presentation approach in teaching

The Ultimate Guide to Effective Teacher Presentations: Strategies & Tips

Dianne Adlawan

Teachers, by nature, are considered professional presenters. Their main responsibility is to talk in front of their students to relay educational knowledge, sharpen their minds and skills, and even serve as a second guide alongside their parents. They also speak in front of parents, co-teachers, and school administrators. This just means that preparing for a presentation is already not new to them.

Still, teachers can become so comfortable with their presentation routine that their techniques turn into autopilot. The result of a repetitive task can become tiring and not challenging anymore which may result in students losing interest or attention span in the process.

The tips featured in this article are dedicated to these hard-working professionals. This will help them prepare and perform a better presentation in front of any type of audience.

Why You Should Prepare for a Presentation

• Preparation helps you build to structure your thoughts to create a well-organized presentation. By taking the time to prepare, you can decide what information is most important, plan the flow of the presentation, and make sure that everything is connected and easy to follow.
• Second, it allows you to think ahead of the questions that your audience might ask. Especially if you’re giving a presentation to a group of various audiences, who are curious about the topic at hand. By preparing in advance, you’ll be able to answer any questions they may have, which will not only increase their understanding but also boost your credibility as a teacher.
• Lastly, preparation helps you make the most of your time. Advanced preparation ahead of the presentation can ensure that you’re not wasting time trying to organize your thoughts at the last minute.

Effects of an Organized and Well-Planned Presentation

An audience engages with a speaker who knows their words and poses a confident attitude. While the projector may display clear and concise slides, the presenter is the main ingredient to every presentation.

For teachers, a well-planned lesson presentation helps the teacher maintain the attention and interest of their students, which is crucial for effective learning. Additionally, being organized and prepared will help teachers convey their ideas more effectively and it will help the teacher to feel more confident, which also impacts their teaching and in turn can help to build trust and rapport with their students.

Possible Outcomes of An Unprepared Presentation

Let’s suppose you haven’t allocated enough time to plan and prepare for an important presentation. What could be the potential outcomes?

• Increased Stress and Anxiety: Lack of preparation can lead to increased anxiety and stress, which can not only hinder your ability to deliver a convincing presentation but also hurt your mental health and work balance. It can cause a “mental block,” causing you to lose focus and concentration during your delivery.
• Poor Presentation Delivery: Without proper preparation, your presentation can appear scattered and disjointed. This can lead to an incoherent message that fails to convince your audience.
• Diminished credibility: Delivering an unprepared presentation can harm your reputation as a professional. It can portray you as disorganized and unreliable which could lead your colleagues or students to question your competence and reliability.

Effective Visual and Content Organization Tips

Consider this as the first stage towards an effective teacher presentation. Before moving on to improving your verbal communication cues, let’s enhance first your presentation visuals and content.

Visual Tips

1. add powerpoint animations and different media.

Establishing an attractive slideshow is one of the keys to a successful presentation. This will put a good impression on your audience that you’re prepared just by seeing how well-designed your presentation is. Of course, images add to slideshow attraction, but consider adding another forms of media such as GIFs and videos, as well as animations! Microsoft PowerPoint has a lot of fun & captivating features that you may not be aware of. Check out this example of an easy yet appealing Slide Zoom trick in PowerPoint that you can add to your presentation to wow your audience.

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Read Next: Make Your Presentations POP With This PowerPoint Animation Template

2. Use Readable Font Styles

Make sure to use the best font style that makes your presentation look sleek, readable, and won’t strain your audience’s eyes while reading. We all want to use a fancy font, trust me, I get it. But most of the time, simplicity is beauty, especially if you’re presenting a professional-looking slideshow. Font styles such as Poppins, Tahoma, Verdana, Montserrat, and Helvetica are great examples of font styles that screams simple yet professional to look at.

On the other hand, font styles such as Bradley Hand, Comic Sans, and Chiller are not ideal choices as they are not meant to captivate your audience’s eyes. And another tip is to stick to two or three fonts only!

3. Use Relevant Graphics

Selecting graphics for designing your presentation depends on your audience and the goals you aim to achieve with the presentation. For example, if you are presenting in front of students and your goal is to keep them engaged, motivated, and actively participating, then you might consider incorporating charts, tables, and relevant shapes into your design.

It’s important to remember that your presentation design should align with the theme of your topic.

Free Websites to Upgrade your Presentation Graphics:

• Craiyon. com
• The Noun Project

4. Use Audience Engagement tools to Activate Learning

Want the quickest solution to an engaged audience? Well, it’s audience interactive activities! Adding interactive activities to your presentation can help keep your audience engaged and interested. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use ClassPoint, an audience engagement tool added right into PowerPoint presentations.

With ClassPoint, you no longer need to worry about strategies to keep your students engaged, as this tool transforms PowerPoint into a teacher presentation tool with a teacher toolbelt and student quizzes , polls, and games that make presentations more fun & engaging.

By combining ClassPoint with your presentation techniques, you can focus solely on setting up your lesson content in PowerPoint and allow ClassPoint to handle the rest for achieving a learning-activated presentation lesson .

🔍 Learn more about ClassPoint, the teacher add-in for better lessons & student engagement 👍

5. Use a Laser Pointer

Help focus your audience attention by using a laser pointer!

With the help of a laser pointer device, teachers are able to attract the attention of their audiences and concentrate on essential points in their presentations. Highlighting these main ideas and terms assists the speaker in organizing their speech, preventing distraction, and increasing retention of the information presented.

You can use a physical laser pointer & clicker, or with the addition of ClassPoint into PowerPoint, presenters can easily turn their cursor into a laser or a spotlight . This can make it even easier for students to follow along and is a convenient tool for creating a more captivating teacher presentation.

Secret tip: if you write on your slide with the laser, it will leave disappearing ink! 🪄

Content Tips

1. research and fact-check your presentation.

As educators, it is crucial to equip ourselves with reliable and accurate information before presenting to our students. We have a responsibility to not only educate them but to also mold them into critical thinkers who are equipped with factual knowledge. Without thorough fact-checking, we risk disseminating misinformation and hindering their intellectual growth.

To avoid such situations, we must prioritize research and fact-checking before presenting any information. Conducting research helps us not only in finding accurate information but also in ensuring that the sources we use are reliable and credible. Moreover, taking the time to fact-check demonstrates our commitment to providing students with high-quality education and the desire to create a safe and accurate learning environment.

2. Be Prepared to Anticipate Questions during the Presentation

It is important to be well-prepared for a presentation especially anticipating and addressing questions. This applies particularly to a teacher presentation, as educators face varied expectations and questions. Adequate preparation allows you to organize ideas and justifications, and it can deepen understanding, boost confidence, and improve adaptability. Addressing questions, makes your audiences feel heard and appreciated. This will result in comprehensive presentations, enhanced confidence, improved information flow, and an atmosphere of respect and understanding.

A great & visual way you can elaborate, or explain your material in new ways, is by using ClassPoint’s whiteboard tools added to PowerPoint. ClassPoint’s added toolbar presents teachers with unlimited whiteboard slides they can open whenever they need, and user-friendly yet comprehensive pen tools with available shapes, and text boxes. Plus you can also use ClassPoint’s quick poll or other question types to assess students’ understanding with hard data & insights.

Addressing questions well makes your audience or students feel heard & appreciated leading to improved learning, enhanced confidence, and a respectful, safe learning environment.

3. Provide an Outline Structure of your Content

When you are preparing your presentation, it is best to first create an effective outline structure that will guide your presentation flow and help you focus on the main learning objective. But what you may not be doing, is offering that outline structure to your students, but you should!

Providing students with a clear understanding of what this lesson is about, the structure of the lesson, and what they will be able to take away from it is important. By doing so, you can help students stay focused and follow along with the material. Additionally, you are setting expectations and ensuring that everyone is on the same page, which can help promote student autonomy. So, include an outline at the start of your presentation lesson.

Step-by-Step Strategies for a Successful Presentation

Before presentation, know your audience, your students, or observers.

Once you have completed your deck, you may want to add a guide script and any additional notes with important points you don’t want to forget or you want to highlight in your presentation to impress your students .

Practice your presentation delivery/lesson

Practice delivering your presentation give you a chance to fine-tune your content and get your facts down. This will help you become more comfortable with the material and identify areas that need improvement. You can practice in front of a mirror, record yourself and watch it back, or even rehearse with a colleague or friend. When practicing, pay attention to your posture, tone of voice, and pacing. By doing so, you’ll be able to deliver a confident and engaging presentation that will captivate your audience.

Use a friendly tone of voice and pace

Adjust your tone to match your message, and avoid speaking too quickly so that your audience will get the chance to absorb the information you’re sharing. By being mindful of these aspects, you will capture your audience’s attention and leave them feeling informed and inspired.

Use engaging body language

Body language is essential for engaging your audience during a presentation. Stand up straight, make eye contact, and use hand gestures to emphasize important points. You can also move around the classroom to keep your students’ attention. By using engaging body language, you’ll be able to convey your message more effectively and keep your students interested throughout the presentation. You’ve got this!

During Presentation

Create an icebreaker.

Having an icebreaker is a warm-up for your students’ brains, allowing you to focus and engage with the material being presented. It also helps break down any barriers or tension between the presenter and the audience, making for a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, an icebreaker provides an opportunity for the presenter to showcase their creativity and personality, adding an extra level of excitement and engagement to the presentation.

Good thing that ClassPoint has numerous features to help you perform an entertaining and unforgettable icebreaker. Here are some examples that you can use during an icebreaker.

• Quick Poll : Quick Poll allows you to create interactive polls right inside your presentation. When used as an icebreaker, it can engage the audience, initiate discussions, and provide valuable insights that help tailor the content to participants’ preferences.
• Word Cloud: Presenters can ask thought-provoking questions related to the topic or general interest. Using Word Cloud, the audiences can answer through their mobile which can be instantly seen as collective responses, with the most frequently mentioned words appearing larger.
• Short Answer : In short answer, you can challenge your audiences’ thought process in a short-form writing activity with no options to get from to test their ability to understand.
• Image Upload : Using single image, audiences can interpret what they feel like, or their mood using only the photos in their gallery or surroundings. A creative yet fun way for an icebreaker!

Speak clearly

Effective communication is crucial when presenting important information to students. Speaking clearly helps ensure that students understand the concepts being taught and follow instructions effectively. As a teacher, it’s important to focus on clear speech to promote effective communication and help your students comprehend the material being presented.

Pay attention to your audience’s attention

Since distractions are aplenty, attention spans are dwindling, it’s important for presenters to captivate their audience’s attention right from the beginning. For teachers, when speaking in front of your class, you should not only focus on the content of your presentation but also on your students’ attention.

To ensure that your students won’t start drifting away or zoning out, start with a compelling opening that immediately grabs their attention. Use vivid storytelling, examples, or demonstrations to engage your students and drive home your message. Don’t forget the power of humor, and never be afraid to be yourself – authentic, passionate, and confident.

Add Personality: share short relatable stories

“A great personality makes everyone feel energized; just like a flower’s fragrance that freshens ups the complete surrounding.” 29 Personality Quotes to Achieve Greatness

As to what is stated in the quote, having a positive and vibrant personality affects the overall mood of your surrounding, it can capture the audience’s attention and maintain their interest throughout the presentation. While the ultimate goal is to deliver a presentation rich with new learnings and knowledge, adding humor can do no harm to lift up the mood in the room. You might want to start by segueing a short story that your students can relate to and make interactions by encouraging them to share a story too or ask questions.

Post-Presentation Reflection

Take the comments by heart.

Receiving feedback from your students is a great way for evaluating the efficacy of a teacher presentation. This can help you identify areas where you can improve and tailor your teaching tactics to better suit the needs of your students. Listening to your students’ feedback can also promote a feeling of cooperation and enable them to become more actively involved in the learning experience. So, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback and take it to heart in order to continually improve your presentations.

Experienced educators understand that they are perpetually crafting their skills, and feedback from their audience brings an opportunity for professional advancement. In addition, accepting audience feedback illustrates esteem and worth for the students’ views. It promotes a feeling of cooperation and enables students to become more actively involved in the learning experience.

Preparing for a presentation is essential for teachers to deliver engaging and impactful content to their students. By structuring thoughts, anticipating questions, and preparing ahead, teachers can achieve a well-organized presentation that will enhance the students’ understanding and leave them feeling confident.

By following our strategies and tips teachers can achieve successful lessons using PowerPoint presentations. And, with the help of an advanced educational technology tool like ClassPoint, teachers can create dynamic and memorable presentations that their students will enjoy and actively participate in.

Try out ClassPoint today and experience a whole teacher presentation in PowerPoint! ✨

About Dianne Adlawan

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What is ‘Presentation, Practice, Production’ (PPP)?

And how can i best use it in my classroom.

Presentation, practice, production (PPP) is a lesson structure, a way to order activities in your lessons.

Although quite old and heavily criticised over the years, PPP is probably the most commonly used lesson structure in teaching English to foreign learners today. It’s also still widely taught to new teachers and seen on initial teacher training courses like the CELTA and CertTESOL.

Most course books that you’re likely to use will structure their chapters in ways similar or the same as PPP, meaning that you’ll get a lot of exposure to this method.

As the name suggests, there are three stages to this lesson structure, which we’ll look at now.

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The ‘presentation’ stage

This is where the language is introduced, or ‘presented’ to the learners, usually by introducing a context or situation. For example, you could:

Tell or act out a short story or anecdote ( “I woke up this morning with a nasty cold… AHHH-CHOOO! I went to the doctor and…”)

Play a short audio clip

Show a clip from a movie or TV show.

Show objects you’ve brought in (e.g. newspaper cuttings, plane tickets, hobby materials)

The aim is to ensure students understand the context and get them thinking about it. You could elicit ideas or suggestions from students, get them to talk to each other about what they know or think about the situation, etc. This also helps them start to remember the language and vocabulary they already know about the topic (or ‘activate the schemata’, if you want the fancy term for it).

The ‘practice’ stage

The ‘practice’ stage is when students use the language in a controlled way. This stage is sometimes divided into two — a controlled practice and a freer practice. Again, among many things, you could get students to:

Drill sentences or sounds, chorally or individually.

Substitution drill in pairs

Sentence matching activities

Gap-fill exercises

Pair work asking and answering questions

The aim of this stage is accuracy . Error correction is important in this stage, so monitor the students closely and take time to correct errors immediately. A delayed error correction section after the activity would be useful for target language errors that seem to be common.

The ‘production’ stage

The ‘production’ stage is where the language is used more openly. Things like:

Communication tasks

Collaborative tasks

Discussion activities

The focus of this stage is using the language as fluently and naturally as possible , as students would do outside of the classroom.

Theory behind Presentation, Practice, Production

This is where PPP gets criticised. It started in the 1960s, and language learning theory has developed considerably since then. Academics who study second language acquisition get annoyed at how PPP doesn’t tick any of the boxes for how we’re supposed to learn a language and yet is still so widespread.

Some learning assumptions behind presentation, practice, production are:

Students should be told the grammar rules and then practice them (a deductive approach).

Language learning is a skill like any other and should be practised as such.

There should be a high level of teacher control, slowly handed over to learners as the lesson progresses.

Language is a series of items that can be learned in sequence.

The target language should be practised by removing unnecessary language to help focus.

All of these have been shown that this isn’t how we best learn languages (in fact, the opposite is largely true!).

However, it isn’t all bad. Here’s my opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of PPP:

It’s easy to learn for new teachers.

It’s very flexible.

It’s easy to plan for and has a logical progression.

It works for most types of classes, including larger classes.

Most course books use this or a similar method to structure their lessons and chapters.

Disadvantages

Research shows that it may not be the best way to teach/learn a language.

Weaker learners may overuse the target language from the practice session, so it sounds unnatural.

Learners may not know how to use the target language in different contexts.

It can be boring if used repeatedly for higher-level students.

Thoughts on Presentation, Practice, Production

Academics are often far removed from the classroom and the real world, studying the individual phenomenon in isolation.

