Teaching/Instructional Methods

A teaching method has been defined by Afolabi and Adesope (2010) as a specific
instructional process which differs from any other by the diversities of specialized activities. This
implies that each teaching method has its own peculiar characteristics and steps which differ
from another teaching method. These steps make a teaching method to be different from another
method. The teaching method variables are manipulated at a varying degree.
Teaching method is very important in the impartation of knowledge in teaching-learning
processes and the type adopted determines to a great extent what the student assimilate. In actual
fact if the appropriate method is adopted, knowledge acquired can be accelerated. People opined
that no educational system can rise above the quality of its teacher, nor can a nation rise above
the quality of her educational system.
It is your duty as a teacher to ensure that appropriate teaching method or a combination of two or
more methods is used in order to achieve the stated aims and objectives.
Some Various Methods of Teaching
1. Lecture or the chalk and talk method
2. Discussion method
3. Demonstration method
4. Discovery method
5. Assignment/project method
6. Field trips method (Excursion)
7. Individualized instructional method
8. Laboratory method
9. Inductive and deductive method
10. Open education method.
11. Values Clarifications.
12. Computer Assisted Instructions (CAI)

The Lecture Method

You are probably familiar with this teacher-dominated approach to teaching, hence it is termed a
didactic method. It involves verbal presentation of ideas, concepts, generalization and facts. The
objective of this method is just to stuff the students with information. You do most of the work
by talking while students are just passive or slightly involved by taking down notes and asking
few or no questions.
In the Universities and other institutions of higher learning, the lecture method is the
acceptable means of imparting information. At the secondary school level, the students have not
been trained to follow chains of reasoning. Therefore, lecture method should not be used in its
pure forms
It is teacher centred and teacher dominated approach. Most of the talking is done by the
techer while the student remains passive listeners taking down notes.
Advantages of the Lecture Method
1. It is cheap to operate as no special apparatus is needed
2. It makes fewer demands on the teacher’s time for planning and preparing and is therefore
an attractive and easy method of teaching.
3. It is an efficient means of giving a vast amount of knowledge in a limited amount of
time.
4. Large classes of students can be handled by the teacher.
5. It serves to channel the thinking of all students in a given direction.
Disadvantages of the Lecture Method
1. Students are passive listeners and do not participate in the development of the lesson.
2. The desired learning outcomes may not be accomplished.
3. The method is inadequate for teaching certain types of concepts e.g. attitudes and
feelings which are not learned through pure telling.
4. Students’ progress cannot be evaluated during the lesson since they are passive.
5. It cannot meet the different needs of the students as regards individual differences.
6. It rarely affords students the opportunity to practice communication skills.
7. It’s largely denied of exploratory aspects of learning. Students may show a tendency to
accept the teacher as the “final authority”. Consequently they accept his biases and
prejudices at face value.
8. It encourages rote learning or cramming.
The Discussion Method
Discussion method is based on the philosophy that knowledge arises within the students
and not from any external source. The students take over the subject from various points of view
and the teacher serves as a moderator. This is the intelligent exchange of opinions on a topic. The
discussion involves the whole class or the students may be divided into small groups.
Advantages of the Discussion Method
1. Students maintain a high degree of mental alertness to develop clear thinking.
2. Interest is maintained and a feeling of confidence as students learn to express themselves
freely.
3. Students learn through discussion method owing to active participation and involvement
in the lesson.
4. Discussion method provides good practice for problem-solving. It provides the teacher
with information about the students which can aid in a better understanding of the
students.
5. Teaching by discussion leads to positive attitudinal change because a student may find
his or her own values and beliefs challenged by the views of fellow students.
Disadvantages of the Discussion Method
1. A lot of time would be wasted before the students arrive at satisfactory answers.
 2. Discussion method cannot be used so often as it does not allow for easy coverage of the
syllabus.
3. In most cases, most students do not participate in the lesson because they do not know or
know little about the topic of the lesson. They may even be shy or fearful.
4. Students who have no background of the topic being discussed may become bored or
disinterested in the lesson.
5. Since the attention span of the students (young ones) is very short, they cannot maintain
high level of attention.
Some Guidelines to the Discussion Method
1. The topic to be discussed and the teacher’s questions should meet the level of the
students.
2. The topics for discussion should be within students’ background.
3. The teacher (you) should not allow some students to dominate the topic under
discussion.
