Lesson 2: Traditional Teaching Method

• Traditional teaching methods


  Focused on the teacher as the only source of information in the classroom, embraced the idea of a teacher-centered method involving face-to-face interaction, mainly from the teacher to the student
• Discussion


  Retains some of the features of lecturing when the teacher still impacts the lesson to the students through interaction, gives them opportunity to share their insights or understanding of the topic, may be formal or informal, allows student-teacher or student-student interaction
• Purpose of discussion


  To give learners an opportunity to apply principles, concepts, and theories, as well as clarify information and concepts
• Types of discussion method


  • Formal Discussion
  • Panel Discussion
  • Informal Discussion
  • Parliamentary Discussion
  • Individual Discussion
• Formal Discussion


  1. Class is divided into small groups

  2. A topic is given to all groups

  3. Each group selects its leaders and divide responsibilities among all group members

  4. Students participate in discussion in the form of groups
• Panel Discussion


  A discussion in which a few people carry on a conversation in front of the audience, made up of a moderator who asks questions, panelists, and the audience (the rest of the class)
• Informal Discussion


  1. A topic is given by the teacher to students

  2. All the class participates in discussion

  3. Grouping is not done in the class

  4. Every student has a chance to speak
• Parliamentary Discussion


  1. The whole class is divided into two groups

  2. One group is in favor of the topic and the other group is opposed

  3. Teacher guides the students whenever necessary
• Individual Discussion


  1. Teachers discuss with an individual on a topic related to the subject

  2. Personal problems of the student are also discussed
• Advantages of discussion method


  • Emphasis on learning instead of teaching
  • Participation by everybody
  • Develop democratic ways of thinking
  • Increase knowledge
  • Made interest
  • Generate new ideas
  • Develop leadership quality
  • Develop problem solving ability
  • Create motivation and confidence
  • Helps students learn the process of group problem solving
  • Supports student's ways to develop and evaluate their beliefs and positions
  • Can foster attitudes through understanding and allow student freedom to assert their opinions hence, application of new knowledge takes place
• Disadvantages of discussion method


  • More time and effort
  • May not end with a solution
  • Teacher may not be able to guide and provide true leadership
  • It may create emotional stress
  • Only a few students may dominate the whole discussion
  • All topics are not able to reach through this method
  • Requires additional time for students to contemplate and engage in interaction
  • Effectively only in small groups
  • Might not serve as an efficient means of conveying information
  • Useful only if the participants come prepared with the needed background information
• Planning for conducting discussion method


  1. Teacher should guide the discussion to keep it on track

  2. Proper objectives can be defined for the discussion

  3. It must be guided by the instructor and he/she must share his/her personal experiences and opinions

  4. Everyone in the groups is given the opportunity to talk, even those students who are shy

  5. Encourage the students

  6. Instructor's responsibility to see that the objectives are met or not