to finding out how much a learner knows or can do. It can be summative also
called assessment of learning i.e. assessing learners to find out what they have achieved as a result of
learning. It is done at the end of the lesson, topic, or course of study. Assessment can be formative
also called assessment for learning i.e. assessing to find out how the learner is progressing during
the teaching and learning process or during the course of study. In this handbook, focus is placed on
assessment for learning (formative) type of assessment to activate learning.

Types of formative assessment

Continuous Assessment: It is the in-built, periodic and systematic method of assessing and
evaluating a person’s attributes. Information collected from continuous behaviour of pupils will
help a teacher to better understand their strengths and weaknesses in addition to providing a
comprehensive picture of each student over a period of time.
Assessment for learning: Assessment for learning can be described as a process by which
results of assessments are used by the teacher to adjust teaching and learning strategies during the
learning process. It also helps planning and modifying teaching and learning programs for individual
learners, identifying pupils’ strengths and building on them to identify students’ learning needs.
Note: The two types of assessment are used interchangeably to have a similar meaning as
approaches to teaching and learning that create feedback used to improve learning performance.
Page 18 TOPIC O6: ASSESSMENT DURING THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

Guidelines of assessment of learning

i. Assessment for learning occurs throughout the learning process the teacher and the pupil are
interacting continuously.The role of the teacher is to create an environment such as positive
relationship, friendly, non- threatening, encouraging and supportive.
ii. The teacher’s role is to align instruction to suit particular learning needs of her/his pupils. iii. A
teacher should select and adapts materials and resource to cater for individual/ varying
iii. abilities in her/his classroom.
iv. The teacher should also endeavor to differentiated teaching strategies and learning opportunities
for helping individual students move forward in their learning.
v. It calls for the teacher to provide immediate feedback and direction to learners.
vi. A teacher is required to use records of assessment to modify her/his teaching and learning
strategies.
 TOPIC O7: QUESTIONING AND ANSWERING Page 19

07
QUESTIONING AND ANSWERING

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Questioning is an interactive skill and technique which can lead to successful instruction or
communication. It is by far one of the most fundamental aspects of active teaching and learning.
Children’s level of achievement and engagement depends on the type of questions asked. Teachers
commonly use questioning at all grade levels. A study from the early 80s indicates that teachers ask
300 to 400 questions a day (Levin and Long, 1981). Note that questioning during the teaching-learning
process is most effective when a teacher plans them in advance. This will enable the teacher to phrase
the questions clearly and to present them in an organized and logical sequence. When prepared earlier,
the teachers will also be able to reflect clearly on the level of thinking that learners are expected to
develop through the questioning.

Categories of questions:
These are the thinking levels based on Bloom’s taxonomy:
i. Creating: Requires a learner to use original creative thinking to solve a problem. Action verbs
include: write an essay, develop, predict.
ii. Evaluating: Requires that a learner makes judgment on the whether an idea, a program is worth
according to set standards. Action verbs include: decide and justify
iii. Analyzing: Requires that a learner solves a problem by examining relate or facts or information
iv. Applying: Requires a learner to apply applying what he/she has learned in everyday use to solve
practical problems. Action verbs include: clarify, select, use, design, solve.
v. Understanding: Requires that a learner clearly explains a concept in his/her own word. Action
verbs include: describe, compare, contrast, explain.
vi. Remembering: requires that the student recognize or recall information. E.g. Action verbs
include: Action verbs include: what, where, state, name, list
Page 20 TOPIC O7: QUESTIONING AND ANSWERING

Higher order thinking skills

Creating

Evaluating
Analysing

Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Lower order thinking skills

Closed questions
These require limited answers. Learners will answer yes / no, correct / wrong or simply list, identify,
name etc. They require memory. They are usually of a lower cognitive level and used to check what
a learner has remembered from the information taught. Examples of closed questions are: “What
is the capital of Ethiopia?” or “Lake Victoria borders three countries. Right or wrong?” or “List five
types of vegetation.” “Name the regions of Uganda”. Closed questions are good to use when you
want to recall information from your learners.

Open-ended questions
These require many answers from the learners. These types of questions may be used to check
learners’ understanding of new knowledge. They require learners to compare, contrast, explain
relationships, generalize, analyze, and they are usually of a higher cognitive level and so they develop
higher thinking skills of learners. Examples of closed questions are: “Explain in your own words how
clouds are formed.” or “Why do we cook before eating food? ‘Explain in your own words what
happened when….?

