A MODERN TEACHING METHODS MANUAL FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Then the trainer explains the purpose of the activity and tells participants that there are different active learning methods they are going to be exposed to throughout this training.. W

» A MODERN TEACHING METHODS

MANUAL FOR PRIMARY AND

A MODERN TEACHING METHODS MANUAL

FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

People in Need (PiN) is an international NGO based in Czech Republic that

provides relief aid and development assistance around the world

republic and its development cooperation and Humanitarian aid Program

www.mzv.cz

This manual is officially supported by the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia

to be used for promoting active learning in all educational facilities

authors: Solomon Wondimu, Petra Skalicka, Hana Kostalova

co-authors: Damtew Wolde, Tiglu Nano, Tsegab Meles, Agazit Gebru,

Petros Tibbo, Zemenu Tadesse, Margareth MacDonald

edited by: Solomon Wondimu, Zuzana Pernicova, Tereza Porybna

Proofreading by: Katrina Byrne Cuffey, Jennifer Thompson

design by: Mowshe

Published by: People in Need

Addis Ababa, 2010

© People in Need 2010

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

People in Need (PiN) would like to express its thanks and gratitude to all those involved in the process of the

manual preparation First and foremost the recognition belongs to the team of Ethiopian and Czech education

Petros tibbo, Margareth Macdonald, Petra Skalicka and Hana Kostalova – who have been for several years

steadily contributing to the quality of PIN’s educational programs and the value of this training manual Equally important were the comments of numerous other professors, teachers, students and education officials whose invaluable remarks have helped revise the manual’s content and maximize its relevance for the Ethiopian context

ABOUT PEOPLE IN NEED

relief aid and development assistance around the world Apart from extensive work abroad,

People in Need administers social integration, informative and educational programs in the

Czech Republic PIN is one of the largest organizations of its kind in post-communist Europe,

and has administered projects in thirty-seven countries over the past fourteen years

focusing on projects in the areas of education, drinking water resources, agriculture, environmental

protection and social programmes helping women and children PIN implements projects in the

Addis Ababa City Administration, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region, and Somali

region Through local partners, PIN is also present in the Amhara and Oromiya region

In the education sector, PIN focuses on improving both access to and quality of education The Czech

construction of 12 primary schools Additionally, PIN supports cluster schools, develops teaching aids and

conducts various teacher training programs promoting modern teaching methods Over 3000 teachers,

students, principals, education officials and lecturers have participated in these trainings

Education has been PIN’s priority since the very beginning of its mission to Ethiopia, and will continue to be so, as the organization believes that an educated population is one of the most crucial assets to any country’s development

CONTENTS:

Introduction 6

WeeK 1 ■ ■ 9

day by day Program Week 1 10

Handouts: Pebbles 28

Mingle Mingle 29

Objectives, principles and rules of the training 30

Requirements for certification 31

MARKET of pedagogical ideas 32

Venn Diagrams 33

Comparative Table 34

Names – attributes – features 35

Professional features 36

Brainstorming – rules for the procedure 37

Brainstorming – analyses of the method 38

Making rules and procedures 39

Clustering – mind mapping 40

Model lesson – work with an educational text 42

Is Climate Change “natural”? 44

I.N.S.E.R.T (Interactive Noting System for Effective Reading and Thinking) 45

Table of I.N.S.E.R.T. 46

Framework for thinking and learning 47

Socio-pedagogical constructivism .50

Model lesson on reading – Special Praise by Jaroslav Culek 51

Assessment 53

ReQuest Procedure 54

Portfolio Development 55

Criteria and principles of portfolio assessment 57

Active Learning 58

Critical Thinking 59

WeeK 2 ■ ■ 61

day by day Program Week 2 62

Handouts: Three-Step Interview 73

Trunks and Roots 74

The Hippopotamus 75

Jigsaw 77

Jigsaw puzzle – The Hippopotamus 79

Providing students with Feedback .81

Mind Map Examples – Examples of Descriptive Feedback 82

Running with a Message 85

Free Writing 87

Community circle 88

The Four Wives 89

Our Collective Tree 90

Brief Lesson Plans – Examples 91

Peer Assessment 93

WeeK 3

■

■ 97

day by day Program Week 3 98

Handouts: Rotating Review 114

Cinquain 115

Cubing 116

Model lesson – Christopher Columbus 118

Cooperative puzzle 122

Self-reflection sheet – GROUP WORK 123

“Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes 124

Literature Circles 127

An enhanced lecture 128

Observation 130

Open and Closed Questions 131

Questions 132

Self-assessment (self-reflection) 133

Rotating Questions – Examples 134

WeeK 4 ■ ■ 141

day by day Program Week 4 142

Handouts: Pens in the Middle 151

Know/Want to Know/Learn 152

Discussion Web 153

5 – 1 – 4 154

Lines of Future 155

Bingo (Game) 156

BIO FUELS 157

Final Evaluation of the Training 159

Access to and quality of education have been a long-term priority of the Ethiopian government and great improvement has been achieved in this regard As for quality of education, the current education and training policy gives due attention to pre-service and in-service teacher trainings offered at all levels of the education system The focus on quality of education is further proved by the introduction

of General Education Quality Improvement Program (GEQIP) by the Ethiopian government

attempts have been made by the government, NGOs and other stakeholders to familiarize teachers

in various socio-cultural contexts proven to enhance the learner’s ability to learn

In line with these efforts, People in Need prepared this publication, which is based on years of preparing and conducting in-service trainings It offers a complex overview of active learning and other related strategies and demonstrates in an understandable way how teachers can use these methods in class

Objectives of the Manual

The general objective of this manual is thus to bring a change in the quality of teaching in primary and secondary schools and improve students’ learning Specifically, the manual aims to familiarize

encourage their implementation The different methods presented are thus carefully selected

according to their practicality and applicability in the context of Ethiopian schools

Modern teaching Methods Manual

learner-centerd approaches that promote literacy and development of life skills such as communication

skills, lifelong learning skills and critical thinking skills The content of the manual also

considers the culture and indigenous knowledge of the Ethiopian society

The specific methods included in the manual are:

Active learning methods (such as brainstorming, clustering, rotating review, etc.)

