Teaching tool strategies

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            INNOVATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES

 

"Learning is an experience and not information"

At BGS, classrooms are dynamic learning spaces that bring together students from different backgrounds with various abilities and personalities. The implementation of creative and innovative teaching strategies to help BGS Educators to meet students’ individual needs has become the need of the hour.

The educators of BGS Vijnatham School have consistently endeavored to research and implement effective teaching tools and strategies that ensure optimum learning outcomes.

Some of the innovative teaching tools used are:

  1. School cinema (Serenity classes)
  2. General Awareness Program (GAP)
  3. Story Fun (language enhancement programme)
  4. Cambridge Program (language enhancement programme)
  5. Cooperative learning (Projects and activities)
  6. Inquiry-based instruction
  7. Differentiated Teaching
  8. Technology in the classroom
  9. Personalized (Remedial) teaching (Adopt a child’s program)
  10. Flipped classroom
  11. Table Tool Kit
  12. Science Kit
  13. Fitzroy Reader

I. Serenity via School Cinema

Serenity is the quality of being peaceful and calm. Our lives are unpredictable with lots of ups and downs in terms of personal, emotional, financial, and social well-being. At BGS, we prepare the children in the growing years, to be equipped to handle the uncertain situations and circumstances in life, specially in these pandemic time through storytelling sessions, videos, and programs.

The Serenity cum Life Skills Program enables every child to imbibe the values which instill the right kind of attitude to develop various life skills and create a serene environment for self and the people around him/her. 

The key features of school cinema are the following:

It is conducted in the audio-visual mode through stories and movies which 

  • Include screening of 12 movies (10 for students, 1 for teachers, and 1 for parents) in a year. 

  • Encourages students to reflect on the movies and express their thoughts and learnings, through interesting activities compiled in a workbook for each grade.

II. General Awareness Programme- GAP (GK)

General Awareness is knowledge of facts, innovations, and happenings around the world with a non-subjective approach. The program will be conducted on a weekly basis through videos and modules followed by a monthly quiz. 

‘Global Awareness Program’ (GAP) is a structured program that aims at enhancing the personal and academic knowledge as well as ignite the curiosity among young minds. 

Key Features

GAP is designed on a simple theory of Knowledge – Communication – Confidence - Success

  • Knowledge: Increase our knowledge of the world

  • Communication: The more we know, the better we communicate.

  • Confidence: The better we communicate, more confidence we gain.

  • Success: More confidence we gain, more success we embrace.

  • The program is conducted on a weekly basis by a monthly quiz. The content is categorized in eight headings across all grades.

The GAP Program incorporates the following:

1. Born This Month: Date of birth and the achievements of four personalities born in the month.

2. GAP Profile: A brief biography of any personality from around the world is shared.

3. Pick of the Month: Information about any interesting place from around the world.

4. Discover India: Interesting details about any place, custom, culture, and monument across India.

5. Global Update: Covers the fascinating facts, innovations, and inventions happening around the globe.

6. Snippets, Did You Know? and Mixed Bag is some of the other heads covering quotes from famous people, fun facts, and one liner on varied topics.

III. Language Enhancement (STORY FUN)

‘Story Fun’ aims to provide an opportunity for language practice by engaging learners’ interest in meaningful and imaginative stories.

The program engages the students through Interactive Storytelling, Picture Talk, Audio Exercises, Reading, and Graded Activities. It also provides the students an opportunity to build up their language skills and guide them towards the preparation for the Cambridge English: Young Learners Tests. 

Key Features

This program

  • Enhances imagination, communication, expression, listening, understanding, and life skills.
  • Provides an opportunity for language practice by engaging learners’ interest in meaningful and imaginative stories.
  • Engages students via (i) Interactive Story telling (imagination), (ii) Picture Talk (observation and expression), (iii) Audio Exercises (listening, pronunciation and concentration), (iv) Reading (vocabulary), and (v) Graded Activities (comprehension).

IV. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS:

CAMBRIDGE PROGRAM

Introduction 

This programme offered by Cambridge is offered for the school-age learners. 