Why should teachers use questioning?

Good teaching always starts from questioning. Questions focus the students’ attention on what is
to be learned. This kind of questions however should be pitched to the pupils’ experiences (prior
Knowledge), level of their understanding. Questions are useful to the learners in the following ways:
i. Questions develop the interests of the learners and motivate them to be actively involved in the
lesson.
ii. Learners are encouraged to think further and more deeply hence develop critical thinking
abilities of the learners.
iii. Questions also activate mental processes and thus make the learners aware of their own
learning progress.
iv. The learners are also stimulated to learn on their own(independent learning).
 TOPIC O7: QUESTIONING AND ANSWERING Page 21

Techniques of good questioning

Wait time:This means the amount of time a teacher allows after a question is asked and or
before responding after a pupil stops talking. More wait time promotes achievement, improves
retention, and cognitive processes.
Feedback: Providing feedback is very important (refer to feedback in the next topic)

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Asking questions Answering questions
Create trust all children are able Give pupils time to think
Ask easy question first encourage answers from a variety of pupils
Avoid closed questions Look at pupils when theyare talking
Use a language matched with pupils ability level Do not interrupt when they are responding
Ask questions to the a group- the whole class Do not embarrass
Allow wait time (ask-pause-pick - pause-feedback) Do not disagree immediately
Ask one question at a time Build on pupils’ response by asking further
Avoid threatening when asking questions Ask students to clarify their responses
Allow more students questions and feedback Make sure everybody has heard the answer
Distribute questions evenly across the class Offer constructive feedback
Use appropriate variety and mix the different levels
of questions
Page 22 TOPIC O8: PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE LEARNERS

08
PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE
LEARNERS
Feedback is the foundation for learning; it is part of the learning process. The skill of providing feedback
to the learners has been proven to increase and improve pupils’ learning outcomes. Teachers, therefore,
must have the ability to provide effective feedback to the learners in order to promote their learning.

What is the meaning of feedback?

Feedback is evaluative information provided by the teacher, peer, book, parent, report card and self/
experience) regarding aspects of one’s performance or understanding. In the teaching-learning situation,
feedback is a teacher’s constructive response/guidance given to a pupil during the process of learning.
Feedback has a positive effect on learners’ achievements. Assessing learners without providing feedback
is meaningless; feedback helps learners understand what is required of them and how they should
perform different tasks.

Types of feedback
Feedback on self-level: This kind of feedback is psychological, directed to the pupil. It is the lowest
level of feedback and it does not enhance achievement or learning. Examples of such feedback is “well
done,” “very good”, “clap for him”, “You have done well”. It only comforts the pupil, but does not direct
her/him from the task. E.g. 1+3=6, “well tried” has not helped the pupil to focus on the task, but has only
comforted him.
Feedback on task level: This is the feedback directed to the task done by the learner. It is also referred
to as corrective feedback. This feedback leads to new knowledge or information for example learning
to solve a problem, or performing an activity well. An example may be “that is correct” or “that is
incorrect”. It focuses the learner on the task to find out why it is correct or not. This is a common type
of feedback. It is better than praise in promoting a learning achievement.
Feedback on process level: This kind of feedback is aimed at encouraging a learner to complete a
task. It is feedback given to the learner about an approach or way of doing a task leading to creating a
final product. Examples may include: when completing a project; when working through the steps of a
mathematical problem; or when carrying out an investigation. This feedback enhances deeper learning
because it guides the learner to detect errors while working; the learner is given cues to find out more
information; and it is more interactive.
 TOPIC O8: PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE LEARNERS Page 23

Guidelines for providing feedback for learning

i. Good feedback should enable the pupil to learn, and explain what the pupil is doing correctly or
incorrectly. The feedback given should be educative in nature.
ii. The feedback should be given in a timely manner so the pupil responds to it positively and
remembers it; if it is delayed the likelihood of forgetting is high.
iii. The feedback provided should be clear to the pupil and directed to a specific skill or knowledge.

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

It should be focused on a process rather than the result.
iv. When providing feedback, be sensitive to learner needs. Avoid discouraging, it damages self-
esteem. Provide encouragement. Compliment, correct and compliment.
v. Avoid judging the pupil, focus on what has been done rather than who did it.
vi. Provide feedback after the learners have attempted the solution.
vii. Avoid communicating your attitude towards the learner e.g. use of the voice, body language, facial
reactions, and other gestures.
viii. Avoid comparing learners.
 Page 24 TOPIC O9: GROUPWORK

09
GROUPWORK
The social training that results from learning in a group is one of the most valuable means of
learning. It is a way in which the children learn how to deal with varying opinions; they learn to
accept and respect each other. They cooperate and work as a team for a collective outcome.
Apart from this social function, group learning is a powerful way of constructing knowledge.