The manual contains numerous hand-outs which further explain the theoretical

basis of the methodology and explain each method and activity in detail

theoretical bases of the Manual

Socio-pedagogical constructivism also argues that information is remembered better if it is gained through

an active learning process that encourages learners to build their own knowledge structures

learning 1 (ERR stands for Evocation, Realization of Meaning and Reflection) This framework

helps teachers convey knowledge in a very effective way and is often referred to in the manual,

where it serves as the foundation for organizing the methods and delivering the content

The ERR framework of thinking and learning devides the learning process in three phases:

1 evocation

Process during which learners are motivated to retrieve prior knowledge on the given topic

2 realization of Meaning

Process during which new information presented in an active way and students

learn this new information in relation to what they already know

3 reflection

Process summarizing the new content by the learners

A thorough theoretical presentation of the framework is presented at the beginning of the manual,

and later its practical use during lesson planning is introduced Authors of this manual believe –

based on their experience and feedback from teachers – that the ERR framework is a truly efficient

tool and that students in primary and secondary schools will benefit from its implementation

the MtM training

The MTM manual was originally developed for trainings of primary and secondary schools teachers

weeks, during which trainees return back to school and implement what they have learnt

the trainees become skilled at cooperativeness, partnership, communication, etc As part of the training, the

methods They also try to implement these lesson plans in their schools during the pauses between training weeks; and during the next training session share their experiences with the whole class and the trainer Trainees are visited by trainers in their respective schools throughout the training and are provided with supportive feedback on their implementation of active learning methods The trainees are also familiarized with the concept of portfolio

How to use the MtM Manual

As explained previously – the MTM manual was originally designed for a four-weeks of training

with breaks in between the weeks, during which trainees implement in schools

development, brainstorming or Venn diagrams) Furthermore, even though the manual is prepared primarily

their previous knowledge The manual can teach both groups with trainers and individuals how to use

modern teaching methods, prepare active lesson plans, promote continuous assessment and much more

On a more technical note, the program for each week includes specific contents for each day The program for each

an estimate and does not mean the trainer must always follow it Allocated time should reflect the specific needs

is “Remark” It includes possible materials to be used, suggestions on organizing the class and the activities

It is not necessary to complete the entire program on the given day because the lesson should be adjusted

according to the groups’ interests or capabilities In addition, it is not necessary to follow exactly what

is described in the program The trainer has the possibility of changing some aspects of the program

texts, for example a local story or an article about current issues from the newspaper The user-trainer

the methods, rather than just following those suggested by the manual Regarding games and refreshers,

the trainer should choose the appropriate time for a game Again it is possible to use games from the list

or prepare new games and songs It all depends on the requirements and creativity of the person using

Feedback is part of everyday’s program, but it is not compulsory to get feedback from participants each

day Feedback can be collected from trainees depending on the available time The trainer should take

feedback seriously, discuss it with the group and make adjustments to the training when relevant

final comments

People in Need (PIN) and the authors of this manual hope that teachers, trainers, students and all other

users will find it helpful Serious efforts are being made to continuously improve the manual and increase its

adaptability to the local education environment One of these efforts was the translation of the manual into

Amharic The Amharic version is currently successfully used during in-service trainings conducted by PIN The

Modern Teaching Methods Manual presented to you is a general one, applicable to a wide range of subjects, be it

humanities, natural science or aesthetics PIN is also publishing subject specific manuals, which show in a clear

and practical way how active learning methods can be applied to specific subjects, for example biology or Amharic

In case you wish to provide us with feedback or are interested in some of our

publications or trainings, please feel free to contact us at the address below

1.

1 1.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

See HaNdOut

■

■

Prepare the pebbles beforehand.

40’ reflection of the activity “little Pebbles”

Think back about the completed activity

did you feel comfortable during the activity?

Why yes, why no?

When yes, when no?

How did you like it overall?

What did you like about it and what did you dislike?

Do you think that your students could feel

similarly if you conducted this activity?

Would they feel relaxed?

Would they feel uncomfortable? Why?

implementation of ideas

For what purposes would you use this activity in your class?

How can you use this activity in your subject areas? Give examples

Participants sitting in a circle Select several questions from the list, or you can add your own according to the needs of the group.

Let them discuss each question first in pairs and only afterward should they share their answers with the rest of the group Participants work in groups and present their ideas

to the whole group.

Use some way of grouping – e.g stones of four/five colors

20’ break

20’ Name rehearsal

Participants (including the trainer) put on name tags and

sit or stand in a circle Then someone starts by saying his/

her own name and the person sitting next to them repeats the

name of the first person and adds his/her own The activity

continues until the last person repeats all the names in the

circle Then the activity continues in the reverse direction

to balance out the challenge of memorizing the names of all

participants All this can be done while the name tags are on

For the third round the participants take off the name tags and

the participants are expected to say the names by memory

In case a participant forgets the name of another participant, the first letter

of the name is said so that he/she can guess the name.

15’ reflection of the activity “Name rehearsal”

What is the importance of this game?

How can you use the activity in your teaching practice?

Stress for the trainees that the game can:

Help students get to

–

know each other better, particularly at the beginning

of the school year

Be used for teaching some

–

concepts which require remembering simple facts

The participants, working individually, have 5 minutes

to think over and write down their expectations

and fears regarding attending this training

Then participants walk around the room until the trainer gives

the signal to stop Turning to someone nearby, they ask each other

about their expectations and fears It is not necessary to write

down the answers using a paper and a pen The trainer gives

another signal so they can speak with somebody else, and so on

Afterwards the participants make groups and write down their

expectations and fears (or the trainer collects them) on flipchart paper

20’ a) Objectives for the training

The participants read the objectives handout

corresponds with their objectives

Group discussion about the objectives:

Do you understand them?

Are they acceptable for you?

