Teaching Techniques

Teaching Techniques:
An American Perspective
Supplementary Presentation
Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH
AuthorAID Workshop
Bangladesh, May 2009
Source
Gastel B. Teaching techniques: theory and
practice. In: Witte FM, Taylor ND, eds.
Essays for Biomedical Communicators:
Volume 2 of Selected AMWA Workshops.
Bethesda, Maryland: American Medical
Writers Association, 1997.
Some Observations
on Teaching and Learning
Some Observations
on Teaching and Learning
• Teaching is helping others learn.
• Learning is not restricted to the classroom.
• Learning is an individual matter. Students differ
in learning styles, backgrounds, and goals.
• Different good teachers have different styles.
However, they also have attributes in common:
– Being knowledgeable about their subject
– Being well organized
– Presenting material clearly
– Facilitating participation effectively
– Showing enthusiasm and promoting interest
Observations (cont)
• Especially for adults, good learning situations
tend to have the following characteristics:
– Learners are treated as unique individuals, are shown
respect, and have chances to make choices and
show initiative.
– Learners have chances to draw from and build on
their experiences.
– Learners can gain knowledge and skills useful in
achieving their preexisting goals.
– Learners can soon use the material that they are
learning.
Observations (cont)
• Teachers should define their goals and
objectives.
• Teaching methods should be suited to the
teaching objectives.
• Students should be informed of the goals and
objectives of the teaching—and perhaps of the
reasons for the teaching methods.
• The material to be learned should be
meaningful.
Observations (cont)
• “Active” learning generally is more effective than
“passive” learning.
• Trying to present too much material in a given
amount of time is counterproductive.
• Giving students—and teachers—feedback is
important. The feedback should be timely and
constructive.
• How students’ performance is evaluated
influences what they do and what they learn.
• Teaching and learning should be enjoyable.
Giving Lectures
Giving Lectures:
Engaging the Audience
• Relate what you so to what already
interests the group.
• Try to stimulate curiosity.
• Use an engaging manner of delivery.
• Include variety.
• Use audiovisual materials, if appropriate.
• From time to time, give the audience an
active role.
Giving Lectures: Organizing the
Material in a Meaningful Way
• Relate the information to what the
students already know and to what they
will do in the future.
• Give the lecture a simple, logical structure.
• Unless suspense is intended, present
overviews before details.
• Include summaries.
Giving Lectures: Making the
Material Clear by Other Means
• Remember to define terms that might be
unfamiliar.
• Avoid or greatly limit the use of abbreviations.
• Speak slowly enough.
• Repeat or otherwise emphasize important ideas.
• Make relationships between ideas clear.
• State your reasoning.
• Consider using audiovisual aids to clarify the
material.
• Check with the audience.
Giving Lectures:
Avoiding Stage Fright
• Prepare well, but don’t over-prepare.
• Become familiar with the lecture room beforehand.
• Rehearse before someone supportive.
• Beware of too much caffeine, food, or water.
• Get some exercise.
• Develop rapport with the students before the lecture.
• Think positively.
• Hide physical signs of anxiety.
• Realize that a lecture need not be perfect to be
excellent.
Giving Lectures:
Using Audiovisual Aids
• Keep visuals simple, so they can be understood
quickly.
• In general, use graphs rather than tables.
• Be sure that visuals are legible.
• Check the room and the equipment beforehand.
• Show visuals only at relevant times.
• Orient the audience to what is being presented.
• Keep each visual in view long enough.
Leading Discussions
Leading Discussions:
Using Questions Effectively
• Include questions that stimulate participants to
think (not only questions that just require
memorization).
• Phrase questions clearly.
• Ask one question at a time.
• After a question, allow enough thinking time.
• Do not call on only the people who raise their
hands first.
• Ask participants to present the reasoning behind
their answers.
• If answers are ambiguous, ask for clarification.
Leading Discussions: Promoting
Participation in Other Ways
• If possible, place chairs in a circle or other
arrangement that promotes interaction.
• If the group is large, perhaps break it into
subgroups.
• Perhaps leave the room for part of the time.
• Encourage participants to react to what others
say.
• At times give participants specific roles—such as
note-taker, summarizer, or discussion leader.
Giving Feedback
Giving Feedback
• Be generous with praise.
• If you will give both praise and criticism, begin
with praise. Maybe present a “criticism
sandwich” (praise, then criticism, then praise).
• Give criticism at an appropriate time and place.
• Criticize or praise the behavior, not the person.
• Avoid sarcasm.
• Express criticisms as perceptions, not fact.
Giving Feedback (cont)
• Be specific in your criticisms, and provide
suggestions for improvement.
• Make sure the criticism is understood.
• If appropriate, offer help in improving
performance.
• Do not make too many points in a single
session.
• Show empathy.
• Help recipients learn to evaluate their own
performance.
• If performance improves, provide praise.
Thank you!

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