Buddy Learning

Reflective teaching and Multi Sensory Approach

1. Buddy Learning, Multisensory Approach & Reflective Teaching DR.Jaganmohana Rao Faculty of Education MITE, Kohima

2. Buddy Learning A buddy program can strengthen the school community and help to challenge stereotypes, misconceptions or fears that students hold about younger or older age groups. A buddy system can also help students to feel valued and supported, teach important social skills and create a caring ethos in the school.

3. Buddy systems teach, and give children the opportunity to practise, the important values of respect, care, valuing difference, responsibility, friendship and including others. Buddy programs consist of upper-grade students reading and/or completing activities or projects with younger children. Older students are paired with younger children from their buddy class and the most effective programs have at least two grade levels between students. The experience provides children with stimulating opportunities for learning and skill development.

4. A peer-tutoring program is similar to a buddy program. However, it only includes children in need of academic assistance. An older student is paired with a child that he or she tutors once or twice a week, before or after school or during school hours. The Better Buddies Framework: Develops positive cross-age relationships Provides opportunities for peer tutoring

5. Contributes to a positive and caring school culture Develops pro-social values and skills Develops responsibility Builds self confidence Develops empathy Promotes inclusion Discourages bullying.

6. Multisensory Approach Multisensory Approach in teaching is the simultaneous use of visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic-tactile to enhance memory and learning. Links are consistently made between the visuals (what we see), auditory (what we hear), and kinaesthetic- tactile (what we do or feel) which enable the learner to store the information directly to the brain in its real sense.

7. Most teaching techniques are done using either sight or hearing (visual or auditory). The child’s sight is used in reading information, looking at text, pictures or reading information based from the board. The hearing sense is used to listen to what the teacher says.

8. Multisensory techniques are frequently used for children with learning differences. Students with learning difficulties typically have difficulties in one or more areas of reading, spelling, writing, math, listening comprehension and expressive language. Multisensory techniques enable students to use their personal areas of strength to help them learn. They can range from simple to complex, depending on the needs of the student and the task at hand.

9. The Different Teaching and Learning Techniques: Visual techniques: Visual learning methods includes diagrams, modelling, photos and video. Anything that will display something to the student is considered visual. Auditory techniques: Auditory learning methods includes dialogue, clapping, rhymes or anything that can be heard. Teachers use clapping or tapping as a means of auditory aid. (Audio books are really effective for students (or anyone!)

10. Tactile Techniques: Tactile learning includes feel and touch. Teachers use anything textured or raised to help with tactile learning such as coins, sand, dice and clay. Kinaesthetic techniques: Kinaesthetic learning methods include movement and doing things (i.e. writing and anything physical). This type of learning method engages the gross motor skills.

11. Key benefits of the multisensory approach are: Increased learner engagement Generating a greater capacity for learning Encouraging a greater knowledge transfer Improved attitudes towards learning Greater student achievement

12. Reflective teaching Reflective teaching is a personal tool that teachers can use to observe and evaluate the way they behave in their classroom. Helps teachers in their professional development self-awareness is a powerful ally for a teacher, especially when so much of what and how they teach. Purpose of Reflective Teaching

13. Reflection is one activity which bring forth the practices and understanding of educational processes. Reflection is the process in which teachers become aware, or are supported to become aware, of the theory and motives behind their own teaching. Reflective teacher education is a approach which ‘intended to prepare teachers to become more thoughtful’.

14. Reflective Vs Invariant Teaching: A Reflective Teacher One who can design and implement an effective educational program by adapting his or her teaching skills and techniques to the specific school situation An Invariant Teacher One who uses one approach in all teaching situations regardless of the class/school characteristics

15. Variables That Influence Effective Teaching: Values of the teacher Class size Number of class sessions per week Facilities and equipment Student behavior Context of the school

16. Variable The Reflective Teacher Planning Adjust lesson plans to differences between classes and children Methodology Vary the methodology according to such factors as (1) kinds of children in the class; (2) purpose of the lesson; (3) ability of the children to accept responsibility Equipment and facilities Modify activities and lessons to available equipment and facilities Discipline Attempt to understand management problems and then seek the causes, modifying teaching procedure accordingly Assessment Regularly assess the children and also seek constructive criticism about their teaching from children and colleagues

17. Advantages of Reflective Teaching: Reflective teaching develops the quality of teaching through continuous improvements. It gives educators new opportunities to reflect on and assess their teaching. It enables teachers to explore and test new ideas, methods, approaches, and materials. It provides opportunity to assess how effective the new approaches were. Teachers share feedback with fellow team members. They make decisions about which new approaches to include in the school’s curriculum, instruction, and assessment plans