How Do Elementary School Students Learn Best?

Written by Mr Mustafa in Teachers' Lounge 

Being an elementary school teacher is one of the most demanding but gratifying jobs. You get to work with children from diverse backgrounds and learning abilities. However, since the foundation of good teaching is knowing your students and their learning needs, it’s crucial to adopt teaching methodologies that best meet their needs.

Elementary school students learn best when they’re interested in the subject matter, motivated to learn, and engaged in the classroom. Hence, as a teacher, it’s critical to utilize the most effective instructional tools and teaching styles to ensure students enjoy and stay engaged throughout the learning process.

The rest of this article will discuss the various teaching strategies for elementary students. I’ll also go over ideas for providing a satisfying learning experience for your young learners. Let’s get started!

Optimal Teaching Styles for Elementary School

These teaching styles are categorized as either teacher-centered or learner-centered approaches. Let’s have an in-depth look at each of them.

Direct Instruction

Direct instruction is a more traditional teaching style. This approach centers around the teacher being the expert or the one controlling all classroom activities. Additionally, in this conventional classroom setting, students face the teacher or instructor.

The teacher, being the center of knowledge, explains concepts while learners take notes. Direct instruction often thrives with structured and scripted lesson plans.

While it may seem tedious, this teaching technique works well on students in higher elementary grades since they have longer attention spans. It’s especially effective when the teacher incorporates visualization during teaching.

Visualization involves bringing concepts to life using audio and visual aids. It boosts learners’ attention and helps them better comprehend the subject matter. Teachers can utilize the following resources when applying this strategy:

  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Diagrams
  • Charts
  • Maps
  • Audio clips
  • Songs, etc.

Another way of using visualization techniques is by demonstration or modeling. In mathematics, for instance, you can illustrate a new idea first and then take your learners through guided practice before allowing them to practice individually. In sciences, consider demonstrating through experiments to enable visual learners to understand better.

However, every teaching style has its pros and cons.

 Pros

  • Direct instruction ensures order in the classroom. The students remain silent as the teacher leads the learning activities.
  • It emphasizes the significance of the teacher’s function — that being the leader, or coordinator. Learners rely on the support of their teachers to develop skills.
  • It’s much easier for teachers to achieve the desired goals when in control.

Cons

  • When used blindly, direct instruction learning can become boring: hence, the emphasis on visualization.
  • Direct instruction isn’t the best way to promote student collaboration and discourages autonomous study skills. Instead, learners become solely dependent on teachers, which can result in poor decision-making, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Small-Group Instruction

Small Group Instruction (SGI) is another teacher-led approach. However, this teaching style involves a smaller teacher-student ratio, typically with learners in groups of 2-6. This is ideal, especially on particular subjects, especially in math and reading. The main aim of SGI is to deal with learning deficits by reinforcing what has already been learned in whole-group instruction.

SGI is primarily instrumental to particular groups of students like:

  • Language learners.
  • Introverted learners
  • Students that require more time and support.
  • Students with anxiety or mental health issues.
  • Students from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.

It works best when the teacher knows where the learners are in terms of understanding.

Hence, you should take the first few weeks of school to gauge your students’ instructional levels. Gauging is achieved by analyzing data derived from formative and summative assessments.

Once you’ve determined the learning deficits, you’ll plan specific lessons (2-5 per week) to address them for the remainder of the term. Learners are then organized in homogenous groups based on individual needs to enable tailored instruction.

Here, it’s best to utilize visual aids, manipulatives, technology, and other supplementary resources to help them grasp the concepts quickly.

You may wonder how to keep the rest of the class engaged while working with a small unit. Classroom management is vital. Consider creating various learning stations that involve challenging activities for the other students who will need to demonstrate their independence skills while the teacher is busy with the SGI. These activities should be in alignment with the grade’s learning standards.

Here’s a helpful YouTube video to help you better understand the concept of learning stations:

Pros

  • SGI lessons are designed according to individual students’ abilities. Teachers can differentiate and personalize instruction — yielding better learning outcomes.
  • SGI benefits students who may have trouble participating in large group instruction.
  • Utilizing various learning materials and activities in the workstations increases the interest and engagement of all students.

Cons

  • SGI can be time-consuming for teachers, as they have to plan the lessons and organize learning materials and stations for all groups of learners.
  • If the teacher has not established effective behavior management strategies, some students will struggle to complete tasks and learn independently.

Montessori Learning

Montessori’s child-centered approach to learning was founded over 100 years ago by Dr. Maria Montessori. This teaching method is based on the philosophy that effective learning occurs only when children choose what to learn.

In a Montessori classroom, the teacher crafts an optimal learning environment full of age-appropriate activities to allow children to choose from and steer the learning process.

