Unit-I: INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING

1. Meaning of Teaching

Teaching is a complex, purposeful, and social activity designed to facilitate learning. It is more than just imparting information; it is the process of guiding, supporting, and motivating a learner to acquire knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes.

Narrow vs. Broad Meaning

• Narrow Meaning: In its narrow sense, teaching is the formal instruction given by a teacher in a classroom. It is limited to the syllabus and a specific time.
• Broad Meaning: In its broader sense, teaching is any act by any person (e.g., parent, friend, colleague) that helps another person to learn. It is a lifelong process.

H.C. Morrison: "Teaching is an intimate contact between a more mature personality and a less mature one which is designed to further the education of the latter."

Teaching vs. Learning

Teaching and learning are closely related but not identical.

• Teaching is the *process* or the *action* intended to produce learning.
• Learning is the *outcome* or the *change* in behavior that results from experience.

2. Nature and Characteristics

Nature of Teaching

• Teaching is an Art and a Science: It is an art because it requires creativity, intuition, and style. It is a science because it is based on psychological principles, systematic methods, and evaluation.
• Teaching is a Social and Professional Activity: It is social because it involves interaction between a teacher, students, and society. It is professional because it requires specialized knowledge, skills, and ethical conduct.
• Teaching is a Tri-polar Process: As defined by John Dewey, it involves three poles: the Teacher, the Student, and the Content/Subject Matter.

Characteristics of Teaching

1. It is a Purposeful Activity: All teaching has a clear goal, i.e., to bring about desired changes in the learner.
2. It is an Interactive Process: Teaching involves active communication and interaction between the teacher and the students.
3. It is a Planned Activity: Effective teaching is not random. It is systematically planned (lesson plans, curriculum) to achieve its objectives.
4. It is a Process of Development: The aim of teaching is the holistic development of the child (intellectual, social, emotional).
5. It is Adaptive: A good teacher adapts their methods and style to suit the needs of the students and the learning environment.
6. It is Observable, Measurable, and Modifiable: We can observe a teacher's actions, measure their effectiveness (through student learning), and modify them for improvement.

3. Functions of Teaching

The functions of teaching can be broadly divided into three categories:

1. Diagnostic Function

Before teaching, the teacher must "diagnose" the situation. This involves:

• Assessing the students' prior knowledge.
• Identifying their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and learning styles.
• Understanding the context and available resources.

2. Prescriptive Function

Based on the diagnosis, the teacher "prescribes" a course of action. This is the planning phase, which includes:

• Setting clear learning objectives.
• Choosing the appropriate content and organizing it logically.
• Selecting the right teaching methods, strategies, and aids (e.g., "For this topic, a demonstration is better than a lecture").

3. Evaluative Function

This function involves checking if the teaching was successful. This includes:

• Asking questions during the lesson (formative assessment).
• Giving tests, assignments, or quizzes after the lesson (summative assessment).
• Providing feedback to students.
• Reflecting on one's own teaching to make improvements.

4. Maxims of Teaching

Maxims are simple, time-tested guidelines or "rules of thumb" that help make teaching more effective and efficient. They guide the teacher on how to proceed in a lesson.

• From Known to Unknown: Start with what the student already knows and then connect it to new, unknown information. Example: When teaching about lions, start by talking about cats (which are known).
• From Simple to Complex: Teach simple concepts and skills first, and then build upon them to teach more complex ones. Example: Teach addition before teaching multiplication.
• From Concrete to Abstract: Students learn best when they can see, touch, or experience something real (concrete) before moving to abstract ideas. Example: Use real apples (concrete) to teach the concept of "two" or "addition" before using the abstract symbol "2 + 2 = 4".
• From Particular to General: Give students several specific examples (particular) and then help them derive the general rule or principle. This is the basis of inductive reasoning. Example: Show that iron, gold, and copper all expand when heated (particulars), then conclude that "metals expand when heated" (general rule).
• From Whole to Part: (Gestalt Maxim) Present the lesson as a whole picture first, and then break it down into its parts. Example: Read a whole poem first to get the feel of it, then analyze it stanza by stanza.
• From Psychological to Logical: "Psychological" means according to the child's interest and readiness. "Logical" means according to the subject's structure. A good teacher starts with what interests the child (psychological) and then arranges the content systematically (logical).
• From Analysis to Synthesis: Analysis means breaking a problem into its parts. Synthesis means combining the parts to form a whole solution. Example: In geography, first analyze a country's parts (rivers, mountains, climate), then synthesize this information to understand its whole economy.

5. Principles of Teaching

Principles are more fundamental and broader than maxims. They are the psychological and general principles that underpin all good teaching.

General Principles

1. Principle of Motivation: Teaching is only effective if the student is motivated. The teacher must create interest and curiosity.
2. Principle of Activity (Learning by Doing): Students learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process, not just passively listening.
3. Principle of Interest: Link the teaching to the student's natural interests.
4. Principle of Linking with Life: Connect the classroom subject to real-life situations.
5. Principle of Definite Aim: Both the teacher and the students should be clear about the objective of the lesson.

Psychological Principles

1. Principle of Readiness: (From Thorndike) Teach when the student is mentally and physically "ready" to learn.
2. Principle of Individual Differences: No two students are alike. The teacher must adapt teaching to cater to different learning speeds, styles, and abilities.
3. Principle of Feedback and Reinforcement: (From Skinner) Provide immediate and positive feedback (praise, encouragement) to reinforce correct learning.
4. Principle of Creativity and Self-Expression: Give students opportunities to be creative and express their own ideas.

6. Teaching-Learning as a Three-Way Communication Process

Modern teaching is not a one-way "monologue" from the teacher. It is a dynamic "dialogue" or a three-way communication process.

The three poles of this process are:

1. The Teacher (Sender):
   • The teacher encodes the message (the content) using words, gestures, and teaching aids.
   • They are also a receiver of feedback from the students.
2. The Student (Receiver):
   • The student decodes the message, tries to understand it, and learns.
   • They are also a sender when they ask questions, answer, or show non-verbal cues (like looking confused).
3. The Content (Message):
   • This is the subject matter, skill, or attitude being communicated.
   • The "channel" for this message can be the teacher's voice, a textbook, a video, or an activity.

This process is a three-way communication because:

• Teacher communicates to Student (Instruction).
• Student communicates to Teacher (Feedback, Questions).
• Teacher and Student together interact with the Content.

For this communication to be effective, "noise" (e.g., a loud classroom, confusing language, student disinterest) must be minimized. The teacher's job is to ensure the message is not just *sent*, but also *received* and *understood*. This is why feedback is essential.