Skills in Explaining

Mudasiru Olalere Yusuf (PhD)
Department of Educational Technology,
University of Ilorin
E-mail: moyusuf@unilorin.edu.ng;
lereyusuf@yahoo.com;
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mudasiruoy
Twittter: @moyusuf
Blog: http://wordpress.com/#!/my-blogs/

Explanation Defined
Explanation also called presentation means to
explain or to give understanding to another person.
Explanation skills deal with the ability to use verbal
and non-verbal cues at appropriate times in a lesson.
Concerns
explaining,
narrating,
giving
appropriate illustrations, examples, and planned
repetition where necessary.
o Leads from the known to the unknown.
o Bridges the gap between a person‟s knowledge or
experience and new phenomena.
o May also show the interdependence of
phenomena in a general manner.
o Assists the learner to assimilate and
accommodate new data or experience.

Explanation Defined (1)

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The components include:
teacher‟s enthusiasm,
clarity,
continuity,
creating readiness by a beginning statement or topic
sentence,
planned repetition,
concluding statements or key messages with summary of
explanation,
covering essential points,
relevant and interesting examples,
using appropriate media, and
use of inductive and deductive reasoning approach

Explanation Defined (2)
Explaining addresses
the questions
“why?”, “how?” and “what?”
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An effective explanation should be
 simple,
 clear,
 Concise, and
 interesting.
Effective explanation requires careful and
sensitive planning, it also requires recognition of
a number of essential characteristics.
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Planning for Explanation

Explanations must be planned in advance
before the classroom presentation.
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Determine/identify
the
kinds
of
explanation required by establishing
clearly the major points of instruction.
These may be concepts, ideas, rules,
relationships, generalization, etc.
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Analyze topics into components based on
key concepts.
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Specify main links among concepts and
ideas.
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Decide the means by which explanation is
likely to be effective.

Planning for Explanation (2)

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Pre-instructional activities should include
obtaining information from pupils about
their knowledge, experience, and their
interest. This will ensure that teacher‟s
explanation will fit into the need of the
students.
Flexibility: Modify earlier plans in the light
of feedback from students during the
lesson. Explanation must adapt to the needs
of the students.
Brevity: Focus should be on how much can
be recalled after 10 minutes.
Select suitable and relevant examples .

Planning for Explanation (3)

Relevant examples are central to teaching new
ideas and to obtaining feedback as to whether the
ideas have been understood. Examples may be used:
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Applying appropriate and concrete example to
particular situations, for example to produce
examples of the general category, to
determine whether a particular phenomenon is
an instance of the general relationship.
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Using example in sufficient quantity.
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Examples relevant to learner‟s experience and
understanding, to lead pupils to perceive
common features.
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Using positive, negative and contrasting
examples.

Using Inductive and Deductive Approaches to
Examples in Explanation

Inductive Approach
Examples/premises followed by generalization
or conclusion from them. Inductive approach:
o helps students acquire skills for looking for order
in an apparently pattern less set of data, and
o encourages divergent and creative thinking.
Deductive Approach
Generalization first, which is followed by a
number of examples or premises.
The initial statement helps to focus students‟
attention on those aspects of examples on which
teacher wishes them to concentrate.

Other Examples in Explanation
 Using Analogies. Compare the situation to
something that is familiar to the students.
 Using Models. Use simple 3D models made of
common objects for explanation.
 Using the Board. Chalk, Felt, PowerPoint or
overheads, for discussion session. To make
presentation more interesting.
 Use Handouts for note taking. Students have
a hard time copying diagrams. It‟s also
difficult for the teacher to draw them
perfectly.

Components of Explanation

Clarity: Deals with
o the choice of vocabulary,
o fluency concerned with the smooth flow of
language, with acceptable sentence structure
and use appropriate linking words,
o defining new terms, and
o use of explicit language by avoiding vagueness.
Emphasis: Deals with
o voice emphasis – by varying time and volume,
o repetition of main points,
o Paraphrasing,
o repetition, and
o verbal cueing.

Components of Explanation

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Organization: Deals with
the process needs at several levels,
logical sequence,
examples clearly linked to generalizations,
explanation with a start and an end, and
structure into introduction, elaboration
(contents), summary.
Feedback: Deals with
opportunities for questions,
understanding of concepts/ideas assessed, and
explanation process and modification if
necessary.

Suggestions for Effective Explanation
(Emotional)

Good explanation/ presentation requires
emotional, contents and delivery contacts with the
students. Emotional contact include
 Put yourself in the shoes of the students,
 Probe the students first.
 Make the students aware of what is to be taught
on that day through a clear beginning statement.
 Use eye contact .
 Use formal and informal of language.
 Show great enthusiasm and appropriate emotions
for the subject matter.
 Use tone that indicate upbeat/positive state.

(Emotional)

 Validate students‟ responses to material/
contents.
 Cares about students.
 Relate subject matter contents to the
students in personalized ways.
 Use of humor that resonates with students

(however, show that a teacher need not be
an entertainer!) .

 Use humor which relates clearly to the
content and is not offensive.
 Use personal anecdotes and stories.

(Content)
 Develop deep knowledge of subject matter.
 Proper organization of material/content.
 Ensure appropriate level of detail which is
neither too vague nor too general.
 Do not overwhelm contents with too many
specifics.
 Breaks up material into manageable chunks.
 Includes activities to break up presentation.
 Address short piece of a problem at a time,
and
don‟t go on until the problem is
addressed.

(Content)
 Leaves time for questions and answer
questions well.
 Provides study guides and lecture notes.
 Visual materials should supplement content.
 Visual materials must prepared to be clear
and easy to see/read (text size, focus,
colour contrast, good mounting, etc.).
 Assignments in preparation for lectures
should be in-built, but also developmental.

(Delivery)

Speak loudly enough for students to hear.
Speak clearly and in easy way to understand.
Doesn‟t speak too quickly or slowly.
Use inflection (not monotone).
Use connecting links in statements „so‟, „therefore‟, „because‟, „due to‟, „as a result
of‟, „in order to‟, otherwise, etc.
 Use proper words for explaining an object or
an event otherwise students will be confused.
 Coordination in statements is essential so as
to avoid hodgepodge (mismatch) ideas.
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Suggestions for Effective Explanation (Delivery
1)
 In explanation do not start too far back,
therefore, try to answer it without going over a
lot of background material.
 No distracting gestures or mannerisms.
 Moves around the classroom as appropriate.
 Don‟t block views of the board or screen.
 Don‟t read directly from notes.
 Instructor‟s appearance/ dress (looks
professional/looks casual/ looks approachable,
etc.).
 Quality board management (e.g., write in an
organized way, erase material only after
students have had a chance to write it down).

Suggestions for Effective Explanation (Delivery
2)
 No matter the constraints do not skip important
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steps or start explaining in the middle.
Avoid irrelevant statement while presenting the
subject matter.
Teacher should use fluent language so that the
pupils may listen and understand his thoughts.
Avoid using jargon, abbreviations (verbally and
on board.).
Do not insult the students, make fun of them, or
their ignorance.
Admit your mistakes – everyone makes
Do not just show a slide and wave the laser
pointer over it. Explain what‟s on the slide.

Skills in Explaining

In this document