4. You should treat all remarks as being serious and reject the irrelevant comments that do
not fit into the discussion. You should, however, do this gracefully.
5. You should avoid vague questions.
6. You should summarize frequently in order to guide your students towards understanding
the main concepts and principles of the topics under discussion.
7. At the end of the lesson ensure that any one who leads the discussion has the ability to
break down the whole topic into smaller units.
The Demonstration Method
In demonstration method, you the teacher will do a display or exhibition while the
students watch. It typically involves showing students the correct use of science apparatus,
illustrating a technique (for example, using chloroform to anaesthetize toads or guinea pigs)
performing an “experiment” which is either dangerous, risky, difficult or expensive for
individual students use.
Demonstration method can be used in the drilling of shorthand outlines, manipulation of
various office equipment could be demonstrated by the teacher during office practice lesson.
Sometimes demonstrations can be performed by students either individually or in groups. Also in
trades like sewing, weaving, barbing, pot making and the like demonstration method is best
adopted using the teaching learning processes.
Advantages of the Demonstration Method
1. It is an inexpensive method since only the demonstrator needs materials.
2. It shows how something is accomplished properly or expertly, since the teacher is
supposedly more competent than most students.
3. Demonstration method is especially beneficial in the areas of skills and attitudes.
4. The proficiency displayed reduces the length of trial and error time.
 5. It can reduce hazards e.g. breakage and accidents before students embark on individual
or group work with materials involved.
6. A good demonstration method holds the learners attention thus facilitating learning by
giving students the opportunity to see and hear what is actually happening. 
Disadvantages of the Demonstration Method
The assumption made that all the students see and hear equally well does not necessarily
follow. Visibility of details of what is being demonstrated is not assured in large classrooms or in
circumstances where extremely small objects are used.
Where the demonstration is restricted to the teacher alone, students will be denied the
opportunity to acquire manipulative skills in handling of the materials and apparatus
Discovery Method
Discovery method is a teaching strategy which enables students to find the answers
themselves. It is a learner-centred approach hence it is called a heuristic method. It is of two
types, notably, the guided discovery and the unguided discovery. In the guided discovery, the
teacher (you) guides the students to discover for themselves solutions to given problems by
providing them with general principles, but not the solution to the scientific problem.
The unguided discovery type involves the students discovering for themselves both the
general principles and solution to a scientific problem. It is sometimes called the pure discovery.
This method enables the student to examine ideas, events and problems, which are of a
social or environmental in nature in the community. This process does not allow the teacher to
provide the answer to the problem but direct and give minimum guidance to the students. The
teacher allows them to find out information by themselves rather than looking up to the teacher
as the final source of information
Advantages of the Discovery Method
Discovery method, whether it is the directed type or undirected, makes the student an active
participant rather than a mere passive recipient.
1. Since the method poses a challenge for the student to discover the information or
knowledge for himself, retention of any information or knowledge so discovered will be
increased.
2. The training acquired in finding out things for oneself independently can be applied to
new learning and problem solving.
3. The joy in discovering something provides the students with intrinsic motivation.
4. Discovery method brings home to pupils their notions of the nature of scientific evidence,
students learnt that answers to questions can often be obtained from investigations they
can carry out for themselves.
5. Discovery method helps students develop manipulative skills and attitudes which
constitute one of the fundamental objectives of science teaching.
 6. Since discovery operates at the highest levels of the cognitive domain, it encourages
analytical and synthetic thought as well as intuitive thinking.
Disadvantages of the Discovery Method
1. Discovery method is time consuming and progress is comparatively slow. Apparatus
have to be set up and result(s) of the investigation awaited.
2. The method leaves open the possibility of not discovering anything. Students may end up
discovering things other than what was intended to be discovered. This could be highly
demoralizing to them particularly if great effort has been expended.
3. The method is expensive considering the equipment and materials needed.
4. Discovery method is only good for a small class where effective teacher supervision is
possible.
. The Project Method
The Project Method of teaching centers on an assignment of interest undertaken by an
individual student or a group or a whole class. In this method, the students are guided when
necessary. Projects are organized activities in which students are allowed to investigate or
research in finding solution to real life problems on their own. The method is characterized by
students planning physical activities in physical creation while the teacher acts as guide
Advantages of the Project Method
1. Since emphasis is on doing by the student, opportunity is provided to develop his
initiative as well as greater understanding of how to learn.
