AFRICA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

KAREN

UNIT TITLE HISTORY TEACHING METHODS

UNIT CODE EDS 336
UNIT HOURS 3
PREREQUISITE NONE
LECTURER: ADELINE N. KITHINJI; 0723980854/0733795939
E-Mail [Link]@[Link]

Purpose
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the teaching of History using a diversity of
approaches, methods, activities, and materials in the delivery of the secondary school curriculum.
The students will also be exposed to the disintegration of the Secondary School History and
government Syllabus, the preparation of schemes of work and Lesson plans as well as the
evaluation criteria for History and Government. The said methods will be applicable to church
education.

Outcomes
By the end of this course the learner should be able to:
i. Explain the importance of teaching History and learning methods
ii. Design a lesson plan
iii. Design a History scheme of work
iv. Design a student record of work
v. Design a worked chart
vi. Identify different methods of teaching History
vii. Examine varied techniques of teaching and evaluating History
viii. Develop on adequate classroom management

Content
Significance of teaching History; teaching methods; making a scheme of work lesson planning;
different methods and techniques of teaching and testing; and classroom management.

Methodology
Lecture methods, group discussion, discovery learning and researching

Materials / Equipment
There will be the use of visual-audio teaching Aids, lecture noted, course textbook and E-
learning.

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Key Resource Materials
Sharma, B.M.(2008).Classroom Administration; Global Educational Series. Vol.16. New Delhi.
Roshan Offset Printers
Siddiqui, M. H.(2008) Techniques of Classroom Teaching. New Delhi. APH Publishing group

Resources Recommended for Further Reading

Ted, G.G.(1993) Subject Methods Religious Education. Nairobi. Lecture Publications
Deepak Tiwar(2008).Methods of teaching geography. New Delhi. Crescent Publishing Corp
Barasa, P.L. (2005) English Language Teaching Skills. Nairobi. Moi University Press
Barasa, P.L. (2005). English Language Teaching in Kenya: Policy, Training and Practice.
Nairobi. Moi University Printing Press
Gathimbi, A.W and Massembe, S. C.(2008) Principles and Techniques of Language Teaching.
Nairobi. JKF
Jane,T Et al (2010). Mastering TPE Education. Nairobi Oxford University Press

Evaluation / Assessment
CATs
1. Classroom attendance -5% 30%
2. Semester paper -25%

Final Exam 70%

Semester Paper
The term paper will enable the learner to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of
the various techniques, approaches and methods, used in teaching History and use some of them
in lesson preparation. This will help to present the History subject in an interesting way so that
the learner can be motivated to learn the subject and compare methods used in teaching history
with methods used in teaching other subjects.

Requirement:

The student is required to complete the term paper. All written work to be typed, double
spaced, font 12, Times Romans Style, using standard grammar usage. The paper should be
between 4-8 pages long. The student should have a good understanding of the topic. The
term paper should have a systematic flow of class activities: introduction, Development and
conclusion. All written work should be correctly spelt and proof read. The term paper should
be scholarly written with proper references and bibliography using the APA format. The term
paper should be professionally bound. It should be submitted on the date set. No coping,

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presentation of someone else’s work or any form of cheating is allowed whatsoever; practice
of the vise will lead to disqualification.

Grading System

Grade will be awarded according to AIUs GRADING SYSTEM below

PERCENTAGE GRADE LEVEL OF DEGREE

ACHIEVEMENT CLASSIFICATION BY
AVERAGE
70 % AND ABOVE A EXCELLENT FIRST CLASS HONORS

60-69% B GOOD SECOND CLASS

HONOURS UPPER
DIVISION
50-59% C FAIR SECOND CLASS
LOWER DIVISION
40-49% D POOR PASS
0-39% FAILURE
INCOMPLETE
WITHDRAWAL

3
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR HISTORY TEACHING METHODS

WEEK TOPIC REFERENCE

1 Significance of teaching and learning
history
Activities:Open forum: Discussion
on the topic.
2- Teaching methods: Jane, T .et al
Activities: write short notes on the Mastering TPE
following-i. Your expectation of the Education
course.
[Link] atleast three methods used
to teach History.
-3-4 Making Schemes Of Work; Jane, T. et al
Activities;I,Design a scheme of work. Mastering TPE
education
5 Writing a lesson Plan; Jane,T. et al
[Link] a lesson plan. Mastering PTE
Education
6-7 Term paper writing and Due date end of
presentation: February2022
Make a detailed scheme of work for
twelve weeks for form 2 class with 3
lessons per week (12 lessons) 10-12
pages , 25 MARKS
8-10 Different Methods and Techniques of Jane, T . et al
teaching History. Mastering PTE
Activity: i.,Open forum Education
[Link] definitions of teaching
teachniques,teaching approach and
teaching methods.

