Educational practices and teaching techniques related to disadvantaged vocational students

The purpose of the study was to determine what educational practices and teaching techniques would be identified as significantly different when comparisons were made between teachers of programs for disadvantaged students and teachers of programs for regular students. Educational practices and teaching techniques selected for inclusion within the survey instrument were considered as representative of the teaching methods employed by secondary vocational education teachers. The sample for the study included teachers of programs for disadvantaged students and teachers of programs for regular students. Vocational service areas represented in the study were vocational agriculture, trades and industrial education, vocational office education, and vocational improvement programs. The responses of teachers were tested by analysis of variance and, when appropriate, Duncan Multiple Range Test according to classification of programs (disadvantaged or regular), vocational service areas, years of experience in teaching disadvantaged students, and professional training in teaching disadvantaged students. Upon analysis of teacher responses it was found that within each of the tests conducted significant differences occurred. Specific findings were that teachers of programs for disadvantaged students considered the following educational practices and teaching techniques less important than teachers of regular programs: work with students in out of school activities; use the school norm in assigning grades; require good discipline in the classroom; use role playing as a teaching technique; ask many factual questions; make use of the chalkboard, overhead projector, and slide film projector; review tests with students after grading; use models and representations in the instruction of skills; use students' own experiences in class discussions; and require students to maintain a notebook. Teachers of programs for disadvantaged students considered involving students in setting the rules and regulations for the class more important than teachers of regular students. Teachers who had taken courses related to teaching disadvantaged students rated the following practices and techniques significantly higher than teachers who had not taken these courses: counsel with students; plan a course of study in consultation with other teachers; develop teaching materials supplemental to texts or other references; select remedial materials and teaching techniques; correlate mathematics, science, English, etc., with vocational subjects; and make use of visual materials. General conclusions made were: (1) diversity of vocational service areas were such that specific recommendations of educational practices and teaching techniques relative to teaching disadvantaged students should be adapted to specific service areas rather than to programs for disadvantaged students in general, (2) teachers of programs for disadvantaged students were more likely to change their attitudes toward the importance of specific practices and techniques after having taught these students for one year, and (3) the effect of courses related to teaching disadvantaged students resulted in a greater difference between the responses of teachers than the effect of conferences and seminars related to teaching disadvantaged students.