Drilling

Drilling is a strategy which promotes acquisition of knowledge through repetition. It’s commonly used for small tasks such as the memorization of new words and math formulas, as well as to remember the spellings of words. It’s also a favorite strategy used by physical education teachers when having students practice simple skills such as dribbling a basketball. The skills and knowledge acquired through drilling will prepare students for more meaningful learning.

Here are some things to consider when using the drilling strategy.

  • Adjust the amount of drilling to the difficulty of the skill or concept. The more difficult the skill or concept, the more times you will need to use the strategy.
  • Add variety to your drills by using a variety of vocal tones and volumes.
  • Add gestures where appropriate to make drills more interesting.
  • Use rhythmic methods such as having students clap, stomp their feet and hitting their desks to keep everyone in time.