Education Requirement #52

Teaching Methods

Prepares participants to create a performance-based instructional environment that helps learners maximize learning. Participants will develop or enhance skills to promote active learning by using varied instructional methodologies such as: large and small group activities, presentations and demonstrations, learner-centered activities like role play, case studies, simulations, individual research, etc. (Meets the requirements for WTCS Certification #52-Teaching Methods)

Plan and implement teaching/learning strategies that help learners maximize learning

• Increase productivity and effectiveness as a teacher
• Take responsibility for clarifying, teaching, and measuring competencies that meet the needs of learners
• Learn effectively, modeling lifelong learning while enhancing professional skills
• Respect cultural diversity and pluralism
  

1. Develop a plan for creating a collaborative environment that motivates and supports student learning.

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• plan shows evidence that participant has analyzed the target learner population
• plan includes a diagram showing how to arrange an existing classroom in order to maximize learning and foster collaborative learning for the target learner population
• plan includes strategies for providing learners with information about performance expectations and standards
• plan shows techniques for helping learners see why targeted skills are important to them
• plan lays out procedures and rules for teaching and learning
• plan includes strategies for developing mutual respect among learners regardless of gender and cultural differences
• plan identifies learner support systems
• plan describes strategies for actively involving learners in the learning process
  

2. Develop strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• strategies include techniques for capturing learners' attention
• strategies maximize efficiency of learners' working memory
• strategies cause learners to encode learning into long-term memory
• strategies encourage application of learning in situations that require little adaptation
• strategies support transfer of learning to situations that require adaptation and judgment
• strategies help learners increase their awareness and knowledge of their own learning and thinking processes
• strategies encourage learners to control their learning and thinking and processes
  

3. Construct a repertoire of teaching and learning strategies

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• repertoire classifies teaching/learning strategies as "learner centered" or "teacher centered," according to their appropriateness for varied group sizes, and one of the following: Dimensions of Learning, Multiple Intelligences or learning styles
• repertoire identifies the learning theory framework used for classification of teaching/learning strategies (ex. Multiple Intelligences, learning styles, Dimensions of Learning, hemispherosity, etc.)
• repertoire includes teaching/learning activities from a variety of the classifications
• repertoire includes teaching/learning strategy list that features at least 75% learner-centered strategies
• repertoire includes teaching/learning strategies that are feasible
• participant draws from repertoire list when designing and implementing lesson plans
• participant customizes teaching/learning strategies to fit the content and performance of the instructional outcomes
  

4. Model thinking and problem-solving skills

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant helps learners focus on the process of thinking and problem-solving as well as the products
• participant models varied approaches to problem-solving
• participant models and encourages meta-cognition in learners
• participant creates an environment that motivates learners to learn
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
  

5. Employ a variety of questioning techniques

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant focuses instruction on clearly identified core ability, competency, and or learning objective
• participant employs a variety of factual, inferential, and open-ended/higher-order questions
• participant rephrases questions for clarification when needed
• participant solicits answers to questions using strategies such as turn-taking and wait time
• participant uses pauses and silence to draw responses
• participant acknowledges all learner contributions
• participant responds to learners with effective feedback
• participant encourages elaboration with follow-up questions
• participant creates an environment that motivates learners to learn
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

6. Facilitate small group activities that encourage cooperative learning

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant focuses instruction on clearly identified core ability, competency, and/or learning objective
• participant provides guidelines for group effectiveness
• participant sets a group size that maximizes the effectiveness of the learning
• participant creates groups efficiently
• participant communicates a task, giving clear direction to the group activity
• participant provides necessary supplies and equipment
• participant encourages learner interaction
• participant closes activity by returning focus to what was to be accomplished
• participant creates an environment that motivates learners to learn
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

7. Facilitate learner-centered activities and practice (e.g. role-playing, case studies, simulation, writing to learn, brainstorming, oral presentations, learner research, guided practice)

