How does teachers’ use of multiple instructional strategies benefit students? ?

Question

When would you use direct instruction versus indirect instruction? Indirect versus direct?

Answer 1

Everyone retains knowledge and grasps concepts through different techniques. Some people are visual learners. Others are auditory or kinesthetic (hands on). Using differentiated instructions helps target all learners and reinforce the concept.

Direct is often used to introduce skills and for lower level learners. Indirect is more of a constructivist approach and helps to reinforce the concept and allow the student to "do" the learning.

I would direct for initially teaching simple math or grammar, and I would use indirect for complex ideas such as figurative language or symbolism.

Pasted from http://agpa.uakron.edu/k12/best_practice...

Any identified thinking skill or process can be taught directly. To this end, Barry Beyer (1987) has identified the following six-step lesson model for introducing any thinking skill:

Step 1 - Introduce the Skill

Step 2 - Explain the Skill

Step 3 - Demonstrate (model) the Skill

Step 4 - Review What Was Done

Step 5 - Apply the Skill (guided practice)

Step 6 - Reflect on the Skill

Answer 2

A good teacher is one who uses multiple instructional strategies because students are different and we all learn differently.

Most of us 25 and above had mostly direct instruction. That auditory way works for some but not most.

I believe in using the workshop model and the gradual release of responsibility.  It has the teacher at the beginning teach a mini lesson or what you term as direct instruction then the students and teachers do it together, eventually to the goal that kids practice, explore and try out the skill themselves. This is what I consider the best way to go especially in language subjects/reading and writing.  Math is a bit different and sometimes requires more direct instruction. HOWEVER it is essential to still provide constructivsts approaches to math so children learn to think and problem solve rather than follow.

There is value to exploring and finding out the answer on your own for a student but it is detrimental to swing to the extreme sides of the pendulum. In a classroom there needs to be a happy medium of both indirect and direct instruction.

Answer 3

I think there has to be a happy medium.

I love indirect instruction, because the students will really remember something they "discovered" on their own. This requires A LOT of planning to be able to pull it off effectively, but totally worth it. If you are doing one of those question sessions, where they will come to figure out what the lesson is about through a series of questions, you have to anticipate all sorts of questions the kids will ask.

Also direct instruction is needed at times, it is a very effective method too.

I would do indirect as much as possible, but use a good balance!

Answer 4

People learn things best in different ways.  I'm an educated guy, but if you just tell me something I'm likely to forget.  I need to see something to really remember.  Other people need to have a far more practical approach.  I saw a woman once who was trying to learn to read as an adult.  All of the traditional phonics approach failed to work, but when she was given modelling clay to actually make the letters, it all fell into place.

Classrooms need to be places were there are multiple strategies for learning.  That's what makes teaching so challenging but rewarding.