 Key Features

The key features of this program are as:

  • Extra grammar and vocabulary exercises with a focus on the following:
  • Reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills,
  • Step-by-step guidance to enhance 21st Century skills such as effective communication skills, presentation skills, critical, analytical, and logical thinking skills.

V. COOPERATIVE LEARNING

We, at BGSV always encourage students of mixed abilities to work together by promoting small group or whole class activities. Through verbal expression of their, the students develop their self-confidence, communication, and critical thinking skills which are vital throughout life.

For example, solving mathematical puzzlesconducting scientific experiments, and acting out short drama sketches are just a few examples of how cooperative learning can be incorporated into classroom lessons.

 

VI. INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING

The thought-provoking questions always inspire the students to think for themselves and become more independent learners.

The educators always encourage students to ask questions and investigate their own ideas to help improve their problem-solving skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of academic concepts. Both of which are important life skills.

For example, inquiries can be science or math-based such as ‘why does my shadow change size?’ or ‘is the sum of two odd numbers always an even number?’. However, they can also be subjective and encourage students to express their unique views, e.g. ‘do poems have to rhyme?’ or ‘should all students wear uniforms?’.

 

VII. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING (CATERING TO DIVERSITY)

Many a time, we differentiate the teaching by allocating tasks based on students’ abilities, to ensure no one gets left behind.

Assigning classroom activities according to students’ unique learning needs means individuals with higher academic capabilities are stretched and those who are struggling get the appropriate support.

For example, the students with special abilities/disabilities, are given more of such tasks and assignments that are in sync with their interest level and keep them engaged in a meaningful and constructive manner.

 

VIII. INCORPORATION OF TECHNOLOGY (Offline Classes)

BGSV in sync with its motto incorporates technology into the teaching is a great way to actively engage the students, especially as digital media surrounds young people in the 21st century.

Interactive whiteboards or smartboards can be used to display images and videos, which helps students visualize new academic concepts. For example, Cognitech Zone, Cubetto.

Learning can become more interactive when technology is used as students can physically engage during lessons as well as instantly research their ideas, which develops autonomy.

 

 IX. FLIPPED CLASSROOM 

During the current ongoing online classes, BGS educators have been consistently using flipped classroom methodology wherein the students are given the opportunity to present a particular topic/lesson, already covered to the entire class. The students have been presenting various topics during the online classes via PPT or a whiteboard or a blank word document followed by worksheets made on Google form.  

By doing so, students are able to focus on participating in class and receive feedback on their efforts during the lesson — not just after. 

Such methodology also helps the students to engage in active learning. Students become much more involved during the lesson discussion with the flipped classroom style of instruction by engaging in debates, small group discussions, or in-depth investigations. 

In a flipped classroom, educators act as guides, structuring class time and clarifying the doubts of the students.

 

X. ‘ADOPT A CHILD’ PROGRAM (PERSONALISED REMEDIAL TEACHING / BRIDGING THE GAP)

No two students are exactly alike. That’s why personalized learning builds a learning experience that addresses the unique abilities of each student. The educators conduct remedial teaching for some students during the evening to overcome the learning gaps. Through remedial teaching, the educators are able to know the strengths and weaknesses of the child and provide a flexible learning environment to the students. 

 

XI. TABLE TOOL KIT

At BGS, we have a fun-filled- activity-oriented kit that helps in enhancing fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and visual perception.


XII. FITZROY READERS

At BGSV, we use a phonic approach to literacy through ‘Fitzroy Readers’. It consists of ninety carefully graded story books. Each reader builds on the one before by introducing a new sound or digraph, and a few special words to learn by memory. Once a child has learnt the new sound and the special words, they can proceed to read the story. It provides sequential progress from one story to the next. 

 

 XIII. SCIENCE KIT 

At BGS Vijnatham School, we aim to provide a great learning experience through a science kit, so that the child can develop a massive interest in the subject. The wow science kit we use is made by following the topmost safety standards and protocols, thus ensuring safety for the children while they are trying out the experiments. The kit has class-wise fun science activities for the students that cater to branches in science like physics and chemistry (as per the grade) to enable a better understanding of the subjects.

 

 

 

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