Teaching Strategies Catalogue

September 25, 2015

Teaching Strategy

Discussion Web
(Center for Research)
(Instructional Strategies)
(Think Literacy, pages 172174)

Explanation
Purpose: Generate large quantity of ideas; focuses
students on a particular subject matter; develops
students ideas from opposing perspectives.
1) Pick a topic with students
2) Have students chose two opposing sides of the
ideas to focus on and explore further on their own
3) Students share ideas with a partner and fill in
missing information
4) In groups of four students share ideas and fill in
additional information
5) Decide which side of the issue to support (in
your group of four)
6) Class discussion to record a conclusion from
each position

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Considerations

(Grade 1-12)
Use
drawings/pictures at
the lowest levelresearch and
citations at higher
levels
Choose issues that
have definite
opposing sides
Model process prior

Reading material for

discussion
Graphic organizer
template (choose a
template that
represents what you
want students to learn)

Benefits

Acceptance & respect

of others ideas (no
judgement)
Encourages student
participation & critical
thinking
Students can share
what they know and
build off others ideas

Applications

Gr.8 To organize info

for a debate
science, or socials
Use to develop
point of view- LA,
socials, current
events

Can use drawings for

ELL/ESL students (wide Use to see what students
know already about a
range of application)
topic from previous
grade
Used to create discussion
about readingsEnglish/LA
Social Efficiency- Ex. Gr.4
Pros vs Cons of recycling
Learner Centered-

Ex.Gr.1 Would a sheep

make a good pet (Y/N)
Social Reconstruction-Ex.
Gr.6 Different historical
viewpoints on slavery

Teaching Strategy

Explanation

Key Considerations/Reflections

Concept Mapping
(Center for Research)
(Instructional Strategies)
(Beyond Monet, pages 292-294)

Figure 1

Purpose: Help students realize relationship

connections and commonalities between
data.
1) Brainstorm ideas about topic
(individually/in groups)
2) Put ideas onto post-it notes/print ideas
on one main page (Figure 1)
3) Sort and classify post-it notes (group
similar concepts together)
4) Organize ideas onto poster paper/ giant
post-it with key ideas at the top
5) Order more complex ideas down to
simpler ideas
6) Draw and observe connections between
concepts
7) Place linking words on lines making
connections between concepts
8) Look for links between different concepts

Materials

Considerations

(Grade 3-12)
Post-it notes/ blank

Students
at the lower
paper
Poster paper/giant
level need to be able
to illustrate or write
post-it note pad
down their thoughts;
markers
higher levels can
work on more
Benefits
complex
classifications
Increases students
Use in groups or
categorization &
individually
organization skills
Activates prior
Application
learning

Gr.7 Living things

Visual
classificationrepresentation of
Science
learning

Gr.3 Class
Students actively
composition
partake in learning
(getting ideas
process
grouped together) Can include pictures
English/LA
with written ideas

Gr.3 Organizing
(to expand)
rocks via
characteristicsScience
Gr.12 Video clip
(what were the key
points- how are
they related?)
English/LA, Socials,
Science
Applications (contd)
Social Efficiency- Ex.
Reviewing a case study
(group discussion)

Learner Centered- Ex.

Using manipulatives
(actual rocks) to
categorize similar
characteristics (size,
shape, luster)
Scholar Academic- Ex.
Classification of Animal

Kingdoms

Teaching Strategy

Didactic Questions
(Instructional Strategies)
(Center for Research)

Explanation
Purpose: Factual based strategy (what, when,
where, how); used to draw on students prior
knowledge or to see what they remember.
1) Chose a topic that will be covered
2) Following an article reading/video clip ask
students to write down (3Ws & H)
3)Have students hand in written response

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Benefit

3Ws & H
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
HOW

Topic being reviewed

Video clip/article

Students practice and

use repetition to make
new learning stick
Effectiveness increased
by adding why &
what if

Considerations

(Grade 1-12)
Requires focused
listening/observing
Introducing the 3Ws
& H at the lower
levels during story
time and
reviewing/investigativ
e reporting at higher
level
Applications

Limitations

Gr.1 Story time 3Ws & H

Can discourage
(oral answers)
instructional creativity
English/LA
Can encourage
Gr.7 Current events,
guessing
investigative
journaling-English/LA,
Socials, Science
Scholar Academic- Ex.
Gr.11 watch a video clip
on an invention have

students answer-What
was invented? When was
it used, How? Etc.
Science
Social ReconstructionistEx. Current events- What
happened, When, How
could this have been
prevented? Where did it
happen?

