Two Ways to Teach Concepts to Children

As the school year approaches we tend to hone in on our skills and build upon them in hopes of having a successful year of teaching. We have all heard the saying, "Those two children are as different as night and day." But do we really think about that as we prepare our lesson plans? Since children are so different, we need to use a variety of teaching styles and methods. These styles can be divided into two basic teaching methods with a myriad of variations with each.

Direct Method of Teaching

The direct teaching style is used when a concept is actually presented in a lesson. This method includes telling, showing, rote memorization, and repetition of a skill. This teaching style is most used in the average classroom from kindergarten all the way up to the college level.

Indirect Method of Teaching

When using the indirect teaching style, the concepts are learned through experience and exposure. This type of teaching is often used with young children in early childhood classrooms. It can involve reading a story, playing a game, displaying objects for exploration, hands-on art, and most of all letting the children explore and learn through free play.

Our students cannot be evaluated and placed into either group because learning habits change regularly. We need to use a combination of methods in order to reach all children. When we teach a concept, we need to carry it through the entire day, not just a fraction of time, especially when we work with young children. Below is an example of a lesson plan for learning the alphabet. It is a combination of both direct and indirect teaching styles. Use this method when planning themes and concepts.

Direct Method of Teaching the Alphabet

Start with a demonstration. Show how the alphabet letters relate to our everyday lives by holding up pictures and signs containing these letters. Have the children name the letter that they see (and make the letter sound too). Show the children how the letters are drawn either on a chalkboard or poster.

Next show and tell the children about the alphabet letters. Have the letters drawn on index cards to be used as flashcards with the class. Hold one up and talk about it. Hold up each card in turn and ask the children to respond with the letter name and sound it makes. Ask if they know a word that starts with the letter shown.

Indirect Method of Teaching the Alphabet

At the same time that lessons are being directly taught, provide materials for children to use during free play. These could include alphabet blocks, magnetic letters to place on a metal wall or appliance, play dough to make letters, alphabet cookie cutters to use with the dough, and templates for drawing the letters on paper. In the classroom, hang up posters and pictures of alphabet letters that are colorful and a reminder for the children. Invite them to make pictures where they draw letters and use these to decorate the room as well. There are many storybooks about the alphabet, such as Chicka Chicka, Boom Boomby Bill Martin Jr. Gather as many alphabet books as possible and leave some for the children to browse. Also available are songs and fingerplays to help memorize the names of the letters.

Snack time could also be concept time. Serve mini-sandwiches that have been cut with alphabet cookie cutters. Alphabet soup and letter cookies are favorites too!

Soon children will begin to see alphabet letters in everything that has print and will realize that these letters are a part of their everyday lives. They will have been taught the concepts directly, and also have been given the opportunity to experience these concepts learning them indirectly. So, again I ask, "What is your teaching style" and I hope you say both!