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TEAM TEACHING

Introduction

Team teaching is a method to utilize the teachers in the maximum for the different

roles. It is an effort to secure better cooperation from the teachers with an intention that

team approach gives better results. It has been realized that the team effort can provide

better education for the students. It is applicable to all the levels of the schools.

Team teaching was first developed in 1955 at Harvard University. In Britain it was

developed by J. Ereeman in 1960.

Definition

o Team teaching is an arrangement whereby two or more teachers with assistants

plan, instruct and evaluate cooperatively two or more class group in order to take

advantage of their respective special competencies as teachers – J. Lloyd Trump.

o Team teaching is a form of an organization in which teachers decide to post

resources, interest and expertise in order to devise and implement the scheme of

work suitable to the need of their pupils and facilities of their school – David

Warwick.

o Team teaching is a type of instructional organization involving teaching teams and

the students assigned to them, in which two or more teachers are given

responsibility, working together, for all or a significant part of instruction of the same

group of students – Judson T. Shaplin.

Characteristics

• More than one teacher participates in this method of teaching.

• It is based on the cooperation among the teachers; all the teachers are participating

in the teaching and apply their resources, abilities and experiences.

• All the teachers are participating with the full cooperation and they are considering

the pupils needs and interest in the execution and evaluation of their teaching.

• One topic from the subject is taught by the various teachers in various aspects.

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• Isolation among the teachers is removed by this and makes the teaching learning

process as effective.

• Entire responsibility does not fall on the one teacher but that are shared by the

others too.

Principles

1. Time Factor

The duration of the teaching should be divided on the basis of the importance of the

content. Important topic gives much time than the unimportant one; otherwise it makes the

team teaching as ineffective.

2. Level of Instruction

Before going to teach the level, interest, entry behaviour of the learners must be

observed. After that only the level of instruction will be formulated according to the

learners.

3. Supervision

The type and method of supervision depend on the objectives of the group.

Therefore, the objectives of the group must be kept in mind at the time of supervision.

4. Size and Composition

The fixed size of the class is an old story now. In the present times the size of the

group changes according to the objectives of the team teaching. Therefore, the size and

composition of the group of the pupils should be appropriate according to the objectives of

the group and learning experiences.

5. Appropriate Duties assigned to teachers

The division of the duties and responsibilities of the teachers should be appropriate.

These duties should be assigned to them according to their academic merit, interest and

their personality traits. Hence, the team members should be selected very carefully.

6. Provision of Learning Environment

The team teaching is successful only if a proper learning environment is provided,

with provision of library, laboratory, workshop etc.

Types

1. Team Teachers from a Single Department

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In such classification, teachers come from a single department. This arrangement is

made for secondary and higher secondary classes. It is possible only if there is more than

one teacher for one subject.

2. Team Teachers from Various Departments of Single Institution

In this classification, a team of teachers of different subject is formed such as

teachers in Botany, Zoology, Physics and Chemistry. Now the teaching task is organized very

easily, because from the same institution. Thus, it encourages interdisciplinary teaching.

3. Team Teachers from a Single Department of Various Institutions

In such team teaching, specialists from various institutions are invited at every level

and for every topic. This provision proves much useful where there one subject teachers.

Such team teaching encourages cooperative teaching. The effective use of this team

teaching becomes more possible in a city where there are more than one training

institutions.

Advantages

� It develops the Better quality of instruction.

� It is economical in terms of time and energy.

� The students can learn deeper and broader.

� The students can face many specialists and get the specific knowledge in different

aspects.

� It develops strong will and responsibility of participating among the pupils and

teachers.

Disadvantages

� It is a costly method.

� It requires more accommodation, rooms and furniture.

� Lackness in the division of powers and responsibilities of the teachers

� Lack of Flexibility

� Conflict and diversification between the views of the teachers

� Variations in the roles of teachers