Interactive Teaching Strategies

Interactive teaching is a means of instructing whereby the teachers actively involve the students in their
learning process by way of regular teacher-student interaction,student-student interaction,use of
audiovisuals, and hands-on demonstrations.The students are constantly encouraged to be active
participants.
The interactive classroom is a stimulating place in which students have been motivated to learn and are
given the freedom to explore, discover, and inquire. In the interactive classroom you will find
teachercentred as well as student-centred activities.there appear to be at least six specific strategies
that teachers use to create an interactive science classroom.

Interactive teachers:

1.Use advance organizers to establish interest and instructional goals

Advance organizers are frameworks for helping students understand what is to be learned. An advance
organizer is a presentation of information (either verbal or visual) structured as "umbrellas" for the new
material to be learned.
Advance organizers can be useful devices at the start of a unit,before a discussion,before a questionand
answer period,before giving a homework assignment.. Advance organizers help students organize the
conceptual knowledge they are to learn.

2.Create a stimulating classroom environment

The use of movement, gestures, focusing, different interaction styles, and multiple sensory channels
appear to affect the environment that the teacher establishes in the classroom.
Movement- Moving throughout the classroom and not hovering at the front of the classroom, especially
behind the demonstration desk, is desirable.

Gestures-Complimenting verbal messages with body language is an important aspect of communication.

Teachers should use hand, head, and body gestures to convey meaning.

Focusing- Teachers who focus students use verbal statements (e.g., "Look at this chart of vertebrates")
and use gestures (pointing to a fault line on a map projected on the overhead), or a combination of
both.
Interaction Styles- Stimulating environments occur where there are a variety of interaction styles
between teacher and students. Whole class, small-group, and individual interaction styles should be
utilized.

Multiple Sensory Channels-Research on student learning styles suggests benefits of the creation of
multiple sensory classrooms.Teachers should provide verbal,tactile, and kinesthetic experiences for
students.

3.Think-Pair-Share method.
Another relatively simple interactive method is “Think-Pair-Share.” The teacher presents a problem or
question, first asking students to think(and usually write) individually their answer(s) along with
rationale and evidence.Students then discuss their answers with a partner, with the instructor
encouraging respectful questioning and critique among studentFinally,the students share their
insights(both individual and those gleaned from paired discussion)with the entire class,with the teacher
encouraging further questioning and critique.

4.Use examples to help students understand concepts

The use of examples is fundamental to helping students understand science concepts. The teacher who
identifies examples of concepts or asks students to cite examples of concepts is acknowledging that
learning must be tied to students' prior knowledge. Using examples is a way to tie science teaching to
the students' world.

5.Creating a Positive Learning Environment

The science teacher must foster a classroom climate that projects and supports this cognitive
perspective.Such an environment is characterized as follows:-

a) The teacher projects an image to the students that tells them "I am here to help you build your
character and your intellect."

b) The teacher conveys the notion that each and every student is unique and he or she is interested in
them as a unique individuals.

c) The teacher conveys the idea that all students can accomplish work, can learn, and are competent.

6.Closure and Making Transitions

 Closure is the complement of advance organizers. Closure acts as a cognitive link between past
knowledge and the new knowledge (experiences). Closure can also function to help give the students a
feeling of accomplishment or achievement.
Closure is not limited to the end of a lesson. There are a number of ways to integrate closure and
transitions into your lesson plans:-

1. Draw attention to the completion of a lesson or a part of the lesson.

2. Make connections between previous knowledge and the new science concepts.

3. Allow students the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.