Influence of Different Teaching Methods on Students’ Learning Performance: With Reference to English Language Teaching

Abstract

Education brings out a fundamental change in the learner. To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, the teacher should use different kinds of approaches. Modern teaching methods include the notion that the teacher has to be a facilitator in the learning process. Many studies had been carried out to find the best method in teaching. Teaching is a continuous process that is involved in bringing about desirable changes in learners through the use of appropriate methods (Ayeni, 2001). One classification of teaching is based on the mode of interaction between learner and teacher. In teacher-centered methods students simply obtain information from the teacher without building their engagement level with the subject being taught (Boud & Feletti, 1999). Another approach is student centered. The teaching method is regarded more effective since it does not centralize the flow of knowledge from the lecturer to the student (Lindquist, 1995).Therefore this study intended to determine whether the different teaching methods, - teacher centered and teacher-student interactive method - at primary school increased students’ performance and test scores. Data were collected from a primary girls’ school in the Kaluthara District. Students’ performances were measured from pre and post test score on the assessment for a total of 38 students from Grade 4. Data was analyzed on the basis of the responses given. The Shapiro-Wilk test results confirmed that the test scores are normally distributed and paired-sample t-test confirmed that the tests score of the methods are different. The results of the test score data statistically confirmed that the post test scores of the two methods were not identical (p-value = 0.000). Finally, it can be concluded that teacher-student interactive method has more potential in improving students’ test score. This shows how different teaching methods help students in their academic performance. To conclude the analysis, the researcher notes that the teacher-student interactive method modifies the role of the teacher from translator of information to the facilitator by providing an environment for students to actively participate in the learning process.
Keywords: students’ test score; teaching methods; teacher-student interactive method; learning process