These activities are created in stations or corners, from which children choose throughout the day to work on. Learners can work as individuals or in groups but at their own pace. Here, the teacher only ensures that the student picks an adequate number of activities from all learning areas.

Montessori classrooms are also renowned for their appealing sight: plenty of room, natural light, and accurately curated learning aids to assist students in directing their learning. Their grading system is unconventional, and learning involves developing practical skills like cleaning and cooking.

Watch this YouTube video to gain in-depth insight into the Montessori teaching style:

Pros

  • Montessori learning promotes a hands-on approach to learning where children can learn independently through interaction with objects. Therefore, it encourages independent thinking, creativity, and confidence.
  • It promotes a sense of responsibility in children since they choose what activities to work on and where to work.
  • Montessori capitalizes on social interaction. It allows different-aged children in the same learning space. This arrangement promotes peer-to-peer learning, where children learn from each other.
  • It fosters a lifelong curiosity and love for learning within children. Montessorians have been observed to remain ceaselessly curious about their surroundings. They perceive learning as a pleasant life-long process instead of an activity that ends after a school session.
  • Montessori favors all children, including those with special needs to acquire personalized instruction.

Cons

  • The program can be pricey when considering the learning materials and in-depth teacher training.
  • As much as it cultivates a deep sense of independence and self-guidance, it may make it difficult for students to perform in teams or under more authority in their later years.
  • Since it follows a less-structured curriculum, teachers are bound to fall behind in some subjects. Teachers and students who are used to a more structured curriculum may also find difficulties in adapting to the Montessori way of teaching.

Project-Based Learning

Project-Based learning (PBL) is another student-centered teaching approach involving students participating in and completing projects together. However, don’t mistake PBL for the typical school projects we assign children. By school projects, I refer to assignments like:

  • Constructing a model
  • Creating artwork
  • Writing a drama script
  • Creating a flowchart that describes a process in math, geography, science, etc.

PBL is a long-term learning process. It can last up to a semester or even a year of study, and it involves projects that have an impact — those that seek to solve actual-life problems. The projects are usually interdisciplinary, that is, cut across numerous subject areas like math, science, arts, and social studies.

PBL is driven by relevant open-ended questions, requiring students to reflect and revise constantly. Therefore, in this environment, students brainstorm ideas in groups and utilize the knowledge they acquire in the classroom to develop solutions. Some examples may include the following:

  • Planting trees within the school compound to raise awareness about the importance of green spaces and nature.
  • Cultivating a school garden and coming up with productive farming methods. The produce can then be donated to charity to feed the less fortunate within the community.
  • Building a water purifying system for school use.
  • Developing an app or website for a specific purpose.
  • Creating a school newspaper or radio show.

Pros

  • It helps learners build on what they’ve already learned through questioning, examining, interacting with the environment, and acting on these experiences.
  • Students gain a deeper understanding of concepts when the learning is applied to a real-life, meaningful action.
  • PBL is very interactive and engaging. It promotes cooperation among students by allowing them to organize and carry out tasks in groups.
  • It helps build skills such as research, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making, which are crucial during their later years in the workforce.
  • Children learn and develop in a more realistic setting, becoming better equipped for the future.

Cons

  • It can be both expensive and time-consuming, especially in terms of organizing, budgeting, and implementing projects.
  • Students who do not have the basic skills and understanding of concepts will be unable to access the project’s requirements.
  • Students with no experience working in groups may have difficulty taking up tasks and negotiating compromises.

Inquiry-Based Learning

Just as the name suggests, Inquiry-based learning is a question-driven type of teaching. It’s student-led and relies on learners’ questions, ideas, and analyses. It allows children to learn through exploration — investigating open-ended questions and conducting research to get answers.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is well-known for adopting the inquiry-based learning approach.

This mode of teaching tasks teachers to push learners beyond general curiosity into the dimensions of critical thinking. On the other hand, it provides a chance for children to actively participate in the learning process by exploring what they’re curious about.

Four types of inquiry-based learning exist:

  • Open Inquiry: Students present their own questions, research the subject matter using their own methods and present the outcomes for discussion.
  • Confirmation Inquiry: Students are presented with a question, the answer to the question, and how the solution was reached. The aim is to confirm the answer by utilizing their investigative and critical-thinking abilities.
  • Structured Inquiry: Students are given a question and a method of investigation. The goal is for them to apply the technique to come up with a solution.
  • Guided Inquiry: Students are only given a question, and the teacher guides them in designing an investigative technique to conclude. This method of inquiry is highly teacher-centered and often used in elementary schools.

Whatever the type of inquiry-based learning, the goal is to equip learners with skills to research, integrate and evaluate information.

