Traditional Education - Subject Areas

Subject Areas

Topic Traditional approach Alternate approaches
Mathematics Traditional mathematics:
  • Emphasis is on memorization of basic facts such as the multiplication table and mastering step-by-step arithmetic algorithms by studying examples and much practice.
  • One correct answer is sought, using one "standard" method.
  • Mathematics after elementary grades is tracked with different students covering different levels of material.
  • Mathematics is taught as its own discipline without emphasis on social, political or global issues. There may be some emphasis on practical applications in science and technology.
  • Curriculum de-emphasizes procedural knowledge drills in favor of technology (calculators, computers) and an emphasis on conceptual understanding.
  • Lessons may include more exploratory material supportive of conceptual understanding, rather than direct presentation of facts and methods.
  • Emphasis may be on practical applications and greater issues such as the environment, gender and racial diversity, and social justice.
  • Mathematics lessons may include writing, drawing, games, and instruction with manipulatives rather than filling out worksheets.
  • Lessons may include exploration of concepts allowing students to invent their own procedures before teaching standard algorithms.
  • Grading may be based on demonstration of conceptual understanding rather than entirely on whether the final answer is correct.
  • In some countries (e.g. the United States), there may be expectations of high achievement and mastering algebra for all students rather than tracking some students into business math and others into mathematics for math and science careers.
Science Fact-based science: Science class is an opportunity to transmit concrete knowledge and specific vocabulary from the teacher (or textbook) to the students. Students focus on memorizing what they are told. "Experiments" follow cookbook-style procedures to produce the expected results. With Inquiry-based Science a student might be asked to devise an experiment to demonstrate that the earth orbits the sun. The emphasis changes from memorizing information that was learned through a scientific method to actually using the scientific method of discovery.
Language learning Phonics: The focus is on explicit training in sound to letter correspondence rules and the mechanics of decoding individual words. Students initially focus on phonics subskills and reading simplified decodable texts. When they have mastered a sufficient number of rules, they are allowed to read freely and extensively. (In many languages, such as French, Spanish and Greek, phonics is taught in the context of reading simple open syllables.) With whole language the child is exposed to rich, relevant language that can heighten motivation to read. Learning to read is assumed to be as natural as learning to speak, so students are not formally taught sound to letter correspondences, but assumed to infer them on their own. (Note that this issue is limited to languages such as English and French with complex phonetics and spelling rules. Instruction in countries with languages such as Spanish and Greek, which have relatively simple phonetic spelling, still depends mainly on phonics.)

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