I’ve often seen a light bulb moment for students whilst teaching PPP (although one could argue that it’s not strict PPP, and it’d be hard to isolate the teaching method from other variables). Teaching over a period of time with this method, you do see students improve. Consider also that it’s not done in isolation — you should be getting your learners to interact in English naturally and read extensively outside of class, for starters.

Presentation, practice, production works. Maybe not as well as something like task-based learning (TBL), but TBL takes longer to plan and implement, which becomes very difficult when your teaching hours are high.

Sure, so it might not be theoretically perfect, but it does work.

How to adapt the PPP method

Also, I believe it has evolved from the ‘traditional’ PPP approach described above. Here are some ways you can adapt the classic PPP structure:

Spend more time in the presentation stage eliciting.

Turn the deductive aspect of explicit grammar instruction into an inductive aspect (so learners have to figure out the patterns themselves).

Add collaborative tasks during the practice stage, which learners must use the target language to complete successfully.

Include meta-learning strategies so students can learn how to learn.

Include more incidental language throughout the class so learners hear language in a more natural context.

Change the final stage into a task, such as you’d find in task-based learning .

These changes turn PPP into something else, a blended approach that addresses many of the criticisms of PPP.

Other structures have sought to improve upon the model of PPP. Variants include ESA (engage, study, activate) and CAP (context, analysis, practice)

However, the simplicity of PPP and its notoriety have kept it the most widely used model. I doubt it’s going away any time soon.

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Methods for Presenting Subject Matter

• Tips & Strategies
• An Introduction to Teaching
• Policies & Discipline
• Community Involvement
• School Administration
• Technology in the Classroom
• Teaching Adult Learners
• Issues In Education
• Teaching Resources
• Becoming A Teacher
• Assessments & Tests
• Elementary Education
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• Special Education
• Homeschooling
• M.A., English, Western Connecticut State University
• B.S., Education, Southern Connecticut State University

The word educate comes from Latin, meaning "to bring up, to rise, and to nourish, to train." To educate is an active enterprise. In comparison, the word  teach comes from German, meaning  "show, declare, warn, persuade." To teach is a more passive activity. 

The difference between these words, educate and teach, has resulted in many different instructional strategies, some more active and some more passive. The teacher has the option to choose one in order to successfully deliver content.

In choosing an active or passive instructional strategy, the teacher must also consider for other factors such as subject matter, the resources available, the time allotted for the lesson, and the background knowledge of the students. What follows is a list of ten instructional strategies that can be used to deliver content regardless of grade level or subject matter.

Lectures are instructor-centered forms of instruction given to a whole class. Lectures come in many different forms, some more effective than others. The least effective form of lecture involves a teacher reading from notes or the text without differentiating for student needs. This makes learning a passive activity and students may quickly lose interest.

The lecture is the most used strategy. An article  in "Science Educator" titled "Brain Research: Implications to Diverse Learners" (2005) notes:

"Although lecturing continues to be the most widely employed method in classrooms across the country, research on the way we learn indicates that lecturing is not always very effective."

Some dynamic teachers, however, lecture in a more free-form manner by including students or providing demonstrations. Some skilled lecturers have the ability to engage students using humor or insightful information.

The lecture is often coined as "direct instruction" which can be can be made into a more active instructional strategy when it is part of a mini- lesson .

The lecture portion of the mini-lesson is designed in a sequence where the teacher first makes a connection to previous lessons. Then the teacher delivers the content using a demonstration or a think-aloud . The lecture part of the mini-lesson is revisited after students have an opportunity for hands-on practice when the teacher restates the content one more time. 

Socratic Seminar

In a whole group discussion , the instructor and the students share the focus of the lesson. Typically a teacher presents information through questions and answers, trying to ensure that all students are involved in learning. Keeping all students on task, however, may be difficult with large class sizes. Teachers should be aware that using an instructional strategy of whole-class discussions may result in passive engagement for some students who may not participate .

To increase engagement, whole-class discussions may take several different forms. The Socratic seminar is where an instructor asks open-ended questions allowing students to respond and build on each others thinking. According to education researcher Grant  Wiggins , the Socratic seminar leads to more active learning when,

"...it becomes the student’s opportunity and responsibility to develop habits and skills that are traditionally reserved for the teacher."

One modification to the Socratic Seminar is the instructional strategy known as the fishbowl. In the fishbowl, a (smaller) inner circle of students respond to questions while a (larger) outer circle of students observes. In the fishbowl, the instructor participates as a moderator only.

Jigsaws and Small Groups

There are other forms of small group discussion. The most basic example is when the teacher breaks the class up into small groups and provides them with talking points that they must discuss. The teacher then walks around the room, checking on the information being shared and ensuring participation by all within the group. The teacher may ask students questions to ensure that everyone's voice is heard.

The Jigsaw is one modification on small group discussion that asks each student to become an expert on a particular topic and then share that knowledge by moving from one group to another. Each student expert then "teaches" the content to the members of each group. All members are responsible to learn all content from one another.

This method of discussion would work well, for example, when students have read an informational text in science or social studies and are sharing information to prepare for questions posed by the instructor. 

Literature circles are another instructional strategy that capitalizes on active small group discussions. Students respond to what they have read in structured groups designed to develop independence, responsibility, and ownership. Literature circles can be organized around one book or around a theme using many different texts.

Role Play or Debate

Roleplay is an active instructional strategy that has students take on different roles in a specific context as they explore and learn about the topic at hand. In many ways, role-play is similar to improvisation where each student is confident enough to offer an interpretation of a character or an idea without the benefit of a script. One example could be asking students to participate in a luncheon that is set in a historical period (ex: a Roaring 20s "Great Gatsby" party). 

In a foreign language class, students might take on the role of different speakers and use dialogues to help learn the language . It is important that the teacher has a firm plan for including and assessing the students based on their role-playing as more than participation.

The use of debates in the classroom can be an active strategy that strengthens skills of persuasion, organization, public speaking, research, teamwork, etiquette, and cooperation. Even in a polarized classroom, student emotions and biases can be addressed in a debate that begins in research. Teachers can foster critical thinking skills by requiring students to provide evidence to support their claims before any debate.

Hands-on or Simulation

Hands-on learning allows students to participate in an organized activity best evidenced in stations or science experiments. The arts (music, art, drama) and physical education are those recognized disciplines that require hands-on instruction.

Simulations are also hands-on but are different than role-playing. Simulations ask students to use what they have learned and their own intellect to work through an authentic problem or activity. Such simulations might be offered, for example, in a civics class where students create a model legislature in order to create and pass legislation. Another example is having students participate in a stock market game. Regardless of the kind of activity, a post-simulation discussion is important for assessing student understanding.

Because these kinds of active instructional strategies are engaging, students are motivated to participate. The lessons do require extensive preparation and also require the teacher to make clear how each student will be assessed for their participation and then be flexible with the results.

Software Program(s)

Teachers can use a variety of educational software on different platforms to deliver digital content for student learning. The software might be installed as an application or a program that students access on the internet. Different software programs are selected by the teacher for their content ( Newsela ) or for the features that allow students to engage ( Quizlet ) with the material.

Longterm instruction, a quarter or semester, can be delivered over software platforms online such as Odysseyware or Merlot . These platforms are curated by educators or researchers who provide specific subject materials, assessment, and support materials.

Short term instruction, such as a lesson, can be used to engage students in learning content through interactive games ( Kahoot !) or more passive activities such as reading texts.

Many software programs can collect data on student performance which can be used by teachers to inform instruction in areas of weakness.  This instructional strategy requires that teacher vets the materials or learns the software processes of the program in order to best use the data that records student performance.

Presentation Through Multimedia

Multimedia methods of presentation are passive methods of delivering content and include slideshows (Powerpoint) or movies. When creating presentations, teachers should be aware of the need to keep notes concise while including interesting and relevant images. If done well, a presentation is a kind of lecture that can be interesting and effective for student learning. 

Teachers may want to follow a 10/20/30 rule which means there are no more than 10  slides , the presentation is under 20 minutes, and the font is no smaller than 30 points. Presenters need to be aware that too many words on a slide can be confusing to some students or that reading every word on the slide aloud can be boring for an audience that can already read the material.

Movies present their own set of problems and concerns but can be extremely effective when teaching certain subjects. Teachers should consider the pros and cons of using movies before using them in the classroom.

Independent Reading and Work

Some topics lend themselves well to individual classroom reading time. For example, if students are studying a short story, a teacher might have them read in class and then stop them after a certain time to ask questions and check for understanding. However, it is important that the teacher is aware of student reading levels to make sure that students do not fall behind. Different leveled texts on the same content may be necessary.

Another method some teachers use is to have students select their own reading based on a research topic or simply on their interests. When students make their own choices in reading, they are more actively engaged. On independent reading  selections, teachers may want to use more generic questions to assess student understanding such as:

• What did the author say?
• What did the author mean?
• What words are the most important?

Research work in any subject area falls into this instructional strategy. 

Student Presentation

The instructional strategy of using student presentations as a way to present content to the class as a whole can be a fun and engaging method of instruction. For example, teachers can divide up a chapter into topics and have the students "teach" the class by presenting their "expert" analysis. This is similar to the Jigsaw strategy used in small group work.

Another way to organize student presentations is to hand out topics to students or groups and have them present information on each topic as a short presentation. This not only helps students learn the material in a deeper manner but also provides them with practice in public speaking. While this instructional strategy is largely passive for the student audience, the student presenting is an active demonstrating a high level of understanding.

Should students choose to use media, they should also adhere to the same recommendations that teachers should use with Powerpoint (ex: a 10/20/30 rule) or for films.

Flipped Classroom

Student use of all manner of digital devices (smartphones, laptops, i-Pads, Kindles) that allow access to content brought the beginning of the Flipped Classroom. More than a switch of homework to classwork, this relatively new instructional strategy is where the teacher moves the more passive elements of learning such as watching a powerpoint or reading a chapter, etc.as an activity outside of the classroom, usually the day or night before. This design of the flipped classroom is where valuable class time is available for more active forms of learning.

In flipped classrooms, one goal would be to guide students to make decisions on how to learn better on their own rather than having the teacher deliver information directly.

One source of materials for the flipped classroom is Khan Academy, This site originally began with videos that explained math concepts using the motto "Our mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere."

Many students preparing for the SAT for college entry might be interested to know that if they are using Khan Academy, they are participating in a flipped classroom model.

• Whole Group Discussion Pros and Cons
• 6 Tips to Liven Up Your Lectures
• 10 Ways to Keep Your Class Interesting
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Lecturing
• How Scaffolding Instruction Can Improve Comprehension
• Using Effective Instructional Strategies
• 6 Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction
• How to Design Lessons When the Student Can't Read
• 5 Keys to Being a Successful Teacher
• Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Equity and Engagement
• How to Facilitate Learning and Critical Thinking
• Topics for a Lesson Plan Template
• Gradual Release of Responsibility Creates Independent Learners
• Strategies for Teachers to Develop Positive Relationships With Students
• 5 Free Assessment Apps for Teachers
• How to Make Lesson Plans for Adult Students

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Teaching Resources

Improving Presentation Style

Resource overview.

Strategies for making your presentation style more effective in the classroom

Effective lecturers combine the talents of scholar, writer, producer, comedian, showman, and teacher in ways that contribute to student learning.”

Wilbert J. McKeachie, Teaching Tips

An effective teacher is an excellent communicator and therefore thinks about improving his or her presentation skills. One of the most important aspects of communicating is shaping both content and style to fit your audience. In the classroom, if you cannot communicate in a way that is both comprehensible and interesting to your students, their learning will be greatly reduced.

To strengthen your presentation skills, focus on improving your skills in these three areas:

Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

• Find out all you can about the room in which you will be presenting. Visit the room ahead of time to familiarize yourself with its size and layout, as well as the type of chalkboards, chalk, erasers, and multimedia available. In addition, obtain any necessary training on the multimedia.
• Use the classroom as a stage. Move around to engage and interact with your audience. Do not stand in one spot the entire time. Move with purpose; do not walk aimlessly.
• Prepare. Preparation is essential. All excellent teachers are well prepared for each class. Practice in the room if you can, especially if you are new to teaching. In addition, prepare yourself emotionally and psychologically by taking the time to organize your thoughts and to look forward to teaching before every class.
• Speak loudly and clearly. Project your voice and face your audience when you are speaking. Speak slightly louder than you do in a normal conversation. Use a microphone in a medium to large classroom. The class may include students with hearing problems. Moreover, a microphone will help ensure that students can hear you even when you turn to the chalkboard momentarily.
• Modulate the tone, pitch, and speed of your speech. Do not speak in a monotone. Vary the pitch and speed of your voice for emphasis and effect. Use appropriate pauses. Rather than using filler words such as “uh,” for example, simply pause before moving on to the next idea or point.
• Use gestures and facial expressions to help you explain, emphasize, and communicate the material. However, be careful not to develop distracting habits such as pacing or repeatedly adjusting your glasses or hair. To find out if you are unconsciously doing anything that may be distracting to your audience, have a colleague observe one of your classes or have your class videotaped. To schedule a videotaping and teaching consultation, call The Teaching Center at 935-6810.
• Develop a teaching persona. Decide how you want to be perceived and what mannerisms you want to have. For example, do you want to be quiet, humorous, formal, or informal? Whatever persona is right for you, aim to convey confidence and ease. Move with certainty and assuredness, and be careful not to seem pompous or intimidating.
• Show passion and enthusiasm for the topic. If you are not interested in the subject, you cannot expect your students to be interested, either. Point out the fascinating aspects of what they are learning.
• Do not read your notes or slides. Doing so will lower your energy level and lead your audience to feel less engaged.
• Interact with and pay attention to your audience. Make eye contact with the students, not with the wall or chalkboard. Build a rapport with the class. Make sure the class is with you (following and understanding what you are discussing). If they appear to be lost, take additional time to explain points and to ask and answer questions.
• Do not take yourself too seriously. Be able to laugh at yourself and your mistakes. Feel free to bring humor into the classroom, but direct it at yourself, rather than at your students’ questions and ideas.
• Keep track of the time. Do not start early or end late. The students often do not recall or listen to information presented after the class period is technically finished.

Effective Use of the Chalkboard and Visual-Aids

Using the Chalkboard

• Write legibly and big enough that your writing can seen in the back of the room.
• Think about the organization of the material on the board.
• Fill one board at a time, starting at the top of each board and writing down.
• Do not scrunch in words at the very bottom of the board or in the margins. The students in the back will not see the words at the bottom, and no one will see the words in the margins.
• Underline or mark major assumptions, conclusions, etc.
• Use color to emphasize points.Before the course starts, determine which colors are most visible in the back of the room.
• Erase a board only when you have run out of room.
• If you find a mistake on a previous board, do not erase it. Cross it out, then write the correction in, which is what the students must do.

Using Visual Aids, such as PowerPoint Slides

• Do not use visual aids unless they serve a clear and important purpose. Visuals should aid quick comprehension and support the main points.
• Book and check out the presentation equipment in advance.
• Talk to your audience and not to the screen.
• Use the visuals to enhance your presentation, not as a substitute for a verbal presentation.
• Use a pointer, if necessary.
• Coordinate the audio and the visual.
• Design your visuals with clarity and simplicity in mind.