4
11 Evaluation and Testing: Jane,T. et al
Activities; I, Group discussions. Mastering PTE
Ii,, identify various methods of Education
Testing and Evaluating History.
12 Classroom Management. Jane ,[Link] al
Activities: Briefly discuss the Mastering PTE
significance of effective class Education
management and identify various
methods used in class management
13-14 Exam

5
HISTORY TEACHING METHODS

EDS 336

SIGNIFICANCE OF TEACHING HISTORY

The importance of teaching history is as follows:-

1. History is essential to a nation and it citizens

2. Historians help us to obtain the past, our heroes, our ancestors, their heroic deeds or their
mistakes. History enables us to learn from the mistakes of the others .
3. It helps the learner understand change and societal development.
4. It provides a context from which to understand ourselves and others.
5. The real accomplishment of an historian is to present the historical facts in a coherent
way by adding original explanation of the reason behind the occurrences of the past.
6. History presents the dates when various important events happened.

SIGNIFICANCE OF LEARNING HISTORY

1. History helps the learner understand the world ; how the world worked then and how it
works now. It provides us with the framework of knowledge that we need to build our
entire lives.
2. History tell us who we are; it is a story of past happenings events and transformation it is
a depictions of what happened in years since it is a depiction of what happened years
since inception of human race.
3. History helps us understand culture. It is deeply rooted in the study of the past, the types
of cultures and traditions practiced. All cultures we have today have their roots in the
culture of the past.
4. History help understand change. It enables us know how people, communicates ,nations
and the whole world that we live in has changed over time
5. History helps to learn of the world events. It gives knowledge of events and happenings
that change the world.
6. History is interesting; it is like watching a blockbuster film entirely based on true events.

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 7. History makes better students: it enables us know where we are coming from , how the
past has shaped us and how we can shape the future.
8. History repeats itself; it enables us to learn about the mistakes of others and how we can
avoid it.
9. History help learners to exercise critical thinking, provides valuable lessons about human
nature and learn to abandon incorrect assumptions
10. It allows the learner to make more sense of the current world and the nature of the
society. This knowledge has application in almost every aspect of human life.

SCHEMES OF WORK

A scheme of work is a document that interprets the syllabus and systematically arranges the
content to be covered over a specific period for a teacher in his or her subject. A scheme of work
can also be defined as a breakdown of the syllabus of a given subject into teachable systematic
units or sub-topics which are to be covered within a given time. It shows the month, week, and
number of lessons, objectives, teaching and learning resources, forms of assessment to be used
and remarks regarding the lesson. The scheme of work should be drawn in advance, at the
beginning of the term or year. In addition, a scheme of work may include sample plan lessons.

Purpose of a scheme of work

 It enables the teacher to make teaching systematic and learning interpreted by sequencing
the topics ad sub-topics in the order that they will be taught during each lesson schemed
for
 It enables the teacher to design different methods of teaching and varying amounts of
work to suit the ability of learners
 It enables the teacher to allocate time for teaching each section of the syllabus to ensure
that the most important and relevant information is covered.
 It enables the teacher to coordinate with other subjects’ teachers to avoid duplication of
work
 It enables teachers to adequately prepare teaching and learning resources
 It enables the teacher to determine the scope of assessment

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Factors to consider when preparing a scheme of work

 Number of lessons or periods per subject per week in every class- This is usually spelt
out in the syllabus. It enables the teacher to know the amount of time to allocate each
topic.
 Interruptions- Some lessons may be lost due to planned and special events such as sports
days and public holidays and unplanned ones, such as, visits by important administration
personnel.
 Previous experiences with learners while teaching the subject- This helps the teacher to
sequence the topics.
 Level and ability of the Learners-This helps the teacher to select instructional approaches,
resources and assessment.

Elements of scheme of work

The elements of a scheme of work are also known as the components. They are outlined below:

Title of the scheme of work

This identifies the document. It consists of the class and the subject that the scheme of work is
meant for.

