≡ Menu

What Instructional Teaching Tools Are Imperative in the Classroom

What Instructional Teaching Tools Are Imperative in the Classroom

Can you name three instructional teaching tools that are imperative in the classroom? One of the interview panel members would ask you this common teacher job interview question. 

Read on and get prepared.

As you know, the importance of having an appropriate strategic approach to teaching and instruction is an integral part of your success as an educator.

The interview panel will want to find out what tools you find to be most important to your teaching, and it will provide insight into your teaching style by the types of instructional tools you choose.

Remember that in questions like these, there really are no wrong answers. It may be an excellent time to do some self-reflection to identify what tools work best for your students.

Just be honest, choose tools that you really use and find most helpful to your teaching, and don’t forget to explain how they enhance your classroom.

Three Instructional Teaching Tools

The following example is a well-structured response:

I believe the instructional teaching tools imperative in the classroom are math manipulatives, scaffolding, and PowerPoint presentations.

Manipulatives are perhaps my favorite instructional tool because they are so effective. Manipulates can be used in any subject, especially Math and Science. They allow complex abstract ideas to be displayed concretely to benefit student comprehension.

When manipulatives are used, the senses are brought into learning: students can move and touch objects to make visual representations of mathematical concepts and, thereby, help them grasp these complex problems firmly.

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a key instructional technique that helps develop students’ understanding gradually and with specifically designed support. There are many different ways to scaffold instruction to students.

Scaffolding can be done regularly, which makes it really beneficial. I think that graphic organizers are one of the best ways to scaffold. It is fantastic for visual learners, as it presents information to students in a visual way to help them better understand the material.

Presentations – PowerPoint

Perhaps the most boring part of a lesson for students is the direct lecture section. Although teachers do their best to shorten the amount of time spent spewing out information at the front of the class, this is still an important part of the lesson students need to pay attention to. The introduction of PowerPoint presentations has much improved this part of a lesson.

PowerPoint presentations are a much more engaging way to display notes and important lesson concepts than through lectures or writing on the blackboard. Within PowerPoint, you have the option of presenting information using visuals, video, music, moving text, and other features that captivate students and help them focus on the learning at hand.

Of course, there are many tech tools to differentiate instruction to optimize student learning.

What are three instructional teaching tools that you find to be imperative in the classroom? Please comment below on how you would answer this question in a job interview.