LESSON DELIVERY SKILLS: STIMULUS VARIATION

Every lesson is a unique thing influenced by the emotions of the teacher and learners.The teacher can make lesson more interesting through the effective use of stimulus variations to make learners motivated on grasping concepts.
According to longman dictionary stimulus variation is something which is the cause of activity. Stimulus variation is a way of enhancing children learning by helping them remain attentive.It is a way of maintaining students ' attention.
If the teacher talks too long students are bound interests or eye conduct to the teacher.The teacher should reduce talking such that pupils has interest in what they are doing through varying stimulus.
A teacher who is able to vary stimulus the lesson become effective as there is high participation in pupils and great achievements of the lesson objectives.
Positive results of learners who given a task in a more interesting lesson can perform well and there will be no disciplinary problems.
Forms of Stimulus Variation:
Vary Methodology :For example demostrations,games ,groupwork ,songs .
Introduce groupwork projects or individual projects ,like in Art and craft,music social studies etc.Introducing variation is because each and every pupil would have something which are interested in.
Dramatisation ,story telling and jokes are part of stimulating these unique learners at every angle. Give children current reading publications ,oral reports ,outdoor activities ,guest speakers ,tests in small groups and individual tests.
Different pupils prefer to learn in different modes so a teacher has to vary methodology use visual learning because it provide opportunities to see.
Vary questions or Variation in Questioning :
Questions is also a stimulus ,it provide pupils with the opportunity to talk.Questions themselves should be varied,for example low order and high order questions.
Varying of Non -verbal Gestures:In the lesson delivery the teacher should be able to use hands ,eyes ,body or even clap ,stamp feet or dance as a way of maintaining pupils interest in the lesson.
The teacher can even make strategic movements around the classroom or pointing to something written on the wall.
These gestures should have a specific purpose ,so that pupils should be able to decode what those gestures mean .
Over use of gestures might end up becoming a habit and then defeat the purpose of being a stimulus.
Verbal Gestures:These verbal gestures can be a way of asking pupils when you are teaching ,for instance ,look here,attention ,listen ,are we together ,stand up or sit down.
Movement Variation or Kinetic Variation:Varying movements by continuously changing locotion within the classroom .This captures pupils' attention and every position they are sitting they feel the distance.Pupils feel that the teacher is with them .The movements are a way of reducing the distance from pupils.
Sensory Change or Variation in Sensory Channels:Varying the senses that students are using.Children might require to touch ,see ,smell ,feel.
If these senses are not varied it means those pupils who interested in hearing are going to benefit and those pupils who are interested in touching are not benefiting.The introduction of addition sensory modes in a lesson.
Variation in Voice /Use of Voice :The use of pitch in voice projection as a stimulus ,should indicate ,relative important of information.That's it should indicate happiness or sorrow.In other words voice can be reduced .thus slowing speech pattern as a way of stimulating pupils' intersts.Variation can be lower volume or accent of voice.
Silence /Pose:Silence can indicate that what has just said is important or it can indicate that what happened is unacceptable.
Silence can also indicate the opportunity allowance for pupils to think and respond to the asked question.
Remain silent until pupils are also observe silence.
Variation in Interaction Style :Interaction style can be used as stimulus ,for example teacher/pupil or pupil/pupil or pupil /teacher.Variation in interaction so as to stimulate pupils inerests .Some variation interaction styles are used in groupwork or individual work.
Vary Marking Styles:An effective teacher should vary the marking /comments.
General Appearance/Variation in Appearance: The teacher must change dressing on daily basis and change of hairstyles.
Vary introduction and Conclusion:There so many ways of introducing lessons and making conclusion ,pupils get interested to easily get in the lesson if given the new lesson etraordinarily or when it is concluded in a creatively new note.
Problems in Implementing:Lack of resources ,teachers might want to use various instructional media.Teachers expertise ,might want to discharge duty ,but if lacks professionalism whatever done become meaningless.Wrong timing of variations ,,teachers may mis time their stimulus variations.Stories and jokes might be unrelated.Kinetic movement might disturb pupils' concentration.
Assignment Questions
(1)What is stimulus variation?
(2)Give reasons why a teacher should vary stimulus in the teaching and learning situation?
(3)Suggest ways teacher can vary stimulus on all subjects on the timetable?
(4)How can a teacher selects a three dimensional media as a stimulus in teaching a particular concept in Mathematics at any grade level of choice?