Indirect Instruction for Students - Research Paper Example

A Research Paper on an Instructional Theory: Indirect Instruction Indirect Instruction Indirect instruction is one of the subdivisions of teaching strategies in the aim to achieve student learning in the teaching process. Indirect instruction is composed of teaching methods alternative to the classic and structured direct teaching methods such as lecture and class discussion. Included in the strategies of teaching classified as indirect instruction are cooperative learning, project methods, discovery learning, and learning centers (Ellis and Stuen, 1998, p.188-89). Educators are considered to be the people who establish the future of the students through learning. For that matter, development of educational system through the years is becoming more focused to the determination of the individual needs of each student. This is where the importance of indirect instruction comes in. The instructional theory based on activities other than traditional lectures and discussions is implemented due to the attention given to the needs of the students. Thus, indirect instruction can be considered to have an important role instructional planning, aside from the fact that strategies classified as indirect instruction are considered for exploration of a different level of learning experience (Hunt, Hunt and Touzel, 2009, p.162). Instructional Planning and Indirect Instruction Based on the definition of instructional planning, it is related to the process of teaching on the basis of “knowledge and awareness of students’ backgrounds, understanding of the complexity of instruction and the view on the characteristics of instructional tasks” (Hunt, Hunt and Touzel, 2009, p.54). For that matter, instructional planning is a continuous process of determination of lessons, activities and strategies that can optimize the learning process, thus it can occur before and even during the teaching and learning period (p.54-55). The main relationship then of instructional theory such as indirect instruction to instructional planning is that the former is the application or the action phase of the objectives and concepts established through the latter. Discussion of Indirect Instruction Indirect instruction is important in the students’ capability to explore and learn on their own. For that matter, the said category of instruction can be considered as the application stage wherein the students can apply the theories and concepts learned through direct instruction. There are different types of indirect instruction namely guided inquiry, panel discussion, field trip, instructional game, instructional contract, learning center or station, independent study and cooperative learning (Hunt, Hunt and Touzel, 2009, p.163). To be able to present an established example, it is important to have a lesson plan. One of the most common strategies of indirect instruction is through the laboratory or experimental technique. The example of lesson plan presented is an experimental activity in Science (Table 1). Table 1. Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Subject: Science Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade Science Topic: Characteristics of Living Things Rationale: Students need to achieve an understanding of the characteristics, composition, function and organization of living things. This is important to establish concepts that are important to more complex topics regarding the components and classification of organisms in future lessons. Content: Living things are composed of cells that are organized based on function. They can grow, reproduce and respond to different stimuli. There are unicellular and multicellular organisms that are needed to be differentiated. Goals: In the lesson, the students will achieve the following: 1. Determine the different characteristics of living things 2. Know the definition of an organism. 3. Identify the new terms related to the lesson and familiarize with their definitions. 4. Differentiate between unicellular and multicellular organisms. Instructional Objective: After the lesson, the students are expected to enumerate and state the differences between living and nonliving things. They are also expected to present and describe the levels of organization of the different organisms or living things. Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills: Recording information in the worksheet and organizing data for analysis. Materials: Science Textbook and Science references, pictures and other visual aids (specimens such as corals, sea anemones and other materials in the laboratory), worksheets or answer sheets Content and Strategies in the Instruction: 1. Engage – Get the interest of the student in learning different concept about organisms. The teacher will divide the students into groups and give each group set of pictures and visual aids showing organisms. First the difference between the living and the nonliving things will be discussed. Then, the different parts and components of the living things and the overview of the organization and classification of organisms will be presented. 2. Explore – For the exploration and higher level of understanding, the students will be on a field trip or even a trip in the school area. The main activity for the each group is to identify organisms in a particular area that the teacher had set for the group. Also, they need to present 2-3 characteristics of the organisms that they can find in the assigned area. 3. Explanation – Discussion of the data gathered will be undertaken inside the classroom. The worksheets and answer sheets will be filled up. Students will answer questions in the workbook regarding the activity and then the teacher will discuss the answers. Advantages and Disadvantages of Indirect Instruction Indirect instruction can be both advantageous and disadvantageous. One of the advantages of the said strategy is that it enables a higher understanding of the concepts taught due to the fact that the students are presented with ideas that they need to explore themselves. This can engage and achieve the interest of the analytical students that are willing to extend the learning experience most of the time. Also it can create and present chances for learning to the students who are visual and wanted hands on learning experiences to be able to understand concepts (Hunt, Hunt and Touzel, 2009, p.162). On the other hand, students who are experiencing difficulties in learning and who prefer structured strategy such as lecture can be lost in the said method. In the said event, it is important for the teacher to give attention to the different needs of the students. For that matter, discussion of the lesson after the experimentation and exploration is recommended to be able to help the other students with such need to be able to learn. Conclusion Based on the data gathered on indirect instruction, it can be considered as an important strategy in education. This can be attributed to the fact that teaching and learning process cannot be at its optimum when indirect instruction is absent. This based on the advantages that it can present such as the extension of concepts to provide hands-on experiences to the students. Although this is the case, the said strategy cannot stand alone. Direct and indirect instruction is mutually interdependent to each other in terms of achieving the purpose of education which is learning. It is important to apply both strategies to be able to give attention to the learning needs of the individual students. References Ellis, A. K. and Stuen, C. J. (1998). The interdisciplinary curriculum. N.Y.: Eye on Education. Hunt, G. H., Hunt, G. and Touzel, T. J. (2009). Effective teaching: Preparation and implementation. Illinois: Charles C. Thomas Publisher. Read More