Strategies for Effective Teaching of Biology in Secondary School in Ekiti State

Effective teaching strategies play a crucial role in enhancing students' understanding and performance in Biology, a core science subject in secondary schools. This study examines the strategies employed by Biology teachers in secondary schools in Ekiti State for effective teaching of Biology. The research explores various strategies like hands-on learning activities strategy, instructional materials and technology strategy and differentiated instructional strategy. It also assesses the challenges teachers face in implementing these strategies and their impact on students' comprehension and interest in Biology. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving Biology teachers from selected secondary schools randomly selected from two local government areas in Ekiti State. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings of this study revealed that hands-on learning activities strategy is effective in students understanding and retention of Biology concepts in secondary schools in Ekiti state by helping student understand biology concept better than traditional teaching method, students feel more confident answering biology questions, motivates students, and helps students to remember biology concepts for a longer time. The study also found that instructional materials and technology strategies play an important role on teaching and learning of biology in Ekiti state secondary school, and differentiated instructional strategies significantly improve student engagement and academic performance in Biology in secondary schools across Ekiti state. Also, the study found that the challenges faced by teachers in implementing effective teaching include: large class size, lack of instructional materials and time constraints in lesson planning. It was therefore recommended that the government should invest in well-equipped laboratories, building of additional classrooms to reduce teacher-to-student ratios, training programs for teachers on innovative teaching strategies, and the integration of experiential learning into the curriculum.