The journey to help learners achieve learning standards can be joyful or frustrating. Much of this depends on the quality and effectiveness of teaching methods. In Ghana, however, some basic schools are handicapped, unable to thrive or excel. One issue that is often overlooked is the persistent difficulty teachers face when applying teaching methods in the classroom.
Teaching methods are the approaches, techniques, or styles used in instruction. They include group discussions, lectures, project work, role play, videos, and field trips. Skutil et al. (2016) note that “teaching methods are a pillar of education — structured systems designed to achieve specific learning goals. They also encompass pedagogy, classroom management strategies, and general teaching principles. The choice of method depends on factors such as a teacher’s educational philosophy, class size, subject area, and the school’s mission.”
When applied well, good teaching methods promote clarity, understanding, and achievement. They can even excite learners to the point where they wish the lesson never ends. But when misapplied, they create confusion, reduce attention, and in some cases lead parents to withdraw their children from school.
The new basic school curriculum urges teachers to adopt learner-centered instruction. This approach requires teachers to use innovative teaching methods that match learners’ needs. Yet many teachers struggle not because they lack knowledge, but because deciding which methods to use, when to use them, and how to apply them effectively is a daily challenge.
Research
A study by Salia (2022), “Senior High School Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and the Instructional Methods or Techniques They use in the Teaching and Learning of Social Studies in the Kumasi Metropolis,” found that many teachers did not employ appropriate techniques in their classrooms.
So, what causes this strain?
Crowded Classrooms
Class size refers to the number of learners per teacher, and it strongly affects teaching methods. Yet some Ghanaian schools have 70 to 100 pupils per teacher, far above the Ghana Education Service’s recommended 40:1 ratio (Odoom Ocra, 2025).
In such large classes, small-group discussions or project-based learning become nearly impossible. Even rearranging desks or forming groups turns chaotic. Learners lose focus, participation drops, and teachers become exhausted. What was meant to enhance learning instead becomes stressful and ineffective.
Inadequate Resources
Many public classrooms lack basic teaching and learning materials. Despite years of complaints, support remains limited. Without textbooks, charts, visual aids, or technology, teachers are forced to improvise or avoid certain methods altogether.
Even when materials are available, they are often old, damaged, or insufficient for the number of learners. Schools without reliable electricity cannot use digital tools like computers or projectors. This limits teachers’ creativity and increases the pressure they face in applying effective methods.
Heavy Workload
A heavy workload adds to the difficulty. According to the Ghana Education Service (GES, 2022), about 30% of public basic schools in rural areas lack the required number of teachers. As a result, some teachers handle multiple classes or subjects far more than one person can manage well.
Abonyi (2020), in “Exploring Work Environment Factors Influencing the Application of Teacher Professional Development in Ghanaian Basic Schools,” found that teachers cited heavy workloads as a major barrier to using new skills learned from professional development. Tired teachers often fall back on lecture-style teaching which is convenient, but limiting for learner engagement.
Time Constraints
Teachers are often under pressure to finish the syllabus within a short period. Sometimes this teaching time is interrupted by extracurricular activities, midterm exams, or other school events. Because of these interruptions, some teachers rush through lessons and have little or no time to use different teaching methods.
When the same method is used every day, learners get bored. Those who learn better with other methods become confused and unsure how to achieve the expected learning outcomes. As a result, teaching becomes routine, and learning becomes less effective.
Conclusively, improving teaching methods should not be the teacher’s responsibility alone. Policymakers, school leaders, and communities must create an enabling environment: one where teachers have the time, tools, and training to turn sound pedagogy into real learning gains. Only then can learning standards be achieved and learners’ futures secured.
By Henry Atta Nyame
(Institutional Assessment Practitioner
hattanyame@gmail.com)
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
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