Demonstration

Tool/Technique	Demonstration
Purpose (goal):	Demonstration = words (audio) + performance (visual information) Demonstrations can be classified in two ways: – Result Demonstration shows the results of some activity, practice or procedure through evidence that can be seen, heard, or felt. – Method Demonstration illustrates how to do something in a step-by-step fashion.
Description / instruction:	A demonstration lesson is a planned lesson taught to an interview committee or a group of students to assess your teaching abilities and skills. The process can vary depending on the school: You may be directed to teach a specific topic or a particular skill; or, you may be able to teach a lesson entirely of your own choosing. You might be asked to teach a 15-minute lesson to the interview committee; or, you might be asked to teach a 45–60 minute lesson to a class of students. Sometimes the interview committee will provide time after the lesson to reflect with you on how it went as well.   1. Organize and deliver a purposeful lesson What with standardized testing and criteria for teaching to specific standards, teachers face high demands for accountability. There never seems to be enough time in the school day to cover everything. Effective teachers must be well-prepared, well-organized, and purposeful in their instruction. Indicator: Conveys a strong sense of purpose and knows the lesson well. Sequences planned learning experiences with a timetable. Delivers an engaging lesson that motivates students to learn.    2.  Respond to all learners Effective teachers recognize the wide range of needs among diverse learners in the classroom. They use knowledge of how their students learn along with their students’ individual interests, strengths, challenges, language, cultural backgrounds, and developmental needs to mold their lessons. In addition, effective teachers collaborate with other school personnel in teaching students with special needs. Indicator: Connects with all students in the classroom. Differentiates instruction to engage all learners. Assesses student learning. 3.  Manage the class Effective teachers create the conditions for a safe, productive learning environment. They have a plan for a well-managed classroom based on a learning community, structures, routines, and clear expectations and instructions. Indicator: Creates a positive environment that fosters learning and respect. Makes smooth transitions from the whole class to small groups. Has command of the classroom.   4. Reflect and make adjustments in the moment of teaching Effective teachers work from a well-conceived plan of action. However, during instruction they should monitor their students’ learning and make changes to their lesson plans as needed. Indicator: Uses results of formative assessment to make instructional decisions. Is flexible, yet maintains a focus on the purpose of learning. DO – Interact with students and encourage them to interact with you. – Model instructions or concepts. – Establish rapport with students. – Keep in mind the overarching purpose of your lesson. – Assess student understanding as you go and alter instruction as needed. – Prepare your lesson well ahead of time and practice, practice, practice! – Recognize the diverse needs of students. DON’T – Assume that everything will go as planned. – Incorporate lots of bells and whistles that don’t contribute to the effectiveness of the lesson. – Gloss over students’ questions in order to stick to your lesson plan. – Get in over your head with regard to subject matter. – Lose sight of what you want students to achieve. – Focus on how well you are doing—instead, focus on how well students are learning.
Examples:	Plan for a demonstration – Test for starch Class: VII Duration: 40 minutes General aim: The students will be able to understand that the presence of starch in food can be tested. Instructional objectives: After this lesson, the students will be able to: – list some commonly available food items that contain starch – describe the test for starch in food items. Introduction: The interest and curiosity of the students will be aroused and their previous knowledge in the area will also be tested by asking them simple questions such as ‘What is the necessity for food containing carbohydrates?’ and ‘How is carbohydrate stored in plants?’ Thereafter the responses will be noted on the blackboard. and use it to announce to detect the presence of starch in food a simple test can be carried out, they would see how it is done. Equipment and materials: A test tube rack with clean test tubes, a dropper, food items of various types, tincture iodine and water. Teaching aid: A chart with pictures of energy-giving food, and the board. The seating arrangement is planned to enable every student to view the demonstration. Purpose of demonstration: – to generate students’ interest – to show students the test for starch Learning objectives: By the end of the demonstration the students will be able to: – describe the test for starch – identify starchy foods Resources needed:  – different foods, e.g. roti, rice, fruits, seeds, spinach, cheese, etc. – iodine and pipette – small plates – waste bucket Plan of demonstration: Introduction Review work on nutrients in food Food tests identify which foods contain which nutrients Safety Students will have come across the word ‘energy’ in many different contexts. This will help them to draw together what they have learnt in Physics (energy transfer), Chemistry (how to generate energy) and Biology (how living things get their energy). Position of students Have (insert names) seated on the floor at the front, with some on chairs and taller students stand at the back. Stage 1  – Test a starchy food to show positive