Specific objectives

Specific objectives define the reasons for teaching the topic and what the learner is expected to
achieve. They are derived from the national goals of education, general subject objectives and
the content.

Topics and sub-topics

These indicate what is to be covered in the specified period for which the scheme of work is
planned. It is necessary to indicate topics and sub-topics in a scheme of work for easy derivation
of lesson objective. When sequencing topics the following should be considered:

 The relatedness of the topics-Topics should flow from simple to complex so that the
foundation topics are taught first.

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  The availability of teaching and learning materials- some materials are available only at
certain times of the year, for example, flowers, fruits and other agricultural products.

Lessons or periods

Lessons are indicated as either a single or a double lesson. The number of lesson per week is
usually provided for in the syllabus.

Teaching and learning activities

The learning activities indicate what the learner will be engaged in during the course of each
lesson and directly related to the teaching activities. They serve as channels through which
instructional objectives are to be achieved.

Teaching and learning resources

The teaching and learning resources include teaching and learning aids, textbooks and references
books, and any other resource materials from which the teacher is expected to derive content in
order to facilitate learning. The teacher should provide a book titles, page numbers, publishers
and authors of the book used as reference.

Assessment

Assessment procedures show how teachers intend to find out whether the teaching and learning
process achieved in the objectives. Assessment may take the form of quizzes, oral, work, written
questions or observations.

Remarks

The teacher indicates remarks. They are statements showing the achievements as well as any
problems encountered in the process of teaching and learning. These comments are intended for
remedial purposes. The total number of columns and details of a scheme of work vary from one
subject to another.

ELEMENTS OF A SCHEME OF WORK.

Week Lesson Topic/sub- Objectives Teaching Learning Teaching Assessment Remarks

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 topics activities activities and
learning
resources

LESSON PLAN:

A lesson plan is a teacher’s document that describes, in detail, the course of instructions to be
taken during single or double lessons. It is derived from the scheme of work and contains details
of what the teacher and learners should cover during the stipulated period. A lesson plan is
different from lesson notes. Whereas a lesson plan contains objectives and teaching and learning
activates, lesson notes contain the relevant and detailed content of the topic to be taught.

Purpose of a lesson plan

A teacher should prepare a lesson plan for the following reasons:

 It gives the teacher confidence

 Enables the teacher to choose the methods and approaches of teaching and learning
 It enables the teacher to present a lesson in a logical and systematic manner
 Enables the teacher to select, prepare and use appropriate teaching and learning resources
 Enables the teacher to plan other activities such as assignments for assessment.
 It enables the teacher to link the lesson with learner`s previous knowledge and
experiences
 It specifies the duration a teacher has to cover the specific content in a given class.

Factors to consider when preparing a lesson plan

A well prepared lesson plan almost guarantees a successful lesson. When preparing a lesson plan
a teacher should consider factors such as:

 The time allocated for teaching the topic

 Previous knowledge of the learners
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  The teaching and learning activates that would best achieve the objectives
 The teaching and learning resources available
 The topic from which the content of the lesson is to be derived
 The best method, approach or technique of teaching that can be used to achieve the lesson
objectives.

Factors, which may interfere with the successful implementation of a lesson plan, include:

 Poor preparation
 Poor mastery of the content
 Poor communication skills
 Poor time management
 Poor teacher-learner relationship
 Teacher being psychologically and emotionally unprepared
 Teacher’s inability to control the class

Poor presentation of a lesson could lead to disgrace, lack of confidence, side teaching and waste
of time on unimportant and unrelated details. It may also lead to inability to guide learners to
achieve lesson objective.

PARTS OF A LESSON PLAN

Whereas there are many parts of a lesson, a lesson plan contains some or all of the following
parts.

Administrative information

The administrative information includes:

 The school
 The class to be taught
 The roll or number of learners
 The subject
 The amount of time allocated for the lesson

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  The date

Topic and sub-topic

The topic and sub-topic determines the content and enables the teacher to identify suitable
objective, teaching and learning methods and resources.

