Teaching Methods In The Middle And High School English Classroom

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Hunter's Method of Direct Instruction

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Emphasizes: Objectives, Standards of Performance, Anticipatory Set or Advance Organizer, Teaching (which includes modeling, student input, directions, and checking for understanding), Guided Practice and Monitoring, Lesson Closure, Extended Practice

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Lecture

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In this method, the teacher or a guest "expert" shares information with students orally and perhaps visually. Lecturers often use a chalkboard, an overhead projector, poster displays, charts, or PowerPoint presentations to enhance the lecture.

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Whole-Class Discussion

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The teacher facilitates discussion with students about the content of a lesson. In this method, the teacher frequently is the questioner, although in some classrooms the students also pose questions and help facilitate the discussion.

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Cooperative Learning

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The teacher selectively places students in groups. In most cooperative learning structures, the students are grouped heterogeneously. In a few cooperative learning structures, such as Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), students are placed in homogeneous groups to compete, but earn group rewards for a heterogeneously grouped team. In essence, cooperative learning is designed to foster collaboration among peers so that all students achieve academic excellence. Successful cooperative learning structures contain the following essential elements.

* Positive interdependence, in which students encourage teammates to complete tasks well.

* Individual accountability, in which each group member is individually assessed by the teacher.

* Simultaneous management, in which materials and tasks are provided to the groups in an efficient way so that little or no class time is wasted and all students can be actively engaged in the task.

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Ad Hoc Group Work

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In this teaching method, the teacher allows students to form their own small groups to complete a short-term task.

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Literature Circle

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A literature circle is a structure to support student-directed discussion about literature. The literature circle may be heterogeneously or homogeneously grouped. The students all read the same selection independently and then get together to discuss the piece. Students prepare for the discussion by actively reading with a role in mind, such as Discussion Director, Connector, Word Finder, Character Sketcher, or Summarizer. During the discussion, each student offers contributions to the discourse based on their various roles and their ideas about the literature.

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Socratic Seminar

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In this method, teachers help students understand information through a logical examination of opinions and ideas. Texts for discussion are carefully chosen for their quality, richness of ideas, and ability to stimulate extended and thoughtful discourse. A Socratic seminar opens with an open-ended question without a right or wrong answer. Students and teacher refer to the text to make points and listen carefully to ideas.

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Reading Workshop

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In the reading workshop method, an English teacher plans for reading instruction by using the following structure.

* Mini-lesson on reading skills or strategies, led by the teacher or a capable student, based on individual and group instructional needs.

* Status of the class, in which the teacher asks each student to provide a brief update on what he or she will be working on during the workshop.

* Time for reading, in which students work alone or with the teacher in a small group to advance skills, knowledge, and appreciation. The teacher often confers with students during this time. Students also might participate in a peer-group conversation about their reading.

* Sharing, in which the teacher selects one or a few students to share aspects of their reading.

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Writing Workshop

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When an English teacher uses the writing workshop method, he or she structures the instructional time in the following way.

* Mini-lesson, led by the teacher or a capable student, based on individual and group instructional needs.

* Status of the class, in which the teacher asks each student to provide a brief update on what he or she will be working on during the workshop.

* Time for writing, in which students work alone, with a partner, or with the teacher to advance through the stages of the writing process. The teacher often confers with students during this time. Students also might participate in a peer revising or editing conference.

* Sharing, in which the teacher selects one or a few students to share aspects of their writing.