Effective Design and Meaningful Organization of Content

Visual Design Suggestions

• Use single words or phrases.
• Organize the content visually.
• Choose a font that is easy to see. Choose a font that is simple, plain, and easy to read such as Times New Roman, Ariel, or Helvetica. Select a font size that is large enough to be seen at the back of the room. The minimal acceptable size is typically 24-point. Use both upper- and lower-case letters; all upper-case letters are difficult to read.
• Keep the design simple. Too many words, graphics, or different colors are distracting and cause students to miss the important points.
• Use short quotes, not long extracts, from documents.
• Assign a title for each visual. Doing so will help your audience organize and retain the information on each visual.
• Use summary lists.
• Limit the number of ideas on each visual. For example, limit the number of bullets on a page to approximately 4 to 6. Each bullet should be short, approximately one line. Do not crowd the visual with text; it will be too difficult to read.
• Use color for emphasis and organization. Color is useful, but needs to be used judiciously. The color should be used for emphasis or for distinguishing among data. Think about the color wheel: adjacent colors blend together and colors directly opposite each other are contrasting and provide better readability. Reds and oranges stand out, but are hard to continually focus on; therefore, use these colors only for emphasis. Greens, blues, and browns are easier to continually focus on, but do not grab a person’s attention.
• Design diagrams and tables that are simple and clear, with readily recognized symbols. Your audience must be able to read all data in your diagrams and tables. Often, this means that you will have to simplify a more complex or detailed table or diagram that has been prepared for a printed format.
• Use horizontal (landscape) layout, not vertical (portrait). Screens, video monitors, and computer monitors are shaped for a horizontal, not a vertical, format. In addition, a horizontal format is easier to project in rooms with low ceilings.

Content Organization Suggestions

• Plan the content. Think about the type of students in the class, the goals for the course and the current session, the type of material to be presented in the current session, and the type of media, if any, that you are going to use.
• Provide a structure. Each class session or presentation should have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
• List objectives or provide an outline at the beginning of each class session. Providing an outline helps students identify the most important points and follow the lecture or discussion more effectively.
• Organize course content with a theme or storyline. How do you want to arrange the material? How does each part of the material relate to what comes next.
• Remember that a typical student’s attention span is 15-20 minutes. Every 15-20 minutes, either change your teaching method or change activities. Use different teaching methods in one session to keep the students’ attention and to reach students who have different learning preferences. (See Teaching with Lectures .)
• Allow for pauses and “wait-time.” Wait-time is the pause after the instructor either asks a question or asks for questions. Students need time to think of a response to a question, or to think of a question to ask. Do not be afraid of silence. Most instructors wait 1-3 seconds for a response. However, increasing the wait-time to 5-10 seconds dramatically increases the number and quality of responses. (See Asking Questions to Improve Learning .)

Clark, Donald. “Making Presentations that Audiences Will Love.” PowerPoint Presentation. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/templates/presentations.ppt .

—.“Monthly Speaking Tips.” LJL Seminars. http://www.ljlseminars.com/monthtip.htm .

“Common Visual Aids.” Faculty Development Committee. Honolulu Community College. http://letsgetengaged.wikispaces.com/file/view/using_visual_aids.pdf

“Creating Visual Aids That Really Work: Designing Effective Slides Using PowerPoint.” Effective Communications Group (ECG), Inc.  http://ecgcoaching.com/library/ps/powerpoint.php

Davis, Barbara Gross. “Delivering a Lecture.” Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 1993.

Edwards, Paul N. “How to Give an Academic Talk.” School of Information. University of Michigan. http://pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf .

McKeachie, Wilbert, et al. McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.

“Presentations.” Teaching and Learning Center. Eastern Kentucky University.

Sammons, Martha. “Students Assess Computer-Aided Classroom Presentations.” The Journal Online, May 1995. http://thejournal.com/articles/1995/05/01/students-assess-computeraided-classroom-presentations.aspx?sc_lang=en

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Effective PowerPoint

PowerPoint is common in college classrooms, yet slide technology is not more effective for student learning than other styles of lecture (Levasseur & Sawyer, 2006). While research indicates which practices support learning and clarifies students’ attitudes toward PowerPoint, effective PowerPoint is not an exact science; few rules can be applied universally. Instructors should consider their audience and their pedagogical goals.

What Students Think

Although students do not necessarily learn more when PowerPoint is used, students prefer slide technology and think they learn better from it (Suskind, 2005). Students also rate instructors who use PowerPoint more highly. One study found about a six percent bump in student ratings of instructors who use PowerPoint over those who don’t (Apperson et al., 2006). Students indicate that what they like most about PowerPoint is that it organizes information, keeps them interested, and helps “visual learners” (Hill et al., 2012). They also, however, critique PowerPoint when slides have too many words, irrelevant clip art, unnecessary movement or animations, and too many colors (Vanderbilt University).

Research-Supported Methods

Like all teaching methods, the use of PowerPoint requires that teachers consider and make use of students’ need for variety. If used as one tool among many, lecturing with PowerPoint adds variety to a course, possibly minimizing student distractions (Bunce et al, 2010).

Minimal Text

In the interest of variety, PowerPoint lectures should not be excessively long, but the number of slides used in lectures has no direct impact on teaching effectiveness. However, the amount of text  per slide  is consequential. One study found that slides containing  three or fewer bullet points  and  twenty or fewer words  were more effective than slides with higher density (Brock, et al., 2011). Less text on each slide also reduces the amount of simultaneous delivery of material in text and speech, that is, presenters reading out loud the text on the slide, which is an additional barrier to comprehension. Studies show that audiences comprehend less when the same material is simultaneously delivered by text and speech and that for many settings, audio-only delivery of text is more effective.

This process is explained by the  cognitive load theory , which states that since working memory is limited and each form of presentation of new material (written text, audio instruction, visual diagram, etc.) requires its own allotment of working memory to process, the amount of working memory available for learning is hindered by unnecessary redundancies in presentation. These effects are more pronounced when multiple presentations of information are processed in the same cognitive domain—such as audio instructions and visual text, both processed in the language domain, known as the “phonological loop” (Kalyuga et al., 2004).

Assertion-Evidence Method

The traditional use of PowerPoint, determined mostly by software programming defaults, involves crafting slides with a topic, question, or theme in the upper banner, followed by text bullet points in the body of the slide. A more effective way to present material is with the  Assertion-Evidence   Method  (see graphic), in which the top banner makes an assertion, written in sentence form (think of crafting the assertion in the style of a newspaper headline). The body of the slide then contains visual evidence of the assertion—if possible, in the form of a simple chart, but pictures and brief text can also serve as evidence. This method has been linked with better understanding and long-term retention (Garner & Alley, 2013).

Traditional Topic and Bullet-Point Method

Practical Tips

The research above—as well as research about learning in general—encourages certain practices when using PowerPoint:

• For variety, use the hyperlink or embed features of PowerPoint to incorporate audio or video media.
• To reduce cognitive load, blank out the projector when answering a question or dealing with an issue not directly related to the slide.
• Also to reduce cognitive load, don’t talk while students are writing. If you have minimal text, the instructor should be able—without much disruption in the flow of oration—to display the text and let students silently read before proceeding to elaborate.
• To encourage  interactive learning , incorporate questions into PowerPoint presentations. These can be used for discussion, pause-and-ponder, brief writing exercises, etc.

Apperson, J., Laws, E., & Scepansky, J. (2006). The impact of presentation graphics on students’ experience in the classroom.  Computers & Education 47 , 116-126.

Brock, S. Joglekar, Y., & Cohen, E. (2011). Empowering PowerPoint: Slides and teaching effectiveness.  Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge & Management, 6 , 85-94.

Bunce, D. M., Flens, E. A., & Neiles, K. Y. (2010). How long can students pay attention in class? A study of student attention using clickers.  Journal of Chemical Education ,  87 (12, 1438-1443.

Garner, J. K., & Alley, M. P (2013). How the design of presentation slides affects audience comprehension: A case for the assertion-evidence approach.  International Journal of Engineering Education, 29 (6), 1564-1579.

Hill, A., Arford, T., Lubitow, A., & Smollin, L. M. (2012). “I’m ambivalent about it”: The dilemmas of PowerPoint.  Teaching Sociology, 40 (3), 242-256.

Kalyuga, S., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (2004). When redundant on-screen text in multimedia technical instruction can interfere with learning.  Human Factors, 46 (3), 567-581.

Levasseur, D. G., & Sawyer, J. K. (2006). Pedagogy meets PowerPoint: A research review of the effects of computer-generated slides in the classroom.  The Review of Communication, 6 (1/2), 101-123.

Making better PowerPoint presentations (n.d.). Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching (webpage). Retrieved from  https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/making-better-powerpoint-presentations/ .

Suskind, J. E. (2005). PowerPoint’s power in the classroom: Enhancing students’ self-efficacy and attitudes.  Computers & Education, 45 (2), 203-215.

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• Welcome to this free course on 'General Teaching M...
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• TOPIC 1 - QUIZ
• TOPIC 2 - QUIZ
• TOPIC 3 - QUIZ
• TOPIC 4 - QUIZ
• TOPIC 5 - QUIZ
• Introduction
• 1.1 DEFINITIONS, TYPES & PROCESSES OF LEARNING
• What is learning
• Behaviourism
• Constructivism
• Social-constructivism
• Cognitivism
• Conclusion on learning theories
• 1.2 LEARNING STYLES
• Introduction to learning styles
• Overview of learning styles
• Interpersonal learners
• Intrapersonal learners
• Kinesthetic learners
• Verbal learners
• Visual learners
• Logical learners
• Auditory learners
• Identifying learning styles
• 1.3 LEVELS OF COGNITION
• Introduction to Bloom's taxonomy
• How Bloom’s Taxonomy is useful for teachers
• 2.1 FOUNDATION AND RATIONALE
• Introduction to Active Teaching and Learning
• Defining Active Teaching and Learning
• Rationale for Active Teaching and Learning
• 2.2 METHODS, TECHNIQUES & TOOLS
• METHODS FOR ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
• Problem-based learning
• Project-based learning
• Learning stations
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• TECHNIQUES FOR ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
• Demonstration

Presentation

• Brainstorming
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• TOOLS FOR ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
• Low cost experiments
• Charts and maps
• Student portfolio
• 2.3 BARRIES IN INTEGRATING ACTIVE TEACHING
• Identifying Barriers
• 3.1 INTRODUCTION TO CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATION
• Defining classroom management
• The role of the teacher
• Defining classroom organization
• Classroom seating arrangement
• Overview of classroom seating arrangement styles
• Benefits of effective classroom management and organization
• 3.2 STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
• The teacher as a model
• Desired learner behaviour
• Rewarding learners
• Types of rewards
• Reinforcing learners
• Delivering a reinforcement
• 3.3 LESSON PLANNING
• Definition of a lesson plan
• Components of a lesson plan
• 4.1 INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
• Definition of assessment
• Formative vs. summative assessment
• Assessment for learning
• Assessment vs. evaluation
• 4.2 CLASS ASSESSMENT TOOLS
• Assessment rubrics
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• 4.3 REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
• Definition of reflective practice
• The reflective cycle
• 5.1 CONCEPT OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
• Introduction to teaching and learning materials
• Purpose of teaching and learning materials
• 5.2 TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
• Traditional and innovative resources
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• Integrating instructional materials
• Factors to consider when selecting instructional materials

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General Teaching Methods

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A presentation delivers content through oral, audio and visual channels allowing teacher-learner interaction and making the learning process more attractive. Through presentations, teachers can clearly introduce difficult concepts by illustrating the key principles and by engaging the audience in active discussions. When presentations are designed by learners, their knowledge sharing competences, their communication skills and their confidence are developed.

• Define the objectives of the presentation in accordance to the lesson plan (lesson planning)
• Prepare the structure of the presentation, including text, illustrations and other content (lesson planning)
• Set up and test the presentation equipment and provide a conducive seating arrangement and environment for the audience (lesson planning)
• Invite the audience to reflect on the presentation and give feedback (lesson delivery)
• After the presentation, propose activities or tasks to check the learners’ understanding
• Use Mentimeter for interactive presentations and to get instant feedback from your audience (consult this written tutorial on how to use Mentimeter).
• An infographic; graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge, is an innovative way to present. Use the digital tool Canva to create your own infographics (consult this  written tutorial  on how to use Canva).
• Use Google Slides or the Microsoft software PowerPoint , to easily create digital presentations.
• The purpose of a presentation is to visually reinforce what you are saying. Therefore the text should contain few words and concise ideas organised in bullet-point.
• Support your text using images .
• Provide time for reflection and interaction between the presenter and the audience, for example by using  Mentimeter .

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The 5 most effective teaching styles (pros & cons of each), share this article.

Even though every instructor is unique, the prevalent style of teaching has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, along with the new cultural norms and technological advancements.

Educational researchers today define at least five different teaching styles on a spectrum that moves from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered one:

Other teaching methods outside of the core five exist as well. The Spectrum of Teaching Styles in Physical Education defines 11 distinct teaching styles that can be used to coach students in schools and universities.

While most instructors can be described by a single personal model of teaching, the best ones always adjust their teaching strategies to their students and the learning process at hand.

That’s why it’s important to know what the different teaching styles are and have a clear idea of how to use them when needed.

Skip ahead:

Demonstrator

Facilitator, is one style of teaching better than others , how to adapt teaching styles to different learning styles, does classroom diversity influence my style of teaching .

5 different teaching styles to use today

A lot of educators in traditional teaching environments with decades of experience are not aware of their primary teaching style, even though their approach to teaching has a direct effect on student participation and student engagement.

Let’s explore five teaching style examples to show how broad differentiated instruction in classroom settings can be.

The lecturer style (sometimes called the formal authority style) is familiar to anyone who’s sat through long unidirectional lectures in giant university auditoriums. In this teaching style, the teacher takes up a central role and delivers information to a large group of students in a structured and organized manner. The subject matter is usually singular and predetermined. 

Because the students are many, there’s not enough room or time for personalized interactions between the teacher and the students. However, students are encouraged to take notes and ask questions at the end of each lecture. There are usually no activities planned.

An example of the Lecturer teaching style in action is when a guest speaker is invited to a school or an office to give a presentation. After the guest speaker presents the topic for an hour, they encourage students to ask questions if there’s anything they don’t understand or would like to clarify. 

Pros of the Lecturer teaching style

• It’s p ossible to teach large groups of students at once
• It’s easy to prepare lecturers
• It provides a clear structure and organization to the content
• It can be time-effective in covering a broad range of material

Cons of the Lecturer teaching style

• There’s limited student engagement and interaction 
• Students won’t be able to retain information properly because they’re not actively engaging with the lecturer
• This teaching method does not cater to diverse learning styles

Under the demonstrator style, the teacher still retains a lot of authority but is more open to trying a student-centered approach to teaching. You can see the demonstrator encouraging students to come up with problem-solving strategies, ask questions and simulate what they’ve just learned.

The demonstrator often goes beyond lectures and demonstrates concepts or skills to the students using visual aids (presentations, images, and films), hands-on activities, and practical examples. As a result, this method is applicable to more learning styles.

An example of the Demonstrator teaching style in action is when a teacher conducts a science experiment or an art workshop in the classroom. The students huddle around the demonstrator to observe and participate in the experiment or workshop. When the teacher is done with the demonstration, they encourage the students to emulate the processes that they’ve observed to create the same (or similar results). 

As the students work, the teacher is there to provide them with visual aids and multimedia to enforce concepts and principles, and answer any questions they may have regarding the project. The teacher may also encourage peer sharing and feedback, which helps students to actively engage in the learning process.

Pros of the Demonstrator teaching style

• It incorporates a variety of teaching formats
• Hands-on learning can enhance students’ understanding of the subject matter
• Visual aids and demonstrations can make concepts more memorable 
• Students can ask for immediate clarification through examples and practical applications

Cons of the Demonstrator teaching style

•  It doesn’t accommodate the needs of all students
• This teaching style may not be suitable for all subjects or topics 
• This style requires adequate resources and preparation, which can be hard if the teacher is short on time or has a low budget
• During a demonstration, there’s often no time to cover a large amount of content

The hybrid (also known as blended) style strives to strike a balance between teacher- and student-centered approaches. It also tries to integrate both traditional and modern teaching methods, which makes it a great style for adapting to the needs of diverse learners.

Most of the time, the teachers who follow the hybrid style bring their own knowledge and expertise into the class. They still have a structure for every lecture but are able to adjust their flow and come up with the right activities to keep the students engaged. A hybrid teaching style integrates lectures, demonstrations, group activities, and even technology into one learning session. 

