Teaching Techniques and Student Learning

Question: Discuss about the Teaching Techniques and Student Learning. Answer: Introduction: Schools and other educational institutions form the backbone of the society, since it is in these places that young minds are shaped and prepared to become effective human beings. (Rifai,2017,p.70) Trough this assignment we will try to understand how new teaching strategies can be developed in order to provide proper education to students, and how new and traditional literacies can contribute to this end. As stated in numerous articles and journals, the vast diversity of the modern times puts forward uncountable challenges for teachers, who may not have countered the same diversity in their student life.( Larsen and Anderson,2013,p.21) In my opinion, in order to address the rising diversity teachers must create equilibrium between the high stake accountability while meeting the requirements of the diverse students in a classroom setting. It has been surveyed, that roughly ninety six percent students in a classroom setting suffer from learning disabilities. However this is not the only challenge faced by teachers. The classrooms also shelter students hailing from diverse cultural, ethical and linguistic background. (Madsen et al, 2016,p.345) In keeping with various studies to address the concern of diversity in classrooms and development of contemporary teaching technique, I feel the incorporation of differentiating instruction assist teachers to address the individual needs of the students.( Lor, and Bowers,2014,p.60) This allows teachers to focus on the specific skills of the students, be open to their needs and allows the scope for the incorporation of these assessments within the instructions. In order to empower students and to identify the core area of their strength, teachers can make use of technology. A wide range of software and hardware tools are available for teachers to make use of; while they strive to address the individual demands of the students. Technology helps teachers and students alike by the use of content input, learning programmes and comprehension skills.( Burns et al,2014,p.76) With the use of technology, a wide array of content can be covered in a limited time, thereby reducing the need to slower the pace of the curriculum. In my view technology is the need of the hour due to the increasing diversity of the students in the classroom. For example a dyslexic student can get assistance with the use of technology in the classroom setting. He/she can read a text with ease while listening to the audio on the headphone, reducing the difficulties of reading the text solely.( lvarez et al, 2014,p.98) With the use of audio, visuals, or concept-mapping teacher s can reduce the need for review after a new concept has been taught, at least in the initial stages. The world is full of options and uniqueness and all of this is due to the diverse people that reside on it. Thus for teachers, it is all the more important to embrace this diversity. In fact this cultural, ethical and linguistic diversity can play a big role in changing and contributing to existing and contemporary literatures. They bring in a wide range of opportunities for everyone to enrich from.( Hitt et al,2014,p.54) In the United States, the education system has devised a teaching strategy to address the diversity of the students than to focus on the problem for the students and teachers. The situation in the United States is fortunate, since the country is the home immigrants, political refugees, Native Americans and descendants of African slaves. The diversity has resulted in the development of new types of films, art, culture, language, political system and cuisines. These at the same time have a positive impact on the classroom teaching practices in the American classroom s ettings.( Egan, 2014,150) The immigrant students provide opportunities to be explored and diversity to be appreciated thereby challenging the status quo. In the light of the above, students as well as teaching staffs must incorporate learning and teaching approaches respectively to give respect to other cultures. In my view such a classroom environment form the ideal platform to learn skills and perspectives required to survive within the global society.( Lem et al,2014,p.3) Since students work, play and learn with students from diverse cultures they are better prepared to live and work within the global village that we live in. Reaching strategies developed on the social history of the diver culture and can assist in the development of effective learning processes, thereby widening the horizon, acceptance and cultural toleration of the new generation. Critical thinking among students is prompted by teachers, when the latter makes the rules of the classroom explicit, thereby assisting students to set a comparison and contrast with other cultures.( Gaur et al, 2015,p.90) In such a setting students can develop cross-cultural skills. However, in order to attain the above mentioned aims, the teachers must have the required skills, knowledge, and attitude. I feel if proper opportunity is provided within such an environment, students can take part in the learning community programmes within the schools and neighborhood and grow up to take positive and effective role as workers, family members and responsible citizens. Zeicher has devised an extensive literature that summarizes the appropriate teaching techniques for a diverse student population. It is important for the teachers to have a clear sense of their own cultural identities. It is important that teachers do not look down upon any student irrespective of their cultural and linguistic background and always encourage and motivate students to succeed. It is the teachers responsibility to achieve equity among students and have a firm belief that they are capable of making a difference.