The 5 Different Teaching Styles: A Guide to How You Can Use Them to Diversify Your Online Workshop

Even though every facilitator is unique, the prevalent style of teaching has been evolving dramatically over the past few decades, along with the new cultural norms and technological advancements. Unfortunately, many experienced teachers in traditional teaching environments are not aware of the way they approach teaching, even though their approach to instruction directly impacts student participation and engagement. 

That being said, it is crucial to identify the primary styles of teaching and break them down to determine their effectiveness and place as you facilitate in your online workshops!

The 5 styles

Authoritative

The authority style is typically used in a lecture or auditorium setting, where the teacher will give a lengthy discussion on a pre-assigned topic. At the same time, students take notes and memorize critical pieces of information. In a standard classroom setting, where there are fewer students, the authority or lecture style is less common because it does not offer any opportunities for student participation.

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Delegator

The most student-centric teaching style is called the delegator style. In this type of teaching, the teacher is merely present as an observer, and it’s the group of students doing all the work. For example, the teacher may take an observer role to promote collaboration and encourage peer-to-peer learning. Delegator-style learning takes place primarily through collaborative discussions with peers. The instructor is more involved as a facilitator rather than a conversation controller. The delegator style is most effective for lab-based experiments, group tutoring classes, creative writing, debates, and peer-to-peer activities. However, some critics consider the delegation or group style a poor teaching strategy, as it removes the teacher from a position of authority.

Hybrid

Hybrid teaching styles try to balance teacher- and student-centered approaches. Diverse teaching styles involve using a combination of both teacher- and student-centered approaches. The hybrid teaching style is often used by teachers who bring their knowledge and expertise to the class. They still follow a structure for every lecture, but they can adjust their flow and come up with activities that keep the students engaged.

Hybrid approaches can be pretty practical when covering information-heavy courses, but they can take longer to pace and may be less efficient for more fast-paced classes.

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Some teachers adopt an integrated teaching style, which incorporates their personality, preferences, and interests into their tutoring. But a delegator or group tutoring approach is frequently used for disciplines that call for group work, peer feedback, or lab-based learning. A hybrid style is a common approach used in the fields of English, science, and religious studies. However, some detractors contend that by attempting to be all things to all pupils, the hybrid style can undermine the learning process.

Demonstrator

Under the demonstrator style, the teacher still retains a lot of authority but is more open to trying a student-centered approach to teaching.

You can see the demonstrator encouraging students to come up with problem-solving strategies, ask questions and simulate what they’ve just learned.

• The demonstrator often goes beyond lectures, showing presentations, images, films, and experiments. As a result, it’s more applicable to more learning styles.
• Demonstrators retain authority in the classroom by combining lectures and other teaching forms, such as multimedia presentations, demonstrations, and class activities.

The demonstrator style is an effective teaching method for subjects such as music, art, and physical education, where demonstrations are necessary to understand a topic comprehensively. However, it may not be suitable in other areas of study where direct teacher-student interaction is preferred.

Mentor

There is a shift to an even more student-centered approach to teaching.

Facilitators encourage inquiry-based learning in which students learn by asking questions and discussing real-world case studies. Some other activities may improve problem-solving skills and help understand the subject matter better through practical challenges.

• Facilitators or activity-based teaching styles encourage students to learn more effectively through increased peer-to-peer learning. 
• Rather than presenting information directly, these teachers ask students to question it and explore it on their own. 
• This type of instruction often leads to a deeper understanding of the material being studied, as well as improved problem-solving skills.

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The facilitator of this method must actively interact with certain pupils, which can be difficult in a large classroom. Therefore, the design layout of the room should be carefully considered to ensure it facilitates this interaction.

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How Effective Are These Five Teaching Styles?

Pupils need to be engaged in the learning process if they benefit from the instruction received in the classroom. To do this, teachers should experiment with different styles and challenge themselves to find one that will work best for each pupil.

One reason to have different teaching styles in your arsenal is the variety of students you might see in your class. For instance, some pupils learn best when they pay attention and comply with instructions, while others benefit from being allowed more latitude to explore and experiment. By having different teaching styles available to you, you can adapt your approach to match the learning style of each student in your class.

A style of teaching that is unique to you and the students you teach is most likely a combination of the big five teaching styles. As a teacher, it is crucial to be aware of the type of leadership that you want to facilitate in your classroom. This can include leading by example, providing support and encouragement, and setting clear expectations.

No single approach works best for all students, as each student will likely excel under different conditions. However, adults are shown to have more significant responses to cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is a type of teaching style that requires more group work and pairs well with the mentor or delegator style of teaching.

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