Instructional Strategies:

Instructional strategies are the techniques or methods that a teacher can adopt to meet the
various learning objectives. These strategies help students to walk on the path of independent
learning and become strategic learners. They equip teachers to make learning fun and help
students to awaken their desire to learn. Instructional strategies focus on not only the
educational content but also on the method and environment of the teaching process. Students
development level, interests and experiences are considered while choosing a particular
teaching strategy so that they can self-accomplish their goals. This course on classroom
management strategies can help you identify which instructional strategies might be best
for your environment.
Instructional strategies enable students to focus their attention, organize their learning material
for better understanding and help teachers to provide a suitable platform for strategic learning.
There are a number of teaching methods with their various pros and cons. Therefore, the
selection of a strategy is critical and must be done with utmost care by teachers in coordination
with their students. We shall discuss the different strategies and their main benefits and
challenges in our following sections.

Why Instructional Strategies?

Traditional teaching methods usually revolved around the teacher explaining a particular topic
and students taking down notes that would help them in their studies. It was centered on more
of a passive learning experience with minimal interaction between students and teachers. While
this kind of teaching may have been effective earlier, but today the students need different
methodologies to help them become independent and strategic learners. Instructional Strategies
are proven to benefit the students with their powerful features such as:

Involves step-by-step learning process with a number of innovative approaches

 Supports students with guided and independent practice, modelling and handling real-
life situations

Gives platform to students to display their skills, ideas and their existing knowledge on
a particular subject

Encourages students to self-monitor and assess their learning

Effective strategies available for students across grade levels, different subjects etc.

Theres been a lot of research in this area and it has been found that students develop their own
system of understanding. Its not only important to decide on what to teach but we must also
give attention to how to teach. Instructional Strategies answer these very questions, exploring
the best suited environments in which the students can enhance their self-learning abilities and
become strategic learners.

Types of Teaching Strategies

Direct Instruction
The Direct Instruction teaching strategy mainly focuses on teacher-directed approaches and is
the most commonly used teaching method. Here, the content needs to be prepared and
organized in advance. Also, the faculty needs to be aware of student requirements for the
lessons or sessions. This strategy is effective for imparting knowledge to students in a step-by-
step structured way and involves active student participation.

Methods

It involves teaching methods like lecture, structured overview, explicit teaching, drill &
practice, compare & contrast, demonstrations, didactic questioning, guided and shared teaching
etc.

Advantages

Learning objectives/ targets are clear and specific

Students are made aware of contents importance

Effective for teaching basic skills and facts

Helpful in knowledge construction

Commonly used and accepted method of teaching

Can also be used to introduce other teaching methods

Disadvantages

Doesnt explore the creativity of teachers and students

Needs good organization and communication skills from the teacher

 Highly structured, thereby steps need to be followed correctly in order

Depends on knowledge and skills of teacher

Fails to address development of higher-level thinking in students

Indirect Instruction

Unlike the direct strategy, Indirect Instruction is more student-oriented and you can use it to
complement the direct instruction methods. It encourages students to be more involved by
observing, questioning, problem solving, forming inferences etc., students can explore their
desire to learn. Here, the teacher assumes the role of a facilitator or supporter rather than an
instructor. In preparation for indirect strategy, teachers must clearly define the problem/
situation and teacher-student roles must be specified with clear instructions. Technology can
be a great aid in this method of instruction. Take this course to learn more on how to teach
with technology.

Methods

This instructional strategy involves concepts like problem solving, case studies, inquiry,
reflective discussion, concept formation, mapping and attainment, writing to inform, reading
for meaning etc.

Advantages

Awakens students interest and curiosity

Encourages them to solve problems by themselves

Develops analytic and logical skills

 Encourages student involvement and greater exploration of solutions

Allows students to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills

Disadvantages

Not very effective for elementary level students

Time constraints may cut down discussion opportunities

Teacher needs to be better prepared in handling questions and give proper instructions

Needs to be relevant to the students needs

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning focuses more on activities and requires the students to apply their
experience to other contexts. Its more about the process of learning rather than focusing on the
content. Students participate in the activities, reflect and share their experiences, analyse and
infer the solutions and formulate plans to apply their learning in new situations. Teachers need
to provide the environment for learning and encourage the students to be active. You also need
to have back-up plans for activities in case of problems. This model is used in most pre-schools
today, since the other models really do not work that well with younger kids. This course can
show you how to make experiential learning more effective for young kids .

Methods
Experiential learning involves field trips, narratives, experiments & simulations, games,
storytelling, role-playing, model building etc.

Advantages

Presents the problem situation in creative ways to generate interest

Improves team building skills and group interaction & coordination

Encourages self-investigation, acceptance of others point of view and exploring

solutions

Provides platform for students to practice skills, face challenges etc.

