R2C2 Repertoire: Is the pedagogic expertise sufficiently creative, skilled and wide-ranging to teach all elements of learning?

Educational objectives are wide-ranging and the challenges of factors such as classroom space, pupil organisation, time, task, activity and routine are formidable. A range of teaching approaches is therefore required. Alexander (2008) suggests that three broad aspects of pedagogical repertoire can be identified: 

• organising interaction: whole class teaching, collective group work, collaborative group work, one-to-one activity the teacher, one-to-one activity with peers; 
• teaching talk: through use of rote, recitation, instruction, discussion, dialogue, etc; and 
• learning talk (by pupils): such as narrate, explain, speculate, argue, negotiate, etc.

 To make provision for all elements of learning to be taught through classroom activities and tasks, teachers need to be confident users of a range of pedagogic approaches.