|
| |
Fundamental Methods for Lessons in Politics
Functions |
Delivery by the teacher
Delivery by the teacher represents a spoken representation of a social-scientific situation or context. It can result spontaneously, for instance result from a pupil's question, or can be prepared and consciously be planned into a lesson.
When can a delivery by the teacher be used?
Delivery by the teacher allows uncertainties appearing spontaneously to be eliminated and circumstances to be explained pregnantly, comprehensibly and in a structured manner in a short period of time. It can be used at any time during the lesson, for instance
 | As an introduction to a topic, |
| IN order to answer a question, |
| To explain a term, |
| To communicate information, |
| To sum up the information obtained |
|
|
Old-fashioned...
... but important |
Is delivery by the teacher an important method in teaching politics?
Today this method is considered old-fashioned and no longer contemporary. It is accused of being an authoritarian method of teaching, which promotes passivity and as a result promotes adaptation and a convenient attitude of consumption in the pupils.
Although delivery by the teacher does present a one-sided method of communication between the teacher and pupil, which stands in contrast to activity-oriented teaching methods, he trains the pupils in an important skill: that of actively listening and thinking.
Delivery by the teacher can be implemented constructively in a variety of situations, whereby it should be observed that a period of ten minutes should not be exceeded as a rule, and in no way should it be the only method of teaching in politics lessons.
|
|
Quality-
criteria |
What criteria should a good delivery by the teacher fulfil?
| Short (5 to 10 minutes) |
| Broken down clearly |
| Comprehensibility (not too many different channels of thought, no difficult specialist terms) |
| No lexicon definition (present information in a colourful and Interesting manner) |
| Visualisation using a blackboard, OHP etc. (should not distract, see below) |
| Tell your pupils what they should do before you begin your delivery (e.g. only listen, note questions, make notes) |
| Can contain repetitions, for instance, final summary |
| Talk freely and maintain eye-contact |
| Start and end should be clearly recognizable |
|
Why Visualization?
The ability to retain is different in every individual and cannot be defined exactly, as the figure suggests. Studies in learning psychology show however that the retention ratio can be increased considerably by using visualisations. This applies to long lectures or deliveries in particular, but also deliveries by the teacher should not be devoid of visualisations.
The figure also clearly shows that "doing-it-yourself" achieves the most sustainable learning success. This speaks in favour of action-oriented methods. We present a selection of activating methods in
Basic Course 4.
How do we Visualise?
The two sheets in the figure contain the same information. Sheet 1 contains text blocks and does everything wrong that can in any way be done wrong. Sheet 2 presents the information in a clearly arranged and brief manner. There is a clearly identifiable heading, the information can be assimilated quickly in the form of phrase lists and the decisive point ("no blocks of texts") is accentuated using with a common symbol (arrow) and a coloured background.
How to Make a Delivery?
Besides visualisation, further aspects are to be considered if you want to hold a successful lecture. Without being able to go into this topic in too much detail, the most important factors should at least be addressed briefly.
|
Reduction: Less is More! A lecture must be limited to the essential. The public is only capable of retaining a fraction of all that which is said anyway. Which makes it all the more important to accentuate the most significant points rhetorically and using visualisation in the lecture.
|
|
Comprehensibility: It is Difficult for the Public. The person holding the lecture should use as many aids as possible. This forms the starting point for all deliberations. The consequence of this among other things is that simple words and sentences should be used and long and complex sentences be avoided in all cases.
|
|
Dramaturgy: One should always avoid speaking in the same tone of voice, without accentuation and undulation. Raising and lowering the voice at important point in the lecture is a very effect rhetorical means. The person holding the lecture should also cater for variety. A joke or a picture could be shown following a long rhetorical delivery. The public should be given a chance to smile or take a break once in a while. Variety applies to all media: an animated beamer presentation can alternate with other media such as a board or flip-chart, for instance.
|
|
Structure: A well-thought out, strict and target-group oriented structure is hardly to be underestimated as an aid for the public. The structure should always be identifiable, the thread should repeatedly be taken up.
|
[Authors: Marietta Enss/Ragnar Müller]
[Top of Page]
|
