20 of the Best Teacher Strategies in 2023

Every student is different and unique in their own way. This means they also learn at different speeds and respond better to some teaching tactics better than others. There are many teaching strategies that can be effective for students, you just need to find the right ones that work! Read on for 20 of the best teaching strategies in 2022. 

Acknowledge your students 

Often times students may feel dismissed in the classroom. Whether they are understanding the material correctly or are confused about the content, be sure to acknowledge your students. Not only will this help them feel seen, but it will encourage them to ask questions when they are confused. For example, if a student has a question, assure them that no question is a stupid question and that you care about helping them understand. By acknowledging students, you can help boost their self-esteem and their ability to interact with you in the classroom. 

Be Clear on Expectations and Deliverables 

In order to avoid confusion and questions down the line, be clear on expectations and deliverables. If you do not set deadlines or expectations for the quality of the work that should be performed, students may be caught off guard if they do not meet your standards. When presenting a project, be sure to clearly outline in front of the class the  due dates, as well as, grading criteria. You may also choose to show them examples of different works and the grades they received so they have a clear point of reference. Expectations and deliverables can be done verbally or printed out on paper for students to reference.

Set Achievable Goals and Objectives 

In order to encourage learning and participation, it is important to set achievable goals and objectives. Starting the course out with what your goals and objectives are, helps to level-set with students. While you may feel ambitious about what you want to accomplish and how you want students to perform, you will want to make sure these are attainable goals. If they seem unrealistic or daunting, it may discourage students from trying.

Encourage Their curiosity 

One of the best parts about learning is asking questions. Students may feel too intimidated or nervous to ask questions, so be sure to encourage their curiosity. One way to do this is to be curious yourself. Ask questions out loud in the classroom and see if anyone has the same questions or is pondering the same ideas. By showing your own curiosity, you are setting an example for your classroom.

Empower them to learn 

Sometimes it can be hard to have students who are engaged. One great way to pique their interest is by empowering them to learn. Take the time to help students find what they are passionate about. If they find a topic they are really interested in, encourage them to read more about it or research the topic. Show them that learning can be exciting and they will want to continue!

Develop a Consistent Schedule 

Some students may like stability and knowing what they are going to learn in the classroom. Not only should you develop a consistent schedule for students, but you should also do it for yourself. Having a clear schedule, writing it on the board, or prefacing what will happen in the next class will help prepare students. It will help everyone in the classroom, including teachers, stay on top of the agenda and will allow for efficient learning. 

Encourage Daily Topic Discussions

Participation is a large part of the educational experience. Regardless of the age of your students, it’s important to encourage daily topic discussions. One way to do this is to incorporate a discussion into your agenda. Consider a daily discussion question that you pose to the class after learning about a specific subject. One way to increase discussion is to have students reflect on their own, write out their thoughts, share with a partner, and then share with the wider class. This allows for reflection and collaboration with students prior to sharing with the entire classroom. 

Use Explicit Instruction 

One way to avoid confusion or misalignment in the classroom is to use explicit instruction. Explicit instruction as a teaching strategy is exactly how it sounds. Teachers will give instruction to the classroom in a clear and concise way. This can be done by identifying the main subject or topic, breaking this subject or topic into parts for a better explanation, providing clear examples if applicable, and then addressing any questions students may have. 

Give Student Recognition

There’s no better way to feel supported than by receiving recognition from a teacher. Teachers should give recognition to students who have been working hard and doing their best to be involved. By rewarding your students you are acknowledging that their hard work can pay off and they are seen. You can give student recognition in small ways during class, or by giving more formal feedback to students. Either way,  students will likely appreciate it. 

Use new in-classroom technology 

If your school has technology accessible, it is a great idea to incorporate it into your lesson plans. Not only can it help make course material interesting, but it can allow students to engage with the course material in different ways. From interactive online games to educational videos, there is so much to explore! Not to mention, if students have material accessible online, they can use it as a reference when they are at home to further continue their education.

Reinforce Good Behaviors  

One key teaching strategy to keep students in line is for a teacher to reinforce good behaviors. Reinforcing good behaviors tells children that something good will happen when they behave. One way to do this is verbally telling students they are doing a good job or giving them a thumbs up as a way to signal something positive. Other students respond well to other rewards like a piece of candy or five to ten minutes of free time. 

Focus Teaching Problem Solving Techniques 

By focusing on teaching problem-solving techniques, you are giving students the tools to develop this skill set. When a student approaches you with a question about a problem, rather than giving them an answer, showcase how they can problem solve. This can be done by asking open-ended questions yourself, pushing them to consider if they have faced a similar problem before, and encouraging them to sit with the problem for a while. The best way for students to learn these techniques is through experience and seeing their teachers demonstrate them.

Try Reciprocal Teaching 

What better way to encourage students to learn than by having them teach themselves? Reciprocal teaching is a technique often used within reading comprehension. Teachers demonstrate, and then have students lead discussions in small groups. Not only does this foster relationships and collaboration among groups, but it encourages students to focus on the material. It is a great way for students to learn more about their leadership styles and makes them comfortable speaking in front of a group. 

Personalize their Learning Experience

Sometimes it can be hard to know if students are enjoying their classroom experience. One way to help with this is to try and personalize their learning experience. Ask your students how they prefer the format of an exam. Do they like multiple-choice or essay questions? Get to know them more and incorporate their interests from outside of the classroom. Showing that you are interested in what they have to say will only show them that you care. 