For example, a hybrid teacher may assign online readings or videos for students to review before class.  There can also be an online discussion forum where students share insights and questions. In class, the students can build upon the online discussion with hands-on activities, group discussions, or problem-solving tasks related to the material they reviewed. 

While the hybrid approach tends to be quite effective in a variety of settings, it can make covering information-heavy courses difficult due to its slower pace.

Pros of the Hybrid teaching style

• This teaching style uses a variety of methods that cater to diverse student needs 
• It integrates traditional and modern approaches for a balanced learning experience 
• It gives teachers the flexibility to adapt to different learning preferences 
• Students remain active and engaged for longer

Cons of the Hybrid teaching style

• This teaching style requires careful planning and the coordination of different teaching elements 
• Finding the right balance between traditional and modern teaching methods may be challenging
• It’s dependent on the available resources and technology  
• It can be less focused and slow
• It requires a lot of energy from the teacher

Shifting to an even more student-centered approach, there’s the facilitator style of teaching.

Instead of giving one-directional lectures, a facilitator encourages inquiry-based learning. Students learn by thinking critically, asking questions, and discussing real-world case studies. Some other activities might be designed to improve problem-solving skills and help understand the subject matter better through practical challenges.

A great example of the Facilitator teaching style in action is a Socratic seminar, which promotes Socrates’ belief that asking questions, inquiring about things, and engaging in constructive debates are the best ways to learn. 

In a Socratic seminar, students seek a deeper understanding of complex or vague ideas through thoughtful dialogue and divergent thinking. The facilitator provides a specific topic or text for students to read through and ponder upon. Then, the facilitator poses open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking. The students answer these questions, argue civilly for or against a motion, share ideas, and build on each other’s responses to get an all-around understanding of the topic/text.

Another example is a case study analysis, where the facilitator presents a real-life case study related to the subject matter. Then, the facilitator prompts a class discussion where students analyze the case, identify key issues, and proffer solutions. The teacher guides the discussion, encouraging critical thinking and collaboration among students. 

Pros of the Facilitator teaching style

• This teaching style helps students develop self-sufficiency, as the teacher provides guidance and support rather than direct instruction
• It fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills
• It supports student-centered learning and autonomy

Cons of the Facilitator teaching style

• This style doesn’t work well for theory-heavy classes
• It requires a skilled facilitator to guide discussions effectively 
• It may take more time to cover content compared to traditional methods 
• Students may need additional support if they’re not accustomed to this teaching method

The most student-centric teaching style of all is called the delegator style (also known as the group style). Here, the teacher is merely present as an observer, and it’s the group of students who are doing all the work.

Most of the learning in the delegator style happens peer-to-peer, through frequent collaborations and discussions. The instructor is practically removed from the position of authority and only facilitates the discussions instead.

The delegator style works best for lab-based experiments, group tutoring classes, creative writing, debates, and other peer-to-peer activities. In these activities, the teacher divides the class into small groups and assigns each group a project related to the course content. The students are responsible for planning, executing, and presenting their findings, while the teacher acts as a mentor, providing guidance and support throughout the project.

This approach encourages students to take ownership of their education and become self-directed learners.

Pros of the Delegator teaching style

• This teaching style encourages learning and collaboration among students
• It allows for individualized learning experiences
• It promotes the development of problem-solving and decision-making skills

Cons of the Delegator teaching style

• This teaching style can be inefficient since students have to find the right answers for themselves
• It may not be suitable for all subjects or students

These are just five of the most popular teaching styles that instructors can choose from when creating their courses. Depending on the system you look at, there might be even more, as described in a paper titled Teaching Styles and Language Performance by Edgar R. Eslit and Mercedita B. Tongson.

As you can see from the list above, each style of teaching has its pros and cons. So there’s no definitive winner here — rather, you should learn to mix and match based on a situation.

When preparing your course content, you can imagine which teaching style would help your students learn the material best. If you’re not sure, try experimenting with a few different styles for the first few student cohorts to find out.

We’ve written about the seven main types of learning styles before, which are essential for every instructor to understand.

There’s no doubt that different students shine under different teaching approaches.

There’s a famous “empty vessel” theory, for example, which asserts that students’ minds are essentially empty until teachers pour their knowledge into them, lecture-style.

But cooperative learning which requires more group work and would pair well with the facilitator or delegator style of teaching. Check out Cohort-Based Learning for a deeper dive into this kind of teaching style.

Interactive learning can be a great fit for the demonstrator or facilitator style, and so on.

Another reason to have different teaching styles in your arsenal is the diversity of students you might see in your class. As students learn better by different approaches and at a different speed, you should be able to adjust your teaching style on the fly to maximize the learning opportunity for all.

It’s likely that your primary teaching style won’t be purely of the big five discussed above, but rather an ever-changing mix that would be unique to you and the students you teach.

In addition, as teachers lead students and help students become future leaders, you should be aware of the kind of leadership that you want to facilitate through your teaching.

How to create a perfect course online

Do you want to put your teaching style to practice? There’s no better way to do that than creating a brand new online course. The only thing you need is a course-creation platform to do that.

Thinkific is an intuitive and easy-to-use platform for all teachers to create beautiful online courses in no time. The platform adjusts easily to various teaching styles through the use of multimedia materials, from presentations to videos to quizzes to member communities.

Best of all, no coding skills are required. Just pick a gorgeous template and quickly customize it to your need with a drag-and-drop editor.

Get started today for free and see how easy creating an effective course can be.

This was originally published in June 2022, it has since been updated in February 2024 to include new info.

Colin is a Content Marketer at Thinkific, writing about everything from online entrepreneurship & course creation to digital marketing strategy.

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How a Simple Presentation Framework Helps Students Learn

Explaining concepts to their peers helps students shore up their content knowledge and improve their communication skills.

A few years ago, my colleague and I were awarded a Hawai‘i Innovation Fund Grant. The joy of being awarded the grant was met with dread and despair when we were informed that we would have to deliver a 15-minute presentation on our grant write-up to a room full of educational leaders. If that wasn’t intimidating enough, my colleague informed me that he was not going to be in Hawai‘i at the time of the presentation. I had “one shot,” just a 15-minute presentation to encapsulate all of the 17 pages of the grant I had cowritten, but how?

I worked hard to construct and deliver a presentation that was concise yet explicit. I was clear on the big picture of what the grant was composed of and provided a visual of it in practice. I made sure the audience understood the “why” behind the grant. I showed how it worked, the concrete elements of it, and how they made it successful. I finished with a scaffold that would help others know how to initiate it within their context, giving them the freedom to make it authentically their own.

I received good feedback from the presentation, and more important, what was shared positively impacted student learning in other classrooms across the state.

A Simple Framework for Presentations

That first presentation took me over a month to prepare, but afterward I noticed that my prep time for presentations shrank exponentially from a few months to a few (uninterrupted) days. Interestingly enough, as a by-product of creating the original presentation, I created an abstract framework that I have used for every professional learning presentation I have delivered since then. The “What, Why, How, and How-To” framework goes as follows:

• What? What can the audience easily connect to and know as a bridge to the unknown for the rest of the experience?
• Why? Why should they care to listen to (and learn from) the rest of the presentation? What’s in it for them to shift from passive listeners to actively engaged? The audience needs to know why you believe in this so much that you are compelled to share it.
• How? What are the key elements that make it unique? How is it effective in doing what it does? What are the intricacies of how it works?
• How-to? How could they start doing this on their own? How could this knowledge serve as a foundational springboard? Connect it to “why.”

Benefits for Students

One of the best parts of presentations is that they help the presenter to improve their communication skills. The presenter is learning how to give a presentation by doing it. To prepare a presentation, the presenter must know the intricate elements of what they are presenting and the rationale for their importance. In the presentation delivery, the presenter must be articulate and meticulous to ensure that everyone in the audience is able (and willing) to process the information provided.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that preparing and delivering presentations could provide a valuable learning opportunity for my students.

I recall teaching mathematical concepts whereby students would immediately apply knowledge learned to accomplish the task in silence and without any deeper questioning. Only after I asked them to provide presentations on these concepts did they regularly ask me, “Why is this important, again?” or “What makes this so special?” My students’ mathematical literacy grew through preparing presentations with the “What, Why, How, and How-To” framework, which supported them in their ability to demonstrate content knowledge through mathematical rigor (balancing conceptual understanding, skills and procedural fluency, and real-world application).

• The “what” served as the mathematical concept.
• The “why” demonstrated the real-world application of the concept.
• “The “how” demonstrated conceptual understanding of the concept.
• The “how-to” demonstrated skills and procedures of the concept. 

In addition to content knowledge, the sequential competencies of clarity, cohesiveness, and captivation ensured that the presenter could successfully share the information with their audience. When combined, these framed a rubric that supported students in optimizing their presentation deliveries. The competencies are as follows:

1. Content knowledge. The presenter must display a deep understanding of what they are delivering in order to share the “what, why, how, and how-to” of the topic.

2. Clarity. The presenter must be clear with precise, academic language. As the content they deliver may be new to the audience, any lack of clarity will alienate the audience. Providing multiple modes of representation greatly addresses a variety of processing needs of a diverse audience.

3. Cohesiveness. When making clear connections, the presenter bridges gaps between each discrete component in how they all work together as integral elements of the topic. Any gaps too large may make the elements look disjointed or, worse, the audience feel lost.

4. Captivation. The presenter must captivate the audience through any combination of audience engagement or storytelling . They make the presentation flow with the energy of a song , and in the end, they leave the audience with a delicate balance of feeling fulfilled and inspired to learn more.

Anyone can build an effective presentation with the “What, Why, How, and How-To” framework, along with competencies of content knowledge, clarity, cohesiveness, and captivation. The better we teach and coach others on how to create and deliver presentations, the more we learn from these individuals through their work.

In my class, one multilingual learner responded to the prompt “What are the non-math (life lessons) you have found valuable from this class?” with “I learn what is learning and teaching... I truly understood how teaching is actually learning when I had presentation. I found a bit of desire to being a teacher. I hope you also learned something from this class.” I always learn from my students when they present.

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, what is your teaching style 5 effective teaching methods for your classroom.

Every teacher has her or his own style of teaching. And as traditional teaching styles evolve with the advent of differentiated instruction, more and more teachers are adjusting their approach depending on their students’ learning needs.

But there are a few fundamental teaching styles most educators tend to use. Which one is yours?

You’ve Got Style

These teaching styles highlight the five main strategies teachers use in the classroom, as well as the benefits and potential pitfalls of each.

The Authority, or lecture style

The authority model is teacher-centered and frequently entails lengthy lecture sessions or one-way presentations. Students are expected to take notes or absorb information.

• Pros : This style is acceptable for certain higher-education disciplines and auditorium settings with large groups of students. The pure lecture style is most suitable for subjects like history, which necessitate memorization of key facts, dates, names, etc.
• Cons : It’s a questionable model for teaching children because there is little or no interaction with the teacher. Plus it can get a little snooze-y. That’s why it’s a better approach for older, more mature students.

The Demonstrator, or coach style

The demonstrator retains the formal authority role by showing students what they need to know. The demonstrator is a lot like the lecturer, but their lessons include multimedia presentations, activities, and demonstrations. (Think: Math. Science. Music.)

• Pros : This style gives teachers opportunities to incorporate a variety of formats including lectures and multimedia presentations.
• Cons : Although it’s well-suited for teaching mathematics, music, physical education, or arts and crafts, it is difficult to accommodate students’ individual needs in larger classrooms.

The Facilitator, or activity style

Facilitators promote self-learning and help students develop critical thinking skills and retain knowledge that leads to self-actualization.

• Pros : This style trains students to ask questions and helps develop skills to find answers and solutions through exploration; it is ideal for teaching science and similar subjects.
• Cons : Challenges teacher to interact with students and prompt them toward discovery rather than lecturing facts and testing knowledge through memorization. So it’s a bit harder to measure success in tangible terms.

The Delegator, or group style

The delegator style is best suited for curricula that require lab activities, such as chemistry and biology, or subjects that warrant peer feedback, like debate and creative writing.

• Pros : Guided discovery and inquiry-based learning place the teacher in an observer role that inspires students by working in tandem toward common goals.
• Cons : Considered a modern style of teaching, it is sometimes criticized as eroding teacher authority. As a delegator, the teacher acts more as a consultant rather than the traditional authority figure.

The Hybrid, or blended style

Hybrid, or blended style, follows an integrated approach to teaching that blends the teacher’s personality and interests with students’ needs and curriculum-appropriate methods.

• Pros : Inclusive! And it enables teachers to tailor their styles to student needs and appropriate subject matter.
• Cons : Hybrid style runs the risk of trying to be too many things to all students, prompting teachers to spread themselves too thin and dilute learning.

Because teachers have styles that reflect their distinct personalities and curriculum—from math and science to English and history—it’s crucial that they remain focused on their teaching objectives and avoid trying to be all things to all students.

What you need to know about your teaching style

Although it is not the teacher’s job to entertain students, it is vital to engage them in the learning process. Selecting a style that addresses the needs of diverse students at different learning levels begins with a personal inventory—a self-evaluation—of the teacher’s strengths and weaknesses. As they develop their teaching styles and integrate them with effective classroom management skills, teachers will learn what works best for their personalities and curriculum.

Our guide encapsulates today’s different teaching styles and helps teachers identify the style that’s right for them and their students. Browse through the article or use these links to jump to your desired destination.

• What is a teaching style inventory, and how have teaching styles evolved?
• What teaching method is best for today’s students?

How does classroom diversity influence teachers?

Emergence of the teaching style inventory.

How have teaching styles evolved? This is a question teachers are asked, and frequently ask themselves, as they embark on their careers, and occasionally pause along the way to reflect on job performance. To understand the differences in teaching styles, it’s helpful to know where the modern concept of classifying teaching methods originated.

The late Anthony F. Grasha, a noted professor of psychology at the University of Cincinnati, is credited with developing the classic five teaching styles. A follower of psychiatrist Carl Jung, Grasha began studying the dynamics of the relationship between teachers and learning in college classrooms. His groundbreaking book, Teaching with Style , was written both as a guide for teachers and as a tool to help colleagues, administrators and students systematically evaluate an instructor’s effectiveness in the classroom.

Grasha understood that schools must use a consistent, formal approach in evaluating a teacher’s classroom performance. He recognized that any system designed to help teachers improve their instructional skills requires a simple classification system. He developed a teaching style inventory that has since been adopted and modified by followers.

• Expert : Similar to a coach, experts share knowledge, demonstrate their expertise, advise students, and provide feedback to improve understanding and promote learning.
• Formal authority : Authoritative teachers incorporate the traditional lecture format and share many of the same characteristics as experts, but with less student interaction.
• Personal model : Incorporates blended teaching styles that match the best techniques with the appropriate learning scenarios and students in an adaptive format.
• Facilitator : Designs participatory learning activities and manages classroom projects while providing information and offering feedback to facilitate critical thinking.
• Delegator : Organizes group learning, observes students, provides consultation, and promotes interaction between groups and among individuals to achieve learning objectives.

Although he developed specific teaching styles, Grasha warned against boxing teachers into a single category. Instead, he advocated that teachers play multiple roles in the classroom. He believed most teachers possess some combination of all or most of the classic teaching styles.

How does differentiated instruction affect teaching styles?

Carol Ann Tomlinson, a professor at the University of Virginia, is an early advocate of differentiated instruction and a pioneer in the development of learning-based teaching styles. If Grasha laid the groundwork for 20th-century teachers to adopt styles tailored to match their personalities and strengths, Tomlinson has advanced this theme into the 21st century by focusing on differentiated instruction.

In the simplest terms, differentiated instruction means keeping all students in mind when developing lesson plans and workbook exercises, lectures, and interactive learning. These student-focused differences necessitate instructional styles that embrace diverse classrooms for students at all learning levels and from various backgrounds without compromising the teacher’s strengths.

What teaching style is best for today’s students?