Are they important for you? What does

“self-reflective professional” mean?

b) Principles of the training – small group discussion Ask them to

the paragraph is clear Each member of the group must understand

the principles They can write any questions about the principles

Whole group discussion: each group comes up with its question

First, give the participants a chance to answer If necessary,

add your answer The principles can stay hanging on the

wall until the end of the program to let participants check

whether the training was in line with the principles

c) rules of the training

Rules of the training are introduced and clarified by the trainer

Check whether they are well understood by all trainees

Participants receive first

1 1.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

50’ Market of pedagogical ideas

Participants think individually about a method

handout, but instead encourage them to speak freely

They take turns sharing: first person A speaks while

should discuss it briefly

Finally, each group selects a representative who shares his/her

6

method with the whole group (the group should sit in a circle)

reflection of the activity “Market of pedagogical ideas”

Why did you say the method you used was an active learning one?

What is your criterion to say so?

What is an active learning method?

The trainer then asks trainees to go through the active

learning handout and to see whether what they defined

is similar with the handout and further ask them

whether the ideas about active learning are clear They

can also be invited to ask any question they have

Then the trainer explains the purpose of the activity and tells

participants that there are different active learning methods

they are going to be exposed to throughout this training

be from this training.

Participants can present using the format they used for describing the method You can write down the methods used in a table on flipchart paper or the blackboard.

Explanation of the method with a selected example

Participants work in pairs They select two or more items

(or items could be assigned) and compare them Encourage

their mind (interesting, curious, additional… questions)

be e.g Keninisa Bekele and Teddy Afro or anything else.

15’ break

Explanation of the method with an example.

Ask participants to do their own comparative tables on

a chosen subject It is good to let the trainees practice both

types of comparative tables: with and without the extension

of a Venn diagram Also stress that the two are similar while

having a slight difference They should identify distinctive

features of two items, compare the items and write down

characteristics of both in the prepared table Afterward

volunteers will present their comparative table

The trainer can let the trainees practice the activity directly on

the handout by simply writing the topics or titles to be compared

on top of the columns on the handout Finally remind the trainees

that there are two types of comparative tables: with and without

the extension of the Venn diagram For this refer to the handout

See HaNdOut

■

■

You can use the same example

as for Venn diagram.

30’ reflection of the activities “venn diagram”

and “comparative table”

Think about each activity:

What was difficult/easy in this activity for you?

What skills can be developed in students?

How can you use such an activity in your teaching practice?

How can you introduce the activities to

your students for the first time?

The trainer may use his/her own way of collecting the reflection work from trainees.

15’ feedback 1 What was important

for you today?

2 What can you use in your everyday practice?

3 What question(s) do you have?

4 Any comments.

17.00

1 2.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

5’

30’ Names – attributes – features

a) first name – attribute (same letter)

b) father’s name – attribute (same letter)

c) 3 attributes of a teacher (any letter)

Participants make large name cards: under the names they write

the related attribute Hang the cards on the wall as a gallery

Possible extension of the activity (before

cards are hung on the wall):

After the participants write down the qualities of a teacher

they add a small picture that will somehow represent their own

personality After that the trainer asks them to walk around the

room to meet in pairs The first member guesses the meaning of

the picture on their partner’s picture Then the author explains

the picture Then the roles reverse and the activity is repeated

Beforehand they fold the piece

of paper in four parts and into the each part they write/ draw one of the tasks.

The participants can select attributes of a teacher from the handout with list of professional features.

30’ reflection of the activity “Names – attributes – features”

Write down the steps of the activity

How did you feel during the activity? (Which parts

of the activity did you like and dislike?)

How you can use this activity with your students (in your subject)?

Participants discuss the questions

in groups, write down answers on

a piece of paper and then share the answers with the whole group The trainer discusses with them different ideas regarding the possible use of the activity in different subject areas Ways the steps can be changed also need to be considered.

explanation of the method

First, ask the participants if they know the method

and use it with their students If somebody does, ask

him/her to explain the method to the rest of the group

a new method or strategy.

It is good to display the procedures of brainstorming

on the wall for explanation: Brainstorming

= free flow of ideas about unknown topic or question – speculations & questions

= core of brainstorming

1 select a topic

2 formulate good brainstorming question

3 assign a time portion

4 * every idea is valuable

* don’t refuse any idea

* don’t worry about mistakes

It is also important to follow the procedures yourself when demonstrating the activity Remember to write questions (in a different color).

Emphasize the importance of choosing a good question for brainstorming (unknown topic, connection with students’ personal experience…)

20’ break

1 Selection of a topic for brainstorming

The trainer should tell the participants to suggest

a topic which they think will be new to them

Then the trainer will come up with a good brainstorming question

demonstrating the procedures of preparing brainstorming

questions For example if “dinosaurs” is suggested as a topic

then the brainstorming can be about the importance of

dinosaurs E.g how would dinosaurs affect our life today?

Another option: The trainer prepares 3 (or more) good

brainstorming questions for different topics in advance and

allows the trainees to choose which topic they want to use:

each participant has three votes (= three marks) and can put

them next to the suggested topics (they may use all to support

only one topic or divide the votes among up to three topics)

2 brainstorming procedure

Let the participants brainstorm

individually (approximately 8 min)

Afterward let them present and display their ideas on the wall

The questions prepared by the trainer should be from different subject areas to demonstrate the applicability

of the method for any subject The trainees need to pass through all the three stages

of brainstorming as it has the implication in the teaching and learning process.

Model pair brainstorming in the center of the room (“fishbowl”): Add some ideas or questions from your partner to your list (but only ideas with which you agree

or accept) and offer your ideas

or questions to your partner.

The group brainstorming should preferably be done using a flipchart

12.00 lunch break

14.00 Game

15’

20’ Writing a good brainstorming question

Write one question for brainstorming for topics in your

subject area which you can use with your students

In doing so, the trainee should also indicate what would

be new that they are going to teach about the new topic

which they want their students to brainstorm about

After this, the trainees read their brainstorming questions to

the whole class Then there is a discussion on the presented

brainstorming questions addressing the following:

Are the questions in line with the procedures

–

of writing brainstorming questions?

Possible ways of improving the questions

–

Emphasize the principles for writing good brainstorming questions:

1 2.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

60’ reflection on the “brainstorming” activity

The participants discuss and answer the assignment in small groups:

1 List the steps of the brainstorming activity

2 How can you use this method in your subject area? Give examples

3 What are the advantages of individual, pair and

group brainstorming, respectively for facilitating the

learning process for students and the teacher?

