A pure lecture teaching method allows an instructor to present a large amount of information in a clear, factual presentation. During a lecture, students remain quiet, taking notes on the information the teacher presents and refrains from commenting on the information. After a lecture, teachers can invite student questions to clear up any confusing points for the students. This method is most effective when a teacher needs to relate factual, noninterpretive information to a group of students, such as in a math, history or science class.
Lecture and discussion presentations involve teachers presenting information to a class, but periodically asking questions to the students or inviting students to comment on the lesson. During the lecture, students remain quiet while the teacher is speaking, offering comments and questions only when the instructor invites them to participate. This method is most effective when a teacher is discussing a subject, which is highly interpretive, such as a literature class where students need certain information from the lecture to form an educated response.
Class discussions are a guided learning activity where the instructor is a guide more than a demonstrator, encouraging students to lead the class with questions and statements. This involves the teacher leading the class discussion, contributing important information, asking probing questions to the students and helping to keep the discussion moving forward. This method is most effective when a teacher wants to encourage critical thinking in students, such as a philosophical discussion.
Group presentations allow students to teach the class for a short period, after spending time studying one aspect of the course. Instructors can then take on the role of the attentive student, demonstrating how students can actively play a role in class discussions by asking informed questions during class. This method is most effective in subjects that are easily divided into blocks of information, such as a history, divided by eras; literature, divided by periods or critical approaches; or sociology, divided by specific theories, class.
Homework is a vital teaching tool, giving students the ability to practice the techniques and skills they learned in class. Homework reinforces the lesson, while helping students develop questions and observations they can ask the teacher later in class. Instructors assign homework as an element of any other teaching method, as it is an effective teaching tool for many class constructs.