Teaching Strategy

Interviewing
(Instructional Strategies)
(Cooperative Learning, pages
206-207)

Explanation
Purpose: A way for students to share their
thoughts, ask questions, and record information;
cooperation through team interview on a given
topic
1) Have students assign themselves as either: the
interviewer, the recorder, and the interviewee
2)Set a time frame for each interview
3) Interviewer asks interviewee questions while
recorder takes notes
4) Rotate through each role until everyone has had
a turn in each role
5) When complete, take turns sharing key
information that was recorded by each student

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Paper and
pencil/recording
template for each
student

Benefit

Involves student
accountability
Provides
opportunity for
active listening,
probing, and
communication
skills
Useful tool for
sharing homework
Encourages
students to develop

Considerations
(Grade 3-12)
Discuss people
whose job it is to
report before
interview (give
background
knowledge)
Show a video clip of
an interview
regarding a current
event
Make sure students
know what each job
is responsible for
Application

Gr.3 Could use class

complex questions
& responses
Limitations
Kids may not have
enough questions
to keep the
interview going, or
get off topic easily
Requires physical
space to spread out
into groups
Can your class
handle the
responsibilities?

as the reporters and

invite someone in to
be interviewed to
find out more about
that individual
(learner centered)English/LA
Gr.12 Practicing
answering possible
questions for a job
interview- English/LA
Learner Centered-Ex.
Your Hero- interview
questions you would ask
your favorite
player/singer
Social ReconstructionEx. Older classes
interviewing and
defending their position
on point of view assigned
to them

Teaching Strategy

Drill & Practice

(Center for Research)

Explanation
Purpose: To reinforce learning of a new
concept/skill through repetition of the skill
1) Introduce new skill
2) Demonstrate new skill
3) Have students try new skill
4) Follow up practicing new skill (Ex. Mathstudents learning to subtract practice the skill of
subtracting on multiple questions)

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Worksheet/paper
for practice of
written skill
Equipment &
appropriate space
for sport skill
demonstrated

(Grade 1-12)
Teacher should be
knowledgeable in
skill being taught
Teacher should try to
make the
material/subject
matter is applicable

Immediate
reinforcement of

Applications

Benefit

Considerations

new skill through

practice
Limitation
May limit
instructional
creativity
May not allow for
student
differentiation
Boring, kids easily
off task

Gr.1 Introducing Addition

and Subtraction-Math
Gr.5 Introducing more
complex basketball
Scholar Academic- Gr. 6
Math graphing (talk
about it, demonstrate it,
let the kids try)
Learner Centered-Ex.
Basketball skill learned,
then drill to practice it,
then scrimmage to apply
it in real-situation
Social Efficiency- Ex.
demonstrating the right
way & the wrong way to
do something

Teaching Strategy

Explanation
Purpose: Help students think about how things are
different and how they are the same (Analysis);
sort and classify

Graphic Organizer
(Instructional Strategies)

Venn Diagram specifically (Figure 1)

1) Pick two ideas for comparison
2) Label each side; place ideas according to each
label (represents differences between the ideas)
3) Inner overlapping area represents
commonalities between the two ideas

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Venn Diagram/chart
template for
individuals/groups

Benefits

(Beyond Monet, page 102-103)

Provides visual
representation of
students
understandings
Encourages analysis
thinking (problem
solving)
Helps students sort
and identify facts

Considerations
(Grade 3-12)
Used in small
groups/for class
lesson for
understanding
about a topic
Students need to
be able to
compare subject
matter
(differences, and
commonalities)
Applications

Figure 2

Figure 1

Gr.3 Can also be

used in
collaboration with
Fishbone graphic
organizer, or
Concept Map for
class story
writing-English/LA
Gr.10 comparing
historical figuresSocials
Gr.9 looking into
the Black Plague
Socials (Figure 2)

Applications (contd)

Leaner Centered-Ex.
visual organization of
ideas

Social Efficiency- Ex. Use

to see how a political
campaign is broken

Scholar Academic- Ex.

use to summarize
what youve learned

down
Social ReconstructionEx. helpful in seeing
the correlations and
differences between
two topics

Teaching Strategy

Explanation
Purpose: Allow students to experience a range of
real-life scenarios to which to apply and expand
their critical thinking

Role Playing
(Center for Research)

1) Help organize students into groups

2) Provide material for hypothetical scenarios
3) Give a time limit for students to act out their
situation
4) When time is up, have students present to the
class
5) Class discussion about what they learned from
the scenario

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Handouts for
hypothetical scenarios
to be acted out

Benefits

Encourages student
participation
Helps students to see
things from a different
point of view
Student reflection of
learning and critical
thinking
Enables instructional
and student creativity

Limitations

Shy students may

not feel comfortable
acting in front of an
audience
Non-verbal students
will need an
alternative/assistanc
e

Considerations
(Grade 3-12)
Keep groups small
Application

Gr.3-Shadow
puppets to re-do the
ending of a fairy-tale
of their choice
Gr.8 for gaining
performance
experience-Drama
Gr.10 Understanding
point of view-Socials
Gr.11 for
demonstrating
learning on the
process your body
goes through to
recognize and fight
off infection-science

Social Efficiency-Ex.
mock Interview process,
how to deal properly with
peer pressure or bullying
Learner Centered-Ex.
Hands on activities to get
students involved-Peer

review of content in role

play demo
Social Reconstruction
Ex. Group 1 acting out a
Folktale, Group 2 acting
out textbook version
(seeing the differences)