Whether you’re a first-year teacher eager to put into practice all of the pedagogical techniques you learned in college, or a classroom veteran examining differentiated instruction and new learning methodologies, consider that not all students respond well to one particular style. Although teaching styles have been categorized into five groups, today’s ideal teaching style is not an either/or proposition but more of a hybrid approach that blends the best of everything a teacher has to offer.

The traditional advice that teachers not overreach with a cluster of all-encompassing teaching styles might seem to conflict with today’s emphasis on student-centered classrooms. Theoretically, the more teachers emphasize student-centric learning, the harder it is to develop a well-focused style based on their personal attributes, strengths, and goals.

In short, modern methods of teaching require different types of teachers—from the analyst/organizer to the negotiator/consultant. Here are some other factors to consider as teachers determine the best teaching method for their students.

Empty vessel : Critics of the “sage on the stage” lecture style point to the “empty vessel” theory, which assumes a student’s mind is essentially empty and needs to be filled by the “expert” teacher. Critics of this traditional approach to teaching insist this teaching style is outmoded and needs to be updated for the diverse 21st-century classroom.

Active vs. passive : Proponents of the traditional lecture approach believe that an overemphasis on group-oriented participatory teaching styles, like facilitator and delegator, favor gifted and competitive students over passive children with varied learning abilities, thereby exacerbating the challenges of meeting the needs of all learners.

Knowledge vs. information : Knowledge implies a complete understanding, or full comprehension, of a particular subject. A blend of teaching styles that incorporate facilitator, delegator, demonstrator, and lecturer techniques helps the broadest range of students acquire in-depth knowledge and mastery of a given subject. This stands in contrast to passive learning, which typically entails memorizing facts, or information, with the short-term objective of scoring well on tests.

Interactive classrooms : Laptops and tablets, video conferencing, and podcasts in classrooms play a vital role in today’s teaching styles. With technology in mind, it is imperative that teachers assess their students’ knowledge while they are learning. The alternative is to wait for test results, only to discover knowledge gaps that should have been detected during the active learning phase.

Constructivist teaching methods : Contemporary teaching styles tend to be group-focused and inquiry-driven. Constructivist teaching methods embrace subsets of alternative teaching styles, including modeling, coaching, and test preparation through rubrics scaffolding. All of these are designed to promote student participation and necessitate a hybrid approach to teaching. One criticism of the constructivist approach is that it caters to extroverted, group-oriented students, who tend to dominate and benefit from these teaching methods more than introverts; however, this assumes introverts aren’t learning by observing.

Student-centric learning does not have to come at the expense of an instructor’s preferred teaching method. However, differentiated instruction demands that teachers finesse their style to accommodate the diverse needs of 21st-century classrooms.

The ‘sage on the stage’ meets the ‘tiger mom’

The objective of blending teaching styles to leverage the teacher’s strengths while meeting the demands of diverse students has become increasingly difficult, as parents take a decidedly proactive role in child-learning techniques.

The traditional authoritative/expert, or “sage on the stage” lecture style, has come under attack by some parents—and contemporary educational leaders—who emphasize that a more diverse approach to teaching is necessary to engage students. This is compounded by the rise of “tiger moms,” a term made popular by parents devoted to improving the quality of education with laser-precision focus on A-list schools and a highly competitive job market.

Age of the proactive parent

Regardless of what style a teacher adopts, it’s important for teachers to develop positive attitudes, set goals, and establish high expectations for students.

“Assume students can excel!” education authors Harry and Rosemary Wong declare. As former teachers with a combined 80-plus years of educational experience, the Wongs emphasize in their best-selling book, The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher and their more recent, The Classroom Management Book that successful teachers share three common characteristics:

• effective classroom management skills
• lesson mastery
• positive expectations

All instructors, when developing their teaching styles, should keep in mind these three goals, as well as the primary objective of education: student learning.

It is abundantly clear that today’s teachers are responsible for students with a diverse range of learning abilities. The 21st-century teacher does not have the luxury of “picking the low-hanging fruit” and then leaving the rest of the tree for experts who specialize in children with behavioral issues or learning disorders.

Today’s teachers must develop instructional styles that work well in diverse classrooms. Effective teaching methods engage gifted students, as well as slow-learning children and those with attention deficit tendencies. This is where differentiated instruction and a balanced mix of teaching styles can help reach all students in a given classroom—not just the few who respond well to one particular style of teaching.

The wonderment of teaching, what author/educator Dr. Harry Wong refers to as “that a-ha moment” when a child “gets it,” is one of the most rewarding and seemingly elusive benefits of becoming a teacher. This transfer of knowledge from expert to student is an art form and a skill. Fortunately, both can be learned and perfected.

Knowing how to engage students begins with selecting the teaching style that’s right for you. And remember, even though you may prefer one teaching style over another, you must find the style that works best for your students! Try different styles to meet different objectives, and always challenge yourself to find ways to reach each student.

You may also like to read

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Exploring a New Oral Presentation Approach for Online Education Through Action Research

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• Karen Reina Sánchez 6 ,
• Juan Pedro Arbáizar Gómez 6 ,
• Luis Isasi Sánchez 6 &
• Alfonso Durán-Heras 6  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies ((LNDECT,volume 160))

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In recent years, researchers have been writing about the importance of innovating in the classroom. They also referred that innovation becomes a necessity when we move from the face-to-face to the online environment. That is the case of the teamwork presentations, habitual and essential activities in the training of future professionals. In this article, we provide a comparative analysis of the results obtained in three iterations of action research about a new way to run team presentations in a Supply Chain Management online course. Findings suggest that this approach to online presentation can greatly improve learning and motivation, as students are required to get involved in the research of the topic and delivering an oral presentation. All of which enhances the development of a more integrative learning experience.

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Reina Sánchez, K., Arbáizar Gómez, J.P., Isasi Sánchez, L., Durán-Heras, A. (2023). Exploring a New Oral Presentation Approach for Online Education Through Action Research. In: García Márquez, F.P., Segovia Ramírez, I., Bernalte Sánchez, P.J., Muñoz del Río, A. (eds) IoT and Data Science in Engineering Management. CIO 2022. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol 160. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27915-7_77

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Different types of teaching styles with examples

Considering different teaching styles is important because everyone has a different learning style too. If you want to engage students and increase participation and retention, it’s important to consider different approaches that will resonate with them. Those various approaches will also help you get through to them.

Plus, depending on what you’re teaching, different subject matters are better suited for certain teaching styles. While most teachers have a personal model, it’s important to be flexible and try different teaching styles to find an approach that will reach all of the needs of your current and potential students.

The relationship between a teacher and student is a special one. Think back to one of your favorite teachers growing up. What was something you loved most about them? Maybe it was how they encouraged or challenged you, or perhaps it was their passion for the material. Whatever it was about the style the teacher presented that landed for you, chances are their approach to teaching was compatible with your learning style.

Some common student learning styles include:

• Audio learners: These people retain information best by hearing it.
• Visual learners: These students retain information best by seeing it.
• Kinesthetic learners: Those who learn best this way retain information best by doing or moving their bodies.

To accommodate these different learning styles, an effective teaching style would incorporate a blend of audio (i.e. lesson), visual (i.e. presentation), and kinesthetic (i.e. hands-on activity) materials and/or exercises.

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Creating a space for learning

For effective teaching to occur, students should ideally feel encouraged, respected, and acknowledged. We can’t always guarantee our classroom—whether physical or virtual—is a safe space. That’s because as teachers, we don’t always know what personal experiences students have gone through. But what we can offer is a brave space for learning, as Micky ScottBey Jones describes .

It’s important to understand that if a student feels put down or shamed during their learning process, the part of their brain that retains information shuts down. They actually can’t learn in that type of environment. This is perhaps not as common in online learning spaces, but certainly, something to be aware of. Especially for teachers who lean more toward authoritative styles, which we’ll cover below.

Before we dive into various teaching styles, as well as the pros and cons for each of them, let’s look at two different approaches to teaching:

1. Teacher-centered approach

Imagine walking (or tuning) into a class, and the teacher follows their lesson plan to a tee, never going off script. They take on the role of authority. Passing on information through direct instruction, while students merely listen and absorb. This is an example of a teacher-centered approach to teaching. While this type of teaching is generally considered the most traditional, it isn’t necessarily always the most effective.

2. Student-centered approach

On the other hand, you have a student-centered approach. For this one, imagine you walk (or tune) into a class, and the teacher checks in with their students to see where everyone is at. They ask if anyone has any questions and connects with the class to start. Then, the teacher tailors class time to meeting students where they are. This is an example of a student-centered approach to teaching. This offers space for building trust and fostering connections with students.

It’s important to note that neither approach is good or bad, nor right or wrong. Each can work in different settings and with diverse audiences. It is, however, a good idea to try to incorporate both approaches. Finding a balance between the teacher-centered approach’s structure and the student-centered approach’s flexibility is ideal. This is not a one-size-fits-all undertaking and, most likely, will differ with each new group of students or cohort .

List of different types of teaching styles

We’re going to cover five different types of teaching styles.

• Lecturer is a traditional teacher-centered approach of one-way communication from teacher to students. Also referred to as an authoritative style. Lecturing is ideal for large groups of students, like a college lecture course. Or for online, pre-recorded courses , when two-way interaction isn’t realistic. While a pro of this type of teaching style is covering a lot of material quickly, a drawback is lower retention rates, as there is minimal active learning occurring.
• Demonstrator is mostly teacher-centered but more open to student involvement. The teacher is still the formal authority presenting the material but might ask engaging questions to start a discussion. And they might go beyond lectures to include exercises, presentations, and other visuals. Because of this, it supports more learning styles though may not accommodate all the needs of various students.
• Hybrid offers a balance between student-centered and teacher-centered approaches. In this blended style, the teacher provides structure and flexibility, adapting a lesson plan to activities that keep students engaged. While there is higher student engagement, learning may take place at a slower pace.
• Facilitator is a student-centered approach, in which the teacher moves away from an authoritative role and instead facilitates discussions. Students are free to share their wisdom and use their problem-solving skills through inquiry-based learning. While ideal for real-world applications, this approach might not work as well for theory-based or information-specific classes.
• Delegator is the most student-centric approach. Also referred to as a group style, the teacher observes students in peer-to-peer discussions and collaborations.

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Teaching style examples

There are pros and cons to each teaching style. So what those styles look like really depends on your subject matter and what will keep your particular group of students engaged. All groups of students are different, so it’s important for teachers to be prepared and adaptable. This might mean experimenting with what will support all students learning.

For instance, lecturing is ideal for a large audience and for covering a lot of material quickly. However, it doesn’t involve active learning or student participation. In addition to college lecture courses, this is also the most common approach for pre-recorded courses, as students can watch at their leisure and engagement is minimal.

• Lecture-based course on a science topic
• Lecture-based software classes

Demonstrating

With an online course, you can apply demonstrator teaching methods by offering a community space , such as a discussion board, Facebook group, etc., where students are asked to participate and share responses to different prompts or assignments.

Or, if the subject matter you’re teaching has to do more with showing, not telling, you can utilize video. Exercise classes, art classes, and anything else that involves action can be a great course to use demonstrations for.

• Fitness classes
• Art classes
• Cooking classes

A hybrid style strikes a balance between a student-centered and teacher-centered approach. The teacher offers the structure of a traditional classroom, as well as the flexibility to incorporate class activities and meet students where they are. One way to do this for an online course specifically is to offer both pre-recorded and live lessons.

• Writing classes
• Photography classes
• Music classes

Facilitator and delegator

Both the facilitator and the delegator styles are most likely to require live sessions rather than prerecorded ones. Although with the latter you can oversee small group activities that take place outside of class in a community space. Teaching strategies that support these teaching styles might include Zoom break-out rooms, relational work through small group or partner exercises, and facilitating discussions that offer space for all students.

As the saying (attributed to Joseph Joubert) goes, “To teach is to learn twice.” To be an effective teacher requires trial and error,  and experimenting with different approaches to see what will best support each new group of students. When you find yourself going back to the drawing board, or simply wanting to connect more with your students, refer back to this handy article to consider the approaches again.

• Writing workshops
• Emotional work classes
• Meditation or mindfulness practices

What are the 5 teaching approaches?

• Lecturer: A traditional teacher-centered approach of one-way communication from teacher to students.
• Demonstrator: A mostly teacher-centered but more open to student involvement.
• Hybrid: A balance between student-centered and teacher-centered approaches. The teacher provides structure and flexibility, adapting a lesson plan to activities that keep students engaged.
• Facilitator: A student-centered approach, in which the teacher moves away from an authoritative role and instead facilitates discussions.
• Delegator: The most student-centric approach. Also referred to as a group style, the teacher observes students in peer-to-peer discussions and collaborations.

What is the most effective teaching style?

There are pros and cons of each teaching style, so it really depends on your subject matter and what will keep your particular group of students engaged. For instance, lecturing is ideal for a large audience and covering a lot of material quickly, however, it doesn’t involve active learning or student participation. A hybrid style, on the other hand, is ideal because it offers a balance of both a student-centered and teacher-centered approach; the teacher offers the structure of a traditional classroom, as well as the flexibility to incorporate class activities and meet students where they’re at. All groups of students are different, so it’s important for teachers to be prepared and adaptable, experimenting with what will support all students learning.

Why are teaching styles important?

Considering different teaching styles is important because everyone has a different learning process. If you want to engage students, it’s important to consider different approaches that will resonate and help you get through to them. Plus, depending on what you’re teaching, different subject matters are better suited for specific teaching styles. It’s important for teachers to be adaptable and try different teaching styles to find an approach that will reach each of their students’ needs.

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Katie Davidson , Katie is a freelance writer, copy coach, and certified yoga teacher currently based in California. Her work has been published on ELLE.com, InStyle.com, StyleCaster.com, and more. She has also been featured as a yoga expert on POPSUGAR Fitness. When she's not writing (or practicing her handstands), you can find her somewhere on a beach, cacao-chai latte in hand, with her beloved pup Toby.

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Teaching and Presentation Skills

Tools for teaching navigation.

Facilitation Skills : The art of group facilitation

Teaching and Presentation Skills : Keep these techniques in mind

Keep these five techniques in mind when developing or polishing your outreach skills.

Variety of Teaching Methods and Strategies

Create Effective Presentations

Use audiovisuals, teach outdoors, evaluate yourself and others, use a variety of teaching methods and strategies.

We each learn differently based on our learning style, multiple intelligences and past knowledge and experience. We learn best when we experience a teaching approach that matches our unique learning profile. For this reason, educators need to use a variety of teaching strategies to assure that they are meeting the needs of their learners (audiences).

A Continuum of Teaching Methods

Explanation of Teaching Continuum  (pdf, 5 pp., 145 KB)

Photo courtesy of the Rock River Coalition, WI

A presentation is a spoken communication made in a prepared and formal way. You can give a presentation to one person or hundreds of people or thousands. The skills required can be learned and are very much the same regardless of the size of the group. Water management professionals are often called upon to give a wide variety of presentations. You may be asked to:

• Give a progress report to your supervisor.
• Demonstrate to a group of contractors how to install a BMP.
• Speak to a civic group on how to reduce NPS pollution.
• Show your commissioners how county money is used to leverage more money.
• Pique the interest of local farmers in renting your no-till drill.
• Conduct a workshop for 40 educators.
• Persuade legislators to support an increase in cost-share monies.
• Explain a new procedure to employees.
• Teach a group of scouts how to do water quality monitoring.
• Deliver a keynote speech at an annual meeting.
• Give a dedication speech for your new outdoor education area.

With such diversity, a broad range of skills is needed. Developing great speaking abilities is not unlike learning a new sport. Every sport has basic skills that you have to master individually as well as combined together in a game. Basketball players, for example, have to learn to dribble and pass the ball, shoot foul shots and lay-ups, grab rebounds and defend the opponent. While they may excel in some skills, a certain level of expertise is needed in all areas to have an overall successful game. In addition, ballplayers need to integrate their skills with others to work as a whole, i.e., as a team.