( Palmer et al, 2015,p.12) The curriculum designed must aim at attaining a higher level of cognitive development. Instructions must primarily focus on the students ability of making sense of the content within a collaborative learning environment. It is also important that teachers make see that the learning is meaningful. The curriculum must include the contributions made to the society by various ethno-cultural groups. Teachers must try to establish a link betwe en the academically challenging curriculums to the respective culture of the students. While maintaining the culture of the school, the teachers must ensure that the cultural, pride and identity of the student is not hampered. The students must be made part of the important decision regarding the school; it is advisable not to ignore their voice. In order to impart education to students from diver cultural background, it is important to use instructions different from those given to students coming from mainstream backdrops. It has been noticed that linguistically or culturally diverse students are usually placed at the lower rungs of a reading group, or are sent out for remedial classes. In my view, this issue can be addressed by understanding the individual need of the student and thereby evolving a tailor made teaching strategy to approach it. In many cases Asian African are taken as a single ethnic group. However there are many subgroups within this category.( Dodeen,2015,p.110) Needless to say that each has its own cultural and ethnical perspective. Such generalization can lead to misconception thus deterring teachers from identifying and addressing the specific needs of the students. It must be clearly understood that inequality in the learning capabilities of students does not originate from their cultural difference. It is due to the difference in the quality of instruction provided to them. In order to address this problem, teachers must encourage student to voice up their suggestion about the mode of teaching. One way of doing this, in my opinion is by motivating students to take active part in problem solving activities. Teachers can begin the process by asking students open ended questions which can only be answered if the students use their own thoughts and judgments. Teachers must coax students to use their analytical skills, evaluation techniques to come up with suggestions. At the same time students should be encouraged to take part in researches in the field of their interest, do their homework on their do and learn tie management.( Richards and Rodgers,2014,) T For example a student having interest in science subjects can be shown the upcoming videos of safe backyard experimenting. On the other hand students having a flair for history can be taken on field visits. These field trips can act as a classroom for effectively teaching the subject, which can otherwise be quite monotonous. These ideas are based on the fact that visual memories form the strongest memories. Once the students see the cause and effect of a particular phenomena or have a real life experience of going to a historical site the lessons get imprinted in the minds of the youngsters there by achieving the primary aim of education, i.e. imparting knowledge. To this end, one such programme has been developed in San Diego. Known as the Achievement via Individual Determination (AVID) , the programme has targeted to diversify the curriculum, course structure in many ways so that students have more career options in hand on passing high school. Students are taught effective ways of studying, interacting with teachers and are taught how to write college application.( Mohamed et al 2013,p.240) These skills are usually passed down from the parents; however it is important to teach these skills to students who do not have access to such cultural learning. Many a time, a student is capable of achieving higher level of knowledge if he/she is given proper motivation by their teachers.( Irmawati et al ,2017,p.21) When teachers are able to make students feel that they believe in them, the students are motivated to put in their best, takes part in challenging activities, ask high ended questions and so on. In addition to these, I feel students, especially the high school students must be taught to take up adult duties. This can be done by launching after school community based projects. When the young minds plan, teach each other and take part in other activities they prepare themselves for their adult roles. Students, when become a part of financial activities such as fundraising programmes, learn to take responsibility, and acquire advanced mathematical skills. At the same time they develop social as well as communicative skills. In such group efforts diversity of skills plays to the benefit of the entire group, everyone makes some form of contribution. In addition to such community activities, journal writings can also be implemented so that students can reflect their learning and identify the areas and activities which they want to be a part of.