In case the trainees do not offer important implications of the

activity the trainer should ask additional questions:

What is the advantage of knowing students’ background

knowledge for the teacher and for the students themselves?

Why is it important to accept all ideas both wrong and right?

4 What can be challenges for you and for your students

while using brainstorming in your class?

5 Do you personally believe accepting all ideas of your

students is important? If yes, why? If no, why?

6 Do you believe that what students already know is a base

for what they will learn next? How or how not?

Afterward trainees will share their ideas with whole group

Let them write down answers

on a big sheet of paper (at least A4 or a flipchart sheet)

Advantages of brainstorming Individual brainstorming initiates individual

–

in students evokes students own

–

experiences and therefore connects the topic with students’ minds helps the students realize

–

what they already know about the topic and what questions they have about it helps students develop cognitive structures of their own motivates students

want to find out which of their ideas were correct and what the answers

to their questions are Pair brainstorming brings opportunity to

–

socio-cognitive conflict

= comparing ideas helps shy students

–

a teacher about students’ current knowledge ➔ the teacher can change the lesson plan immediately.

20’ break

1 2.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

75’ Ground rules for our group

Start the activity by asking the participants questions related

to classroom (or school) rules such as importance of rules,

how rules developed in their classes, who is responsible for

preparing rules in their school, how they usually follow the

classroom rules classes with large numbers of students, etc

Procedure:

1 Make groups

2 Each group proposes and writes ground rules for the whole class

(would be followed by everybody)

Alternative: to be done in a whole group circle.

3 In the whole group negotiate and prepare a final list of common

rules (everybody accepts), discuss them with the trainers

4 Write them on a piece of flipchart paper and

display on a wall in the classroom

5 What shall we do (as a group) if some of the rules are

broken by the trainees? What measures shall be taken?

reflection on the “Ground rules”:

1 Is it possible to apply ground rules in your

class? If yes how? If no why?

2 What would be the importance of ground rules in your class?

3 What are the challenges in application

of ground rules in your class?

4 What would you do to monitor whether the rules developed

in this way are respected What if some rules are broken?

It is good to keep each group’s ground rules for further use.

10’ feedback

17.00

1 3.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

5’

15’ Game

60’ Practice

Mind map (clustering)

1 explanation of the method with an example The

trainer explains the procedure for using mind mapping

and then demonstrates with an example topic

2 Selection of a topic for the mind map

Participants form groups based on their subject areas

(social science, natural science, self-contained) They

select a topic as a the group or individually

3 Mind map procedure

The participants do the mind map individually using

the topic selected by the group or by themselves

Encourage them to include some questions on the points which

they are unsure of or which they want to know more about

Participants discuss in the subject area groups each other’s mind

map and select one for the whole class presentation

reflection on the mind map

1 How can you introduce mind mapping to your students for the first

time? Describe the steps of using mind mapping in your class

2 What do you think would be the challenges you

may face in using this method in your class?

3 What is the advantage of the method for students’ learning?

4 In the teaching – learning process, in which part of

the lesson can you employ such a method? Why?

See HaNdOut

■

■

First, ask the participants

if somebody can explain the method themself

It is important to see the application of the method

in different subject areas The steps of the mind map procedure should be displayed

20’ break

80’ Model lesson: is climate change natural?

pair brainstorming, group brainstorming

brainstorming questions

When is climate changing? How do you know that

the climate in your surrounding has changed?

What do you think cause changes in the climate? What reasons do the

local people in your area attribute such changes in the climate to?

What measures can be taken to reverse climate change?

to read the text on climate change and put a tick “✔” for

known information, “+” for new information, “?” for any

confusion or doubts and “–” for contradictory information

After the participants finish inserting marks on the text, the

trainees discuss in pairs the different marks they inserted

See HaNdOut

■

■

The trainer should display

a flipchart with the signs for trainees to refer to while reading/processing the text The frequency of signs they put is entirely up to each individual participant.

12.00 lunch break

30’ Model lesson continues

with the markings they used to categorize information They write

down 3 specific pieces of information that were already known (✔),

3 specific pieces of new information (+) and at least one question (?)

Before having them make their table of I.N.S.E.R.T., explain

and give examples of what is/is not information

Sharing ideas with the whole class, volunteers read the information

they have for each column Special attention should be given

to the questions raised by the participants in the third column

The trainer needs to apply different strategies of answering

the questions to act as a model as a constructivist teacher

See HaNdOut

■

■

reflection on the model lesson

1 Write the steps of the model lesson

2 What you knew prior to this exercise is a base for what

you will have learned Do you see this? How?

3 Did the method I.N.S.E.R.T lead you to be active and learn

the topic individually and with the help of others? How?

4 Is I.N.S.E.R.T applicable in your subject areas? How?

5 Do you think all the signs used in the method I.N.S.E.R.T can be

applied at all levels regardless of the grade level of students?

6 What is the importance of the table of

I.N.S.E.R.T for students’ learning?

Description of steps that be written on the flipchart paper

at the end of the summary:

1 Brainstorming (What

do you know or think you know about Axum?) individually

3 Reading individually + using INSERT marks (✔, +, ?, –)

4 In pairs: comparing marked information)

5 Whole class comparing information marked by individual students – 3 examples (✔, +, ?)

6 INSERT chart – individually (7 Comparison of INSERT charts – if you did it) How did you feel during particular steps? – in groups on color paper (they get two sheets

of color paper: on one they write their positive feelings, and on the other, their negative feelings) The idea that the trainees have

a chance to select what to learn and what not to learn in the model lesson which has to be emphasized by the trainer in

1 3.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

95’ introduction to the framework of thinking and learning

retrieving Prior experience

The trainer starts the introduction by first retrieving

the teachers’ experience in planning and designing

Can you describe briefly the processes you and your –

students go through in learning a given concept?

Explain the lesson from beginning to the end

–

How do you incorporate all this in your lesson plan?

What criteria do you take into account in deciding what to –

include in your lesson plan as well as in your actual teaching?

