TEACHING METHODS

Teaching method is a style of the presentation of content in the classroom. M

Varma has defined the term ‘method’ in the following manner “ Method is an
abstract as logical entities that we can distinguish between manner and
methods. In reality ,they form an organic whole and matter determines
method of analogously as objective determines means content and spirit
determine style and form of literature.”
M. Varma has presented broad meaning of the term method . According to
him matter may be of three types, hence all the methods can be classified
under 3 heads .
1. Telling method: Lecture, questioning, discussion etc
2. Showing method: Demonstration, Excursion, Laboratory work , etc
3. Doing method: Project , Role playing, Practical etc
Broudy ( 1963) has stated that “ Method refers to the formal structure of the
sequence of acts commonly denoted by instruction . The term method covers
both strategies and tactics of teaching and involves the choice of what is to be
taught and in which order it is to be presented.”
Method is more general, it includes techniques also .The teaching techniques
are ways of implementing a method .Different techniques maybe employed
within one method of teaching.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEACHING METHODS
LECTURE METHOD: Lecture is the oldest method of teaching given by
idealism philosophy. It is still most important teaching method in our
school. It is one of the autocratic teaching strategies. As used in
instruction ,the lecture method refers to the teaching procedure
involved in the clarification or explanation to the students of some major
idea . This method lays emphasis on the presentation of the content .
Teacher is more active and students are passive but he uses question
answer to keep them attentive in the class .It is used to clarify matters to
expand content and motivate the students, by changing his voice, by
impersonating characters , by shifting his position and by using simple
devices , a teacher can deliver his lesson effectively . While delivering his
lecture a teacher can indicate by his facial expression, gestures and
tones the exact shade of meaning that he wishes to convey.
MAIN PURPOSE/ OBJECTIVES OF LECTURE METHOD
The main objectives are given below
1. To clarify : This method is a group method and when large number of
pupils need clarification in the moment of their difficulty this method
comes handy . A few minutes of lecturing can remove their doubts
2. To expand contents : In the books many things remain unsaid or
unexplained. Sometimes the discussion in the book about a topic is not
sufficient .In this case we can use lecture method to expand the content.
3. For the purpose of review: Lecture method is again useful in
recapitulatory work.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LECTURE METHOD
1. Large number of facts in short period of time : The chief characteristic of
this method is that it is probably the most efficient method for
presenting a large number of facts in a short period of time.
2. It is useful in introducing new subjects , in summarising the literature in
a field , in recapitulating course work etc .
3. With the help of this method the teacher can correct speech defects . He
can teach right pronunciation to children and adults.
4. It adds life to those ideas which appear to be dull, difficult and cold in the
book and which the students like to skip over. How to do that depends
upon the teacher who must have the capacity to impersonate, narrate
and inspire students.
FOCUS : It may be used to achieved the cognitive and affective objectives.
Lecture can be used to realize the highest order of cognitive objectives.
MERITS OF LECTURE METHOD
The following are the merits of lecture method
1. The habit of concentration may be develop among the students.
2. It is an economical teaching strategy. A large subject content may be
taught relatively in a small duration.
3. Very high order of cognitive objectives may be achieved.
4. The personality of teacher influencers the learner's personality.
5. The new content can be easily introduced.
6. It provides the opportunity to the teacher to use different types of
teaching aids.
7. It saves time and covers syllabus in a limited time.
8. Lecturing makes the work of the teacher very simple. He need not make
elaborate arrangements.
9. It provides better scope for clarification and for laying stress on
significant ideas.
10. It provides flexibility . As the teacher is in close and intimate contact with
his pupils, he can adjust his technique in accordance with their abilities
attitudes and interests.
11. It gives the students training in listening.
12. It gives the students training in taking notes rapidly.
13. It develops good audience habits.
14. It enables the linkage of previous knowledge with the new one.
DEMERITS OF LECTURE METHOD
1. It has more emphasis on teacher presentation and has no place for the
participation of the students.
2. This method can be used in higher classes but it cannot easily be used in
elementary classes.
3. Teaching activities are dominated by the teacher and there is no place
for student's abilities interest and their learning.
4. It is not based upon the principle of psychology. The individual
differences are not considered in implementing teaching strategy.
5. It cannot be used for achieving the psychomotor objectives and the
highest order of affective objectives.
6. Usually teacher deviates from the subject content and teaching points.
Therefore, students cannot perform well in examination.
7. An effective teacher can use this method effectively , because teacher
should have mastery over the content.
8. If the teacher is not alert and does not strive hard , the lecture will
become monotonous, boring, unimpressive and dull. It does happen in
majority of the classes.
DEMONSTRATION METHOD : Demonstration is the process of talking and
explaining of an idea or skill or an object by the teacher to the students by
means of showing them how to do it themselves. It involves verbal for facial
expressions and doing some concrete activity . Example of demonstration(
i) How to deliver a speech (ii) How to write legibly ( iii)How to prepare a
map (iv) How to prepare food (v) How to perform an experiment (vi) How to
write a letter.
Demonstration method is a traditional classroom method , which is
used in technical schools and training colleges . It is widely used by teacher-
educators during teaching practice. Demonstration method is mainly used
as a teaching method for average and below average students for untrain
and inexperienced teacher. It is more useful for Pupil teachers to develop
his own lesson in classroom teaching
FOCUS : It is used for achieving the psychomotor and cognitive objectives.
MERITS OF DEMONSTRATION METHOD
It has the following merits
1. Demonstration as a teaching method, helps the teacher in his teaching
