Learning how to teach is an important part of becoming an effective educator, and there are many different ways to go about it. Teaching styles refer to the way that an educator prepares and presents information to their students, as well as how they interact with them during the lesson. Even when two teachers are teaching the same topic, their methods may be significantly different.
There are five primary teaching styles that have been identified, which each have unique characteristics that make them more suited to specific material and student populations. Let’s take a closer look at the five primary teaching styles.
1. Demonstrative Teaching Style
The demonstrative teaching style is one in which the teacher prefers to use demonstration and physical guidance to illustrate concepts to students. This style of teaching is typically used in the physical sciences, such as biology and physics, and embraces the idea that seeing is believing.
This style relies on demonstrations of processes, experiments, and visuals to supplement the instructor’s words. The demonstrative style can be effective in labs and other hands-on situations, but can also be impractical for large classes.
2. Autocratic Teaching Style
The autocratic teaching style is one in which the teacher takes a direct, authoritarian input in not just developing lesson plans, but also everyday classroom activities. This teaching style works best in very structured environments and with younger students who need a firm hand in order to learn.
The autocratic teacher typically commands attention using strict discipline, and has no tolerance for disruptions, encourage students to ask questions, or debate with students.
3. Discovery Teaching Style
The discovery teaching style is one in which the teacher does not tell the students information, but rather encourages them to discover and explore the material on their own. This teaching style is often used when teaching history, political science or literature, and relies on the students working together and aiding each other to learn. The discovery style often provides some guidance and direction, but allows the students to find or develop their own conclusions and theories.
4. Inquiry-Based Teaching Style
The inquiry-based teaching style is one in which the teacher guides the class through a process of discovering knowledge by posing questions and problems. This type of teaching often encourages students to explore the material, make their own predictions, conduct their own experiments, and draw their own conclusions. This form of teaching is usually used when teaching the sciences or mathematics, and is effective in promoting the development of practical skills.
5. Experimental Teaching Style
The experimental teaching style is one in which the teacher allows students to explore a subject or material more freely than other styles of teaching. This teaching style involves a lot of open-ended discussions and brainstorming, and allows the students to formulate and share their own hypotheses, theories, and ideas. The experimental style of teaching is particularly useful for creative subjects such as art or music, or for topics that involve working with technology or engineering.
Conclusion
Different types of teaching styles can be very effective in particular subject areas or for different types of students. It is important for educators to experiment with different teaching styles to find the one that works best for their students.
For instance, for younger students, an autocratic teaching style may be more effective, while for older students, a discovery or inquiry-based teaching style may be more effective. By understanding the differences between the various teaching styles, educators can become better equipped to teach their class in the most efficient and effective way.