Specific Objectives

Specific objectives state what the teacher plans to achieve with the learners at the end of the
lesson. They are derived from the scheme of work. Objectives vary from subject to subject but
they fall into the broad categories of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Objectives serve the following purpose:

 They set the limits for the content to be covered so that the teacher remains focused
during the lesson.
 They enable the teacher to select the most appropriate teaching methods and approaches.
 They enable the teacher to evaluate the lesson and himself or herself.
 They enable the teacher to identify appropriate teaching and learning resources.
 They enable the teacher to organize the lesson logically
 They enable the teacher to devise means of arousing and sustain learners’ interest.
 They enable the teacher to determine assessment methods
 They facilitate proper use of time

Teaching and learning resources

Teaching and learning resources include, materials that help the teacher to teach effectively or
the learner to understand the content better. These materials include textbooks, real objects,
charts and resource persons. The best teaching and learning resources are those that enable the
learner to learn using more than one of his or her senses.

The Lesson Introduction

The way a teacher introduces a lesson determines how the lesson flows and to what degree the
objectives can be achieved. Some of the lessons can be introduced by :

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  Performing a demonstration
 Asking leading questions
 Using relevant teaching and learning activities
 Reviewing a previously taught lesson and linking it to the topic to be taught
 Stating the purpose of the lesson providing a preview of the lesson’s objectives
 Telling a story or singing a song related to the lesson content

The following are factors that should be considered when selecting the mode of introducing a
lesson:

 Interest of the learners

 Level of the learners
 Relevance of the introduction to the topic discussion
 Skills, knowledge or content to be taught
 Objectives of the lesson

A good introduction is one that arouses the interests of learners and meets the needs of the
particular lesson. A teacher should indicate how long the introduction would take.

Lesson development

Lesson development refers to the time of the main body and structure of the lesson. It shows how
time will be used during the lesson. As the teacher writes the lesson development, he or she
should also indicate how he or she plans to utilize the chalkboard. The lesson is planned in steps
to facilitate presentation of content. These steps show the following:

 Sequence to be followed during presentation

 Teaching and learning activities
 Organization of the content
 Relevant resources
 Time to be taken at each step

The Chalkboard Layout

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The chalkboard layout shows how the teacher intends to use the chalkboard in the course of the
teaching and learning. It should include the date, class, subject, topic, and important aspects of
the lesson. It should also include necessary illustrations, new words and exercises.

Date: Subject: Class:

New words Topic Illustrations Assignment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Teaching activities refer to what the teacher will be doing as the lesson progresses, for example,
demonstrating, explaining, questioning and displaying teaching and learning materials. Teaching
activities make it possible for the teacher to introduce and handle the concepts for easy
understanding by the learners. They give the teacher the general direction of the lesson`s flow.
Learners are better guided for teaching when activities are selected appropriately.

Learning activities are tasks that the learners undertake in order to achieve the stated objectives.
They make learning learner-centered and create learners’ interest in the lesson as it progresses.
They also make abstract content concrete. Such activities include discussion, practical activities,
completing exercises or answering questions individually or in groups.

Conclusion

The conclusion comes after the main body of the lesson. It serves as a basis for evaluating a
lesson. The teacher may use the conclusion to tie together the main points of a lesson. The
conclusion or summary gives the teacher an opportunity to wrap up discussions and the learners,
an opportunity to ask any unanswered questions.

Self-Evaluation

Self-evaluation is a critical reflection by the teacher concerning the totality of the lesson. Its
purpose is mainly to determine whether the learners have gained the taught skill, knowledge

14
and/or attitudes. It helps the teacher to determine whether the lesson objectives have been
achieved or not. Evaluating a lesson enables the teacher to give feedback on learners’ progress as
it reveals their strengths and weaknesses. The teacher is also able to improve on the methods of
teaching and the choice and use of the teaching and learning resources. An evaluation report
should be written after the lesson.

TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS, APPROACHES AND TECHNIQUES

Teaching method is a means employed according to a plan in the teaching and learning process.
Therefore, a teaching method is overall procedure used to teach a particular lesson. It is the
teacher’s responsibility to develop, improve and effect different ways of organizing learning and
teaching.

N.B. The teacher should remember to relate the curriculum objectives and the needs of the
learners to the instructional methods, approaches and techniques

A technique is the art or skill of performance. For example, when using the discussion method,
the way the teacher asks questions to trigger participation is the teacher’s technique. The way the
teacher influences the learners to apply or practise what they have learnt is also a technique.
Therefore, a technique is the way the teacher handles the different aspects or phases of
instructional method or procedures during a lesson

A teaching approach is any particular style, organization or procedure of practice applicable

to the process of teaching. There is no approach to teaching that is better than the other.
However, an approach should be flexible with regard to the needs of a particular classroom
situation, and the strengths and preferences of the individual learners.

