Active learning

There are many benefits that can be taken away from the practice of active learning within a classroom. Things like taking students outside to learn or having them participate in various activities within a classroom can help them to remember things more than from just sitting listening to a teacher dictate a lesson. Also through active learning students can work together on tasks which will get them speaking to new people enhancing their social skills. Through this they will learn how to work with people from different backgrounds and attitudes. Also as teachers, we can ask the children working in a group to give one another feedback or to observe one another. This way students will receive feedback on their work straight away and more often. They will also see how others learn and may find a way that suits them better and helps them in their learning. Active learning is also a great way to enhance a child’s self-confidence as it gets them speaking out and doing activities with others, compared to sitting silently in a classroom. It is also better experience for the student as they get to do activities which are enjoyable, which in the long term, will be more beneficial to their learning.

Cooperative learning

There are also many benefits that can be taken away from the practice of cooperative learning within a classroom. One thing I have noticed from being on placement is that from working as part of a group, children ‘translate’ if you like, what the teacher is saying in to a form of language that is easier for the children to understand, therefore making the task seem easier to them. From working in small groups, children learn to listen to others viewpoints, which they may have the same view, thus they are able to work together to develop on that point. Also if there is part of a task that one student does not understand and another does, they are able to work together to ensure that they both finally end up understanding both parts. Not only do students have fun learning in groups, it also motivates them as they wants their group to do well. Often teachers have targets for students working in groups, such as group point, therefore the students within each group will want to work more and they will achieve more from their learning as they have something to work towards.