Walk into any class, especially one in an elementary school, and you will most likely see charts on the wall. Charts provide information on a specific topic in the form of a list, diagram, graph or table. and can be used for any subject. In math, for example, students may chart their height in feet and inches. In Geography, the students may list their ancestors' different countries of origin. Charts are also helpful for teaching step processes. What do children do after they wake up in the morning and in what order? In middle school and high school, charts can be used to demonstrate how characters interact in a novel or how historic events interconnect during specific decades.
Rather than just standing in front of the class and lecturing when discussing a topic, teachers often use flip charts. These are large pads of paper that are displayed on a easily movable easel. Teachers use different colored markers to write down separate thoughts and then flip over a page of the pad to start a new, clean page of paper. Teachers find flip charts helpful when they are introducing a new topic or explaining a process that has different steps. Math teachers use flip charts to explain formulas in a more visual and detailed way than the chalk board.
Similar to flip charts are white boards. Teachers also use them to highlight important information that needs to remain visible for a designated time, such as homework for the week. They are helpful when asking students to quickly make a list of items that fall under a certain category. Teachers also use them for fun games, such as hangman. Many teachers like these boards, because they are easy to erase and keep maintained.
For years, bulletin boards have brightened up a classroom, provided additional information and given students an opportunity to show their work. At the beginning of the school year, elementary school students can put up their photographs, names and interesting information about themselves. In older classes, students can hang up a personal montage or write something about their summer activities or interests. The bulletin boards can be changed with the seasons or when introducing a new educational theme. Sometimes students add to the bulletin boards throughout the semester. For example, they may have a large map of the world and place information about various countries as they learn more about them. Designing and putting up relevant bulletin boards can be a valuable way of getting students involved with the classroom instruction.
New technologies always alter the different ways that teachers can instruct their students. Over the years, teachers have used filmstrips, overheads and videos. Now teachers can also use computers in a variety of ways for teaching aids. On their own, students can go online to obtain additional information for a specific educational theme. Or, a teacher can use a computer and projector to make a presentation, such as with Microsoft PowerPoint. Another recent technology addition is the smart board, which is a touch-sensitive display that a teacher uses to connect to the computer and projector. The teacher can oversee computer applications right from the display, write comments in digital marker and save work for a later time. One big plus of the tool is greater pupil involvement. Also, by being able to save the work, it is available for easily for review purposes or students who missed the original electronic presentation. It is particularly useful for mathematics or diagramming sentences and similar work where students can actually see how the teacher adds, changes or deletes information.
Always remember that you have many choices, but you do not want to use too many bells and whistles just for the sake of it. You want to make sure that these techniques enhance the materials, provide more information or a different viewpoint, rather than just be repetitive. Also, too many teaching aids can be very confusing.
Remember as with anything else, there are pluses and minuses to any approaches or methodologies. For example, overheads have the benefits of being easy to produce, transport and view. However, they are difficult to view with light and in large classes or when the letters or type are too small. They also can be hard to read, because the handwriting is poor. Slides also have the difficulty of being seen in well-lit rooms and do not provide much interaction. They can enhance interest and provide another way of teaching visually. Incorporating the Internet into classes can give students many different sources of information and allow them to see different perspectives. Yet, students have to learn that much of the material online is either incorrect or biased. They also need to know that this is not to be copied verbatim, but only to make them think more out of the box.