Principles of Teaching :

Teaching is one of the instruments of education and its special function is to impart understanding and skill. Teaching is a relationship which is established between three focal points in education, the teacher, the child and the subject. Teaching is a process by which the teacher brings the student and the content of teaching together. Successful teaching necessitates that the teacher comes down to the level of his students and at the same time helps them in raising about it. The general principles of teaching can be studied as under.

1. Principle of definite goals or objectives :

Teaching without a definite goal is like a ship without a rader. The main objective of teaching-learning process is to bring about a desirable change in the behaviour of the learner. Therefore, the goals of teaching-learning must be clear both to teachers and students. Goals and objectives put the teachers and students on the right track. Goals help in planning, executing and evaluating the whole process of teaching and learning.

2. Principle of child centeredness :

The new concept of teaching is child centred. In any teaching-learning process child occupies a pivotal place. The entire endeavour of teaching is for the child. So, the child’s interest, aptitudes, attitudes and abilities should get prime importance in any teaching-learning process.

3. The principle of individual difference :

It is a recognized fact that no two individuals are alike in intelligence, aptitudes, temperament and home condition. While teaching, a teacher should recognize the individual difference in learning capacity. He should not expect the same standard of achievement from all the pupils. Effective teaching must cater to the individual differences of children.

4. Principle of linking with life :

Through education an attempt is being made to prepare the child to lead an effective life. Therefore, it is suggested that learning should be linked with life as far as possible. According to John Dewey as the child has to live in a society and the potentialities of the child blooms within the society, the gulf between the life in society and the life in the school should be minimized. To achieve this in teaching school subjects should be linked’ with the practical life. For example, while giving instruction on health and hygiene a teacher can advise the students to follow the rules of health and hygiene in their daily life. Similarly, civics lessons can be based on the functions of rural panchayat or municipal committee.

5. Principle of correlation :

Teaching of different subject should not be compartmentalized. Because knowledge is one ‘whole’. Various ideas and events are interrelated. There exist some links among different subjects. Correlation of the present events can be made with the past. Similarly future can be visualized on the basis of present affairs or happenings. Similarly, some links exist among school subjects. Therefore, in teaching different subjects of the curriculum attempt should be made to utilize the links between . different subjects.

6. Principle of active involvement and participation of students:

Effective teaching depends, to a great extent, upon the active participation and involvement of students. According to the modern concept teaching-learning is a two-way process. Traditional concept of teaching was teacher centred in which student had little role to play. Here teacher taught and the students had to listen him passively. But the new teaching emphasizes that the students must actively participate in the whole teaching- learning process,

7. Principle of co-operation :

Teaching-learning is a two way process in which both teacher and students must extend their co-operative hands. Classroom teaching becomes lively and fruitful when teacher and taught work in unison, helping each other in all the steps of teaching and learning. As both the teacher and the taught work with the same objective they must work co-operatively.

8. Principle of remedial teaching:

Owing to individual difference all students of a class cannot Teaching Learning Process 31 learn a lesson with the same speed and with same accuracy. Some students are advance while others are lagging behind and need extra coaching. It is the duty of the teacher to find out the fault and to take action to arrive at a positive result. He may have to arrange for remedial or compensatory or extra-teaching for any particular group of students for removing their specific difficulties.

9. Principle of conducive environment :

Atmosphere plays a vital role in any effective teaching- learning process. Conducive environment acts as a stimulating agent in the process of learning. A teacher by his sympathetic and judicious attitude can create a conducive environment. Proper physical environment, such as arrangement of light and furniture, display of attractive charts and models, also contribute in motivating the learners,

10. Principle of planning :

Planning isa pre-requisite for the successful accomplishment of any act. Planning determines the quality and success of any work. Efficient teaching also depends on planning. In teaching planning includes preparation of the lesson, provision of teaching aids, proper methods of teaching. Planning in teaching cannot be rigid; it should be modified according to the need of time and situation.

11. Principle of effective strategies: ‘

Strategy plays an important role in teaching. Effective teaching depends upon the adoption of proper means, strategies and methods. According to B.O. Smith “teaching strategy helps in attaining certain out-come and it guards against other. A teaching strategy isa generalized plan for a lesson which includes structure and desired learning behaviour in terms of objectives of instruction. It also includes the outline of the planned policy and method for implementation of the strategy.”

12. Principle of flexibility :

Strategies should serve as guide in effective teaching. So, strategies should not be too rigid. Often strategies have to change according to the need of the classroom situation. As teaching is a very complex task and a living phenomenon. The possibility of changing the predetermined strategies cannot be ruled out at the time of actual implementation. Therefore, a teacher should be much more imaginative and resourceful to act in accordance with the requirement of the teaching-learning environment.

13. Principle of variety :

A teacher has to deal with a group of children in the classroom. As there is individual difference, a teacher cannot expect that the same strategy and teaching aid will bring desirable result. Therefore, to make teaching fruitful, a variety of teaching aid and strategies should be adopted. Use of different teaching aids and strategies act as a tonic to motivate and sustain the interest of students and help in reducing lethargy and boredom.

14. Principle of activity :

This principle has a direct link with the nature of children. By nature, children are active. Observing the very nature of children, Froebel emphasized the importance of learning by doing. Active participation of the child, both physically and mentally, make the classroom learning easier, quicker and more effective. According to this principle for successful teaching the head and hand must work together. The more is the activity of the learner, the more efficient is the teaching-learning process.