S. M.

Nazmul Al-Deen,
Subject: Principles and Methods of Teaching Lecturer,
ART Nursing College.

The demonstration Method

The demonstration lesson:

“The most effective way to teach an occupational skill is demonstration . One of the most
essential teaching skills is the ability to demonstrate; the other is the ability to explain.
Both are vital to the success of either an operation lesson or an information lesson”.

…………….Weaver and Cencil in APPLIED TEACHING TECHNIQUES.

Definition:

Demonstration means any planned performance of an occupation skill, scientific

principle or experiment.

Purpose of demonstration:

• Teaching a skill, concept or principle.

• Delicate and dangerous experiments involving Careful manipulation.

• Experiments involving difficult and complex operations.

• Use of costly apparatus.

 Several experiments are to be performed in one period to establish connections

between them to derive conclusions.

• Number of operations in an experiment are too many.

Teacher preparation:

1. Rehearse your presentation in advance of the lesson.

2. Anticipate any difficult steps, possible interruptions e.t.c.

3. Obtain all materials, tools, equipment, visual and teaching aids in advance and check
their useful condition.

4. Have all materials within reach and conveniently arranged.

1|Page
 S. M. Nazmul Al-Deen,
Subject: Principles and Methods of Teaching Lecturer,
ART Nursing College.

5. Time the demonstration NOT to exceed 15 minutes.

6. Remove all extraneous materials; check lighting, visibility, student grouping, and
proximity to electric, gas and water outlets.

7. Plan to use a skill or method to advantage; work from simple to complex, one step at a
time.

Presentation

1. Make sure all students can see and hear the lesson.

2. Be enthusiastic, professional, effective but not dramatic.

3. Observe all safety rules and procedures.

4. Keep eye-contact with the class; ask and encourage class questions.

5. Explain WHY and HOW: use the techniques of SHOW and TELL.

6. Use a medial summary to strengthen your explanation.

Advantages:

 Concrete things are shown. So students don’t enter into false imagination as it
happens in a Lecture.
 Students get confidence in the application of scientific principles as they observe
them working and not simply hear about them.
 Motivates the students for further learning.
 Number of equipment is less and students are more, this is an ideal method.
 Method is aligned to the principle, ‘Learning is more in seeing than in hearing;
Learning is More in doing than in seeing and hearing;

Disadvantages of Demonstration Method:

 Good Demonstrators are not easy to find. Considerable skills are required to give
good demonstration.
 The demonstration method is restricted to only certain kinds of teaching
situations. Some teachers try to use it where other methods would be better.
 The “Result” type of demonstration may take considerable time and be rather
expensive.
 Demonstration may require a large amount of preliminary preparation.

2|Page
 S. M. Nazmul Al-Deen,
Subject: Principles and Methods of Teaching Lecturer,
ART Nursing College.

 There is a danger of students being dishonest when teacher has to play the main
role in the demonstration of topic.
Guidelines for effective demonstration:

 Specify the objective of the demonstration.

 Prepare a plan for your demonstration. Listing the various Steps in the proper
sequence.
 Decide what information should be presented to the students BEFORE, DURING
and AFTERTHE Demonstration.
 Choose appropriate equipment, tools and other accessories.
 Practice or rehearse the presentation.
 Arrange the physical setting so that each student will be able to see clearly.
 Arrange the equipment to be demonstrated in order. It is suitable to keep the
equipment to be used on the left hand side and the used ones on the right hand
side.
 Demonstrate step by step. Avoid lengthy explanations.
 Use a pointer to highlight the details/specific features.
 Do not show how Not to do a particular thing.
 Provide opportunities for students’ participation in the demonstration.

3|Page