Any teaching method that a teacher uses has advantages and disadvantages and requires
preliminary preparation Teaching method may flow into another within the same lesson.

Each teacher should have techniques to ensure that this happens efficiently and effectively.

Factors to Consider when choosing The Techniques ,Approaches and Methods

 The subject content.

 The age and developmental level of the learner.

15
  What the learner already knows and their entry behavior.
 Learning activities involved.
 The objective of the lesson.
 Space and material resources available.
 The physical setting and class management and control routines.
 The teacher’s own competence in the use of a particular method.

METHODS USED IN TEACHING HISTORY

Some of the commonly used methods in teaching history are as follows:-

1. Memorization
2. Class participation
3. Recitation
4. Narrative
5. Demonstrative
6. Educational visits
7. Question and Answer
8. A combination of methods

While the above teaching methods are widely used, every teacher has specific teaching method
and techniques. Teachers must be flexible in their methods and often adjust their style to
accommodate their students

1. MEMORAZITION METHOD;

This teaching method focuses on repetition either orally or written. It trains the mind to
remember and strengthens it to retain more information. It is a very effective way to make the
mind more receptive to remember learnt information.

Ways to Improve Memorization

1. Memorize small amount of information at a time.

2. Get ample sleep.
3. Associate the word or term with something you already know.

16
 4. Write down and say them aloud.
5. Look for connection to the word, term or information learnt.
6. Take an Educational visit.

[Link] PARTICIPATION METHOD

- It is an important aspect of student’s learning.

- students learn to express their ideas in a way that others can understand.
- when they ask questions they learn to obtain information to enhance their own
understanding of the topic.
- It is a valuable learning tool for teachers.
Through students’ questions, teachers learn what the students do not understand and
can adjust their instructions accordingly to help the students understand better.
Some students struggle to volunteer to speak in class, therefore, the role of the teacher
is to encourage and provide supportive environment so that such students can feel
more comfortable, confident and less fearful of speaking up.
How to help students participate in class:
1. Create a climate in which students are encouraged to ask questions.
2. Take the students questions and comments seriously.
3. Orchestrate the students speaking experiences, to ensure success by;-
- Asking questions that they can answer.
- Let him know beforehand that you will be calling on him/ her to answer questions.
- Reinforce his/her comments with positive statement and an encouraging smile.
- Restate the questions to lead them towards the right answer.
4. Be patient when waiting for a response from a student.
5. Monitor class participation.
6. Provide opportunities for students to practice his/her communication skills by
taking time to talk with him/ her privately.
7. Give the student responsibilities that require communication.
8. Observe the students to find out if any of them has speech or language problems.

3. RECITATION TEACHING METHOD:

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 Recitation is a direct, teacher- centered approach in which the teacher asks specific
short answer questions with a specific answer in mind. Incorrect answers are usually
corrected by the teacher in the class.
The teacher may ask probing question in order to help the class come up with the
correct answer.
The repetition of questions and answers helps in information retention.
Recitation is used for the memorization of facts based level knowledge.

Examples:-

- Assessing students’ comprehension of a lecture or demonstration.

- Reviewing factual material for an upcoming test
- When using recitation, the teacher should have the attention of all the learners and
address the question to all.
- Encourage volunteer answers as well as non- volunteer.
- The students should be encouraged to speak to the whole class when responding.
- The teacher can incorporate technology into the recitation strategy by use of jeopardy
game.
- The teacher should be sensitive to the learners’ willingness to speak publicly.

The Importance of Recitation Method

The purpose of recitation is to help students learn how to apply the information
learned in the class.
Students should be actively involved in recitation.
The teacher should always prepare in advance before meeting with the learners.
Start here:

[Link] TEACHING METHOD

A demonstration method is used to communicate an idea with the use of visual aids such as flip
charts, posters, maps, power points etc. It is the process of teaching someone to make or do
something in a step by step process it is an important method as it provides learners with

18
experiences of real events phenomena and processes, helping them learn, raise students interest
and motivation.

Demonstration often occurs when students have a hard time connecting theories to actual
situation.

For demonstration to be effective the object being displayed for demonstration should be:-

- Large enough
- Language should be clear and easy to understand
- Students should be encouraged to ask questions for better understanding

Merits or Advantages of Demonstration Method:

- Enables students develop a deeper understanding of the topic

- Helps learners remain active in the teaching learning process
- Leads to permanent learning
- Encourage reflective thinking
- Creates interest for topics among learners.
- Arouses the spirit for discovery among students
- Impacts maximum learning to students.