The trainer lastly asks teachers what the current trend of planning

looks like in the schools, particularly what is included in the lesson

plans This can be done individually and afterward some participants

can present their ideas The trainer records the ideas on a flipchart

err framework of thinking and learning

The trainer starts the introduction first by clarifying for the participants

the general theoretical framework on which the ERR framework

is based This is followed by the description of each of the phases

All of the following can be displayed on a flipchart and can remain

Based in social constructivism–

Learning is an active process–

Each student is unique–

Background knowledge of students is –

a base for students’ learningLearning is both social and individual–

The framework has three phases: Evocation – –

Realization of meaning – Reflection

(cooperative learning) – e.g students learn the new content with the help of others – teachers, peers, etc

to discuss whether the criteria for using the activities is based

on the content or the teaching material or on considering how learning should take place in the students’ minds After the explanation of the framework the trainees try to match the steps of the model lesson with the 3 phases of the framework (with your help) They are two purposes for learning:

1/ teacher-driven or text-driven 2/ self-driven, set by student Considering the current trends and practices of our education policy.

For question number 3

a large table can be prepared using a flipchart where the participants’ categorizations

of the methods in the ERR framework can be recorded.

Students involved in activities that:

Summarize the new content on their –

own – using their own wordsApply what they have learnt to some –

realistic and contextual problems

reflection on the err framework

Categorize all the steps and specific methods that you

have seen throughout the model lesson above into one

of the phases of the ERR framework and explain why

each method belongs to that particular phase?

1 Do you think it is possible to incorporate the ERR

framework for planning your lesson and for actual

teaching? If yes how? If no, indicate the challenges?

2 If your answer for the above question is “no” what do you think should

be done to enable implementation of the framework for teaching?

3 Categorize all the methods you have practiced so

far in to the phases of the ERR framework

15’ feedback

17.00

1 4.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

5’

30’ reading lesson: Special Praise

1 Pre-reading activity: Think about the days when

you were young children and school students

Do you remember how your journey to school was in those

days? Was your school situated far away? Was the journey

complicated? Why? Did you travel with your schoolmates? Did

you play games or investigate something during the journey?

Do you remember a story that you experienced

on your way to or from school?

The participants are given a sheet of A4 paper on which they draw

a picture representing their childhood school journey experiences

Another option:

The participants write their memories on the paper

Reading in pairs Two or three examples for the whole group

as draw their experiences regarding school trips.

30’ Gallery of pictures

The pictures are displayed (on chairs or desks)

Then some of the trainees show their picture and others guess the

story behind them Then the person explains his/her own picture

20’ break

80’ 2 reading first four paragraphs.

Discussion about the environment described in the

text Ask participants to concentrate on how they

imagine the place: the weather, their possible feelings

and sensual perception they could experience

What could you see? Describe the countryside – what –

does it look like? What colors do you see?

What could you hear? What sounds, voices?

3 try to predict how the story will continue.

Participants can discuss in groups their predictions,

and share these with the other groups

4 in groups provide the participants with the last six

paragraphs, but cut up The task for the participants is to arrange

them in a logical sequence Let them glue the paragraphs on paper

Afterwards discuss with the whole group their suggestions of the

sequence of the paragraphs Let volunteers discuss why they chose

the order while trainees may help justify the explanations as well

Ask the questions step by step and collect answers from participants.

12.00 lunch break

14.00 Game or song

20’

1 4.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

30’ reflection on the reading lesson

Steps of the reading lesson

Participants write down the steps of a reading lesson In groups, they

try to categorize the steps of the reading lesson into ERR framework

Whole group discussion about the correct categorization

critical thinking development

Ask participants the following questions

What does it mean when we say “think critically”?

After reflecting on these questions, the trainer presents the idea of

critical thinking: the why and how The trainees read the handout

This can be done by assigning a specific part of the paragraph to each

group and then having them present While each group presents

ideas, the trainer summarizes and adds his own ideas about what

is being mentioned For this purpose the trainer can prepare short

notes about ideas of critical thinking on a flipchart beforehand

1 Pre-reading – thinking about own journey – drawing a picture (E)

2 Gallery – sharing pictures (E)

the concept assessment

The trainer starts asking the participants:

What do you mean when you, as a teacher,

say “I am assessing my students”?

When do you say you are assessing your students?

What do you assess? Who is assessing their work?

How could you assess your students’ work? What are the

techniques of gathering information for assessment?

This can be tentatively presented through the use of rotating

review (the method would be changed as soon as alterative

methods are found) in which each group works on one of the

questions, but the first question is meant for the whole group

Each group presents their work to the whole class

Subsequently, the handout about assessment can be

presented The handout at this stage can be simply to give

a general overview about concepts related to assessment

to be presented include: the what, how, when and the types of assessment, etc

30’ Portfolio development and assessment

The trainer asks participants about previous

experience with portfolios

What do you know about portfolios?

portfolio from this training? Why?

Who do you think should decide what to include in –

a portfolio? What is the basis or criteria for selecting

See HaNdOut

■

■

30’ adaptation of re Quest Procedure

Handout about Portfolio is distributed

ReQuest Procedure is explained

Participants read it in pairs They silently read only a short part

of the text (one paragraph) Then one of them summarizes the

part without looking at the text The partner then asks a question

about the passage read Both must be sure they understand the

text correctly and completely Then they change their roles

20’ Whole group discussion about the text

Participants are asked to raise any questions they have which are left

unanswered during the request procedure activity Some of them can

be asked to come in front and ask their questions to the participants

and others can provide answers Lastly participants can be asked:

Do you have any questions about portfolios?

Check whether they have understood the text or not.

15’ criteria for portfolio assessment

The trainer presents the criteria of portfolio development

and assessment which must be fulfilled by participants

while preparing their own portfolio from MTM training

The criteria include the following participants’ works:

1 At least three lesson plans with feedback from the trainer,

peers and your self-assessment It should include both

the pre-implemented and the practiced lesson plan

2 A self reflection on your involvement in

group activities (process of learning)

3 At least three pieces of evidence that indicate you have

clearly understood the ERR framework of thinking

and learning and justify why you think so

4 Set criteria for portfolio development and assessment

for your students in your subject area

Here the trainer can ask participants to ask whether they

accept the criteria and ask them to add other criteria if

they have any This helps demonstrate the involvement

of students in selecting what to include in the portfolios

(or in setting the criteria of portfolio assessment)

The trainees should include the pre-implemented lesson plan, feedback received, improved lesson plan (the implemented one), and self-reflection.

