Improved

Instruction
al Practices

A. Discovery Approach
The discovery approach refers to an inductive method of guiding pupils to
discuss and organize ideas and process by themselves. It means helping them
use ideas already acquired as a means of discovering new ideas.
According to Lardezabal, et al., the discovery approach is the process by
which the children under subtle direction go through the logical process of
observation, comparison, and abstraction, generalization, and application.
Instead of telling, either by teacher or a textbook explanation, self-discovery
sets up learning situations whereby children are encourage to explore a process
of discover rules. The primary concern is with developing a pattern of thinking
instead of merely arriving at an answer.

Definition Given by Other Authors

1. It stresses the learning of concepts, theory, principles, and content through
discovery rather than rote memorization (Anderson, 1969).
2. It is not only the act of finding out something unknown before mankind but
also includes all forms of obtaining knowledge for oneself by the use of ones
own mind (Rowe, 1973).
3. It is the act of an individual using his mental processes (cognitive abilities)
to derive a concept of principle. A discovery activity is a lesson designed to help
students discover concepts of principles for themselves. It is a matter of
rearranging data internally so no concepts are formed. It involves finding the
meaning, the organization, the structure of the ideas (Carin and Sund, 1971).
4. It incorporates those views of teaching which place greatest emphases on
the self-directed activity of the student. It incorporates some of the present-day
concern for creativity, child development, and the terminology of cognitive
psychology (Myron and Karplus, 1962).
5. Its main emphasis is on the teacher not telling the students the principles
or generalization or rule when they are supposed to learn (Ausubel, 1961).
6. It is a matter of rearranging or transferring evidence. It is a type of thinking.
This type of thinking occurs in such the way that the individual discovers what
goes beyond the information given to new insights and generalization (Bruner,
1965).
7. It allows the students to become active in learning process. He must
engaged in doing, manipulating materials, and interpreting results, he discovers
something (Hendrix, 1961).
Types of Discovery Approach
1. Guided Discovery- The teacher tries to draw out from his pupils certain bits of
information through properly organized question and explanations leading them
to the individual discovery of particular concepts or principles.
2. Pure Discovery- The pupils are expected to arrive at certain concepts and
principles completely by themselves.
Guidelines in the Use of the Discovery Approach
1. There should be a well-planned structured instructional strategy. The students
should understand the problem very well. Data must be arranged systematically.
2. Teacher should not answer questions, although he can give clues and hints.
3. The teacher should not expect the students to find out for themselves all the
concepts, ideas, and generalizations of his course.
B. Process Approach
The process approach may be defined as teaching in which knowledge is used
as means to develop students learning skills. Students are actively engaged in
the activities so the competencies needed in the subject could eventually be
acquired by them. For instance, if they are to learn cooking , they should actually
cook rather than devote a great deal of their time on the theoretical aspects of
cooking.

The essence of the process approach lies on three major points:

1. Emphasis on process implies a corresponding emphasis on the subject
content (the concern is how to learn and not what to learn)
2. It centers upon the idea that what is taught to children should be functional and
not theoretical (if you learn math,do what mathematicians do, if you learn
science,do what scientists do, and if you learn music, do what musicians do); and
3. It introduces the consideration of human intellectual development.
C. Process Approach
The process approach originated from and used to be a monopoly of science
instruction. But today, it is identified primarily with skill-oriented subjects like
practical arts, home economics, and even with knowledge-laden subjects like
social studies.
Learning Skill in Selected Subjects
I.Social Studies
A. Thinking Skills. Observing ,
describing,developing,concepts,differentiating,defining, hypothesizing,comparing
and contrasting,generalizing,predicting,explaining,and offering alternatives.
B. Academic Skills. Reading, viewing ,listening, outlining, note-taking, captionwriting, making charts, reading and interpreting maps, diagramming, tabulating,
constructing timeliness, and asking relevant questions.
C. Social Skills. Planning with others, participating in research projects,
participating productively in group discussion,responding courteously to the
questions of others, leading group discussion, acting responsibly, and helping
others.
II. Science
A. Basic Skills. Observing, classifying, using numbers, measuring, using spacetime relationship, communicating, predicting, and inferring.
B. Integrated Skills. Defining operationally, formulating hypothesis, interpreting
data, controlling variables, and experimenting.
III. Language (English and Filipino)
A. Speaking. Proper pronunciation and enunciation, good diction, voice
modulation, quality, pitch, and timbre, etc.
B. Listening. Concentrating, deciphering ideas, analyzing and interpreting, getting
the main thoughts, etc.
C. Reading. Speed and comprehension, reading between lines, sequencing,
comparing and contrasting, drawing out the main idea or the moral lesson,
interpreting a selection, generalizing etc.
D. Writing. Jotting down important notes