Instructional Strategies

"Teachers can choose from an array of teaching strategies: lecture, discussion, activities, storytelling, independent study, small group instruction, peer instruction." These are all examples of various strategies that teachers can choose the appropriate strategy for his/ her classroom ( Cooper&Simonds, 2011). The composition of every group of students can be different and it is up to the teacher to determine which factors are effective when choosing a teaching strategy. There are various factors that effect a teachers choice on what strategy is appropriate to use. Those factors include the teacher's objective of the course or class, the students, the students various learning styles,  and lastly, the environment in which the learning and teaching is taking place ( Cooper& Simonds, 2011).

Small group, lecture, storytelling and discussion: A teacher’s communication differs when utilizing small group work for instruction as opposed to using lecture or discussion methods because the composition and format of a small group is much different than a lecture and even a discussion with students. When communicating with a small group it enables students to share their ideas with others, it also “fosters positive attitudes with the subject” (Cooper and Simonds, 2011) which can lead to better dialogue between group members and facilitator. Lecture and discussion methods allow for more “ideas and feedback” within the classroom setting. Students that are exposed to a lecture or discussion forum have the ability to partake in “discussions, which expose students to a variety of ideas, beliefs, and information that may be different from their own” (Cooper and Simonds, 2011). Lectures and discussions, with regard to communication between the facilitator and student often tend to be much less personal than a small group setting. Within the context of a discussion or lecture students must be able to hold a conversation and possess skills that enable them to participate (DeGennaro, 2012).  A teacher's communication also varies when developing activities and storytelling for instruction. Story telling is a method that individuals use to "make sense of their lives, to share their experiences, and to share themselves" (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). Teachers and students utilize storytelling everyday within the classroom environment. As Cooper and Simonds state, stories often help explain difficult concepts. Stories because of their appealing nature often aid in the preparation for successful learning moments within the education construct (Cooper & Simonds, 2011).