Methods of Teaching

Today in class (5 minutes)
Select a Student Teacher at random to review the characteristics of effective discus-
sions. (Make sure the charts listing these characteristics are not in view.) Ask the class 
whether any characteristics are missing from their colleague’s review and, if so, which 
ones. Once any differences of opinion have been resolved, tell the class that today’s 
session will focus on differences between a recitation lesson and a discussion lesson.
Small-group work: questions in recitation lessons (15 minutes)
Using Handout 7 ‘Recitation and Discussion Require Different Questions’, the groups 
should discuss and agree on the purpose of recitation lessons and then identify the 
characteristics of questions asked in recitation lessons. For example, a teacher asks a 
question and one student answers it – like a fast-paced quiz show with only on correct 
(brief ) answer. Have Student Teachers review the fourth grade classroom dialogue 
(recitation lessons) about Androcles and the Lion and The Cay. They should discuss 

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UNIT 1
UNIT 4
UNIT 5
UNIT 3
UNIT 6
UNIT 2
UNIT 7
ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN EDUCATION/B.ED. (HONS) ELEMENTARY
whether the questions in both dialogues are alike or different and then explain their 
reasoning. (Though the questions ask children to recall facts, they are different. In the 
Androcles recitation, questions are ‘what’ questions; in The Cay recitation, the ques-
tions are ‘why’ questions.)
In-class writing (10 minutes)
Working independently, each Student Teacher should answer to the question about 
the Androcles and The Cay recitations in writing. They should submit their piece at the 
end of the writing period.
Small-group work: different purposes of recitation and discussion (10 minutes)
In small-group discussions, Student Teachers will focus on the different purposes of 
recitation and discussion. (You may give students the following hint to guide their 
discussions: recitations are called quiz shows; discussions are called conversations.)