• Winnie Sim Siew Li

  Author

• Mohammad Yusof Arshad

  Author

Teacher is a prominent person in classroom. Teaching styles will determine
how teachers set their direction and focus in teaching. This article investigates
teaching styles among Malaysian chemistry secondary school teachers via verbal
interaction. Characteristics of these teaching styles were determined in order to make
comparison among different teaching styles. Twenty three of chemistry secondary
school teachers and their students in Kuala Lumpur were involved in this study. Nonparticipant
observation was applied. Ninety two classroom observations were audio
and video recorded. Besides that, semi-structured interview with the teachers were
carried out. Data were analysed using cluster analysis to identify their teaching styles.
Findings from this study found that in laboratory lessons, 95.65% of the teachers’
emphases were on group activities and teacher’s explanation or instruction.
Meanwhile, 65.22% of the teachers showed teacher-centred approach, i.e. giving
explanation in theory lessons. Characteristics of the teaching styles were investigated
in terms of type of teacher’s question and student’s question. Regardless of teaching
styles, teacher’s questions and students’ questions were of closed-ended questions,
and managerial questions. Based on the findings, teaching style for chemistry lesson is
proposed.

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