task to a great extent. He can make his students understand and grasp
the content of his lesson with great care by saving a lot of time and
efforts for achieving the desired objectives.
2. Demonstration puts the necessary zeal enthusiasm among the students
for teaching the facts and the principles in a proper way.
3. The knowledge and experiences, so gained help them to remember for
a long time and to use them in a practical way.
4. Demonstration helps in cultivating genuine interest and attention of the
students in the class activities.
5. It makes the students active participants in the teaching- learning
process and provide them opportunities for the development of their
mental faculties like faculty of observation, reasoning , deep thinking
and creative imagination.
6. The teacher can used his best competency of teaching.
7. It provides better understanding of the content.
8. It involves more senses of students in learning process.
9. It makes teaching as an interactive process.
10. Demonstration enables the students to acquire knowledge in first hand
form. It brings about a close relationship between theory and practice .
It helps in fixing facts and principles .
 DEMERITS OF DEMONSTRATION METHOD
It has the following demerits.
1. Demonstration method requires competent teachers well
acquainted with the theoretical concepts and their related
practical demonstration.
2. The success of demonstration lies in its proper observation on the
part of the students. It requires small number of students In a
class, proper equipment and material facilities to make the
demonstration visible to the whole class and keen attention and
alertness on the part of the students throughout the process of
demonstration . Since all such requirements are hardly fulfilled in
the present classrooms of our country, the desired success in the
use of demonstration device cannot be achieved.
3. Demonstration method only demonstrate action but do not
provide actual opportunities for learning by doing or self
experimentation for the students.
PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD: Problem solving method may be defined as a
method which provides opportunity to the students for analysing and solving
a problem on the basis of the previous stock of their knowledge enriched with
the present means available to them quite independently by following some
systematic steps and arriving at some basic conclusion or result to be utilised in
future for the solution of similar problems in identical situation.
In fact, in its form, nature, goals and objectives it is quite similar to the
method known as heuristic or discovery method.
STEPS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
1. Confrontation of the problem: They should arise some problem needing
solution before the students. This situation may arise in a natural way or may
be posed by the teacher with planned or deliberate efforts.
2. Describing and understanding the problem: The problem faced should be
clearly defined and understood by the students for its desired solution . For
this purpose, it should be properly analyse. The students should feel the need
of solving this problem, the purpose served by the solution of this problem and
the possible ways of discovering the solution of the problem.
3. Gathering relevant information or data : In this step , the students are made
to collect relevant information or data for the probable solution of the
problem.
4. Analyzing the collected data or information: In this step, the collected data
or information is analysed in the light of finding out the probable solution of
the problem . What is relevant to the solution of the problem is properly
picked up by leaving the non relevant and superfluous parts.
5. Formulation of hypothesis or tentative solution: On the basis of the analysed
data or information relevant to the problem , the students are directed and
guided to formulate probable hypothesis i.e tentative plans for the solution of
the problem.
6. Selection and testing of a proper hypothesis: Out of the probable tentative
plans for the solution of the problem, the most suitable one is selected.
7. Application of the accepted hypothesis or conclusion: The hypothesis, after
proper testing, is accepted as a best possible way to find out the solution of
the problem .Attempts are then made to apply it in the solution of the other
similar problems.
MERITS OF PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
The merits of problem solving method are as follows
1. Problem solving method makes the student feel confident in facing the
problems not only in the classroom but also in real life.
2. It provides valuable opportunities for the proper development of the
cognitive abilities of the students. The realisation of higher cognitive
objectives is also facilitated with the use of this method.
3. The use of this method provides training in analysing as well as
discovering the solution of the faced problem
4. It makes them self reliant for pursuing the learning activities with their
own independent efforts.
5. Being a child centred approach, it makes the task of learning quite
absorbing, interesting and purposeful.
DEMERITS OF PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
1. It is difficult to utilise problem solving method for deriving specific
educational purposes.
2. Problem solving method requires independent efforts on the part of
students to find out the solution of the problems . It requires proper
patience, abilities and capacities on the part of the students. Every
student cannot be expected to possess such abilities, and consequently
to have expectation from all the students of the class for the adoption of
this method may pose a serious problem.
3. The task of thinking about the probable tentative solution or hypothesis
is a quite challenging one. Students often have a temptation to pick up
wrong hypothesis and are thus bound to waste that time and energies in
useless and irrelevant activities .
4. The method requires more preparation and abilities on the part of the
teachers. They are supposed to lead can guide students for independent
problem solving by helping them to select appropriate problems, analyse
and then find out their solution with their own independent efforts .To
provide such timely proper individual or collective guidance is not an
easy task. Any inadequacy on the part of teachers may prove costly in
the realisation of the objectives of this method.
5. Problem solving method for its effective implementation requires a
small number of students in the class along with the availability of the
proper resources in the form of an organised library ,walkable
laboratory, and materials and equipment as well as the presence of
desirable teaching-learning situation and environment. In the absence of
such facilities it becomes difficult to adopt such method.

