Slide2: What is this method? Slide3: Definitions of Heuristic method Slide4: Principles of Heuristic method Slide5: Steps of Heuristic method Slide6: Heuristic method steps in simple words Slide7: key words for teachers which helps in this approach Slide8: Role of Teacher Slide9: Merits of heuristic method Slide11: Demerits of Heuristic method Slide 13: Example for Heuristic method Slide 14: Conclusion

1. HEURISTIC METHOD

2. WHAT IS IT!
The word ‘Heuristic’ has been derived from the Greek word
‘Heurisco’ which means ‘I find’ or ‘I discover’ . This method
implies that the attitude of students shall be that of the
discoveries and not of passive recipients of
knowledge. Armstrong originally introduced this method for
learning of science. This method emphasis experimentation as
the teacher becomes on looker and the child tries to move a
head independently without any help. This method makes the
student self-reliant and independent. But the teacher should
develop the heuristic attitude by making a lot of preparation.
The question should be so planned that it may be possible for the

3.  According to H.E.Armstrong, “This is the method of teaching
which places the pupils as far as possible in the attitude of a
discoverer.”
 According to westaway, “the heuristic method is intended
to provide training in method. Knowledge is a secondary
consideration altogether.

4. PRINCIPLES
The Heuristic Method is based on the following principles.
1. Principles of freedom
2. Principles of activity
3. Principles of experience
4. Principles of purposefulness
5. Principles of logical thinking
6. Principles of play-way
7. Principles of individual work

5. STEPS
1. Selection of a problem
2. Formulating hypothesis
3. Collection of data
4. Analyze the data
5. Draw conclusions

6. IN SIMPLE
Understand the problem
Make a plan
Carry out the plan
Look back , evaluate and adjust

7. KEY WORDS CAN BE USED..
 5W1H
 Who
 What
 Why
 Where
 When
 How helps for problem analysis

8. TEACHER……,
Well prepared and well equipped
Act as a guide and a friend
Provide instructions
Help to develop values
Keeping psychological principles in mind
Provide freedom of thought
Teacher should encourage the students to approach him time to time and
ask questions

9. MERITS
 This is a psychological method as the student learns by self-
practice, develops critical attitude
 It creates clear understanding
 It is a meaningful learning
 The student learns by doing so there is a little scope of
forgetting
 It develops self-confidence, self-discipline in the students
 The students acquire command of the subject. He has clear
understand and notions of the subject.

10. CONTU..,
 It gives the student a sense of confidence and achievement.
 The methods make them exact and bring them closer to truth.
 It inculcates in the student the interest for the subject and also
develops willingness in them.
 Memorizing has no role to play in it.

11. DEMERITS
 It is not suitable for lower classes as they are not
independent thinkers. Discovery of a thing needs hard
work, patience, concentration, reasoning and thinking
powers and creative abilities.
 It is very slow method.That is time consuming method.
 It is lengthy and not informative
 The students have to spend a lot of time to find out
minor results.
 The teacher may find it difficult to finish the syllabus in

12.  It does not suit larger classes.
 It suits only hard working and original thinking teachers.
 A method is successful if well-equipped libraries, laboratories
and good textbook written in heuristic lines but such facilities are
lacking in our school.

14. CONCLUSION
This method cannot be successfully applied in primary classes but this method can
be given a trial in secondary classes particularly in higher secondary classes. It
may be suggested that at least a heuristic approach prevails for teaching of science
and mathematics in our schools. By heuristic approach we mean that students be
not spoon fed or be given a dictation rather they be given opportunities to
investigate to think and work independently along with traditional way of
teaching In the absence of gifted teachers, well equipped laboratories and libraries
and other limitations this method has not been given a trial in our schools. Even if
these limitations are removed this method may not prove much useful under the
existing circumstances and prevailing rules and regulations