Emphasize here that when the trainees lead students to prepare their own portfolio, they need to identify the criteria and let their students know what is required of them Guideline for criteria development: subject area, grade level, objectives, criteria, way of assessment Criteria can be added or modified based on the trainees’ suggestions.

15’ reflection of the method request Procedure

1 As a reflection, the trainees can be asked the following questions:

2 What feelings do you have about the activity?

3 How can you adapt such an activity to your

teaching practice? Give an example

4 What skills could your students develop by

learning through this method?

5 For which phase (E-RM-R) does the activity fit?

What problems may you face in using the method? How

could you minimize or avoid such challenges?

15’ feedback

17.00

1 5.

day

TIME ALLOCATION ACTIVITIES REMARKS

5’

30’ requirements for certification

Give information about the requirements of the training:

1 Attendance is obligatory, maximum absences allowed are

2 days (12 hours) during the whole period of the training

2 Follow ground rules

3 Develop portfolio according to given criteria

4 Present/teach one period (on selected topic and

subject area) using active learning methods from

any of the previous the training sessions

Participants will read the requirements and then they can ask

whatever question they have This will be followed by explanation

See HaNdOut

■

■

80’ Planning an active learning method

The trainees will be divided into teams according to subject

areas Each person will prepare their own plan

instructions that will be given to students, classroom

organization, materials to be used, assessing the activity

Why did you select this method?

–

Emphasize here that the participants do not plan a whole lesson but only one active method they are going to use during the upcoming weeks Furthermore, it

is also important to tell them to try to include one active method

in their planning and to come with some experience next time Discuss with the trainees their plans, give them advice, suggestions…

20’ break

80’ Presentation of lesson plan proposals

After the presentations of the lesson plans, feedback is

provided by participants as well as by the trainer

The trainer instructs the trainees to write down the feedback

they consider worthwhile for the improvement of the presented

active learning method This feedback should be incorporated

before the actual implementation of the lesson plan at school

The trainer records the feedback given for the

presented active learning methods

Trainees should understand that the lesson plan must

be tried out in their school and at the next session they

are expected to share their real experiences

Encourage open flow of ideas among the participants after the presentation.

A trainer needs to have a separate file for recording the feedback

on the lesson plans presented Emphasize that the planed lessons should be implemented

in their schools before the next training session.

The participants will categorize all methods from week

1 of the program using the ERR framework The trainer

prepares a table on a flipchart where each of the phases of

the framework (E, R.M., R) can be indicated on the columns

and the respective methods and strategies can be categorized

underneath This can be something to be done every Friday

The flipchart can remain displayed.

15’ feedback

13.00

You need a lot of pebbles Put the pebbles in a cup or bag Each student takes as many pebbles as they want.

Tell your students that each pebble has something hidden about themselves – a piece of information According

to the number of pebbles everybody has to say important information about themself A person who has only one pebble says only one piece of information, while a person who has more pebbles says more information.For example:

Student Alemayehu takes three pebbles He says:

“I have three brothers and one sister I am the oldest one.”

“I like reading in my free time, and I especially like adventure books.”

“My favorite food is doro wot It is a spicy chicken sauce cooked with butter, onion, chilli, garlic and other spices.”

a revision of a single lesson In this case, instead of giving the pebbles to individuals, the pebbles can be given to groups and each group can offer as much information as possible according to the number of pebbles they received

1.

MINGLE MINGLE

this activity can be used as an ice breaking activity that gives participants the opportunity

to become more familiar with each other it can be also used any time when you need the

participants or students to discuss a topic or a question briefly but intensively.

In our training we use Mingle Mingle the first time to explore participants’ expectations and fears

and also to let them get to know each other better The participants work alone to think over their

expectations and fears of attending this training for 5 minutes and write them down

Then they slowly walk around the room silently They think about their expectations for this training

When a bell rings or the trainer gives another signal, they stop walking and form a pair with the nearest

person They share for 3 minutes their expectations and fears They are not allowed to write anything

down on the paper or their hands After the time is over they continue walking They think about what

they have heard After another signal, they stop again and they form a new pair with a different person

They share their own expectations and fears and also those which they heard from others After the bell

rings again they continue walking and the process is repeated It is up to the teacher how much time they

devote to the brief discussions We recommend 3 minutes as a minimum, 5 minutes as a maximum

Afterward, participants sit down in a circle and they inform the rest of the group about

the expectations and fears they heard during the activity from their partners They should

identify the source and then they should freely repeat the expectations of this person

The trainer writes down each new expectation or fear He makes marks on those expectations that appear

Be sure you are watching the time properly If you see that one person in a pair used the entire time of the

group to talk about his/her expectations you should comment on this Do so in a friendly way (you may

ask if he realizes that the others will not have a chance to learn about his partner’s expectations)

1.

OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF THE TRAINING

Objectives of the training

At the end of the training participants will be able to:

1 Integrate active learning methods into teaching and the learning process

2 Identify the roles and activities suggested in the ERR framework of thinking and learning

3 Apply performance-based continuous assessment and evaluation procedures

4 Apply portfolio development and portfolio assessment to be practiced both in the

training session and in the actual teaching and learning process

5 Seek new impulses, ideas and inspiration for enhancing their teaching practices

6 Become self-reflective professionals

Principles of the training

1 Using effective methods of teaching-learning is the central focus of the training This means that the

training is based on each participants’ activities Participants have firsthand experience with each

method Through this, participants get greater opportunities to understand and master the methods

2 Regular and frequent reflection of what was going on is part of the training

3 Needs and capabilities of participants are respected throughout the training

The content and pace are adjusted to suit the participants

4 The real school situation is taken into consideration The training incorporates different

methods which can be applied in large classes with limited material resources

5 Enough time is provided for participants to think about the integration of methods into

their current practice During the training participants plan and implement the plan

in their respective schools In this way the implementation is supported

6 The training is based on a partner approach between the trainees and the trainer

rules and regulations of the training

1 Any absence must be justified with a reason and the trainer must be informed in advance or as soon as possible

2 Active participation is mandatory

3 If rules are kept and requirements fulfilled, the per diems for participants will be covered by the organizers

references: Košťálová, H Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005.

