Popularized by American educator Madeline Hunter, the direct instruction method is the most widely used, implemented by educators of all subjects and grade levels. Instruction follows a very strict format. In classrooms that use this method, students sit in rows facing the teacher, who tells the students what will be learned, lectures on it, models it and finally guides the class in practicing the lesson or concept. Very little interaction occurs between teacher and student.
Known as the oldest form of teaching, the Socratic method is named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. As opposed to direct instruction, the Socratic method requires the teacher to engage and interact with students by asking open-ended discussion questions that encourage inquiry and divergent thinking. Some teachers often assign the role of questioner to a student or two. In classrooms that use the Socratic method, students often sit in a large circle so they can see and hear one another.
Scaffolding is a teaching strategy that requires the instructor to begin where the students' knowledge and skills currently are, not where the instructor would prefer them to be. Using this method, the teacher serves not so much as a giver of knowledge but as a coach or guide who facilitates students' mastery of a certain task or concept. For example, it is difficult to teach a student how to write an essay if he doesn't initially know how to write a sentence.
The collaborative learning method emerges from the idea that students learn best from one another. In classrooms that use this method, students are seated in groups or "islands," often with peers who have been selected by the instructor. There are many benefits to collaborative learning, including face-to-face interaction, social skill development and individual accountability. Students work best in this environment when they have clear instructions and are assigned specific roles such as note-taker, discussion leader and evaluator.
Developed by Howard Gardner, the multiple intelligences theory says that everyone has not just one static IQ but instead is talented and skilled in different areas such as language, math, art or interpersonal relations. Instructors utilize this theory by targeting a specific intelligence based on the lesson. For example, a teacher might give students an option on how to take notes during a lecture either in the traditional way or by depicting the key concepts in drawings.