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Teaching Methods

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Contents

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Tutoring sessions should be a free exchange between tutor and student. Tutor should refrain from giving answers. Methods might include:

  • Explanation
  • Questions and answers
  • Demonstrations
  • Discussion

Open-ended questions

  • Tape recording

VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Tutors should enhance their lesson by using various visual aids. These might include:

  • Pictures
  • Whiteboard
  • Models
  • Video
  • Overheads
  • Maps
  • Flash cards

VARYING CONTENT

Tutoring sessions often will deal with an assortment of topics, problems, questions and concepts. To help interest, various methods should be employed by the tutor. These may include:

  • Subject change
  • Major topic to sub-topic
  • Specific to general (inductive)
  • General to specific (deductive)
  • Related learning

VARYING WORK INTENSITY PATTERNS

To help the student maintain concentration the tutor should:

  • Take breaks
  • Change pace of learning

OTHER METHODS OF EXPLAINING CONTENT

  • Redirection – try another way
  • Clarification – make the subject easier for the student to understand
  • Reflection – give the student a chance to think about the subject
  • Refocusing – go over same material but with a different approach
  • Prompting – asking leading questions

USE OF REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcement is an important process in developing positive behavioural patterns. A reinforcement should be given directly after the correct response. Some tips on reinforcement:

  • Give verbal praise
  • Vary praise
  • Vary amount of praise
  • Vary voice intonation
  • Fade reinforcement – give reinforcement initially after correct responses, fade or give praise after student has given several correct answers.

ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR TUTOR TO NOTE

Tutors, at times, might need to be aware of other areas in the student’s life that may be affecting their study, for example:

  • Literacy or numeracy problems
  • Student stress
  • Note-taking
  • Study habits
  • Test taking skills
  • Other related problems.

If needed, these can be discussed with the Learning Support tutors.

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