Deliberate Acts of Teaching

The term instructional strategy is used to mean a deliberate act of teaching that focuses on learning to meet a particular purpose

When teachers interact with their students they use a range of deliberate acts of teaching. They use them to develop students’ knowledge, strategies and awareness in terms of learning.

The importance of deliberate, strategic teaching cannot be overemphasised. However, much learning is incidental, and improved student outcomes result from both planned ad incidental learning experiences

When using instructional strategies, teachers should be aware they need to do the following

Provide direct instruction: Teachers cannot assume that their students will learn to e.g. read and write just through being in a literacy programme. Students need explicit, direct instruction that makes ‘visible’ what readers and writers need to know and do

Provide goal-directed instruction: If deliberate acts of teaching are to be effective, they must be directed towards specific outcomes. Instructional strategies are the tools that teachers use to achieve their objectives ( such as teaching students to monitor their learning or to use reading strategies in an integrated way

Be deliberate: Teachers need to use instructional strategies consciously and deliberately. E.g. the teachers will know what they are modelling and why, or how and why they provide feedback for then learner

Provide a class culture and environment that facilities learning: The classroom conditions should facilitate learning. A print rich environment is important but it s not, in itself enough. Instruction is likely to both enjoyable and effective in a classroom that is a community of learners, where there is a climate of respect and collaboration, and where everyone sees the business of learning as valued

Maintain students motivation and enjoyment: Students learn best when both they and their teacher find the activities enjoyable and interesting

Use the same instructional strategies across the curriculum: Teachers use their instructional strategies not only across e.g. language and literacy activities but also in all areas of school curriculum

Be flexible and culturally responsible: Because each learner takes an individual pathway teachers need to be flexible in the ways they select and use instructional strategies for different activities. They should also deliberately make links between student cultures and their classroom tasks choosing activities that incorporate familiar closeness in the content, ways of communicating, and cultural practices