Learning to become an effective speaker is similar. In the beginning it can be just as frustrating as learning to properly dribble or throw a basketball. However, after learning a few basic skills, and, most importantly, practicing them, things usually improve. But to really learn to present well takes constant practice and mastery of the basic skills and the ability to weave them together as a whole, i.e., into a presentation.

Where to Start

Goals and Objectives

How to Present Your Content to Make the Most Sense

Effective Questioning Strategies

The “How and When” of Handling Audience Questions

Getting Ready and Making Room Arrangements: The Final Steps

Audiovisuals include any teaching tool used to focus attention, emphasize, clarify and reinforce key points. Visuals, in particular, are important presentation tools because humans are visual creatures – we process visual information (pictures, graphs, etc.) 60,000 times faster than text and retain it up to five times longer.

Well-planned and well-executed audiovisuals can do many things for the audience:

• Capture attention and focus attention
• Reinforce (but not repeat verbatim) the verbal message
• Clarify information
• Accelerate learning
• Increase retention

and for the presenter:

• Help organize the presentation
• Increase presenter credibility
• Help manage time and help maintain control
• Help keep presenter/audience on the same track

General Tips for Planning Successful Audiovisuals

Advantages, disadvantages, and tips for common types of audiovisuals (pdf)

Water resource professionals provide outreach activities and programs for both youth and adults in outdoor settings. These include, for example, pond clinics, field days, water festivals, teacher workshops, camp programs, land lab activities as well as Earth Day, Arbor Day and other special events. Outdoor experiences serve as a powerful vehicle for first-hand learning and a means for helping youth and adult learners make connections that are personal and relevant. Whether learning best practices for pond management and soil erosion or the effects of water quality on organisms found in a stream, learners can become more engaged and successful through the use of hands-on experiences in the outdoors.

While the principles of good education serve equally well inside and outside, several strategies for outdoor learning can make these experiences more rewarding for both the learner and the leader. The following guidelines can help you as you explore the outdoors with learners young and old.

Preparing the Activity or Program

Preparing the Learners

Doing the Activity or Program

Following the Activity or Program

Becoming an effective presenter or teacher is a process, not an event. It takes many years of practice, focusing on one skill and then another and another, building your repertoire of presentation techniques, your style and your confidence. The best way to improve is through self-evaluation and comments by friends, colleagues and experts.

Strategies to Help Improve Your Skills

Additional Resource

A Guide for Growing Volunteer Monitoring Programs  directs program coordinators to resources for building successful programs. See the USA Volunteer Water Quality Network website, and especially:

• Tools for Effective Outreach
• From the Trenches – Tips and Tools for Better Presentations

Adapted with permission from Soil and Water Conservation District Outreach: A Handbook for Program Development, Implementation and Evaluation . Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, 2003.

More in this Section

• Teaching Skills: a continuum
• Teaching Skills: where to start
• Teaching Skills: goals and objectives
• Teaching Skills: effective questioning strategies
• Teaching Skills: audience questions
• Teaching Skills: final steps
• Teaching Skills: presenting content
• Teaching Skills: content organization
• Teaching Skills: audience retention
• Teaching Skills: the introduction
• Teaching Skills: things to avoid
• Teaching Skills: make presentation interesting
• Teaching Skills: increasing learning
• Teaching Skills: checking understanding
• Teaching Skills: powerful closing
• Teaching Skills: alert the audience
• Teaching Skills: tips for closings
• Teaching Skills: audiovisuals
• Teaching Skills: prepare activity
• Teaching Skills: prepare the learner
• Teaching Skills: doing the activity
• Teaching Skills: following the activity
• Teaching Skills: evaluate yourself

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My English Language

English language resources for efl students and teachers.

PPP Technique in TEFL

Presentation, practice and production.

The PPP technique in teaching is a common way to introduce students to new words and concepts. This can be especially useful in the EFL classroom. The PPP method in English teaching is a three-step lesson plan and teaching approach that helps the student learn, understand and practice new vocabulary.

The three stages of a PPP lesson 

There are three stages in a PPP TEFL lesson.

Firstly, the teacher presents the new word, an event which involves the presentation of pronunciation and spelling in context.

Next, the teacher allows the students to practice the new word in a controlled setting, making sure the student has understood the vocabulary and usage properly.

Lastly comes the production stage, where there is a period of less-controlled practice and an informal assessment of learning. This is where the students get chance to use the new word or phrase in an original way and to relate it to their knowledge and experiences.

These three stages of a PPP lesson help the student to consolidate the new word in their mental vocabulary bank.

The sequence of a PPP lesson in EFL teaching

This EFL teaching method of presentation, practice and production is an approach that follows a definite sequence:

• The teacher presents the new vocabulary and explains the form of the language in a meaningful context.
• The students practise this new vocabulary through controlled activities such as worksheets or question and answer activities to check comprehension.
• The students use or produce what they have learned in a communicative activity such as a role-play, communication game, or question and answer session.

Teaching English using the PPP technique

Each stage of the Presentation, Practice and Production lesson must be planned well to be effective. However, the PPP method in TEFL is a highly flexible approach to teaching and there are many different activities a teacher can employ for each stage.

Presentation can include mime, drawing and audio. In fact, it is a good idea to try to engage with the students’ different senses to get across the meaning of the new word, using visual, kinaesthetic (movement) and audio techniques.

It is also important to make sure that students have understood the new word before encouraging them to practise it. It is often fun and highly effective for students to play games to practise vocabulary and to produce it.

Current debate about the PPP technique in TEFL

In recent times, there has been increasing debate surrounding the PPP method of teaching, with many critics asking if teachers should be using the PPP technique so often in the EFL classroom.

Some critics of the PPP method in TEFL think it can be too formal and structured, with too little focus on student interaction. However, we think the PPP technique in EFL teaching offers a very flexible base from which to construct a lesson that is highly student-centred.

For ideas on ways to present new vocabulary and check comprehension , and activities which allow students to practice and produce their vocabulary , please browse this PPP teaching section.

• Is the PPP method old fashioned or is it still a useful and effective way to teach?
• Do you use the PPP technique in TEFL?
• What is your favourite way to present new vocabulary?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.

9 thoughts on “ PPP Technique in TEFL ”

may I know who is the actual founder of PPP technique?

Sorry Sifa, we don’t know who originally developed the PPP technique. Can any readers help?

Yes, it was Jeremy Harmer. 😉

Thanks for this information, Miri! If any readers want to check out Jeremy Harmer’s explorations of the PPP technique, you can read more in his book: ‘How to Teach English’, published by Longman.

Catherine may you please help me with the same book by Jeremy Harmer, on soft copy I will highly appreciate it.

Hi Grace, Jeremy Harmer’s book can be found online to read or download at academia.edu.

It PPP useful and used in teaching reading?

Hi Muharram, thanks for your question. Yes the PPP method can be used to teach all areas of language, including reading.

In this type of lesson, any new target words would be presented in the early part of the class (pre-reading) before the student meets the vocabulary within a longer written text. While reading the text during the ‘practice’ stage, students should be able to identify the individual ideas expressed and understand how the new words are used in context.

After reading, students can analyse the material and discuss the text, hold a questions/answer session or write about it in the production stage. This helps them deepen their understanding and test their reading comprehension. I hope this gives you a few ideas – I’ll be adding more details about using the PPP method to teach reading and writing soon.

Can somebody help me with these questions of Unit 3 i-to-i (180 hour units) please:

Match the description to the stages to make a complete PPP lesson. The aim of the lesson is expressing past habits with ‘used to’ + infinitive. For example, When I was younger, I used to watch cartoons.

The teacher repeats the model sentence with natural linking, stress and intonation. The class repeats.

1)Teacher asks, “Did he play football in the past?” (Yes) “Does he play football now?” (No).

2)Teacher says ‘used to’ + infinitive can be used to talk about things we regularly did in the past, but don’t do now.

3)The students answer conversation questions about their childhood to introduce them to the topic.

4)The teacher asks some individuals how many people share their thoughts on living in London and corrects some errors if they are made.

5)The learners use the target language to talk about how their lives are different now they live in London and compare their country’s cultures to the UK.

6)The teacher writes the model sentence on the board. When I was younger, he used to play football. Draws a box round ‘used to’ and writes ‘infinitive’ over play.

7)Learners choose an activity they enjoyed as children then walk round the class asking if other people used to do the same thing. For example, Did you use to watch cartoons?

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PPP TEFL Teaching Methodology

What is presentation, practice and production (ppp).

During your  SEE TEFL certification course  you will become more familiar with an established  methodology for teaching English as a foreign language  known as 3Ps or PPP – presentation, practice, production. The PPP method could be characterized as a common-sense approach to teaching as it consists of 3 stages that most people who have learnt how to do anything will be familiar with.

The first stage is the presentation of an aspect of language in a context that students are familiar with, much the same way that a swimming instructor would demonstrate a stroke outside the pool to beginners.

The second stage is practice, where students will be given an activity that gives them plenty of opportunities to practice the new aspect of language and become familiar with it whilst receiving limited and appropriate assistance from the teacher. To continue with the analogy, the swimming instructor allowing the children to rehearse the stroke in the pool whilst being close enough to give any support required and plenty of encouragement.

The final stage is production where the students will use the language in context, in an activity set up by the teacher who will be giving minimal assistance, like the swimming instructor allowing his young charges to take their first few tentative strokes on their own.

Advantages of the PPP (3Ps) Method

As with any well-established methodology, PPP has its critics and a couple of relatively new methodologies are starting to gain in popularity such as  TBL (task based learning)  and  ESA (engage, study, activate) . However, even strong advocates of these new methodologies do concede that new EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers find the PPP methodology easiest to grasp, and that these new teachers, once familiar with the PPP methodology, are able to use TBL and ESA more effectively than new trainees that are only exposed to either TBL or ESA.

Indeed, there are strong arguments to suggest that experienced teachers trained in PPP use many aspects of TBL and ESA in their lessons, and that these new methodologies are in truth, the PPP methodology with some minor adjustments.

At this stage you might well be asking, It’s all very well having a clear methodology for how to teach but how do I know what to teach? The language that we call English today has absorbed a great many influences over the last thousand years or so. It has resulted in it becoming a language that can provide us with a sparklingly witty pop culture reference from a Tarantino script, 4 simple words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King that continue to inspire us today, and something as simple and mundane as a road traffic sign.

The Job of the EFL Teacher

As EFL teachers our job is to break down this rich and complex language into manageable chunks for our students. These chunks of language are what EFL teachers call target languageWe are going to look at an example of what a piece of target language might be and then you will be given more detail on how this would be taught in a PPP lesson before finally watching three videos with some key aspects of each stage of the lesson highlighted for you.

During the course we will spend a great deal of time in the training room equipping you with the tools to employ a successful methodology for teaching the English language. You are going to get opportunities to both hone these skills in the training room and put them into practice in authentic classroom settings.

Of course you might be thinking, I don’t have any experience of being in a classroom! How on earth am I going to cope with standing at the front of a class with 20 plus pairs of eyes looking at me waiting to see what I do?

All good TEFL courses are designed to train those with no teaching experience whatsoever. We will spend the first part of the course in the training room making you familiar with all the new skills you will need whilst giving you opportunities to practice them in a supported and controlled environment.

Only after that, will you be put in an authentic classroom environment. It goes without saying that the first time anybody stands up and delivers their first lesson will be a nerve-racking experience. However, it is also an experience that mellows over time, and one that all teachers remember fondly as time goes by and they feel more at home in a classroom.

There will be some of you out there with experience of teaching in a classroom already. You may be well versed in employing many different methodologies and strategies in your classroom already, but many or most will have been with native English speaking students, or those with a near-native levels of English. This means that some of the skills we will be equipping you with may feel a little alien at first, but your experience will not prove to be a hindrance. Indeed, you will already have successful classroom management skills that can be adapted to fit a second language classroom fairly easily and other trainees on the course will benefit from your presence.

In addition, some of the skills that you will learn on the course can also be adapted to work in a classroom of native speakers too, and it is not unusual for experienced teachers to comment on exactly this after completing a good TEFL course.

Target Language in an EFL Lesson

Recall how it is the job of the EFL teacher to break down the rich tapestry of the English language into manageable bite-size chunks, suitable for study in an average study period of 50 minutes. As mentioned, we refer to these chunks as target language. As EFL teachers we will select target language that is appropriate for both the skill level and the age of the students.

The target language that you will see being presented in the videos is Likes and dislikes for 6 food items.

The teacher you will watch in the video has a clear aim, which is to ensure that:

**By the end of the lesson, students will know the names of 6 food items in English and will be able to express whether or not they like them in a spoken form by entering into a simple dialogue consisting of,

• Do you like ___?,
• Yes, I like ___., or
• No, I don’t like ___.

The six food items are ___. In short, the students will be able to name the 6 food items by the end of the lesson and tell whether they like them or not.**

Presentation – Part 1 of PPP

You may have delivered a few presentations in your time but the type of presentation we deliver in a second language classroom will differ quite a bit from those. For a start, you were speaking to proficient users of the English language about something they were, most likely, vaguely familiar with anyway. In an EFL classroom we don’t have those luxuries, so we have to be careful about the language we use and how clearly we present the new language that we wish for our students to acquire.

Let’s look at 4 key things that should be occurring in an effective second language classroom presentation:

1 – Attention in the Classroom

Learners are alert, have focused their attention on the new language and are responsive to cues that show them that something new is coming up. A simple way to ensure some of the above is if the teacher makes the target language interesting to the students.

The language will of course, be of more interest to the students if it is put into some type of context that the students are familiar with. In the case of likes and dislikes for young learners a visual associated with a facial expression will be something they can relate to. Naturally, the easier it is for them to relate to the context, the more likely they are to be interested in the language presented.

In the case of the target language for the videos a smiley face visual and a sad face visual on the whiteboard linked to the phrases I like ___. and I don’t like ___., respectively. A teacher might make exaggerated facial expressions whilst presenting these ideas to make the ideas both fun and easy to perceive for the students. This is often referred to as contextualization in EFL classrooms.

2 – Perception and Grading of Language

We want to ensure that the learners both see and hear the target language easily. So if a whiteboard is being used, it should be well organized with different colors being used to differentiate between different ideas. If images are being used, there should be no ambiguity as to what they represent and sounds made by the teacher should not only be clear, but should be repeated and the teacher needs to check the material has been perceived correctly, and can do this by asking the students to repeat the sounds he or she is making.

Learners will be bombarded with a series of images corresponding to sounds made by the teacher during the presentation stage and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that they are not overloaded with information and that clear links are being made between the images and the associated sounds.

Therefore, there is an onus on the teacher not to use any unnecessary language at this stage. That is to say the grading of their language should be appropriate for the level of their students and the language they use should consist of the target language and any other essential language required to present the ideas clearly such as commands like listen! The commands should, whenever possible, be supported by clear body language.

3 – Target Language Understanding

The learners must be able to understand the meaning of the material. So in the case of likes and dislikes they perhaps need to see an image of a happy face and associate it with liking something and a sad face and associate that with disliking something.

We also need to have a way of checking if the learners did indeed, understand the material presented without asking the question, Do you understand? as this invariably triggers the response yes! from learners who are keen to please their teacher and not to lose face. We, as teachers, need to be a little more imaginative in checking our student’s understanding of material presented. Ideally, we should be checking the learners’ understanding in context. In the videos you will see, expect to see the teacher doing this during the presentation stage.

4 – Short-term Memory in the Classroom

The learners will have to retain the information from the presentation and use it further on in the lesson when we have consolidated their learning of the material and we will give them an opportunity to produce it on their own.

For the target language to be retained by the learners, it needs to be engaging and we need to consider that different learners will remember the material in different ways. Some by the way the material is seen, others by the way it is heard, and others if it is associated with a physical movement perhaps. We need to make sure our presentation has something to enable all these types of learners to retain the information.

