Effective Teaching Strategies in Education
Organization of Teaching Strategies
It is time to specify the methodological strategies, activities, resources, and evaluation.
Methodological Strategies and Activities
At this stage of curriculum development, we know the objectives and content in our programming. Zabalza (1997) states that we need to know how to organize activities in the classroom based on these objectives and content.
The role of methodology is justified by the method (Gallego and Salvador Mata, 2008b: 162). This justification comes from the requirements of each element of teaching and learning, but especially from the purpose. Since learning refers to a subject and an object, the method has a double justification: psychological (adaptation to the learner) and logical (adaptation to the content being learned). In addition, the method has to be adapted to the context in which learning activities are developed. This global perspective justifies the development of educational models.
The methodological principles of the kindergarten stage, found in the Decree 67/2007 Curriculum Development of Early Childhood Education in Castilla-La Mancha, guide us. The methodology at this stage will have a globalizing perspective, but that globalization can take different forms. (The Reading Plan de Castilla-La Mancha is a way to develop the whole project).
There is no single methodology, but the following should be taken into account:
- The necessity to create significant learning experiences.
- Using languages and multisensory materials that stimulate creativity and mental and physical activity.
- Free or directed play combined with the pleasure or motivation to learn.
- Learning as a process of interaction between children and adults.
- Creating a warm and welcoming environment to awaken in children a desire to be in school.
- Guiding the teaching/learning process towards the development of autonomy.
- Flexible distribution of space and time.
- Collaboration with the family.
Methodological Principles of the Stage of Primary Education, according to Decree 68/2007 of 05.07.1929, indicate that there is no single method. However, we must bear in mind that:
- Learning is a process of social construction and involves the student, faculty, and family.
- Cooperative work facilitates learning.
- Construction of learning.
- Motivating students.
- The success of education occurs when teachers design activities matched to students’ diversity in a single process.
- We must develop skills in students to review their own learning (self-correcting, editing, sharing).
- Reduce interference to achieve a proper learning environment.
Teaching strategies, derived from the methodological principles and structures, are conceived as activities in which the objectives and contents are realized. Gallego and Salvador Mata (2008) stated that these can be considered analogous to techniques. The concept of teaching strategy includes both learning strategies (from the student’s perspective) and teaching strategies (from the teacher’s perspective). Given the complexity of teaching and learning, it is necessary to choose a variety of methods, which can be grouped according to the basic elements of teaching and learning: teachers, students, content, and context.
Following the previous authors, we will describe these in more detail.