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant focuses instruction on clearly identified core ability, competency, and/or learning environment
• participant selects an activity that is appropriate to targeted instructional outcome and learning environment
• participant gives clear direction to the activity
• participant communicates assessment methods for activity in advance
• participant encourages active learner participation
• participant arranges for necessary supplies and/or equipment
• participant uses scaffolding to provide higher levels of support when learners begin a new skill and diminishes support as learners become more competent
• participant creates an environment that motivates learners to learn
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

8. Present new skills and concepts using techniques such as active lecture and demonstration

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant focuses instruction on clearly identified core ability, competency, and/or learning objective
• participant presents accurate and relevant information
• participant uses examples to show application to the "real world"
• participant uses effectively one or more audio visual aids such as computer data shows, transparencies, chalk board, flip chart, video tapes, or props to reinforce the learning
• participant presents materials in chunks appropriate to learners' level or ability
• participant intersperses learner interaction, assessing learner understanding through questioning, discussion, or guided practice
• participant creates an environment that motivates learners to learn
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

9. Adapt learning activities to accommodate special needs

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant identifies potential barriers in a learning activity
• participant identifies reasonable accommodations that would facilitate learning, making it accessible to all learners
• participant informs learners about how they may request assistance in accommodating special needs
• participant uses outside resource persons in planning accommodation for special needs
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

10. Manage difficult instructional situations

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant minimizes disruption of learning
• participant recognizes and addresses difficult instructional situations before they escalate
• participant listens to assess nature of the difficulty
• participant places focus on the problem and issues rather than on individuals
• participant presents one or more "win/win" options
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
  

11. Assess teaching-learning effectiveness

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant employs classroom assessment techniques to obtain feedback about teaching and learning
• classroom assessment techniques are quick and easy to use
• classroom assessment techniques actively engage learners in assessing the learning process
• classroom assessment techniques encourage learner metacognition
• classroom assessment techniques measure effectiveness of learning for the class as a whole rather than for individual learners
• participant uses classroom assessment data to adjust teaching strategies or to recommend learning adjustments to learners
• participant shares results of classroom assessment with learners, explaining teaching adjustments or recommending learning adjustments
  

12. Create a lesson plan that includes time management, opening, closure, and learning activities

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• plan addresses clearly identified core ability(ies), competency(ies), and/or learning objectives(s)
• plan identifies teaching/learning activities that cause learners to be motivated, to learn, to practice, and to apply what they have learned
• plan offers varied activities providing opportunities for learners to work in more than one learning style or use more than one of the multiple intelligences
• plan includes strategies for actively engaging learners
• plan identifies necessary resources and supplies
• plan includes a timeline or other strategy for managing time and includes strategies for maximizing time on-task
• plan features strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• plan includes strategies for seeking feedback about effectiveness of teaching/learning
  

13. Implement a lesson plan

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• participant focuses instruction on clearly identified core ability, competency, and/or learning objective
• participant activity employs the plan to inspire, teach, guide, and coach learners
• participant models thinking and problem-solving skills
• participant actively engages learners in the learning
• participant employs strategies for supporting learners' cognitive processes
• participant maximizes efficient use of learning time
• participant adapts the plan to the needs of the learners and to the teaching/learning situation
• participant justifies adaptations to the plan
• participant establishes an environment that is free of gender, cultural or special needs bias
• participant obtains learner feedback about effectiveness of teaching/learning
• participant critiques the success of the lesson, identifying strengths and proposing strategies for increasing effectiveness
  

14. Propose how you might use new instructional technologies to better meet learners' needs

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

• proposal selects one or more uses of instructional technology to enhance teaching and learning for a special course, workshop, or program
• proposal shows how use of technology could add value to teaching and learning
• proposal considers potential for use of technology to diminish quality of teaching and learning
• proposal predicts how use of technology might affect the learners' role in the learning process
• proposal predicts how use of selected technology might affect the teacher's role
• proposal recognizes constraints for using technology
• proposal suggests strategies for making use of technology feasible
• proposal includes a conclusion with recommendations supporting or opposing the use of the selected instructional technology in the specific course, workshop, or program

Last reviewed: January 29, 2002


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