What is group learning?

Group learning is a collaborative, participatory, learner-centered approach in which learners are
collectively involved in constructing knowledge and applying skills. Group work is not sitting in
groups. A teacher can arrange the seating arrangement so that the learners are in groups, yet
they do work individually. During effective group work the members of the group (4-6 people)
need each other to complete a complex task. The complex task contains several smaller tasks.
Each group member is responsible for working on his or her different smaller task. All input
together will lead to resolution of the complex problem. Everybody is equally responsible for the
result.
A group consists of 4-6 pupils. However, grouping learners will depend on the class size, the
nature of the assignment, and the available space.
Children from Keera in group forming words
 TOPIC O9: GROUPWORK Page 25

Guidelines for organizing effective group work

i. Setting clear ground rules for groupwork.
ii. Designing assignments carefully to suit learner needs to ensure that all members of the group will
be active.
iii. Designing assignments that directly relate to the learning competences of the course and directly
to the content that has been taught.

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

iv. Teachers need to monitor each group, provide feedback and assist when necessary. This may
prove to be more time-consuming than traditional teaching formats.
v. Groupwork should be designed in a way to promote assessment that is valid, fair, and accurately
reflects the knowledge and performance of all group members.
vi. Ensure that the group leadership is effective especially in encouraging all members to participate.

Reflection
1. What consideration should a teacher bear in mind when grouping learners for a learning activity?
Page 26 TOPIC 10: USING TEXT BOOKS

10
USING TEXTBOOKS
High quality textbooks and learning materials are essential instruments for effective teaching.
In general, governments that decide to enhance the quality of teaching and learning pay a lot
of attention to the development of appropriate text books to enhance learning beccause they
are a resource for both teachers and students. Textbooks are usually written by one or more
expert teachers, college professors, or educationalists who are knowledgeable in their field.

Guidelines for effective use of textbooks

i. Have questions that direct pupils to look for the information in the text.
ii. All the activities and content are related to the objectives and the lesson at hand.
iii. Ensure that all the learners have access to the text.
iv. Select the text which is pitched
 TOPIC 11: USING WORKSHEETS Page 27

11
USING WORKSHEETS

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

A work sheet can be referred to as a sheet or a specific simple print, consisting of specially
prepared exercises in the form of questions or instructions for the learners to answer /follow.
It is intended to give learners the opportunity to learn through discovery or practice with an
aim of gaining mastery in a specific skill and knowledge.

The different types of worksheets

i. Fill in blanks /completion worksheets: missing letters, missing words or numbers
completing sentences
ii. Answering questions: After reading a short story about a drawing, or a picture relating
to a topic learnt i.e. interpreting
iii. Practical activity worksheet: Contains instructions that the learners will follow to
discover a fact, e.g. in an experiment
iv. Matching worksheets: Word to word, picture to picture, object to function or to an
idea. E.g. “anopheles mosquito –transmits malaria”
v. Ordering numbers: In ascending or descending order, in series
vi. Rearranging sentences and ideas: To make a story
vii. Number games: Counting, addition, multiplication
viii. Puzzles: Spellings
ix. Snakes and ladders: Creative on the different topic across the subjects e.g. on
immunization, HIV, vocabulary
Page 28 TOPIC 11: USING WORKSHEETS

Worksheets may fulfill at least four functions

i. Making textbook assignments available. There may not be enough textbooks available in the
classroom. A teacher may copy exercises from the textbook and distribute these as worksheets
to the students.
ii. Accommodating fast and slow learners. Some textbook assignments are readily completed
by some students while other students struggle. Both groups would benefit from extra assignments.
The fast learners could be challenged; the slow learners could be offered easier or more structured
tasks. Worksheets, therefore, can be used to help learners gain confidence.
iii. Offering a variety of activities. The challenge to offer a variety of learning activities to stimulate
learning. Worksheets could be designed to offer a variety of extra exercises on top of those in the
textbook. This requires adapting them to individual needs. In this way the teacher may also reach
students with different learning styles.
iv. Assessing students’ progress. Before creating a worksheet, teachers should know precisely
what objective it should serve. What should students learn by completing the assignments on the
worksheet? It is advisable to mention these objectives clearly on the worksheets.

