Strategies/Methods to

Ensure Development
of Life Skills


These illustrations suggest that in
order to achieve the highest retention
rates in learners, teaching methods
require the learners to actively work
with the content materials and its new
concepts during the instruction
process.
1. Demonstrations/Laboratories
Pupils can be asked to predict an outcome
to a given situation and then
assess/evaluate/justify if their prediction
was valid based upon the laboratory
outcomes.
Demonstration serves to allow pupils to
construct meaning and make connections
in their learning based upon their
observations and first hand experience.
It is also powerful if the pupils have
access to the materials used in the
demonstration and are to repeat the
demonstration at home or outside of class.
2. Role Playing
Is a method of acting out an imaginary, but
real life situation.
This strategy can be extremely effective,
but it is important to be sensitive to the fact
that some pupils are very uncomfortable
acting out.
Be ready to provide alternative activities to
anyone needing one.
One alternative is to have pupils write about
their assigned role rather than act the role.
3. Student Debates/Discussion Panels
Can be formal or informal, individual
or group, graded or un-graded.
This allows students the opportunity
to take a position and gather
data/logical arguments to support
their view, critically.
The process also offers experiences
with verbal presentations.
4. Videos
The use of videos in the classroom offers
an alternative of presenting information via
lecture
Video length should be relatively short (5 to
20 minutes).
After watching the video, students can work
alone, or in pairs/groups, to answer critical
questions, write a review or reaction
(possibly as a journal entry), draw concept
maps, or reaction (possibly as a journal
entry), draw concept maps, or apply a
theory.
5. Games
Crossword puzzles, and group
competitions can be adapted for
course material and used for reviews
and for assignments.
6. Carousel Brainstorming Exercise
Several questions are introduced by the teacher,
usually on large poster paper ( one question per
poster each)
Students working in cooperative groups write
response to each question, moving from poster to
poster after specific time intervals.
They can indicate agreement/disagreement with
previous responses and modify them accordingly.
After the carousel has been completed, the teacher
and group discuss the content presented.
7. Clarification Pauses
After 10 15 minutes of lecture, the teacher
circulates around the room while pupils
review notes.
This provides pupils the opportunity to ask
the teacher a question in an informal
situation.
Pupils who would never ask a question in
front of the whole class are likely to ask
questions during a clarification pause at the
teacher moves about the room.
8. Cooperative Groups
Cooperative learning is the
instructional use of small groups so
that pupils work together to maximize
their own and each others learning.
Pupils are often asked to form or are
assigned to small interactive groups
of perhaps three to five pupils.
9. Concept Mapping
A way of illustrating the connections that
exist between terms or concepts discussed
in class.
Are drawing or diagrams showing the
mental connections that students make
between a major concept or principle and
other concepts they have learned.
Typically concept maps capture the main
ideas and the relationships between them.
10. Frequent Short Quizzes
Periodic testing during the term has been
shown to improve student performance.
The quiz can be taken down first by
individuals working alone or by groups, or
can be taken twice, first by individuals and
then again by groups. (Groups nearly
always do better than individuals,
demonstrating the strength of group work).
11. Frequent Short Quiz Feedback
After the quiz, examples of exemplary
responses can be discussed in class.
An teacher can also require to
resubmit a corrected quiz.
12. Learning Cycle
Involves teaching science in three consecutive
phases known as exploration, introduction of
concepts names, and application.
In exploration, pupils explore phenomena,
making predictions where appropriate and
evaluating results.
In introduction of concepts names, the teacher
introduces terms to label the patterns, regularities,
and other characteristics of the concepts being
studied.
In concept application, pupils practice applying
the new concepts in different situations.
13. Muddiest Point
The muddiest point technique provides a
high information return a very low
investment of time and energy.
The technique consists of asking pupils to
jot down a quick response to one question.
What is the muddiest point _____?
The focus of the Muddiest Point
assessment might be a lecture, a lecture
topic, a discussion, a homework
assignment, a play, or a film
14. One Minute Paper
The one minute paper provides a quick and
extremely simple way to collect written feedback
on pupils learning.
The teacher stops the lecture and asks students to
respond briefly to some variation on the following
two questions: What was the most important thing
you learned during this class? Ana what important
question remains unanswered?
Pupils then write their responses on index cards of
half-sheets of scrap paper and hand them in.
The teacher review the papers before the next
lecture and begins the next class period by
clarifying the materials as indicated.
15. Planning a Field Exercise
Observation is the key to formulating
a filed exercise.