Pros

  • Encourages critical thinking and creativity in learners as students are allowed to explore problems independently.
  • Promotes research skills.
  • Enables learners to develop problem-solving skills. They’re compelled to think outside of the box to provide solutions to problems.
  • It enhances effective communication in learners as they must explain their thoughts and ideas to others.
  • Studies show that asking questions enable learners to retain new knowledge better.
  • A teacher can quickly gauge the learners’ understanding based on their questions.

Cons

  • It can be intimidating for learners who struggle with speaking and presenting.
  • It lacks a rigid assessment framework.
  • When researching, students may use technology irresponsibly or end up on websites that are not age-appropriate.

Flipped Learning

We’re accustomed to the traditional mode of instruction that entails introducing new concepts in the classroom and giving out assignments to be done at home. Flipped learning, however, is the reverse. It involves instructors providing content outside classroom hours and using class time for active learning.

Flipped learning is based on the notion that students learn better when fully engaged in the classroom. It strives to move passive learning from the classroom to the outside.

Teachers typically provide learning materials for students to review at home or outside class. They explain concepts through:

  • Physical or digital texts
  • Online lectures
  • Videos or any other presentation software
  • Other relevant information online

Classroom time is then used for active engagements such as:

  • Small group or individual instruction
  • Learning stations
  • Debates and presentations
  • Scientific experiments
  • Peer-to-peer discussions
  • Assessments and reviews

Flipped learning has gained traction over time, becoming one of the most appealing developments in today’s classroom. A study by Flipped Learning Network found that 98% of teachers who tested the method gave positive reviews and would highly recommend it to other instructors.

Pros

  • Teachers can devote more time to struggling learners while the more able learners work ahead.
  • It allows learners to work at their own pace when reviewing content independently outside the classroom.
  • Class time is more exciting and engaging due to active learning.
  • Class time becomes more productive since learners are already familiar with the subject matter at the beginning of class.

Cons

  • Requires significant preparation of learning materials by the teacher.
  • It’s disadvantageous to learners who do not have access to technological devices like computers or a reliable internet connection.
  • It increases screen time.
  • Some students may lack learning support at home.

Personalized Learning

Personalized learning hinges on the fact that no child learns the same, as children learn in distinct ways and at different speeds. It doesn’t follow a “one-size-fits-all” perspective as in most institutions; instead, learning is customized around each individual’s needs and intellectual abilities.

This approach ensures that the student’s personal experience, interests, habits, and goals are intertwined with learning methods. This enables students to learn faster and grasp content more easily.

Therefore, when using this teaching style, the teacher creates learning plans for each student according to their existing knowledge and gauges how the student learns best. They ensure that these learning plans align with the academic standards.

The teacher also provides appropriate learning materials based on each student’s previous knowledge and learning style. These learning resources include videos, educational games, texts, questions, etc.

Pros

  • It fosters an individual’s intellectual and creative skills.
  • It helps reduce stigma in children with special needs.
  • It enables learners to develop self-advocacy skills. They can speak up about their learning interests, allowing them to participate equally in the learning process.
  • It provides a supportive environment, encouraging good student-teacher relationships.

Cons

  • It’s very demanding regarding time and organization.
  • It takes specific training, as instructors may not have sufficient inclusion training to support all learners at their individual levels.

Game-Based Learning

The textbook-only learning era is long gone, thanks to modern technology. As teachers, we know how challenging it can be to cater to different learners’ needs and keep them highly engaged simultaneously. This is where game-based learning comes in.

Game-based learning (GBL) is a teaching technique that utilizes the power of games to pass knowledge and skills. It’s a dynamic method of helping learners achieve their objectives through playful interaction with educational materials. This teaching strategy is taking the educational sector by storm because:

  • Children are becoming more and more tech-savvy at a very young age.
  • Technology companies are increasingly producing innovative and effective educational products.

A 2018 study concluded that using educational games enhances a better understanding of the subject matter as well as the engagement of students in the learning process.

In GBL, children can play online or with physical objects, independently or as a team. Some examples of educational games you can incorporate during instruction include:

  • Word games
  • Puzzle games
  • Board games
  • Role-playing games
  • Video games
  • Card games, etc.

Pros

  • GBL helps build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in children.
  • It enhances students’ interest and motivation in the subject matter.
  • It promotes situated learning.
  • The games enhance a child’s memory capacity.
  • It’s beneficial to learners with attention disorders.

Cons

  • Digital games increase screen time.
  • Learners may concentrate more on the competitive nature of the game instead of the learning objectives.
  • It can be laborious to design some games, especially when creating rules and instruction sheets.

Final Thoughts

Effective teaching is about understanding learners’ strengths and weaknesses and finding teaching methods that best meet their learning goals. Remember, there’s no such thing as the best teaching style. Every child is unique; therefore, what might work for one may not work for another.

Combining teaching styles and changing the mix regularly is advisable to reap maximum learning outcomes.

Sources

Mr Mustafa

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