Teaching Strategy

Explanation
Purpose: To have students explore narrative
scenarios for analysis and discussion; scenarios
based on actual events

Case Study
(Center for Research)

1) Help students organize themselves into small

groups
2) Provide narrative scenarios for discussion and
analysis
3) Give students a time limit for discussion
4) Have each group record/present their situation
and possibly solutions to the class & state why
they think this would be helpful (elaborate on their
solutions)

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Narrative scenarios for

each group

Benefits

Encourages critical
thinking & gives
students creative
freedom in solving
problems
Application of what
student has learned
Give students
strategies for solving
real-world situations

Limitations

Not all possible

scenarios can be
covered

Considerations
(Grade 10-12)
Requires higher level
thinking, & problem
solving
Case study may
require guided
questions
Case study can be in
written form or a
short video clip
Application

Grade 12-Ex.
Problem scenario for
applying what
students have
learned to work out
a physics problem

Social Efficiency- Ex.

Given a scenario,
problem solve to figure
out how would you have
reacted in that situation?
Learner Centered-Ex.
Choose a scenario you
read and present it in
poster, art work, etc.
Social Reconstruction-Ex.
Class discussion of video
clip about why some
people are against
vaccines and how those
choices affect society.

Teaching Strategy

Explanation
Purpose: To allow students to reflect upon a
reading and provide visual representation of their
thoughts/feelings about what they read.

Two-Column Note Taking

(Julia Coyes, peer
presentation)

1)Fold a piece of paper vertically in half

2) Label left hand column What was said & the
right hand column What I thought
3)Read the article/view video clip under
examination
4)Choose five facts/teacher guided prompts to
focus on from the article/video clip (under column
labeled What was said)
5) Answer five facts with your feelings, thoughts,
reactions to this statement/fact (under column
labeled What I thought)
6) In groups discuss your findings (teachermonitored or facilitated discussion)

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Article/video clip being

discussed
T-chart
template/paper and
pencil

Considerations
(Grade 4-12)
Used for class
discussion
Used as a follow up
assignment to a
reading

Benefits
Application

Have students explore

what they
read/observed and
reflect upon it (critical
thinking & analysis)
Introducing
metacognitive
thinking

Gr. 4- Ex. after

introducing shadows
-have them fill out a
what they know and
what they dont
know (feedback for
the teacher) Science
Gr.6-12 Ex. readings
for English/LA or
Social studies

Scholar Academic- Ex.

Picking out key ideas and
expanding on them, or
use them as study notes
for key concepts
Social Efficiency- Ex.
Keeping a log of
resources for researching
subject matter (one
Column what was said,
other column supporting
evidence)
Learner Centered- Ex.
used for understanding
of subject matter as

individuals, then break

off into pairs and fill in
any missing information
Social ReconstructionEx. Used to compare
benefits & limitations of
a topic

Teaching Strategy

Explanation
Purpose: to encourage critical and evaluative
thinking in a controlled environment

Simulations
1)Give students instructional scenario (online
resources available)
2) Encourage student to follow outlined
instructions from the online resource
3) Have students fill in answers to guided
questions
4) Class discussion about simulation

Key Considerations/Reflections
Materials

Online simulation
database/resource
Knowledge of
simulation operation
Set of guided
questions

Considerations
(Grade 6-12)
Ensure simulations
are school & age
appropriate
Have parent consent
forms for internet
usage signed prior
to using simulations

Benefits

Applications
Gr.9 Species diversity
Students get to
pond test (online
explore real-world
simulation)-see what
scenarios
happens to the fish
Students get to apply
when the oxygen levels
what they have been
drop
learning
Gr.6 program that
Eliminates
requires problem
excess/unnecessary
solving to solve a
information
crime-Science/Socials
Helps students
Gr.12 Virtual animal
develop solutions to
dissections for students
real-world situations
who do not have or
want to use actual
organism-Science
Scholar AcademicJeopardy game show
(students answer facts

about the subject matter

to review for an
upcoming test)
Application (contd)
Social ReconstructionWhat happens when you
make this choice? What
happens when you make
the opposite choice?
(seeing the effects in a
simulation)

Social Efficiency-Learning
how the composting
cycle works via
simulated tour of the
landfill
Learner Centered- Visual
& hands on approach to
hypothetical situations

Sources:
Instructional Strategies for K-12. (n.d.). [Educator Resource]. Retrieved from
http://www.tvdsb.ca/webpages/tkernaghan/educatorresources.cfm?subpage=190904
Books cited from Initial book complied online:
Bennett, B., Rolheisser, C. (1991). Cooperative Learning: Where Heart Meets Mind. Toronto, ON: Bookation Inc.
Bennett, B., Rolheisser, C. (2001). Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration. Toronto, ON: Bookation Inc.
(2003). Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12. Toronto, ON: Queens Printer for Ontario
Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.ena.org/education/CNE/Documents/InstructionalStrategiesTeachingMethods.pdf