One of the first steps is to encourage
pupils to wander in groups and look
carefully at the habitat.
16. Questioning Strategies
Provide a series of open ended
questions as discussion tools to the
class or to groups.
17. Think/pair/share
Pupils individually think for a moment
about a question posed in the lecture, then
pair up with a classmate beside them to
share/discuss their thoughts.
Responses from a few pairs can be
shared with the entire class, or an
individual writing exercise can follow.
18. Mini - lectures
Offers a concise way to provide
necessary background information,
research findings, and motivational
examples. Just remember to keep it
brief.
19. Research Projects and Presentation
Pupils are asked to design a research study
on a course topic.
When appropriate, pupils may be allowed to
collect data during class time.
Pupils present their research in a class
symposium allowing group questions
directed toward them after their
presentation.
Depending on the class size, group
collaborate work may be more desirable
than having each student present.
20. Newsletters
Pupils produce a brief newsletter on a
topic related to the course.
Articles should include relevant
research and postings of related
public events (past and upcoming)
can also be included
21. Walk About, Treasure/Scanvenger Hunt
Items to observe and critique, or questions to
answer are posted around the room.
Pupils are paired and given directions as to what
will be expected to do when they go to the different
spots.
Pupils are allowed to help other groups, or
competition may in effect to see which group
goes through the different stations first with
correct answers.
After pupils are allowed to walk about, the
class shares and discusses their findings.
22. Collaborative Learning Groups
Groups may be formal or informal, and
work graded or un - graded.
Pupils are assigned to a group of at least
three people and members of the group are
assigned to specific tasks (Leader,
Recorder, Presenter, Task Master, etc)
The group is given a task to work on
together.
Often, some pupil preparation (reading,
homework, etc.) is required but not
necessary.
23. Circle Response
To enable all the class members to give their
opinions about a controversial issue, especially
when there is a clamor that no one is being heard,
or when the students seem reluctant to express an
opinion on the subject.
The entire group sits in a circle
The subject for discussion is introduced.
The teacher asks the person on his right to give an
opinion on the topic, followed by the next person
and on around the circle until everyone has
spoken.
Everyone has a turn and no one may speak out of
turn.
Even the most timid student is there for
argumentative student able to listen to other
opinions.
The activity should not be extended too long, or it
may seem stilted and artificial.
24. Dyads
To give every pupil an opportunity to
express himself to one other person on a
subject.
Pupils work together in pairs on some
project.
Since each person must say something,
each must also think about the subject
enough to express himself.
The project should not be as lengthy or
complex as those worked on by small
groups.
Discuss as a large group some of the
opinions of the dyads.
25. Montage
This art project involves putting together
pictures from magazines, articles, letters
colored papers, etc.
The pictures and articles are torn in
different shapes and arranged and glued on
a background to express the students
ideas on the subject.
Pupils can then explain why they included
certain pictures and arranged them as they
did.
26. Mural
Logical series of large drawings are made
by a small group to illustrate several
principles or events of a given lesson.
The pictures are drawn on a long sheet of
paper.
They can be cartoons, stick figures,
symbols, or realistic portrayals.
After the mural is completed, the pupils
explain how their arts relate to the subject.
27. Fantasy
This is a door to a supernatural world
and the imagination creates its own
realities tolerant by the limitations
how their arts relate to the subject.
This is both a teaching and thinking
skill strategy. It addresses two
instructional objectives in mastery of
subject matter and mastery of an
important thinking skill.
28. Visual Thinking
The ideas are better expressed and more
easily understood through pictures, maps,
drawings, charts and varied ways.
These usual strategies provide images
which draw together and interpret
information in an easy understandable
form.
They also offer pupils and teacher an
additional way to explore and express
ideas.
29. Scenario Building
This strategy utilizes the imagination
further on experiences and on actual
things/events happening in the
environment.
To get new ideas instead of depending on
traditional ideas.
The ideas can be illustrated or described.
The discussion follows.
30. Metaphorical Strategy
This is the process of recognizing a
connection between two unrelated things.
It is also called analogical thinking.
It does proceed relaxed, but leaps across
categories and classifications to discover
new relationships.
Example: Fuel pump and the heart
Kidney and coffee filter
Learning becomes integrated when
emphasis is on seeing relationship.
It is more efficient and more satisfying.
Recipe for Success
Study while others are sleeping;
work while others are loathing;
prepare while others are playing;
and dream while others are wishing

William A. Ward
Thank you very much Good day

MR. ELMAR T. ALZATE
Education Program Supervisor I
Science