Effective teaching strategies are key for every classroom teacher. Every so often, even the most experienced teachers run into teacher’s block (you know, the equivalent of writer’s block, but for those in the teaching profession) and need help getting out of it.
We need to try something new (or new to us) or something we used to use but have forgotten about. But where do we start?
If you ever find yourself in this sort of situation, these tips can help you. I will run through a list of effective teaching strategies and assessment ideas that can make great additions to your classroom and teaching toolbox.
18 Effective Teaching Strategies
Strategy One: Think-Pair-Share
What is it?: An activity where students come up with their own thoughts and ideas and then share them with a partner or small group. What is it particularly good for? Review helps them access prior knowledge and is great for sharing ideas.
Think you might want to use Think-Pair-Share? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Two: Socratic Seminar
What is it? A way to encourage students to read and think through student-focused class discussions and student-created, open-ended questions. What is it particularly good for? Discussions of literature or historical events and items.
Think you might want to use Socratic Seminar? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Three: Inferencing
What is it? A way of having students discuss, practice looking for connections and drawing conclusions, and justify their work. What is it particularly good for? Introducing new topics, historical analysis, and the beginning of research paper units.
Think you might want to use Inferencing? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Four: Say Something
What is it? A strategy that encourages attentive, detail-oriented, and careful reading through a partner or small-group reading and talking. What is it particularly good for? Challenging or complex reading, reluctant or unfocused readers, and focused reading practice.
Think you might want to use Say Something? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Five: Peer Feedback
What is it? A strategy to help students improve their compositions through the use of directed peer responses. What is it particularly good for? Any major writing assignment.
Think you might want to use Peer Feedback? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Six: Building Background Knowledge
What is it? A strategy to help students review and recall what they already know about a topic as both individuals and as a class. What is it particularly good for? At the beginning of units, before starting novels with particularly strong historical connections or as a review method.
Think you might want to use Building Background Knowledge? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Seven: Give One, Get One
What is it? A way for students to analyze and respond to class material, as well as listen to and reflect on classmates’ ideas. What is it particularly good for? Literary and historical analysis, debate, and review.
Think you might want to use Give One, Get One? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Eight: Gallery Walk
What is it? A strategy that asks students to respond to learning prompts posted around your classroom. What is it particularly good for? Introduction, review, and analysis of any topic, especially those topics that are visual- or image-heavy, and for students who learn best when moving.
Think you might want to use Gallery Walk? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Nine: Save the Last Word
What is it? A strategy that asks students to discuss and respond to a written text, a video, an image, a classmate’s speech, a poem, or anything else that suits their needs using specific examples to support their ideas and opinions. What is it particularly good for? Responding to longer or more complex items, as well as practicing using evidence and specifics.
Think you might want to use Save the Last Word? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Ten: Fishbowl
What is it? A discussion strategy that asks students to participate in a small rotating group and has both the benefits of small-group, as well as whole-class discussion. What is it particularly good for? Teaching discussion etiquette and expectations, stressing listening as well as speaking skills and group problem-solving.
Think you might want to use Fishbowl? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Eleven: Partner Quiz
What is it? A review strategy where students partner up and go over ideas and topics chosen by the teacher as well as help classmates who do not know answers to learn them. What is it particularly good for? Reviewing for a test or quiz (particularly before other review activities) or reinforcing newly learned ideas.
Think you might want to use Partner Quiz? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Twelve: Clock Talk
What is it? A strategy to get students thinking and then talking about teacher-directed topics and questions in short, unintimidating (or less intimidating) chunks. What is it particularly good for? Class discussion, extended debate, and review.
Think you might want to use Clock Talk? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Thirteen: Entrance and Exit Tickets
What is it? A strategy designed to quickly assess student knowledge at the beginning or end of class through responses to one or a couple of brief questions. What is it particularly good for? Accessing prior knowledge, assessing student learning of a given lesson, tone setting at the beginning of class, and drawing class to a close in an organized, academic fashion.
Think you might want to use Entrance and Exit Tickets? For more information on this strategy, read this blog post.
Strategy Fourteen: Project-Based Learning
What is it? A strategy that encourages students to engage in real-world activities that requires them to collaborate, use their critical thinking skills, and learn to problem-solve, all through hands-on learning.
Learn more about this strategy here.
Strategy Fifteen: Inquiry-Based Learning
What is it? A strategy that encourages students to think critically and use and develop their research and analytical skills to ask questions and explore answers.
The Social Studies, History, and Geography units from 2 Peas and a Dog utilize inquiry-based learning in some of their lessons.
Strategy Sixteen: Student-Centred Learning
What is it? A strategy that allows students to be involved in the process of what they learn, how they will learn, and how they will be assessed. This involves providing more choices for students and also encourages them to work collaboratively and build relationships with their classmates.
Learn more about this strategy here.
Strategy Seventeen: Experiential Learning
What is it? A strategy that encourages students to learn through experiences. They will engage with real-world settings and develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Hosting a career day at your school is an example of experiential learning. For more information on this, read this blog post.
Strategy Eighteen: Blended Learning
What is it? A strategy that combines online and in-class learning to meet the needs of all students. Students are encouraged to progress at their own pace and develop their own unique style of learning.
Learn more about blended learning here and here.
Experiencing teacher’s block can be a challenge to get through, so I hope you found (or remembered) some helpful and effective teaching strategies that you can put to good use in your classroom!
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