Disadvantages of Demonstration Method

1. Students may not benefit from direct personal experience since it is the teacher who
carries out the demonstration
2. It can be costly as it requires costly materials
3. It is time consuming
4. Not based on learning by doing.

[Link] METHOD

Narration or story telling is a powerful method which engages and holds learners
attention.

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 The narration may be short or long, factual or imagined, artless or artful.
It may instruct or inform or simply direct or regale (amuse).
In narration the teacher narrates the topic and the students try to acquire knowledge
through the technique.
The teacher should consider the interest, objectives and attitudes of the learners
The subject matter should be presented in a simple, interesting and intelligible way.
The method should be supplemented with question and answer technique.

6 DISCUSSION METHOD:
This is a forum for open- ended collaborative exchange of ideas between a teacher and
the students or among students for the purpose of enhancing students thinking, learning,
problem solving, understanding etc.

Advantages of Discussion Method

- Develops thinking and communication ability

- Enhances leadership qualities
- Reinforces expression ability
- Promotes problem solving skills
- Develops creativity in learners
- Enables learners to get motivated and confidence
- Learners develop higher level of cognitive and affective objective
- Emphasis on learning instead of teaching (learner – centered)
- Encourages participation by everybody
- It encouraged development of democratic way of thinking
- It trains learners in reflective thinking
- Inculcates a spirit of tolerance among learners
- Makes learning interesting

Disadvantages:-

- Some students lose motivation to participate in the discussion

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 - Requires consistent input from the teacher.
7 EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Educational visits consists of planned visits to places of educational interest outside the
classroom such as factories, agricultural projects, museums, parliament ,airports, animal
parks ,historical sites and post office.

The duration of the trip, sometimes referred to as study field trips, depends on the distance to
be travelled, the purpose of the trip and the age of the learners .A educational visit or
study trip that ids too short is not worthy all the preparation efforts, while one that lasts too
long may tire or bore the learners

When planning to visit an organization the teacher should communicate the intention to the
relevant authorities in advance.

The information should include the following:

 Purpose of the visit so that whoever will guide the learners knows what to emphasis .
 Age and number of learners.
 Date and time of the planned visit.

Guideline that a teacher may follow when planning and organizing an educational visit.

 Give the learners background information on the place they are going to visit.
 Design a questionnaire and assignments that will help the learners to gather in
formation.
 Obtain written permission from parentsor guardians of each learnerbefore the the
learner make the trip
 Inform other teachers ,who haves classes that will be affected by the trip, ahead of
time
 Issue strict instructional or rules of conduct to ensure order, avoid accidents ,and
prevent damage to property
 Advise learners on how they should be dressed
 If the learners are mature enough Involve them in planning and organizing activities
for study trip.

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 Activities after the trip could include:
 Learners making a report on what they saw and learnt during the trip,
 The teacher writing a report on the trip on evaluation of the success of the
trip and for future reference.
 The teacher writing an appreciation to various people who made the trip
possible.

Advantages of Educational visits;

 They enhance the learner interest in the subject.

 Give the learner an opportunity to experience real-life situation;
 Enable the learner to develop observation skills.
 Enhance retention
 Clarify difficult concepts
 Broaden the learner general knowledge
 Make learning interesting and enjoyable.
 Promote the spirit of inquiry or discovery and encourage group work
 Promote good teacher –learner relationship
 Promote integration of concepts in various subjects
 Promote learners interaction with the environment.
Disadvantages of Educational visits
 They are expensive
 Time consuming
 Require a lot of administrative work
 Disrupt the teachers lessons and other school programmes
 Require supervision by more than one teacher
 Some parent may raise objection on security concern for the children
8 QUESTION AND ANSWER METHOD

The question and Answer method is also referred to as the questioning technique or Socratic
[Link] is one of the key teaching methods used in the classroom .A teacher may ask a
series of questions to find out how much the learners know about a topic and determine what
needs to be taught.

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Characteristics of good questions:
o Clear,precise ,brief and direct.
o Formulated to challenge and stimulate the learners’thuoghts.
o Suitable for the age , abilities and interests of learners
o Within the experience s of the learners and in a language the clearly understand.
When formulating questions a teacher should:

 Begin with words such as-who,what,why,when and how.