Presentation Stage of a PPP EFL Lesson with subtitles

Practice – Part 2 of PPP

Practice can roughly be defined as the rehearsal of certain behaviors with the objective of consolidating learning and improving performance. Below are some of the characteristics of an effective language practice:

1 – Practice Validity

The practice activity must have learners rehearsing the skill or material it purports to practice. So in the case of the lesson you will view shortly, it must have the learners practicing both the food vocabulary items and the structure of the dialogue, i.e.,

• Yes, I like ___, or

2 – Pre-learning

Before we ask our learners to practice new language, we must have ensured that they have some understanding of the new language. We will have done this during the presentation stage. If they have not had the new language clearly presented to them and been aided in being given some understanding of it, then they (the learners) will not be practicing at this stage but will be going through another initial learning stage. Worse still, they will feel like they are being tested on something they haven’t been allowed to gain an understanding of.

3 – Volume (Amount) of Practice

Here, we are referring to the number of opportunities every student in the class has to practice the new language and not the level of sound. The more opportunities each student has to practice the target language, the more effective this stage of the lesson is.

So in the case of likes and dislikes, we might give the students individual worksheets where they have to fill in some part of the dialogue and the name of a food.

4 – Success Orientation

The students should have an opportunity to practice the new language and in order for this to happen they need an activity that both stretches them and is a task they can complete because of course, if it wasn’t, they wouldn’t be getting any opportunity to practice.

5 – Issuing Activity Instructions and Managing the Activity

Of course, whilst it is important to select an appropriate activity, it is equally important to issue clear and unambiguous instructions for the activity itself so all of your students are clear as to what is expected of them. We will be issuing instructions for the activity in the student’s second language so we need to make use of clear visuals to support any language we have to use and strong demonstrations of what is expected.

Managing the activity should consist of the teacher being mobile during the activity, offering praise and being on hand to show struggling students where relevant information may be found on the whiteboard.

Practice Stage of PPP EFL Lesson with subtitles

Production – Part 3 of PPP

The students have now had the target language presented to them clearly and have had an opportunity to practice it in a controlled environment. If we return to the swimming instructor analogy, it is now time to let them take their first few tentative strokes in the pool on their own with supervision and encouragement from the instructor.

As with the practice stage, we have to initiate an activity that allows them opportunities to use the target language in the classroom. In fact, the characteristics of a production stage activity are quite similar to the practice stage with one key difference and that is, student autonomy.

During this stage, the students will be producing the target language with minimal assistance from the teacher as opposed to the practice stage where the teacher will be on hand to assist students rehearse target language that has only just been presented to them.

Here are some of the key aspects of a production stage activity:

1 – Volume (Amount) of Production

As with practice, we want to create as many opportunities for our students to produce the target language albeit this time, more independently. This means we avoid activities where the students speak to the teacher as this allows limited opportunities (the students have to wait their turn before they get a chance to speak to the teacher). Instead for spoken activities, we look to get the students speaking in pairs, speaking to each other as much as possible, whilst we as the teachers go around the classroom offering minimal assistance but lots of positive reinforcement.

2 – Production Validity

Again, we should initiate an activity that allows the students to produce the target language that we presented to them and not a variation on it (although this is not strictly true with higher level students).

So, in the case of likes and dislikes for food, we should set up an activity where the students are saying, Do you like pineapple? as opposed to, What do you think of pineapples?

3 – Production Contextualization

The activity should simulate a real–life situation where they (the students) may use the target language. In the case of likes and dislikes for food this might be a menu with images of the food items or perhaps a series of images of the food items to prompt the dialogue,

• Yes, I like ____, or

Note that a successful production activity will also have aspects that set it apart from a practice activity, including:

4 – Student Autonomy

Students will be speaking, using the target language, with ideally, little or no support from the teacher.

They shouldn’t be looking things up on either the whiteboard or on any materials they have on their desk (e.g. a completed practice worksheet) so a teacher may choose to erase information from the whiteboard for this stage and the teacher might also choose to get students to clear their desks.

5 – Issuing Instructions for an Activity

As with the practice stage whilst it is important to select an appropriate activity, it is equally important to issue clear and unambiguous instructions for the activity itself so all of our students are clear as to what is expected of them. We will be issuing instructions for the activity in the student’s second language so we need to make use of clear visuals to support any language we have to use and strong demonstrations of what is expected, just as we will have done during the practice stage.

6 – Correcting Errors During the Activity

It is important that the students get as many opportunities to speak using the newly acquired language. Therefore, a teacher shouldn’t be drowning them out by speaking at length, over the top of them to correct any errors. This obviously differs from the practice where students expect the teacher to assist them as they rehearse (not produce) newly acquired language.

Clever use of body language by the teacher will enable them to be discrete in correcting errors and will allow them to offer much needed encouragement to students as well.

Production Stage of a PPP EFL Lesson with subtitles

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Times To Educate YourSelf

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Expository Method of Teaching: Steps, Importance, Examples

The expository method of teaching, also known as the transmission approach, can be defined as follows:

Expository Method of Teaching:

• The teacher primarily imparts information to students in a concise manner.
• The approach allows for effective coverage of content within a limited timeframe.
• It is characterized by teacher-centered instruction.
• It aims to establish connections between concepts for better comprehension.
• The method is associated with the work of David P. Ausubel .

Table of Contents

Meaning: “Expository” means to set forth or explain.

Derived From: The term “expository” is derived from the Latin word “expositus,” which means “to set forth” or “to explain.”

expository ⟶ “expositus” ⟶ “to set forth” or “to explain”

Expository Method of Teaching = Transmitting Information + Establishing Connections + Teacher-Centered Instruction

Meaning of Expository Method of Teaching:

The expository method of teaching involves transmitting information to students in a teacher-centered approach while also establishing connections between concepts.

Clear and Connected Learning: An Understanding of the Expository Method of Teaching

The expository method of teaching is more than just presenting facts; it aims to establish connections between concepts, making it easier for students to grasp new information. By providing a comprehensive overview of the subject matter, this method helps students stay focused and avoid confusion.

Key Elements of Expository Method of Teaching

Teacher-centered approach:.

The teacher takes the lead in delivering instruction, providing expertise and guidance to students.

Structured and organized delivery: Information is presented in a logical and systematic manner, ensuring a clear flow of concepts.

Clear learning objectives:

The teacher outlines the goals and expectations for the lesson, setting a clear direction for students.

Direct instruction and explanation: Concepts are explained directly by the teacher, providing clarity and reducing ambiguity.

Use of visual aids and examples:

Visuals and real-life examples enhance understanding, making the content more relatable and engaging.

Encouraging student participation:

Students actively engage through questions and discussions, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Exposition Teaching Strategies: Enhancing Understanding

Exposition teaching employs several strategies to enhance comprehension and promote effective learning. These strategies include:

Clear presentation of subject matter rules:

The teacher presents students with rules and provides examples that illustrate those rules. This includes pictorial relationships, historical context, application of rules, and prerequisite information, enhancing students’ understanding from various perspectives.

Teacher’s role in presenting content:

 In expository teaching, the teacher presents the entire content in its final form, reducing the need for independent discoveries by students. The teacher often starts with definitions, principles, or concepts and then elaborates on them, ensuring a deductive teaching approach.

Structure and transitions in lessons:

Expository instruction maintains a specific order in presenting information, ensuring students can easily follow the lesson. The use of transitions and a storyline helps guide students through the content, aiding comprehension and retention.

Summary and review:

Expository lessons typically conclude with a summary, providing a quick review of the most important facts to remember.

Two Ways of Delivering Instruction: Direct and Indirect Approaches

Direct Delivery of Instruction (Telling/Traditional/Didactic Mode):

Knowledge is directly transmitted by the teacher or through textbooks. This approach is effective for teaching skills such as reading, writing, mathematics, grammar, computer literacy, and factual parts of science and history. The teacher serves as the main source of information in a teacher-centered environment.

Indirect Delivery of Instruction (Showing and Providing Access to Information and Experiences with Active Engagement and Learning):

This approach involves showing and providing students with access to information and experiences, fostering active engagement and learning. It encourages students to explore and discover knowledge independently.

Exposition Teaching within Direct Teaching: Two Phases of Interaction

Exposition teaching within direct teaching involves two phases:

• Dissemination of information: The teacher presents information, either directly or through written material, in a structured manner.
• Checking for comprehension: The teacher assesses student understanding through questions to ensure comprehension and provide necessary feedback.

Benefits of Expository Method of Teaching

Interaction in exposition teaching offers several benefits:

• Encourages student engagement and participation, creating an interactive learning experience.
• Allows for feedback and clarification, promoting deeper understanding of the content.
• Encourages active learning and gives students the chance to use their knowledge and abilities in practical settings.
• Helps kids think critically and solve problems by having them interact with the subject.
• Fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility for learning, as students take an active role in their educational journey.

Importance of Expository Method of Teaching

Due to its numerous advantages and contributions to student learning, the expository approach of teaching is extremely important in learning. The explanatory approach is highly regarded for the following main reasons:

Encourages Active Participation and Engagement:

The expository approach of instruction is renowned for its capacity to foster active participation and student engagement. This approach improves students’ recall and knowledge of the subject matter by fostering an interactive learning environment.

Facilitates Clarification and Feedback:

The chance for instant response and clarification is one of the main benefits of interaction in expository teaching. Students can ask questions to help them grasp things better or seek clarification on them. This timely criticism corrects misunderstandings and guarantees thorough knowledge of the subject.

Feedback and clarification are possible:

Expository education involves interaction, which enables prompt feedback and explanation. To better grasp concepts, students might ask questions or request clarification. This prompt feedback assures accurate understanding of the subject matter and assists in addressing misconceptions.

Develops Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills:

Students are forced to think critically and analyse information through contact with the subject matter. They gain the ability to use their knowledge in real-world situations, find solutions to issues, and integrate ideas from many disciplines. Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are developed as a result, which are beneficial in both academic and practical contexts.

Develops a Sense of Ownership and Responsibility for Learning:

The expository method empowers students by giving them an active role in their educational journey. Pupils gain a sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning by participating in interactive conversations & activities. They become more accountable for their academic progress and are motivated to take initiative in acquiring knowledge.

Enhances Comprehension and Application:

The interactive nature of expository teaching facilitates deeper comprehension of the subject matter. Pupils can apply their knowledge and abilities to real-world issues through conversations,exchanges, interactions, talks, meetings, debates, and hands-on activities ,hands on tasks. This practical application enhances their understanding and ability to transfer learned concepts to different contexts.

Promotes Teamwork and Communication Skills:

Expository Method of Teaching frequently involves interaction between students through group projects. Students gain the ability to collaborate well, share ideas, and articulate their opinions. These abilities are necessary for productive teamwork, clear communication, and upcoming career endeavours.

Encourages individualised learning:

In a group context, the expository method enables individualised learning experiences. Teachers can determine students’ specific strengths, weaknesses, and learning requirements through interaction. In order to fulfil the various needs of pupils, they are able to offer individualised guidance, support, and customised instruction.

Confidence and self-efficacy are increased:

Students’ confidence and self-efficacy are boosted through interaction and active engagement in expository teaching. As they interact with the content, express their ideas, opinions, and viewpoints, receive feedback, and communicate with one other, students gain confidence in their abilities and competencies. Their general academic performance and drive to learn are positively impacted by this confidence.

Improves Knowledge Retention and Transferring:

Expository instruction’s interactive format improves information transmission + retention. Students improve their retention of the material they have learnt and their capacity to recall and apply it in various circumstances through active involvement and practical application. Meaningful learning experiences and long-term retention are encouraged by this.

Supports Social and Emotional Development:

Interaction in expository teaching nurtures social and emotional development. Students learn to collaborate, respect diverse perspectives, and engage in constructive dialogue. This promotes empathy, tolerance, and positive social relationships among peers, contributing to their holistic development.

In summary, the expository method of teaching is highly valuable due to its ability to promote active engagement, encourage critical thinking, develop a sense of ownership, and enhance comprehension and application of knowledge. By fostering interaction and collaboration, this method contributes to students’ overall academic success and prepares them for lifelong learning.

Expository Method of Teaching Sequence: Guiding Students to Mastery

The expository method of teaching sequence consists of several important steps:

Daily Review and Checking the Previous Day’s Work:

This establishes a connection between lessons and reinforces previously learned knowledge, helping students see new information as an extension of what they have already mastered.

Presenting and Structuring:

The content is organized into small, manageable parts, focusing on one idea at a time to ensure mastery before moving on. Techniques such as stating lesson goals, providing step-by-step directions, and offering numerous examples are used to facilitate understanding.

Guided Student Practice:

Students are given opportunities to practice the desired behavior in a supportive environment. Teachers provide guidance, correct errors, and use prompting techniques (verbal, gestural, or physical) to help students formulate correct responses.

Feedback and Correctives:

Effective feedback strategies are employed to handle right and wrong answers. Key facts or rules are reviewed, solution steps are explained, and clues or hints are provided to guide students towards the correct answer. Incorrect responses are not left uncorrected or undetected.

Independent Practice:

Students are given the opportunity to practice independently, consolidating their understanding and developing automatic responses. This phase allows them to apply what they have learned and reinforces their ability to use the acquired knowledge simultaneously.

Weekly and Monthly Reviews:

These reviews ensure comprehensive coverage of task-relevant information, identify areas that may require reteaching, strengthen correct but hesitant responses, and gradually increase the coverage and depth of the reviews, building momentum in the learning process.

Examples of Expository Method of Teaching with Real-Life Examples:

Science: unveiling the wonders of the water cycle.

In science class, the expository method comes alive when teaching the water cycle. By employing a visual presentation enriched with interactive simulations, students are transported into the fascinating world of rain, evaporation, & condensation. Real-life examples, such as observing raindrops dancing on a windowpane or witnessing the transformation of a puddle into a cloud, reinforce the concepts and make them relatable.

History: Journeying Through Time with Exposition

History comes alive through the expository approach, guiding students on a captivating journey through historical events. A meticulously crafted timeline takes center stage, accompanied by clear explanations that unravel the stories behind significant moments. Visual aids like historical maps, photographs, & primary sources transport students to different eras, fostering a deeper understanding of the past. Engaging discussions and debates among students ignite a passion for uncovering the historical context and the profound impact of key events.

Mathematics: Unlocking the Magic of Problem-Solving

In the realm of mathematics, the expository method serves as a key to unlock the magic of problem-solving. Students are led through the complexities of mathematical puzzles step by step. With clear explanations and illustrative examples, mathematical concepts come to life. Visual representations, such as diagrams, charts, and number lines, illuminate the path to understanding. Manipulatives, like colorful counters and geometric shapes, provide a tangible way for students to grasp abstract concepts. Technology-based tools, including interactive math software & online tutorials, offer an immersive and self-paced learning experience.

Language Arts: Nurturing Grammar and Language Mastery

Within the domain of language arts, the expository method nurtures grammar and language mastery. Clear explanations take center stage, unraveling the rules and intricacies of grammar. Through illustrative examples that showcase proper grammar usage, students embark on a journey of discovery. Engaging exercises and lively discussions provide opportunities for students to actively participate, applying their newfound knowledge and honing their language skills.

Environmental Science: Exploring the Wonders of Ecosystems

Environmental science comes alive through the expository method, captivating students with the wonders of ecosystems. Visual diagrams unfold before their eyes, revealing the intricate web of life. Real-life examples showcase diverse ecosystems, from lush rainforests to delicate coral reefs. Students gain an understanding of the relationships between creatures and their habitats through concise explanations, developing a sense of accountability and respect for the natural world.

These captivating examples illustrate how the expository method of teaching breathes life into various subjects, empowering students to grasp complex concepts, make meaningful connections, and engage in active learning. By using visual aids, real-life examples, and interactive experiences, educators can ignite a passion for knowledge and create a dynamic learning environment that sparks curiosity and nurtures understanding.