1.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION

acceptable, i.e 12 hours, during the whole training

using active learning methods in the last week of the training

1.

MARKET OF PEDAGOGICAL IDEAS

Think about a method of active learning that you like to use with your students

Describe the method here

Name (in case the method has any) description of the method

(For example answer these questions: How do you instruct your students when they are supposed to use the method? What exactly do you tell them? What do the students do during the method? What are the outcomes

of the work? What can students learn working with this particular method? ETC according to your needs)

After you have completed the description of the method find two other participants (whom you

don’t know very well) Make a group of three Select person A, B, C First, member A will describe

his/her method The two other members will listen carefully and will ask questions after the member finishes his/her speech Then member B will continue and finally member C will finish

After you have shared in your small group, choose one of the methods presented

This method will be presented to the whole group of participants

Your name subject area

1.

VENN DIAGRAMS

A Venn diagram is constructed using two or more large, partially overlapping circles with space

in the middle It can be used for contrasting ideas and showing an overlap between them

Suppose, for example, that the students are comparing the city of Awassa and the city of

Addis Ababa A Venn diagram with two overlapping circles would enable the class to contrast

features of the two cities, while also displaying what they have in common

The teacher might ask pairs of students to construct a Venn diagram by filling in only the two

parts of the circle devoted exclusively to the city of Awassa or the city of Addis, respectively

Then pairs could join other pairs and the foursomes could compare their diagrams and then

list in the middle section the features they saw that were common to both cities

instructions for the teachers

Find two items that should be compared In our example above we have selected two cities, Addis and Awassa

In your subject area you might want the students to compare different items, e.g two vegetables (tomato

and potato; onion and garlic, etc.), two literary characters (Bilcho and Tom Thumb, lion and parrot), two

different water sources (e.g Bellata river and Awassa lake), two types of human settlements (e.g village and town), two people (e.g mother and father) It depends on the goals, objectives and topic of the lesson!

Divide the group of students into pairs or groups of three Give each pair or group a large

sheet of paper (at least A4 format – if it is possible to use larger sheets, use them)

Ask the pairs or groups to draw two big overlapping circles The overlapping section

should be large enough that the students can write down several words into it

Let the students label one circle with the name of one of the selected items,

and the second circle with the name of the second selected item

The students should then find features that the two items have in common – these should be placed in the

intersection of the circles At the same time, the students should also identify features that are unique, that the items don’t share These features should be included in the Venn diagram in the appropriate sections

venn diagrams

references: Temple, Ch., Steele, L J., Meredith, K S Reading and writing and discussion in every discipline 1998

Košťálová, H., Skalická, P Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005

1.

COMPARATIVE TABLE

i table of distinctive features as an extension of venn diagram

After the students complete the Venn diagram you can ask them to prepare a comparative table They will

determine the distinctive features, and they will apply their experience from the Venn diagram

Present the following table The number of lines is for you to decide or you can let the students decide themselves

ii table of distinctive features without venn diagrams

You can use comparative tables not only in connection with the Venn diagram In case your students

know one item/topic well and you want them to study another item, you can use this table

exaMPle

■

■

distinctive features addis ababa athens

1.

NAMES – ATTRIBUTES – FEATURES

The group forms a circle (sitting or standing) Everybody must be able to see the face of all other

members Members of the group find adjectives that express their attributes or features

a) In the first run everybody says their name and one adjective that describes themselves

The adjective should start with the same letter as the participant’s name

Example: name: Abnet – attribute: active; name Birrara – attribute: bright; name:

Petra – attribute: positive; name: Hana – attribute: homesick

b) In the second run everybody chooses an adjective from the list provided by workshop

leaders Again, the adjective should start with the same letter as their names do

(If it is complicated for the students during the first run to think of attributes,

they could be provided with the list during the time instead.)

c) During the last (third) run the participant chooses an adjective that she/he considers

to best approximate best her/him as a teacher (or educator or instructor or pedagogue)

The adjective doesn’t need to start with the same letter as the name does

Each participant will write down his/her name on the half sheet of colored paper

Then they add the adjectives describing their best teacher qualities The sheets

will be displayed on the wall so that everybody can read them again

Possible extension of activity No 1:

After the participants write down their teacher qualities they can add a small picture that represents

their personalities Then you can ask them to walk around the room and make pairs Usually, the first

member guesses what is on his/her partner’s picture and its meaning is Afterwards the author explains

Then the roles reverse and the second member of the pair guesses about his/her partner’s picture

Possible extension of activity No 2:

We have paired names and adjectives according to the first letter of both

Ask participants: Have you any idea what else you could organize in a similar way in school instructions?

Trainers’ ideas and suggestions:

We can ask students to name

1 Several towns with names that start with a selected letter For example with letter “A”

(Awassa, Addis, Alaba, Aš, Athens, Asore );

2 Several animals that start with the same letter (hen, horse, hyena );

3 Towns in Africa with names starting with letter “C”… (Cairo, Cape Town, Cartoom etc .)

4 Three elements of the transition period with names starting from “p”

In order to make the students active we can ask them to do more We can ask them to compare the items

We can easily use Venn diagrams for comparison The method is described on another handout

references: Košťálová, H., Skalická, P Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005.

1.

PROFESSIONAL FEATURES

1.

BRAINSTORMING – RULES FOR THE PROCEDURE

Brainstorming enables us to come up with as many ideas about a topic as possible

To benefit from the method it is necessary to follow rules as described here.

1 Select a topic – formulate a problem to be solved – identify an idea that should be under consideration

(With students the topic relates to the content you would like to cover with them during the lesson.)