GROUP DISCUSSION METHOD: In its simple meaning the terms group

discussion stands for the discussion held within the group . In this sense,
group discussion as teaching method may be defined as some sort of
discussion i.e interchange of ideas between students and teacher or
among a group of students, resulting into active learning for the
realisation of the predetermined teaching learning objectives. This group
discussion, in no way, occurs occasionally or incidentally but is planned
and organised with deliberate efforts on the part of the teacher and
students for achieving the set goals.
 MERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION METHOD
Group discussion has the following merits
1. It ensures the active participation of the students in the process of
teaching learning.
2. It trains students for carrying out group activities and cooperative task .
The qualities linked to prepare social development and democratic
living is also develop with the adoption of this method.
3. It provides opportunities to the students for imbibing the qualities of a
good listener as well as effective leader . When a group members
speaks other listen to it with patience and try to show respect for his
opinion but at the same time they may also put up their own views in a
quiet democratic way.
4. Here, students May be able to develop their abilities and skills regarding
critical thinking, analysing ,synthesizing ,evaluating, inferring ,and also
the abilities like understanding other opinion. Thus group discussion
method proved to be quite effective for the realisation of objectives
related to higher cognitive an affective domain of the learners
behaviour.
5. It teaches the students not to accept any idea blindly but to weight it
with all its pros and cons and consequences before practising.
6. It provides good training for verbal communication, expression of ideas
and creative and constructive thinking.

DEMERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION METHOD

Group discussion method may suffer from the following demerits and
limitations.
1. Teacher as a group leader, may take initiative in his hand by
unnecessarily, interfering in the though process of the members or
talking too much.
2. The group discussion may go out of the track by paying little
consideration to the set objectives.
3. The group member may clash with each other cutting loose and
negative personal remarks.
4. Any member of the group may dominate the whole discussion leaving
little or no chance to others for expressing their views.
5. The shy or inactive members may not show any interest in the
discussion or they may feel neglected or depressed on account of the
lack of ability for initiative and expression.