2. Motivation to work is high since it is based on the natural interests of students. It thus
offers opportunity for creative ability particularly for especially talented students.
3. It gives students specific areas to work on sometimes with acquisition of some new
skills and attitudes.
4. Group project afford opportunity for developing leadership and organizing abilities.
Disadvantages of the Project Method
1. Projects are very time-consuming and what is ultimately learned may not justify the
expense, efforts and time put in to complete the project.
2. Students often get sidetracked particularly if they lack good grasp of facts necessary in
carrying out the projects.
3. It may be difficult to determine the extent to which the individual has participated.
4. It is difficult to choose a project that will interest all the students in the class at one time.
5. It favours the independent students, those without independent study skills may suffer.
6. Some students may not participate in the project work at all.
The Field Trip
This method involves taking learners on an excursion outside the classroom for the
purpose of making relevant observation for the purpose of obtaining Technological and
Vocational Information. Field trip as a method can be used in teaching Business Studies,
Sciences and some art subjects like Yoruba, History, etc.
The Advantages of the Field Trip
1. It allows the students to engage fully in the activities of the study.
2. It sharpens the students observational abilities.
3. It helps to add reality to and verify how the area of coverage operates in practice.
4. Field trip is useful in developing all senses of the students.
5. It provides opportunity for students to identify ways of spending leisure time profitably.
6. Things that cannot be brought to the classroom can be observed and studied e. g.
ecological succession, oceans, etc.
7. Through direct contact with different occupations provided by field trips students learn
and develop an appreciation of the “world” of work outside of the school in relation to
school work.
8. Experience gained during a field trip can motivate students to read about what they have
observed, so as to harmonize actual field experiences with information gathered from
textbooks.
Disadvantages of the Field Trip
1. Arranging a good field trip necessitates careful planning. Not only does it consume a
considerable amount of time, but transportation arrangements are often difficult and may
be expensive.
2. Class supervision may prove difficult since students tend to move round.
3. If not properly planned and organized, the field trip becomes a waste of time and
resources and takes away from valuable learning activities.
4. Even after the most thoughtful preparation and planning, accidents can and do occur in
field trips.
5. A field trip may create conflicts with other classes.
The Individual Instructional Method
This method is a programmed instruction in which the learning programmes are
presented in carefully structured steps and the steps depend on the individual student and the
nature of materials to be learned. For example the pace of learning depends on individual
students.
Advantages of the Individualized Instructional Method
1. It allows the student to go at his own pace.
2. It makes the student to participate.
3. It gives the teacher quick knowledge of individual student i.e. whether the lesson is
understood or not, since test is usually given at the end of every lesson.
4. It can be used effectively to make up for lack of background by particular member of the
class.
5. It reduces a student’s anxiety as he depends on himself.
 Disadvantages of the Individualized Instructional Method
1. It is time consuming.
2. It is highly demanding of equipments and materials.
3. It requires very little or no interaction among the students.
The Laboratory Method
This is an activity method designed to be carried out by an individual student or a group
of students for the purpose of making personal observations from experiments in which students
can get conclusions by themselves.
Advantages of the Laboratory Method
1. Learning through this method extends and reinforces theoretical learning through reality.
2. Laboratory method offers students the opportunity to develop scientific attitudes such as
objectivity, critical thinking, carefulness, open mindedness etc.
3. Because the method implies learning by doing students tend to be more interested
because of active involvement.
4. Students become familiar with how scientific knowledge is acquired by performing
experiments, recording observations and results, summarizing data and drawing
conclusions.
5. Through laboratory method, the student learns how to handle apparatus and other
instruments, thereby developing manipulative skills.
6. Laboratory method promotes problem solving and self reliance.
7. Getting involved in laboratory activities can also enable students to learn much about the
inter-relationship between science and technology.
Disadvantages of the Laboratory method
1. It can be expensive if separate equipment and materials have to be provided.
2. It is time-consuming because of the careful planning and preparation required.
3. Acquisition of skills which results from exposure to the laboratory method, is of
questionable value as objectives for some of the students who will have little use of them
later.
4. It is an inefficient practice of teaching where ordinary telling method or simple
demonstration is perfectly adequate.