2 assign (or negotiate) a time portion that should be devoted to the brainstorming

activity Usually 5’ for individual brainstorming, 10’or 15’ for group brainstorming

Your students have to brainstorm during the whole time

3 Remember: each idea that comes up during the brainstorming activity is valuable Accept them all –

don’t control your children’s flow of ideas and don’t refuse any idea too soon Possible loss of ideas is a bigger risk than the possibility that some ideas are invalid or incorrect The time for selecting ideas will come later

4 don’t worry about formal mistakes (spelling, mechanics, handwriting,

etc.) These also can be corrected during follow-up work

Form of brainstorming

You usually want to keep a record of ideas that come out during the process So the written form of brainstorming

is quite often the most useful one With very young children they can use pictures or can dictate their ideas

to you You should write them visibly so that the children can see that you have accepted every single idea

! important notes!

students’ knowledge from previous lesson(s) choose another way of doing it

For brainstorming try to find a question that may bring a broad scale of answers

You should ask about the part of the lesson that is new for students

What doesn’t work?

deciding to use the lesson topic as a brainstorming question will not work You must be more specific

and you should be able to formulate a question about what will be new for the students within the lesson

for example, if you want to teach about dogs and you know that your fifth graders know about dogs quite

well it makes no sense to ask them “What do you know or think you know about dogs?” or “What are dogs?”

In case you want to extend your students’ vocabulary, you can ask them “What in your opinion is

the most interesting thing about dogs?” or “What would the world look like without dogs?”

If you want to teach the students new information about dogs ask them about their existing

knowledge or experience (= focus your question on a goal of the lesson) E.g if you want to teach

about “how dog serves man” you can ask them again “What would the world look like without

dogs?” or “Think about a dog you know How does it help the family it lives with?”

JuSt uSe yOur iMaGiNatiON aNd creativity!

dON’t uSe Old SOlutiONS! SeeK NeW WayS Of tHiNKiNG aNd teacHiNG!

references: Košťálová, H Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005.

1.

BRAINSTORMING – ANALYSES OF THE METHOD

advantages of the method

a initiates the individual thinking of each student If the student is asked to brainstorm

individually she/he must switch on her/his own brain If the next step is pair brainstorming and the students know this, they will make an effort to work because they want to contribute their ideas

b Gives students freedom to think Everybody knows that it is impossible to make a mistake because

each idea is valuable and nothing is assessed yet So even students who are usually afraid to contribute will work and think because they feel they are in a safe social and learning environment This is true

only if the teacher actually provides a safe climate and follows the rules of brainstorming

c brainstorming has the power to evoke and provoke deep ideas in students Such ideas can occur

if the teacher provides enough time for brainstorming (at least 5 minutes individually, 10 minutes

in pairs) and if the students use all prescribed time for their thinking and brainstorming

d evokes students’ own experience In case you assign really “unknown” (not yet taught) topics the

students should seek information and ideas in their own experiences, non-school readings and non-school experiences In this way you can connect the out-of-school life of your students with the school work

e Helps the students realize what they already know about the topic and what questions they have

It is important that it is the student himself/herself who is aware of his/her ideas about the topic

f Helps the students make cognitive structures of their own They set the order of their ideas in their

minds It is extremely important because students can understand a new knowledge or experience only

the information already existing as a part of our cognitive structure is the process of learning

The structure should always be evoked and rebuilt when the students are supposed to learn something new (Because their cognitive structures can change every day due to any new experience they gain.)

G MOtivateS students for teaching and thinking! How? During the process the students discover what

they already know and don’t know (= which is perfectly okay because nobody knows everything!) During the parallel process of building the cognitive structure they become curious and eager to find out if their ideas and predictions were right, and answers for their questions (= that is why the questions are so important)

iN PairS

a Helps shy students to overcome their shyness and timidity How? They have something to

contribute because everybody is supposed to brainstorm individually at first The method forbids

criticism of ideas = each idea is valuable (It does not mean that I cannot doubt or ask question about the idea but I cannot refuse it completely The only thing I can do is to change my doubts into questions.)

It prepares a safe social environment so nobody can laugh at the student nor can any student look

ridiculous If a student shares in the pair and his/her partner accepts the shy student’s idea, this shy

student is encouraged to contribute this idea to the bigger group and later even to the whole class

b develops communication skills in each student How? The students should express their

ideas in an understandable and recognizable manner They should persuade their partners

about their ideas They should form more arguments to support their ideas They do not

repeat memorized sentences but must use the language for expressing themselves

c develops listening skills

1.

iN GrOuPS

Usually, in groups the students broaden their cognitive structures of a particular

topic by adding new information that is brought up by their colleagues

They prepare their common group brainstorming

The task may be advanced by asking the students to organize the information as well as their

questions according to their opinions by, for example, using the mind map or another method

references: Košťálová, H Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005.

1.

MAKING RULES AND PROCEDURES

children derive a true sense of responsibility and ownership from participating in the process of rule making

To involve the children:

1 Gather children in a circle in the class meeting area

2 Begin a discussion about the purpose of rules and procedures It is important that children understand

that rules and procedures – like laws – are designed to keep people safe, to protect individual rights

and freedom, and to provide guidelines for appropriate behavior Children need to know that the

rules tell members of a community what they should do rather than what they should not do

3 Offer some examples of positive and concise rule such as: Put things back

where they belong; Listen attentively; Show respect for all

4 Elicit ideas from children

5 Allow the class to decide which rules and procedures they will adapt

6 Think with the students about the extent to which the rules should be detailed Don’t forget to explain to your students, that once a rule is followed there is no need to keep it on the list anymore The rules are flexible Accepting a new rule or eliminating a mastered one must be negotiated and agreed to by all students

7 Write the rules on a big sheet of paper and post them in the class meeting area for easy reference

After the rules for the class are created and posted, the teacher will notice when children follow the rules and make comments to encourage other children to model appropriate behavior If the teacher can see that a particular child “listens attentively”, the teacher should comment on the behavior: “I notice that you were really looking

at Tensaye when he shared his story Your eyes were on him and you were showing him respect.” Or: “Maria,

I noticed that you had cleaned the paint brushes and put them away That shows that you respect our materials.”

references: Walsh, K B Creating Child – Centered Classroom, Step by Step 1997.

Košťálová, H Training of Modern Teaching Methods People in Need 2005