Teach English in Kanjia Zhen - Weifang Shi

The growth of student-centered learning has affected many things: the role of the educator, her style of teaching in the classroom, student expectations, and the overall classroom environment. Nevertheless, each teacher has her own style in the classroom but there are a few fundamental teaching styles educators incorporate into their lessons. Each style has its benefits and each its shortcomings, but all have a role in the 21st century classroom. The five teaching styles discussed are: lecture, coach, activity, group and blended. The lecture style is a one-way presentation that involves the acquisition of information through lengthy lectures. This may be suitable for higher-education settings, but problematic for the young learner because it eliminates the essential element of hands-on learning. Further it stages little opportunity for interaction with the teacher. The outcome is primarily a memorization learning environment and is therefore more suitable for mature learners. A coaching style includes an element of lecture but it emphasizes demonstrations and multimedia presentations. This affords the opportunity for the teacher to incorporate a variety of formats. It has its limitations in a large class setting and is not well suited for classes in the language arts however it is a good fit for the more mature youth and a great fit for the adult in his educational setting. For the activity style, exploration by the student is a key component. Teachers are interacting with students and prompting them towards self-discovery. Though it is a bit harder to measure success in this learning environment, this style promotes critical thinking skills, more mature social bonds, the development of stronger collaborative skills, and ultimately leads towards self-governance in the learner. Exploration is a solid component for the young learner’s success therefore this approach should be effective in most subject areas for them. In a group style approach, the teacher is more of an observer. Students work together for a common goal through the inspiration of guided discovery. The teacher is a consultant for the learning teams. This approach has often been criticized as an eroding authority for the teacher however she is really in more of a supportive role and can exert her authority subtly or overtly at any time for class control and direction. Inquiry-based learning is a key component to this modern learning environment. If a strong and healthy mutual dynamic develops in the group, all education levels can excel with this approach. With a blended style, the teacher integrates her personality, interests and strengths with the students’ needs and the curriculum. A combination of the others styles is a primary component to this approach. However this style has been criticized as a formula whose outcome creates dilution in the learning process. Ultimately it tailors a teachers’ style to students every changing needs and meets each one in the learning moment at hand. This can be effective at all education levels and within all settings. “How have teaching styles evolved?” you might ask. Research-based studies taught at college levels leave an imprint on the mind of the instructor-in-training. This in effect forms her teaching style which in turn fuels change in the classroom setting. Even though strengths and weakness of the teacher play a role, the dynamic of the relationship between the teacher and the learning approach has the primary impact on the style of the instructor. With new educational discoveries continuously on the horizon, this dynamic is every changing and adapting to the new learner.