12 Effective Teaching Strategies That Are Proven to Work

The importance of effective teaching strategies

One of the most important things to note when considering which effective teaching strategies work best for your kid is that all children are different. All of the teaching strategies we will run through are more engaging than the standard approach where the teacher stands at the front of the classroom and does most of the talking. That’s not to say many students can’t and don’t learn in that manner, especially in secondary school. 

When it comes to primary school kids, keeping them entertained and present in a lesson is trickier. What’s more, teachers have to be more creative and recognise each of their student’s learning styles and strengths. With the advent of technology, classes have naturally changed over the course of time and continue to do so. 💻

There has been much discussion in recent years about changing from teacher-centred learning to student-centred. Many schools have already begun to implement new ways of teaching and learning, and some even have their entire ethos based on a particular method. 

Let’s look at some examples that have been introduced and then focus on specific teaching strategies that are highly effective and use technology and/or a new approach to teaching.

Advancements in teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies have come leaps and bounds, and creative new learning methods are being used in more and more classrooms across the UK. An updated Northern Ireland curriculum guide for Key Stages 1 & 2 is a great example of this. 

It encourages teachers to move away from the previously-assumed role of knowledge disseminator and traditional style of teaching to the role of facilitator.  

It also states that the students should become more active participants in their learning journey. 

These are typically the guiding principles for the most effective teaching strategies. The guide goes on to provide active learning and teaching methods. Many of these great examples you can work through at home with your kid, although there are lots that are designed for use in a classroom setting to promote group work. 

What are some teacher strategies?

As we mentioned earlier, kids learn in different ways and that’s why teachers in a classroom setting have to use varied teaching strategies to support the individual ways they learn and keep them motivated and engaged. 

All of the teaching and learning strategies we will run through are effective, although your kid will find some more interesting than others. If you’re choosing which school to send your kid to and realise they will benefit from some of the following teaching strategies versus a more conventional approach, you can start to research which schools use these methods. 

The following list is of the effective teaching strategies you need to know about:

1. Progressive education
2. Flipped learning
3. Visualisation
4. Cooperative learning
5. Learning with VR
6. Learning with AI
7. Inquiry based instruction
8. Differentiation
9. Golden time
10. Modelling and scaffolding
11. Experiential learning
12. Metacognition

1. Progressive education

Progressive education is learning by doing and understanding. It bypasses the notion of just rote learning information and looks to make students learn through experiences. It provides an engaging and supportive environment where kids want to learn and it sparks their curious minds. The teacher is not the sole focus and only there to provide information but rather to act as a facilitator. 

2. Flipped learning

The flipped learning approach involves learning new topics or concepts at home before attending a class. This is another one of the effective teaching strategies that removes the focus from the teacher standing at the front of the class. Instead, activities often involve experiments, watching videos, or working on tasks either individually or in small groups.

3. Visualisation

Visualisation is a useful method of spicing up a topic. This has never been more true than in the digital age we live in. Kids respond well to interactive whiteboards, videos, or even excursions so they can see a concept in action e.g. at a museum. 

At GoStudent, we’re big fans of interactive whiteboards because we find students stay highly stimulated and engaged. Our tutors cover all levels and subjects and make learning fun. If you want to try a session for your child, book a free class and see how their confidence grows. 

4. Cooperative learning

Cooperative learning is all about kids working together. This method is very effective for most kids because they learn from one another and can fill in each others’ knowledge gaps to complete a task. Not only does it help them learn a particular topic or problem but it improves their communication and critical thinking skills. 

5. Learning with VR

Learning with virtual reality (VR) provides a unique opportunity to deliver content in an immersive way. Virtual reality makes spaces feel real so kids retain information better and it has the power to explain complex subjects in a clearer manner. Students can go on virtual field trips to faraway lands or planets, for example, or explore inside the human body. 

6. Learning with AI

Learning with artificial intelligence (AI) offers a number of learning advantages because it can be tailored to individuals. 🤗 One such way is through intelligent tutoring systems which provide one-on-one tutoring that can track a student’s progress and offer targeted feedback and interaction. Artificial intelligence can also offer realistic social interactions with virtual characters. 

7. Inquiry based instruction

Inquiry based instruction involves a teacher introducing a new topic and having students explore it through research and activities. Students then make hypotheses for questions they have and aim to come up with answers through research providing evidence to support the conclusion. They can then analyse whether their hypotheses were right or not and present their results and discuss them with the class or other students. 

Inquiry guided instruction is a type of inquiry based instruction whereby the teacher gives students a goal and the process. This method is great when starting kids out on inquiry based instruction as it provides some scaffolding to follow.

8. Differentiation

Differentiation is when activities are targeted to students’ learning needs and capabilities. This can be done in any number of ways such as by setting up different workstations and assigning students accordingly or handing out worksheets to match varying academic levels across a classroom. 

Differentiation requires a lot of effort on behalf of a teacher but the benefit is students get the right level of support if they need it or are suitably challenged if they find topics too easy. 

9. Golden time

Golden time (also known as rainbow time or reward time) is a positive behaviour management strategy that is often used in primary schools. The method promotes good behaviour by promising a reward (e.g. choice of fun activities or spare time) if children are well-behaved, achieve a goal, or are trying hard. ✔️

10. Modelling and scaffolding

Modelling is the process whereby a teacher shows students how to perform a new task. They will describe the process or what is required and demonstrate it visually too. 

The scaffolding component of this strategy is where the teacher supports students in completing the task. They should only offer assistance where a student or group of students cannot do something for themself or if it’s beyond their capability. 

11. Experiential learning

Experiential learning lets kids practice concepts or principles by participating in stimulating activities. These experiences can include experiments and games, which helps engage students at a more meaningful level. 

12. Metacognition

Metacognition is a collection of teaching strategies that help kids understand how they learn and become aware of how they think. It helps children to reflect on who they are, what they know, what they want to know and how to get there. Self-assessment and self-correction are just two of the methods used in this approach and lead to students becoming self-regulated. 

Which are the best teaching strategies?

The best teaching strategies are those that engage kids and entice them to learn. In a perfect world, rote-learning would be a thing of the past and educational facilities are progressing and making the most of these new teaching strategies. 

While you may not be able to find a school that offers all of these modern and creative teaching strategies, you can search for a school that uses a combination of these. That way, your child is going to be more willing to learn and get practical experience that helps them retain the information. ✨

You can also provide additional support at home using some of the teaching strategies we outlined. For example, learning with VR is easy for you to implement and can provide an exciting yet informative home-based learning experience. 

At GoStudent, we like to make the most of these teaching strategies and use a blend of technology and student-centred learning approaches. All of our tutors are dedicated to making classes fun and interactive so your child will never get bored. If you would like to book a lesson for your kid, we offer the first session free so you can see for yourself just how powerful it can be.