reaction – Test non-starchy food to show negative reaction – Ask students to describe reactions – Ask student to write reactions on blackboard Stage 2 – Test a few different foods – Put name of food in a results table drawn on blackboard – Students copy table and write their result and own inference(s) Stage 3 – Test four more (two starchy and two not starchy) – Ask student to predict result to reinforce starchy foods Stage 4 – Finish demonstration by summarizing with questions – What is the test for starch? – What sorts of foods are starchy? – Which types of food are not starchy? Content Some foods that are rich in carbohydrates give us energy and are known as energy-giving food. Carbohydrates, an important nutrient, are stored in plants as starch and sugars The presence of starch can be detected by testing the food with iodine Starch turns to a blue-black colour when iodine is added to it, so food that contains starch will only turn into blue-black colour Teacher activity – Points to the pictures of ‘energy-giving food’ and says, ‘Some food gives us energy, but tell me, will holding a bowl of rice or potatoes in our hand make this possible?’ – Prepares a dilute solution of iodine and says that putting iodine into starch makes it blue-black – Puts a little food of each type in a test tube and asks the children to note the color before and after adding iodine to them. Then adds a few (two to three) drops of iodine to the food – Tells the students the precautions to be taken while carrying out the test Student activity – Respond that it is necessary to eat it – Observe the demonstration – Respond about color before and after adding iodine Teaching aid – Chart with pictures of energy-giving food Board summary – Students’ responses – To test the presence of starch in food – Putting iodine to starch makes it blue-black – Table indicating food and colour change – Briefly note the precautions
Pros:	1. Students can learn more from watching your step-by-step demonstration and hearing your thinking processes, than just reading it on a handout. 2. Demonstration engages the student intrinsically; they don’t know they are learning when they are. 3. They can ask questions about what they see or hear at any point in the process. 4. You have the ability to question students while you are performing the demonstration. 5. You can purposefully demonstrate why NOT to do something. 6. Students benefit from multiple learning techniques, i.e. Visual, Kinetic, Linguistically. 7. Activates prior knowledge from previous lessons. 8. Sometimes students are asked to move from their chairs and gather round the demonstration. This changes their learning environment resulting in the students focusing their attention; mentally they ask “What’s happening?” 9. Shows students how to use a process and techniques. 10. Demonstration gives students instant stimulation and “scaffolding” in which to expand their ideas. 11. Explains new information on a concrete level. 12. It stimulates the visual learner and accounts for the audio learners as well.
Cons:	1. When showing a step-by-step demonstration you might move on to the next step when a low capability learner hasn’t grasped the previous one, thus they fall behind and switch off. 2. You might not know the students prior knowledge: High capability students might be bored with a demonstration because they already know how to do what you are demonstrating. Thus they switch off. 3. If you just keep on talking with a demonstration, students will be uninterested and again switch off, so posing questions during the demonstration could break the monotonous aspect. 4. If there is a large class and not enough space some students might not be able to see the task being displayed. 5. It is hard to watch and control students who are misbehaving while you are focusing on the skill you are demonstrating. 6. Demonstrations need to be planned; this takes time out of your normal schedule. 7. Your materials and tools might not work and you might have technical difficulties.
Tips:	Planning your demonstration carefully will contribute to its success. When you plan, include the learning objectives of the demonstration: – what you want the demonstration to achieve – how you will introduce the demonstration – the equipment and materials needed – the steps you will take when carrying it out – the key questions you might ask at each stage – how you will arrange your students so all can see – how you will support those with special educational needs – any teaching aids such as charts, pictures and models to highlight any key learning points – the safety precautions you will take – ways of involving the students at each stage of the demonstration – how you will know what the students have learnt. Write out your plan and any questions you might ask so that you have them ready to use. If you have another science teacher at your school, share your plans with them to help you clarify any questions you may still have.
Sources / resources	Driver, R., Squires, A., Rushworth, P. and Wood-Robinson, V. (1994) Making Sense of Secondary Science. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Hastings, S. (2003) ‘Questioning’, TES Newspaper, 4 July. Available from: http://www.tes.co.uk/ article.aspx?storycode=381755 (accessed 22 September 2014). Hattie, J. (2012) Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising the Impact on Learning. Abingdon: Routledge. Monk, M. and Osborne, J. (2000) Good Practice in Science Teaching: What Research Has to Say. Buckingham: OUP. Wellington, J. and Ireson, G. (2012) Science Learning, Science Teaching, 3rd edn. Abingdon: Routledge. http://studylecturenotes.com/demonstration-method-of-teaching-meaning-advantages-disadvantages/ http://www.learnerassociates.net/