Use Concept Mapping 

Concept mapping is a teaching strategy that allows students to break down all of the details of a specific subject or concept. Teaching students how to use concept mapping will help improve their ability to retain details about the subject they are learning about. To create a concept map, start with one main question or idea. From there, utilize arrows and lines to signify the relationship between this main idea or question and the details that make it up. Keep doing this until all of the details have been broken out and you have been able to thoroughly go through the topic. 

Explore the Scaffolding Learning Approach 

The Scaffolding learning approach focuses on the teacher demonstrating how to do something, followed by the students practicing on their own. For example, you can teach students about learning comprehension and how to break up a text for better digestibility. You can look up definitions and ask questions. Then, the students can implement this process themselves and learn from your example. They may also consider discussing in groups. 

Have Your Students Learn collaboratively  

Learning collaboratively is a great way for students to connect with their peers while engaging in discussion. One easy way to introduce students to collaboration is through a think, pair, and share exercise. This is done when a teacher poses a topic or question to the classroom and asks individuals to think about their perspective on this. Then, they will get together in pairs and discuss. Afterward, they will share with the wider classroom their findings. This helps students gain insight into what their classmates may be thinking and can help build their confidence in discussions. 

Recommend they create Detailed Notes 

Some students may feel as though they just need to listen in class and absorb information. However, it is encouraged that you recommend they create detailed notes while you are teaching. Notes are key to bringing information home for studying and applying lessons to homework. Having detailed notes will only benefit students. If helpful, provide students with a note-taking outline so they have guidance on what they should be paying attention to. 

Provide Opportunities for Student Practice 

As they say, practice makes perfect! Provide opportunities for student practice, so students are aware of if they have questions or do not understand certain material. This can be done over homework, in-class activities, and practice exams. Be sure to grade all of the practice items so students have an idea of where they stand and if they need to practice more for real exams. You should also give them the space to ask questions and collaborate with peers after they complete these activities. 

Assess Your Student's Progress Monthly

Students are only aware of their class performance and where they stand with their grades if a teacher communicates this. Be sure to assess your student’s progress on a monthly basis to keep them up-to-date. Assessing progress not only helps the student have transparency on their grades, but it also allows you to see if students need extra help or not. Being on top of their progress is helpful, as you do not want students to fall behind. 

Give Students Constructive and Actionable Feedback

Throughout the entirety of the class, be sure to give students constructive and actionable feedback. This can be done in the form of grading homework and exams or having a more formal feedback session at a regular cadence. Giving students feedback gives you an opportunity to help them improve or congratulate them on their hard work. Be sure to be kind during this feedback and give them concrete steps for how they can move forward from the feedback. It is important you give them the tools to change so that they feel empowered to do so. 

What are teaching strategies?

Teaching strategies are what teachers use as a way to educate students in the classroom. They are methods and processes that approach education in different ways. Not all strategies are suited for all subjects, so how effective they are on students will vary based on the context in which they are delivered. 

Why are teaching strategies important?

Teaching strategies are important because they allow teachers to have a planned approach to what they are teaching in the classroom. This way students are able to have structure, which gives space for participation and connection. Without teaching strategies, it can be hard for students to engage and understand the material. 

Benefits of Teaching Strategies 

There are many benefits of teaching strategies that are done right. Below are seven benefits 

that a teacher could expect to get from a good teaching strategy: 

• Increases student engagement
• Fosters fruitful discussions among classmates
• Creates a positive experience within the classroom
• Allows teachers to provide detailed feedback
• Increases efficiency among student learning
• Helps students understand their learning style
• Promotes creative thinking 

Types of learning styles to incorporate into your strategy

When you are thinking about the teaching strategies you want to implement in the classroom, you should consider the types of learning styles to incorporate into your strategy. This is because all students have a different way of digesting the material, and one learning style may be better for them than another. Below are five different learning styles that a teacher may incorporate into a strategy: 

Active Learning 

Active learning is a learning style that focuses on being an active participant in the classroom. For example, active learning revolves around students engaging with the material through class discussion and problem-solving activities. Rather than spending time analyzing on their own, students may be acting things out and sharing insights with other students.

 Case Based Learning 

Case based learning is a learning style that focuses on real-world examples. As its name hints, students are faced with real cases or scenarios that help give them perspective. For example, students could be faced with a scenario of a bakery struggling to keep up with the demand for a certain pastry. From there, they would come up with a plan of action to help the business stay afloat. 

Phases Learning 

One of the main forms of phases learning is through four phases. The four phases of learning are preparation, presentation, practice, and performance. The phases start with gaining someone’s interest, then encountering new knowledge, integrating that knowledge, and applying the knowledge. For example, one could be talking about the periodic table of elements, then studying and memorizing the table,  writing out the elements in a formula, and then utilizing this knowledge in a lab project. 

Technology enhanced active learning (TEAL) 

Technology enhanced active learning focuses on utilizing technology to transform a traditional classroom or lecture environment. For example, this style of learning fuses lectures with simulations and technology-based experiments. Not only does this create a more engaging environment, but it also gives students an experience they may not have received without technology. 

Digital Learning 

Digital learning is another style of learning that utilizes technology to enhance an individual’s classroom experience. This can be done through the online use of articles and library books for research, as well as, educational games that can be accessed through the internet. If a student is utilizing technology in a way that benefits their education, this is considered digital learning. Here is a great resource for digital learning courses for teachers. 

In conclusion, there are a variety of teaching strategies that could work in a classroom. Be sure to think through what learning styles and approaches will be most beneficial to your students, as those will help to inform the teaching strategies you incorporate into your lessons.