 Avoid questions such as – Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, isn’t it?
 Avoid question that encourage guess work, for example, was Kenya colonized by
the Britain or Germany?
 Avoid double barreled questions, for example. How big is Kisumu and how far
away is it from Mombasa
 Avoid questions such as ,slave trade depopulated Africa, what depopulated Africa?
 Avoid “ïs what”question
 Refrain from Yes and No questions.
 Call learners by name.
 Distribute question to all the learners
 Prepare questions well in advance.
 Ask questions in a natural, friendly and conversational manner
 Allow learners to complete their answers without interruption
 Encourage learners to ask questions and respond to these questions with logical
reasons, tact and patience..

Advantages of questing and answer Method:

 It helps the teacher to find out if the earners were prepared for the lesson
or not.
 Drills or gives practice in what has been learnt.
 It guides, leads and motivates the learners
 It helps the teacher to evaluate the level of understanding of the learners

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  It develops the learners’ ability to think. Or explain causes, effects and
purposes of things or events
 It helps learners to organize material learnt
 It emphasis important points
 It improves appreciation of the topic
 It promotes self -expression in the learners
 It reviews the mental processes of learners
 It shows agreement or disagreement with concepts, opinions or views
 It establishes rapport with learners
 It helps diagnose learners’ difficulties in and out of the classroom
 It maintains the attention of wandering minds
 It increases the amount of quality of participation of learners.
 It promotes further knowledge and deeper understanding
 It motivates the learners especially when they give correct answers.

Disadvantages of the question and answer method:

 Encourages the teacher to focus on a few learners who are able to answer
questions.
 Discourages slow learner from participating in the lesson for fear of
making mistakes
 It may cause some learner to lose self esteem and self-confidence
 Some teachers may not be skillful in usng probing questions to get desired
responses
 It increases the possibility of poor class control due to chorus answers.
 Teachers with poor communication skills may not use it effectively.

OTHER METHODS AND TECHNIQUES USED IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

HISTORY:

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 1. Group report
2. Brain storming
3. Debates
4. Panel discussion
5. Role play
6. Imaginary educational visit
7. Project method

A COMBINATION OF MANY METHODS

This is leaning through the flexible combination of two or more learning methods and
techniques. This is a new learning strategy developed in adaption to an individual or
personalized learning scenario. It is flexible and self- directed and learner- centered

EVALUATING AND TESTING HISTORY

Evaluation is the process of determining the extent which educational objectives have been
achieved and providing feedback to teachers, leaners and other stakeholders in education for the
Purpose Of Improvement.

There Are Three Types of Evaluation

 Diagnostic evaluation which is carried out before instruction to determine readiness or

entry behavior.
 Formative evaluation which is carried out during instruction for the purpose of improving
or monitoring the progress of instruction.
 Summative evaluation which is carried out at the end of instruction for the purpose of
grading, selection, placement, certification and evaluation of the achievement or not of
instructional objectives.

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Assessment

This is an all-embracing term covering any of the situations which an aspect of learning is
measured. Assessment helps in evaluation. Educational assessment is the process of ascertaining
the extent to which learners have acquired specific knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Measurement and evaluation can be provided through formal and non formal assessment.

 In non-formal assessment, tests and examination are not used. Leaners are assessed
mainly through observation.
 Non - formal assessment is untimed and taken under varying situations. It is not
perceived as a test and it is individualized.
 Informal assessment is timed, taken under similar conditions or situations by the learners,
is seen as test, and is usually performed in a group.

The best approach to assessment is to use a combination of both formal and non-formal
methods.

TESTS

Tests are measuring devices or instruments. They may be a set of questions or tasks to be
answered by learners. They are carefully prepared in advance for the purpose of assessment.

Tests vary in terms of what they measure, length and the ability they require. They may be
classified on the basis of their difficulty.

TYPES OF TESTS

1. Diagnostic test

Diagnostic tests measure specific abilities in learners. They point out or diagnose the specific
weakness of learners.

[Link] test

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Achievement tests measure the level of learning attained under known conditions. They are used
to check attainment of minimum performance standards. These tests have one major limitation in
that they promote exam oriented instruction.

[Link] tests

Intelligence tests measure the general effect of past experience. They are used ultimately to
measure one’s capacity to learn. They may be done at different age levels, for example, pre-
school, primary, secondary or university using different media, for example, verbal, non-verbal
or correspondence.