Quickly grabs attention and keeps the students focused

Disadvantages

Shy or self-conscious students may not take an active role

Immediate negative feedback can lead to demotivation

Not effective for large groups

Could be time consuming and difficult to arrange

Distractions could lead to ineffectiveness and may lose focus on the subject

Efficiency depends on teachers ability to be impartial, creative and friendly

Independent Study
Independent study encompasses a range of teaching methods that develop student skills like
initiative, self-belief, time management and self-improvement. Students are encouraged to
undertake a planned activity under the supervision of a teacher or guide. It also involves group
study or learning with an assigned partner etc. These methods are designed by the teachers
carefully to address the specific requirements of a group. As a teacher you would need to plan
the process of feedback collection, monitor performance and provide the appropriate resources
for independent study. One major hurdle independent study students face is preparation for
exams. This course can help you groom them for exam excellence .

Methods

Independent study focuses on essays, journals & reports, homework, research projects,
assignments etc.

Advantages

Since students find solutions to problems independently, the skills and knowledge
acquired are retained easily

Enhances their rate of learning, adaptability and self-reliance

Gives opportunity for a disciplined approach to problem solving and improves their
confidence

Disadvantages

Not effective for elementary level students and complex subjects that need detailed
explanation

Requires self-motivation and group skills

Unavailability of resources can hamper progress

Needs efficient planning and monitoring from the teacher

Interactive Instruction
This highly interactive strategy involves discussion and sharing amongst students, explores
their higher-thinking process and gives opportunity to develop social skills. Teachers need to
have the expertise to facilitate discussions and manage the group dynamics.

Methods

Students take part in debates, brainstorming sessions, laboratory groups, interviewing,

conferencing, jigsaw, cooperative learning and more.

Advantages

Encourages equal participation by students, creative & logical thinking

Improves concepts of responsibility and team cooperation

Activities lead to a stimulating and enriching experience for the students

Students learn to be patient, compassionate with others and understand different

opinions

Sharing of knowledge and experiences leads to enhanced learning

Disadvantages

Some students may not be comfortable sharing their experiences and might feel less
competent
 Brighter or aggressive students might overshadow the efforts of the group

Needs to have a fixed time-frame, else might lose focus

Value of learning depends on students capabilities and skills

Regardless of the different names and types of instruction strategies, the main objective of all
methods is to provide an objective-based learning platform to the students. Choosing the right
methodology depends on the age, development level of the student, subject context and
situation at hand. As a teacher, you must evaluate these criteria before you adopt a certain
strategy that suits your teaching style as well as the requirements of your students!

Identify Appropriate Instructional Strategies

After selecting the learning objectives and assessments for the course, we need to think about the
various instructional activities we will use to engage students with the material and enable them
to meet the objectives. Of course, the key is to align instructional strategies with the other two
components. Many instructional strategies are flexible, and can be used in service of several
learning objectives, but some of them are better suited for a particular set of objectives. In most
cases, we will need to use a combination of instructional strategies. This table focuses on two of
three components of course design.

Instructional Strategy Suitable Objectives

Transmit information which supplements or enhances reading;

Lectures promote understanding via explanations; respond to student
misconceptions or difficulties; create or engage interest in a new
area; motivate reading or other assignments
Practice thinking and communicating in the subject/discipline;
evaluate positions, arguments, or designs; defend own position;
Discussions identify problems, conflicts and inconsistencies; get feedback
from/about students; draw on students expertise and prior
knowledge
Actively involve students in learning; apply disciplinary methods
of analysis; practice problem solving; practice high-level cognitive
skills (i.e., application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation); think
Case studies critically; blend cognitive and affective dimensions (if the case has
ethical or controversial dimensions); develop collaborative skills;
relate knowledge to real world; formulate arguments and
counterarguments
Develop systematic relationships among ideas; application,
analysis, synthesis and evaluation; reflect on own thinking; record
Writing
the evolution of own thinking; practice disciplinary conventions
(e.g., APA style); practice responding to feedback and revising
Develop disciplinary and process skills; obtain immediate
feedback and respond to it; develop metacognitive skills (e.g.,
Labs/Studios
awareness of own strategies); evaluate results or product of own
work; approximate real life situations
Compare and contrast perspectives; practice high-level cognitive
skills (i.e., application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation); develop
Group Projects meta-skills such as leadership, communication, conflict resolution;
strategize and plan how to tackle complex problems and distribute
work
Practice problem solving; review material; check student
Recitations understanding; identify and correct misconceptions; individualize
instruction; answer questions
Public Reviews Evaluation; practice giving constructive feedback; self-reflection;
 defend vision for own work
Sometimes called community-based instruction, service-learning
Service-Learning places equal emphasis on the service component of the experience
and the learning outcomes for the student
Explore areas of interest in depth; conceive of, plan, and execute a
Independent Student
research or creative project from beginning to end; work
Projects
independently; seek mentorship from an expert in the field.
References:
Site name: : INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES INFO

Author name: Bennett, Rolheiser-Bennett and Stevahn

Data name: Instructional Strategies

Site name:Udemy Blog

Author name: RICHA

Data name: Types of Teaching Strategies

Site name: Udemy Blog

Author name: RICHA

Data name: Why Instructional Strategies

Site name: Eberly Center

Author name: Wendy A. Garland

Data name: Identify Appropriate Instructional Strategies