Teaching Powerpoints - Teaching Strategies & Methods For Effective Teaching

Have you ever stood in front of a new class of expectant students, with a killer lesson all planned out, only to find the projector or whiteboard has chucked in the towel? Technology is an ever present part of today's classroom, and that means teachers are having to get better at using it, even if your technological prowess usually stops at setting the video timer.

If you are new to interactive whiteboards, or trying to make the most of your electronic white board set-up, then we have some effective teaching strategies on presenting & Powerpoint to share.

1. Keep it simple
This refers to the hardware set-up, but especially to the message in the presentation itself. Overly hierarchical structure or complex slide layouts will confuse you along with your class. Make one main point, reiterate it, and then recap it at the end. Even if you have a very able class, it's always best to make one point at a time.

English Language Classroom Teaching Strategies For New Teachers

Many newcomers to teaching become a little overwhelmed when they suddenly find themselves thrust into a classroom for the first time, with 50 or more kids to teach!

Yes, it's true many teacher training programs fail to mention this when you're taking their courses. Depending on where you work and who you work for, your classes could be anything from 20 up to a whopping 60 kids!

I myself have had experience of both ends of the scale and I can tell you right now, I prefer the 20 odd end of it!

Well such is life and such is teaching! Think of it this way, if you can handle 50 to 60 kids then less is a should be a walk in the park for you. It will over time actually make you a stronger teacher and you'll gain more experience and pick up more classroom techniques and skills.

5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Teaching Strategies

Being an effective teacher requires that you have a variety of skills, including being able to manage and organize your classroom, connect with your students, provide activities that are engaging, understand individual learning styles, and so much more. When these aspects come together, they create a learning atmosphere that is fun and rewarding. The modern classroom does not come with an instruction manual, and oftentimes teachers learn alongside their students when it comes to improving their teaching strategies.

Organizing Your Classroom

Facilitating the learning process is easiest when your classroom is well organized. The old adage, "a place for everything and everything in its place" rings ever-so-true when it comes to classroom organization. Before the beginning of each school year, organize all of your supplies, equipment, desks, smart boards or whiteboards, displays, etc., and update your organizational scheme throughout the year. Your desk should be well organized as well so that you can quickly find everything that you need.

Teaching Strategies - Don't Sacrifice the Field Trip

Children with autism learn best with an educational program that is flexible or tailored to their needs. They also thrive in an environment that is loving, accepting, and nonjudgmental. Lessons need to be inviting and fun. For example, teach with excitement, enthusiasm and energy while engaging in with them. Some of these methods are from the Son-Rise program that works very well among the community with autism.

Unfortunately, when children with autism fail to learn, many therapists or educators give up and label them as ineducable. The problem was their teaching style and not addressing underlying problems such as foods that cause brain allergies or sensory processing difficulties. Some use rigid teaching methods that are demanding or forceful among this population. They want them to comply at their demands. These professionals mistakenly believe this method will reach them. In fact, it can cause psychological harm. These children usually go further into their own world.

Effective Teachers + Effective Teaching Strategies = High Student Achievement

It's amusing now to think back to the 1960s and early 1970s when there was so much talk about replacing teachers with televised learning, computers and programmed learning systems. I remember reading articles titled, "Will teachers become obsolete?" Times have changed! We now know that the classroom teacher has even more impact on student achievement than we ever imagined.

As teachers we are always looking for ways to improve our instruction. But it can difficult to know which teaching strategies will be the most successful, when there are so many programs and systems to choose from. How do you know what's best? One set of strategies has been extensively tested and has a strong track record of success. These strategies come from Robert Marzano and the McREL institute. Their 1998 analysis of instructional strategies and their effectiveness makes it easy for teachers to use techniques that WILL increase the achievement of their students. If you are trying to improve student achievement, and we all are, these nine teaching tools are a simple and effective way to go and can be incorporated into any classroom. They are listed below in order of academic effectiveness.