Advantages of the Expository Method of Teaching

The expository method of teaching offers several advantages for both educators and students:

Clarity and Focus:

By presenting all necessary information in a clear and organized manner, expository instruction helps students stay focused on the topic at hand, reducing distractions and confusion.

Contextual Elaboration:

The use of examples and real-life illustrations gives students a better understanding of the subject matter from different perspectives, making it more relatable and interesting.

Clear Presentation:

Expository teaching involves presenting subject matter rules and providing illustrative examples, enhancing students’ comprehension and retention of key concepts.

The structured nature of expository lessons helps students easily follow the flow of information from one concept to the next, promoting a systematic understanding of the content.

Efficient and Effective Content Delivery:

Students receive all the necessary information directly from the teacher, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Strong Foundation of Knowledge:

The expository method establishes a solid base for further learning by providing students with a clear overview and understanding of fundamental concepts.

Development of Critical Thinking:

Through the expository approach, students acquire problem-solving skills as they engage with the content, analyze information, and make connections between different concepts.

Understanding Complex Concepts:

Expository teaching simplifies challenging ideas by breaking them down into manageable parts and providing clear explanations. This approach enables students to grasp complex concepts more easily and build a strong foundation of knowledge.

Suitable for Large Group Instruction:

The expository method is well-suited for large group settings, allowing teachers to efficiently deliver information to a large number of students simultaneously. This makes it practical for classroom environments with diverse learners.

Support for Note-Taking and Retention:

The structured and organized nature of expository teaching facilitates note-taking, as students can easily follow the flow of information. This promotes better retention and recall of key concepts and details.

Disadvantages of Expository Method of Teaching:

While the expository Method of Teaching  has several benefits, it is vital to be aware of its drawbacks & possible objections:

Potential for Passive Learning:

 In an expository approach, students may have limited engagement and participation, as the focus is primarily on the teacher delivering information. Efforts should be made to encourage active student involvement through discussions, questions, and interactive activities.

Lack of Individualized Instruction:

Personalized learning may be limited in the expository method, as the instruction is typically delivered to the whole class. Teachers should strive to incorporate differentiated strategies and provide additional support to meet the diverse needs of students.

Limited Student Creativity and Exploration:

Opportunities for independent discovery and exploration may be reduced in an expository teaching environment, as the emphasis is on transmitting information. Teachers or educators should find ways to foster creativity & encourage students (pupils) to apply their knowledge in innovative ways.

Overreliance on Teacher Expertise:

The expository method relies heavily on the teacher’s knowledge plus expertise. This may hinder the development of self-directed learning skills in students. Teachers should gradually transition to more student-centered approaches that promote independent thinking & problem-solving.

Strategies for Effective Expository Method of Teaching:

To ensure the effectiveness of expository teaching, educators can employ the following strategies:

Planning and Organizing the Lesson:

Prepare a well-structured and engaging lesson plan that outlines clear learning objectives, instructional strategies, and assessment methods. This helps create a cohesive and focused learning experience.

Engaging Students through Interactive Activities:

Incorporate hands-on activities, discussions, and group work to promote active engagement and participation. Encourage students to exercise critical thought, pose inquiries, and use their knowledge in everyday situations.

Using Multimedia and Technology Resources:

To improve the presentation of information, use digital tools, multimedia resources, and visual aids. This can make the content more engaging, interactive, and accessible to diverse learners.

Monitoring Student Understanding:

Continuously assess student comprehension and adjust instruction accordingly. Use formative assessments, class discussions, and individual feedback to identify areas of difficulty and provide necessary support and clarification.

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FAQs: People Also Ask?

Expository teaching, also known as the transmission approach, is a method where the teacher imparts information to students in a concise manner. An example would be a teacher presenting the water cycle using interactive simulations and diagrams.

The exploratory method of teaching is a Teachered-centered approach that focuses on students exploring and discovering knowledge independently. It encourages active engagement and learning through firsthand experiences.

Advantages of expository teaching include clarity and focus, contextual elaboration through examples, structured presentation of content, efficient content delivery, development of critical thinking, & understanding complex concepts.

Another name for the expository method is the transmission approach.

Four examples of expository teaching include explaining the water cycle in science, presenting a timeline of historical events in history, demonstrating step-by-step problem-solving in mathematics, and providing clear rules and examples in language arts.

Three expository examples are explaining the concept of photosynthesis in biology, discussing the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution in history, and teaching the process of long division in mathematics.

Expository method refers to a teaching approach where the teacher presents information directly to students in a structured and organized manner, focusing on clarity and comprehension.

The exploratory method emphasizes student exploration and discovery, while the explanatory method focuses on the teacher delivering information to students.

Expository teaching is used to effectively deliver information to students in a concise and organized manner, promoting clarity, understanding, and retention of the subject matter.

The purpose of expository teaching is to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject matter, establish connections between concepts, and facilitate students’ understanding and learning.

Expository teaching is important as it helps students stay focused, avoid confusion, and develop critical thinking skills. It also lays a strong foundation of knowledge and promotes systematic understanding of complex concepts.

The difference between expository and exploratory lies in the approach to teaching. Expository is teacher-centered, with the teacher delivering information, while exploratory is student-centered, with students exploring and discovering knowledge independently.

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• Tech & Innovation
• Artificial Intelligence

Inside Barnard’s Pyramid Approach to AI Literacy

The New York institution’s unusual take on artificial intelligence could serve as a blueprint for others grappling with implementation. 

By  Lauren Coffey

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Barnard College is tackling artificial intelligence literacy with an unusual framework.

Barnard College

Among Barnard College workshops on neurodiversity, academic integrity and environmental justice, a new offering debuted in the spring of 2023: a session dubbed “Who’s Afraid of ChatGPT?”

The workshop came soon after the generative AI tool’s launch, a change that rippled into classrooms and generated concern among faculty and students. An internal Barnard survey found over half of faculty and more than a quarter of students had not used generative artificial intelligence (AI) at that time.

Melanie Hibbert, Barnard’s director of instructional media and academic technology services, knew that needed to change.

“It just became clear to me there needed to be a conceptual framework on how we are approaching this because it can feel [like] there’s all these separate things going on,” she said.

The college turned to a pyramid-style literacy framework first used by the University of Hong Kong and updated for Barnard’s students, faculty and staff. Instead of jumping headfirst into AI, as some institutions have done, the pyramid approach follows a gradual lean into the technology, ensuring a solid foundation before moving to the next step.

Barnard’s current focus is on level one and two at the base of the pyramid, creating a solid understanding of AI.

The Barnard College pyramid approach to AI literacy.

Melanie Hibbert, Barnard College

Level one is as simple as understanding the definitions of “artificial intelligence” and “machine learning” and recognizing the benefits and drawbacks of the technology. Level two builds on that, going beyond just trying out generative AI tools and advancing to the refining of AI prompts and recognizing bias, hallucinations and incorrect answers.

The college hosts workshops and sessions for students and faculty to tackle these first two levels, allowing them to tinker with AI and bringing in guest speakers to educate the campus community.

“I think we should be proactive and have a judgment-free zone to test it out and talk about it,” Hibbert said, noting that the ultimate goal is to move up the pyramid. “In a couple years we can say almost everyone [at our institution] has used some AI tool, has some familiarity with it.”

“Then we can become a leader with AI,” she said. “Being creative on how to use it in liberal arts institutions.”

That stage will come at level three and four of the pyramid, with level three encouraging students and faculty to look at AI tools in a broader context, including ethical considerations. Level four is the pinnacle of AI adoption, allowing students and faculty to build their own software to leverage AI and think of new uses of the technology.

While Barnard has its pyramid, many institutions still grapple with creating policies and implementing AI frameworks.

Lev Gonick, Arizona State University’s CIO, advised institutions to not specifically zero in on AI and instead treat it like any other topic.

“I think that policy conversation, we’ve got to get over it,” Gonick said. “Engaging the faculty is what all of us can and should be doing.”

“Whether it's questions around short cutting and cheating, that’s called academic integrity,” he said during the Digital Universities conference co-hosted by Inside Higher Ed last month. “We don’t need to have a new policy for AI when we went systematically through all of the kinds of ‘gotchas’ that are out there.”

Hal Abelson, a professor of computer science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said tackling AI frameworks should be similar, for example, to creating policies within the English or history departments with a focus on consistency.

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“You want something coherent and consistent within the university,” he said. “Take English composition—some [institutions] will say there are rules up to individual faculty and some will say there’s a centralized policy.”

He added that universities’ policies will obviously differ, but should reflect an institution’s guiding pillars. MIT, for example, does not have an “ease into it” type policy with AI and instead encourages faculty, students and staff to dive headfirst into the technology in a trial-and-error type format, essentially jumping straight to levels three and four of the Barnard pyramid.

“We put tremendous emphasis on creating with AI but that’s the sort of place that MIT is,” he said. “It’s about making things. Other places have a very different view of this.”

A systematic review of AI frameworks, published in the June 2024 issue of ScienceDirect , looked at 47 articles focused on boosting AI literacy through frameworks, concepts, implementation and assessments.

The researchers behind the review—two from George Washington University and one from King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia—found six key concepts of AI literacy: recognize; know and understand; use and apply; evaluate; create; and navigate ethically.

Those six pillars, regardless of whether they end up in a pyramid form or not, could serve as the blueprint for institutions still grappling with their own frameworks, the review found. The pillars “can be used to analyze and design AI literacy approaches and assessment instruments,” according to the paper.

But the most important thing is just having an AI policy, Hibbert and Abelson agreed.

Even if a university is not currently using AI, “at some point, it’s a powerful tool that’s going to be used,” Abelson said. “It’s important to have something.”

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Explore how Microsoft's partnership with Khan Academy is enhancing the future of education with AI innovation and tools for teachers >

• AI in education
• Published Jan 23, 2024

Meet your AI assistant for education: Microsoft Copilot

• Content Type
• Microsoft Copilot

With new advancements in AI happening faster than ever before, you might be wondering how you can use these tools in your classroom to save you time and energy. Educators worldwide are making strides to understand and integrate AI into their work and often find it to be a valuable tool. You can use AI to save time creating rubrics, personalized content for students, and educational materials such as quizzes and lesson plans.   

Generative AI is a newer piece of technology and a unique category of AI that focuses on creating new content. With generative AI you can generate new content like text, images, code, or audio. It achieves this by learning patterns from existing data and understanding the context and intent of language. This provides you with new opportunities for content creation, personalization, and innovation. Because this technology is creating new content, checking for accuracy in generative AI is essential—especially in the field of education.  

Microsoft Copilot is a tool that uses generative AI to serve as a helpful assistant to you in the classroom. Copilot can help you save time, differentiate instruction, and enhance student learning. With Copilot, you can easily create lesson plans, quizzes, rubrics, and other class resources for any level of learner.  

5 ways to use Copilot in education 

Here are just a few examples of the many ways you can use Microsoft Copilot to save time and energy: 

• Personalized learning: Copilot can support personalized learning by helping you create content, tailored feedback, and guidance for students based on their individual needs and learning styles. 
• Brainstorming: You can use Copilot to brainstorm new ideas for activities, lesson plans, supporting materials, and assignments.  
• Lesson planning: Copilot can help you plan lessons by suggesting or drafting activities, resources, and assessments that align with learning objectives. You can also use Copilot to start a rubric for the lessons. 
• Provide feedback: Copilot can help you draft initial feedback and ideas for students on their work, which you can edit and personalize for your students.  
• Get quick answers: Copilot can help you get quick answers to your questions without having to read through multiple search results. Also, Copilot provides links to content sources so you can assess the source or dive deeper into the original content. 

Microsoft Copilot showing suggested prompts for educators. Copilot uses generative AI to serve as a helpful assistant to you in the classroom. 

Getting started with Microsoft Copilot

To get started with Microsoft Copilot, you can follow these steps:  

• Open copilot.microsoft.com or select the Copilot icon on the sidebar in your Microsoft Edge browser. 
• Type your prompt into the chat window. 
• Review the sources linked at the bottom by “Learn more.” You can fact-check the information provided or dive deeper into a topic by accessing the original articles, studies, or reports. 
• Review the response to make sure the output is what you want and accurate. You are the expert, and you decide what goes into the classroom. 
• To get the most out of Copilot, you can keep the conversation going by following up on your prompts. This helps you collaborate with Copilot to gain more useful, tailored responses.   

You can also give feedback to Copilot based on the quality of its responses to help the AI learn and match your preferences.  

How to write a prompt for AI 

To effectively guide generative AI, you want to give it clear and concise instructions, known as prompts. A well-crafted prompt enhances the generative AI’s output in the quality, relevance, and diversity. A good prompt should be clear, specific, and aligned with the goal of the generation task. A bad prompt can lead to ambiguous, irrelevant, or biased output. To get the best response from Copilot, consider the following tips:  

• Define clear objectives.  Determine the main goal of the prompt and the role AI should take. Whether creating a syllabus, drafting a quiz, or revising lesson content, have a clear vision of the end goal. 
• Be specific.  Chat experiences operate best when given detailed instructions. Specify grade level, subject, topic, or any other relevant parameters. For instance, “secondary math quiz on algebraic expressions” is clearer than “math quiz.” 
• Structure the prompt.  Break complex tasks into smaller parts. Instead of asking the AI to draft an entire lesson, request an outline, then delve into specific sections. 
• Iterate and refine.  The first response from AI might not always align perfectly with expectations. Don’t hesitate to rephrase the prompt, ask follow-up questions, or provide more context based on the initial output. 
• Combine expertise.  Use AI as a tool to enhance and streamline work but remember to overlay its suggestions with your educational expertise. AI can suggest content, but the educator decides the best way to edit and present it to their audience.   

A infographic about how to write AI prompts to get better answers from Copilot. A good prompt should be clear, specific, and aligned with the goal of the task. 

Want a fun way to practice creating effective prompts? Minecraft Education just announced Prompt Lab for Minecraft Educators , a free playbook on how to use Microsoft Copilot to write compelling prompts, develop interactive learning content and assessments, and generate creative ideas for Minecraft lesson plans.   

Create images from text with Copilot 

You can use Image Creator from Designer in Copilot to create personalized, engaging visuals for all sorts of lessons or topics. You can type in a description of an image, provide additional context like location or activity, and choose an art style. Image Creator generates an image straight from your imagination. Prompts can begin with “draw an image” or “create an image.” You can use this tool to create images for a class newsletter, lesson, or Teams post.   

• Get started in Copilot prompting “create an image…”  
• Then build out your prompt with adjective + noun + verb + style.  
• Click on your favorite image to open the result in a new tab and save the image. 

 An example would be “Create an image of an adorable black puppy wearing a hat in photorealistic style.” 

An example of Copilot creating an image of a black dog wearing a hat in a photorealistic style, based on text descriptions. 

Try creating an image in Copilot for your lesson, or just for fun!   

Protected AI-powered chat

At Microsoft, our efforts are guided by our AI principles and Responsible AI Standard and build on decades of research on grounding and privacy-preserving machine learning. Copilot provides commercial data protection and delivers a secure AI-powered chat service for educational institutions. This means user and organizational data are protected, chat prompts and responses in Copilot are not saved, Microsoft has no eyes-on access to them, and they aren’t used to train the underlying large language models. Additionally, our  Customer Copyright Commitment  means education customers can be confident using our services and the output they generate without worrying about copyright claims.  

Get to know your Copilot 

Dive deeper into the world of generative AI and unlock its full potential for your classroom.  

• The new  AI for Educators Learning Path  on  Microsoft Learn is made up of three modules to help educators learn about and benefit from AI. 
• Prompt Lab for Minecraft Educators demonstrates how to use Microsoft Copilot with Minecraft Education to design engaging learning experiences. Level up your Minecraft teaching with this useful new resource! 
• AI classroom toolkit provides instructional information for educators and students to use generative AI safely and responsibly. 
• AI for education on  Microsoft Learn is a collection of resources and courses on how to use AI for educational purposes.  

Ready to elevate your teaching with Microsoft Copilot? Start using Copilot today! copilot.microsoft.com  

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