How can a teacher use worksheets to activate learning?

i. Encourage learners to work in groups and discuss as peers to work through the activities.
ii. Differentiate worksheets so that learners progressively work at their pace.
iii. Use the worksheets during the lesson so children can follow the lesson development as they do
the activities.
iv. Ensure that there are precise instructions on how to use them so that they use them maximally.
v. Make sure that the objectives are clearly set and learners understand them.
As a teacher you can design worksheets for different purposes. There is no limit to the kind of
questions, types of exercises and assignments you can include in a worksheet. It is important you
balance between assignments that contribute to comprehension or ability to apply subject matter. Try
to avoid memorization worksheets.
 TOPIC 12: INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Page 29

12
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Instructional materials are those materials that the teacher uses to facilitate her/his delivery of
the lesson. These may include equipment like testtubes, markers, and chalkboards. The learning
materials can be explained as those materials from which the learners can derive the content,
and concepts of the lesson. Examples include: specimens to be reacted; leaves to be studied;
and an essay to be read. Effective teaching and learning will take place when a teacher has good
communication skills and uses instructional teaching and learning materials to achieve the teaching
and learning objectives. Teaching learning materials are used to transfer to the learners the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes to succeed academically.

Instructional materials are important in the following ways:

i. They can be used in leading a discussion and building abstract concepts.
ii. For explaining the content of the theme topic or lesson.
iii. Demonstrating skills and conducting experiments.
iv. Instructions for carrying out some activities can be written on charts.
v. Teaching learning aids when developed well can be an effective means of communication.

What is the value of instructional materials?

i. The delivery of instruction will be motivating to the learners; this means the use of teaching
learning materials makes learning interesting and meaningful.
ii. Teaching learning aids make the learning interactive. When the learners interact with the
learning material they make use of their senses so they learn through experience.
iii. The learners also develop positive attitudes towards learning as well as good relationships
with the teacher.
iv. Knowledge acquired will be retained for a longer time.
v. Different skills and values will be acquired by learners such as observation, manipulation,
critical thinking, and responsibility.
vi. Students will be actively involved during lessons.
A variety of instructional materials
Page 30 TOPIC 12: INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Categories of instructional materials include:

Non-projected /Visual materials
i. Three dimensional teaching learning materials include: Real objects (regalia) e.g. live animals and
ii. plants, non-living such as stones, wood, models such as cut-outs, abacus, and specimens.
iii. Two dimensional teaching learning materials: These include: graphs, diagrams, posters, maps,
globes, illustrations, charts in pictorial or graphic, numeric or verbal material. They also include
chalkboard, models, graphs, pictures, cartoons, printed materials: e.g. Text books, magazines,
bulletins, information sheets, worksheets, flash cards and sentence cards.
Projected or power driven materials
i. Audio aids: These include, radio, discs, cassettes
ii. Audio-visual: The include television, sound, films and videos

Guidelines for effective use of instructional materials for

teaching and learning:
i. Select the material which is appropriate to the topic and lesson i.e. relevant in developing the
competences of the lesson. This means that it should be able to portray the right facts, attitudes
and values.
ii. Ensure that the teaching-learning material should lead to the achievement of lesson objectives.
iii. The material should be adapted to the level of understanding of the learners.
iv. The teaching learning material should be reasonably sized, bold, and seen easily by the learners.
v. It is important that the teachers provide enough time to use the instruction material to benefit
the learners.
vi. The learners should be able to handle the teaching-learning material.
vii. Availability of the material in the school.
viii. Some teaching-learning materials which may be expensive to produce can be improvised so that
they are cost-effective and frequently used.

Qualities of good instructional materials

i. They should be durable: Can be re-used for a long period of time; this will provide time for
developing other instructional materials.
ii. They should be attractive: Helps to capture the attention of the learners to manipulate and
critically observe and generate basic learning points.
iii. Material should be relevant: Convey correct accurate information; the content intended to be
portrayed should be easily observed from the learning material.
iv. Safe and easy to handle: Learners can easily manipulate the material without harm, or frustration.
v. Suitable to the learners: Should suit their age, interest, and experience and ability level of the
learners.
 EDUCATION LOCAL EXPERTISE CENTRE UGANDA
Education Local Expertise Centre Uganda (ELECU)
P. O. Box 5200 Kampala | Plot 3271, Kansanga off Ggaba Road, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 414 501541 | Email: [email protected]