By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015
The benefits of demonstration as a teaching method are a better learning experience in the classroom for students; the generation interest in the subject; help in developing the spirit of inquiry; students cooperating in the teaching-learning process; and the process of learning becoming permanent in the student’s life.
Students become familiar with various scientific instruments and methods of experimentation. This method allows the teacher to establish a good rapport with the students. Students feel motivated and inspired. The demonstration method helps build working models for future use. Teachers do not have to indulge in lengthy lectures, which sometimes bore students. The demonstration method complements the theory mentioned in textbooks.
Demonstration as a teaching method works best when teachers follow three steps. These steps include the stages of introduction, development and integration. In the introduction stage, teachers make the learning objective clear and actively demonstrates what students need to do to achieve the objective. In the development stage, students attempt the demonstrated action, receive feedback and then continue to work on the activity until the skill is mastered. The integration stage requires that the teacher plan for students to practice using these skills, offering continued feedback and evaluation.
Benefits of using this method of teaching are maximized when a teacher talks aloud about the mental process that happens while an activity is demonstrated. Because this works well to help teach skills, many technical programs and teacher training schools utilize demonstration as a teaching method. Other activities, where demonstration may work well, include dissections in biology classes and experiments in chemistry classes.
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