As a teacher, Titchenal often finds himself in the roles of "translator" and "learning facilitator." He believes that the first step in learning a science is to learn the vocabulary. So he has developed innovative teaching tools, such as crossword puzzles, to facilitate the process of learning difficulty terminology in his classes. To explain the interrelated nature of concepts, he uses stories or shows a cartoon to illustrate his point. Titchenal is an advocate of teaching beyond the classroom and does so in various public presentations, including his Honolulu Star-Bulletin column, Health Options.