[Link] tests

Aptitude tests measure an individual’s natural ability that makes it easy for them to do
something. For example, If one has a high aptitude in mathematics, they easily learn
mathematics. They are often used to predict the future performance of an individual in a specific
task.

[Link] tests

The function of prognostic tests is to measure the specific capacity of learners in a specific area
or field.

[Link] of interest

Test of interest are used to find out learners attitudes to specific subjects. Questionnaires that
relate to specific topics of interest to the learner may be constructed.

[Link] tests

Personality tests are based on the assumption that an individual’s typical behavior can be
revealed. Various types of personality tests exist but they must be administered by qualified
individuals if they are to be reliable.

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[Link] tests
Sociometric tests indicate measures of social interaction among individuals in a social situation
with form and informal groups, stars and isolates, leaders and followers, groups in cooperation,
sociometry can help in classroom organization as well as indicate the learners who need help and
support.

[Link] tests
These are individual tests in which the pupils are expected to manipulate objects, pictures, blocks
or mechanic apparatus.

[Link] tests
They measure a pupil’s maturity and previous knowledge before starting a new learning activity.

[Link]-made tests
Teacher –made tests are not standardized but may referred to as so. They include oral test during
lessons, written tests administered periodically and tests for promotion. In all these cases, it is
important that the teacher ensure that the tests:

 Are clearly stated and unambiguous,

 Are relevant to the topic or the knowledge being tested
 Are at high level of difficulty
 Cover enough content so as to increase reliability.
 Are adequate and, therefore, have a sufficient number of questions.

It is important that the teachers develop their own personal tests bank. This can be done as the
teachers systematically cover the syllabus.

They can write three or more questions for every topic in a special book or file and keep the
questions for future use. Over time, the bank becomes a valuable source of questions and tests

CLASS MANAGEMENT

Class management is a term used to describe the process of ensuring that the classroom lessons
run smoothly despite disruptive behavior by learners. It is possibly the most difficult aspect of

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learning for many teachers. According to Moskomtz &Hayman (1976), once a teacher losses
control of his/her class, it becomes difficult to regain [Link] the learners perspective effective
classroom management involves clear communication of behavior and academic expectation and
co-operative learning environment.

A classroom reveals the teacher`s style. A well-ordered classroom has various instructional
organizers such as rules posted on the walls, books and arranged so that those that are frequently
used are easily assessable. The furniture arrangements and classroom displays often reveal the
details of a class. The teachers plan for the learning environment is related to the organization
and management of both the classroom and the students.

Positive qualities of classroom management and organization:

 Establishes necessary procedures on the first day of school.

 Arrange furniture in a manner that promotes interaction.
 Manages classroom procedures to facilitate smooth learning.
 Manages student’s behaviors through clear expectations and firm consistent responses to
the learner’s actions.
 Encourages student’s positive and respectful communication to each other, teachers and
others.
 Discipline others with dignity and respect.
 Arrange classroom so that all learners can see and hear instructions
 Provide easy access to all learning materials.
 Shows evidence of established student’s routine for responsibility and leadership.
 Exhibit consistency and fairness in management style.
 Involve students in formulating classroom rules.

Managing Learners

This is the capacity to design strategies achieving learning outcomes for students or learners.

Best practices of managing learners are:

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1. Create a safe, supportive environment for the learners.
2. Be calm and relaxed in order to provide an atmosphere for all to enjoy the learning
process together.
3. Assure others that mistakes are not failures but part of the learning process.
4. Express sincere, specific praise over their successes.
5. Show respect and value them
6. Simplify words, speak slowly and clearly to be understood by the learners at their level.
7. Keep them interested and participating in the learning process.
8. Offer choices. Allow learners to assume responsibility and a sense of ownership in their
learning process.
9. Prepare lessons for specific objectives that address the need for all learners of all levels in
your class.
10. Clarify meaning with visuals, gestures, facial expressions, examples, demonstrations or
acting.
11. Writing on the blackboard or teaching aid and other learning materials should be large
and legible to the learners.
12. Arrange classroom seating to meet student’s needs, comfort and to encourage their
conversation and participation.
13. Measure students’ success, information, observation or formal written work and reward
success through verbal praise and tangible rewards.
14. Vary methods and approaches of teaching and use necessary teaching strategies t hold the
attention of learners through the learning process

Term paper

History is both a SCIENCE and an ART ”:Discuss (15 Marks)

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