Instructional Methods
The kind of instructional methods utilized by teachers depend on the Trivium stage that is being taught. Because the goal of the Grammar Stage (Prima – Fourth Level Grammar) is to lay a solid knowledge foundation, instructional methods used in this stage of the Trivium are those that most effectively accomplish that goal. In the School of Grammar at Parnassus these methods include:
- Lecture/direct instruction/dictation: teacher presents information, students listen
- Modeling/demonstration: teacher illustrates how something is done
- Principle-based question and answer: teacher asks question, students supply answer immediately
- Read aloud: teacher reads from text
- Singing/chanting: students learn a song, chant, or rhymes that tells about information they need to acquire
- Drilling small bits of information: memorization technique that helps students learn large quantities of information
- Flashcards: reviewing small bits of information on cards — usually math or vocabulary
- Sound-offs: group memorization of data by dividing up facts
Literacy Plan
Parnassus recognizes that the ability to read well is the foundation of all other learning. Parnassus’ literacy plan for scholars in Prima – 3G can be found below.