Definition

Noun: The principles, strategies, and techniques used by an educator to facilitate learning and instruction. It refers to the systematic way of organizing and applying knowledge about teaching to achieve educational goals.

Usage

This term is used to describe the overall approach or specific procedures employed in an educational setting. It is a formal term common in academic, pedagogical, and professional development contexts. - It is often modified by adjectives specifying the type of method (e.g., innovative teaching method, traditional teaching method, interactive teaching method). - It is commonly used with verbs like use, adopt, develop, evaluate, and discuss.

Examples

• The professor's teaching method involves a combination of lectures and group discussions.
• Modern language classes often utilize the communicative teaching method.
• Researchers studied the effectiveness of different teaching methods on student engagement.
• The workshop focused on innovative teaching methods for diverse classrooms.

Advanced Usage

• "to be at the heart of a teaching method": to be the central or most important principle of an instructional approach.
  • Student-centered learning is at the heart of her teaching method.
• "to refine one's teaching method": to improve or make small adjustments to one's instructional techniques over time.
  • He constantly refines his teaching method based on student feedback.

Variants and Related Words

• Methodology (n): The systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study; often used interchangeably with "teaching method" but can imply a broader study of methods.
  • Her research focuses on educational methodology.
• Pedagogy (n): The art, science, or profession of teaching; a more comprehensive term that encompasses teaching methods, theory, and practice.
  • The book discusses the history of pedagogy.
• Instructional strategy (n): A specific technique or plan used within a broader teaching method to achieve a learning objective.
  • Think-pair-share is a common instructional strategy.

Synonyms

• Instructional technique: A specific way of carrying out instruction.
• Educational approach: A way of handling teaching and learning, often based on a particular philosophy.
• Didactics: The art or science of teaching (formal).

Related Phrases

• Blended teaching method: An approach that combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning.
  • The university promotes a blended teaching method.
• Evidence-based teaching method: An instructional approach grounded in research and proven outcomes.
  • Schools are encouraged to adopt evidence-based teaching methods.

Related Idioms

• "To teach an old dog new tricks": This idiom, while about learning, is often referenced in discussions about the challenge of changing established teaching methods.
  • Getting the department to adopt new technology isn't easy—you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Noun

1. the principles and methods of instruction