Types of Teaching Method – Teacher-Led Discussions
ByOf the four teacher-centered methods listed here, teacher-led discussions involve students the most. This method asks the teacher to pose exploratory questions for which there are no definitive answers. That is, this method is far from the direct teaching method in which questions are asked that have uncontested answers.
Appropriate questions for teacher-led discussion might include the following: Why are there so few women’s roles in Shakespeare’s plays? Are the plays of Sophocles (Oedipus Rex) more enjoyable than the plays of Euripides (Medea)? Why? How strong was the production we saw yesterday at the community theatre? Can you separate the merits of the play from the merits of the production? In short, these kinds of questions require student understanding and synthesis of materials and concepts rather than rehearsal of the known.
Teacher-led discussions should have strong introductions and conclusions. For example, a film clip from Shakespeare in Love might precede the discussion of the role of women in Shakespeare’s theatre. A mock debate format might be introduced by the teacher to add zest to the discussion. Those students favoring Oedipus Rex might sit on one side of the room and those favoring Medea on the other.
The discussion should always be concluded, not just stop. Using the sample question about separating the playscript from the production, the teacher should conclude the discussion by redacting the differences between what was in the script and what was (or was not apparent) in the production. Students should be called upon to help synthesize the discussion.
Related posts: