Teaching for Understanding: What it is and How to do it

Teaching for Understanding describes why understanding is worthwhile and what understanding means, particularly in the subjects commonly taught in schools, colleges and higher education. It draws on recent research to provide a framework of strategies known to support the understanding processes. Learners may fail to understand for a variety of reasons. Why this happens and what can be done is discussed, including inappropriate conceptions of learning amongst teachers and learners, matters to do with motivation, theassessment of understanding, and what learners can do to help themselves.