( Yoshida,2016,p.300) One way to empower students, in my opinion is by highlighting their experiences in the classroom. It is noticed that young people start taking interest in lessons when the teacher brings them to question on what they might know about a particular topic, or what might they want to know about it. It may so happen that the student may tell an indigenous story, this will go on to interest the others, while lead to further acceptance of diversity within the classroom. As stated at the very beginning of the assignment, the task of the teachers in the modern century is marked by challenges. A major or perhaps the prime challenges which concern teachers is the discrepancy between the traditional and contemporary literacies. Traditional literacies comprise of a print or a page, decoding and making sense of what has been written. They can be categorized as words and pictures present in textbooks or comic books which students read and understand. On the other hand, the new illiteracies mark a paradigm shift. They comprise of online reading activities, learning skills, learning through audio clips, videos and much more. The students not only read what is given but explore the web world, locate and analyze given information and then use it in the studies. All these are becoming heavily important in the modern technology driven world. The problem arises as there is a growing gap between what children do at home and what they do in schools. While they spend almost 27 hours in a week on online activities at home, they hardly spend more than 15 hours a week on the same activities in school. Under such circumstance it is difficult to develop online skills in the classroom setting owing to the lack of infrastructure facilities. Most of the students have online access and use it for social networking and other recreational activities. This setting is not exactly what a student pictures in mind when the word classroom is uttered.( Huang. and Lin, 2014p.17) Though these tech savvy children are inseparable from their gadgets, they not have the knowledge of using the information received online to the best of their interest. It is for this reason, that new literacies must be introduced within a classroom setting. This will not only capture and attract the attention of the students but keep them informed of the probable evils that such technologies can bring. While the lives of most students evolve around technology and new and varied learning, schools present them with a standardized, flat and monotonous form of assessment. Most schools even today believe and rely on mugged up facts and theoretical assessments focusing majorly on the marks to be attained.( Frazier et al,2017,p.94) This factory format of schooling fails to satisfy the needs of the 21st century student who are characterized by constant curiosity and search for the unknown. Under such circumstances I feel the classroom environment can be amended by bringing in a massive change in the traditional literacies and the existing teaching patterns. For example sex education must be incorporated in the new curriculum since its barbaric to assign stigma to an act so natural. In addition to that it is important to keep the growing youth aware of the various choices and options available to them. It is also important to teach students about the various sexual orientations. It is high time that the literatures stop categorizing human relationship as natural or unnatura l. It is known for a fact that different individual have different interests and thereby excel in diverse fields. It is important that teachers uncover these interest grounds of the students and develop methods to polish these skills. Conducing sessions where students can talk about their interests, holding trips, getting the students to organize a street play or skit can be used as some of the techniques. It is important to come out of the historically established form of curriculum and student assessment techniques and device such methods which can actually make individuals effective for the society.( Chantoem and Rattanavich, 2015,p.2015,p.65) Communication is one of the important factors and perhaps the basis on which a part of a persons merit is decided. It is a prime factor in a job market. Half the battle is one if one has the gift of the gab. Thus it is important that teachers prepare their students in this line by hosting frequent debates on varied subjects. Not only will it go on to increase the cognitive ability of the students but also help them gain knowledge about diverse subjects. Conclusion: It must be realized that education is not something that can be measured in marks and degrees. The ultimate aim of education is to produce fine human beings who can significantly contribute to the society and make it a place worth living. In this note the schools and other educational institutions cannot do away or ignore their responsibility. The modern world does not require programmed robots but humans with both sensitivity and practical understanding. Even in order to stop the gory bloodshed and the fight for the ultimate power truly educated human being are required. After all it is not the assessments, the projects or the marks which will draw the war to its end. Reference: lvarez, J.A., Segundo, J., lvarez, C., Arellano, J.C. and Prez, A.A., 2014. 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Available from: TESOL International Association. 1925 Ballenger Avenue Suite 550, Alexandria, VA 22314.