Teacher-Led Instruction

TEACHER TALK

Since Socrates, and before, teacher-led instruction has been widely used in classrooms. From lecture-specific designs used primarily in large college halls, to “carpet time” in kindergarten, teachers have facilitated information through talk. But teacher-centered instruction is trending downward, especially in the middle school grades. There is greater emphasis on group learning, student collaboration, project-based and inquiry-based learning. The goal is not to wipe out the teacher from directly giving students information, but to encourage strategies aimed at improving learning for all students. Today, it is not the amount of information teachers can relay to their students but to what degree of effectiveness.

Formal teacher talk (lectures) and informal teacher talk (guided discussion) are effective ways to facilitate learning. Teacher talk is the most direct way for information to go from the teacher to the student. But few teachers are great orators and student attention, studies show, wanes after the first few minutes of instruction. No matter how conscience teachers are of their pacing or inflection, students will ultimately lose focus on what is being said. The article says, “The most useful strategy for recapturing student attention is changing to an entirely different strategy or learning modality.”

Transitioning from a lecture to guided discussion, the students are still at the mercy of the teacher. The teacher is still driving the discussion. This is an example of going from formal to informal teacher talk and has been shown to continue the downward trend of student attention. The article suggests moving from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction. One example started with a lecture and transitioned into a student-led panel discussion. Another began with an informal discussion or lecture and built into a cooperative learning activity in groups. In both instances, the graphs measuring student attention were equal to or exceed student attention at the beginning of the class period.

Other ways to increase student attention is to have a focused, clear, planned lecture or discussion. Keep in mind, middle school students are hard pressed to give a teacher their full attention for more than 15-20 minutes. Having a well scripted, precise teacher talk with an engaging opening and a logical progression to a clear purpose at the end is a way to keep student attention longer. The use of questioning, demonstrations and audiovisuals also keep students attentive. When lecturing, a teacher must recognize that all students are not auditory learners. Many need visual representations such as charts, videos, graphs, notes or pictures. Some students need a hands-on activity. While modeling a process or a concept, allow students to model with you. If performing a demonstration, have students participate. Allow students to ask questions of you and of fellow students.

With the move away class periods filled with teacher lectures, students are participating more and more in group work, hands-on activities and projects. Does this mean the end for teacher-centered instruction strategies? The short answer is no. Without a context the group project or the hands-on activities can have shallow learning experiences. It is the teacher who ultimately should drive the curriculum. I prefer to look at a lesson with a fishing analogy: Bait-Cast-Reel in. By “Baiting the Hook,” a teacher is preparing students for the lesson. Whether it is defining terms, giving context, setting out goals, etc., the initial teacher talk gives students what they need to successfully accomplish the mission of the lesson. Then, the teacher releases (Casts) students to explore and otherwise actively participate in the lesson with a group or individual activity, project or student-led discussion. Finally, the teacher consolidates (Reels in) what students have gathered during the activity. This is also a time for correcting, reflecting on, questioning and challenging student thinking. Without the teacher providing such context, boundaries and perspective, hands-on or group learning can happen without direction or a foundation.

The effectiveness of teacher-led instruction is tied to the preparation of the teacher. If I gain anything from this article, it is how to organize my thoughts and objectives. By making an advanced organizer or composing a detailed outline with color and number prompts, focused preparation will better help me deliver a proper lecture or class discussion. It is much like writing a movie script. I need to plan when I will use an audio-visual aid, or when I expect to open the class up to questions. I have to keep in mind that my lecture or lesson introduction has 15 minutes before the students drown me out completely. And, when I lose them, I have to know how to get their attention back.