TKT Unit 25: TKT Unit 25: Selection and Use of Selection and Use of

Teaching AidsTeaching Aids

What are teaching What are teaching aids?aids?

Teaching aids are Teaching aids are resources and equipment resources and equipment available to us in the available to us in the classroom, as well as the classroom, as well as the resources we can bring resources we can bring into the classroominto the classroom.

They include:They include: Blackboard / whiteboardBlackboard / whiteboard Cassette recordersCassette recorders CD playersCD players Video players/ recorders Video players/ recorders Overhead projectorsOverhead projectors Visual aidsVisual aids Realia Realia Computer / language laboratoryComputer / language laboratory The teacher him/herselfThe teacher him/herself

How do we select and How do we select and use teaching aids?use teaching aids?

Think carefully about the Think carefully about the main aims and subsidiary main aims and subsidiary aims of a lesson.aims of a lesson.

Choose the most Choose the most appropriate teaching aids.appropriate teaching aids.

What are the teaching What are the teaching purposes for using the purposes for using the

following classroom following classroom equipment?equipment?

Blackboard Blackboard /whiteboard/whiteboardMain purposeMain purpose - - writing up writing up

planned vocabulary, grammar planned vocabulary, grammar examples and explanationsexamples and explanations

Other purposes:Other purposes:◦Writing words and ideas that Writing words and ideas that come up in the lessoncome up in the lesson

◦Drawing or displaying Drawing or displaying picturespictures

◦For learners to write answersFor learners to write answers◦For whole class compositionsFor whole class compositions

Cassette/CD player/ Cassette/CD player/ recorderrecorder

Main purposeMain purpose – – listening listening practicepractice

Other purposes:Other purposes:◦Presenting new language in Presenting new language in dialogues and storiesdialogues and stories

◦Giving models for Giving models for pronunciation practicepronunciation practice

◦Recording learners’ oral Recording learners’ oral performanceperformance

◦Listening for pleasureListening for pleasure

VDO player/ recorderVDO player/ recorderMain purposeMain purpose – –listening practice listening practice

with added visual informationwith added visual informationOther purposes:Other purposes:

◦For information gap tasks with one Ss For information gap tasks with one Ss viewing and one just listeningviewing and one just listening

◦Viewing without sound and guessing Viewing without sound and guessing the languagethe language

◦Pausing and predicting the languagePausing and predicting the language◦Filming learners’ performanceFilming learners’ performance

Overhead projector Overhead projector (OHP)(OHP)

Main purposeMain purpose – – displayingdisplaying prepared exercises on prepared exercises on transparenciestransparencies

Other purposes:Other purposes:◦Displaying result of group workDisplaying result of group work◦Building up information by putting Building up information by putting

one transparency on top of anotherone transparency on top of another◦Covering up or gradually uncovering Covering up or gradually uncovering

part of the transparencypart of the transparency◦Displaying pictures and diagrams on Displaying pictures and diagrams on

photocopiable transparenciesphotocopiable transparencies

ComputerComputer Main purposeMain purpose – – presenting new presenting new

target languagetarget languageOther purposes:Other purposes:

◦Narrative building with word Narrative building with word processorprocessor

◦Supplementary materials for Supplementary materials for coursebookcoursebook

◦Online language tests / exercisesOnline language tests / exercises◦Online dictionaries/referencesOnline dictionaries/references◦Using CD-ROMsUsing CD-ROMs◦Online communication, etc.Online communication, etc.

Language Language LaboratoryLaboratory

Main purposeMain purpose – – listening & listening & speaking practicespeaking practice

Other purposes:Other purposes:◦Pronunciation practicePronunciation practice◦Grammar drillsGrammar drills◦Extensive listeningExtensive listening◦Monitoring and giving feedback to Monitoring and giving feedback to

individual learnersindividual learners◦Develop speaking skillsDevelop speaking skills

RealiaRealiaReal objects we can easily Real objects we can easily

bring into the classroom, as bring into the classroom, as well as real texts (e.g. menus, well as real texts (e.g. menus, timetables, leaflets, etc.)timetables, leaflets, etc.)

Used to teach vocabularyUsed to teach vocabularyAs prompts for practising As prompts for practising

grammar or for building grammar or for building dialogues and narrativesdialogues and narratives

For games and quizzesFor games and quizzes

FlashcardsFlashcards

Like realia, flashcards Like realia, flashcards can be used for teaching can be used for teaching individual words or as individual words or as prompts for practising prompts for practising grammatical structures, grammatical structures, as well as for games.as well as for games.

PuppetsPuppetsPuppets are an excellent Puppets are an excellent resource for teaching young resource for teaching young learners. For example, we learners. For example, we can introduce new language can introduce new language in dialogues between pairs of in dialogues between pairs of puppets (or between one puppets (or between one puppet and the teacher). Ss puppet and the teacher). Ss can also make their own can also make their own simple puppets.simple puppets.

ChartsChartsWe can use posters and We can use posters and wallchartswallcharts (drawings or (drawings or graphs that can be put on graphs that can be put on the wall of a classroom) to the wall of a classroom) to display larger, more display larger, more detailed pictures, or a series detailed pictures, or a series of pictures telling a story or of pictures telling a story or showing related objects in a showing related objects in a lexical set.lexical set.

A A phonemic chart phonemic chart shows the shows the phonemic symbols and the phonemic symbols and the positions in the mouth where positions in the mouth where the different sounds are made. the different sounds are made. The teacher can point at the The teacher can point at the symbol to prompt learners to symbol to prompt learners to correct their pronunciation. correct their pronunciation. We can also use charts to We can also use charts to display diagrams, display diagrams, preparedprepared drawings and tables drawings and tables of of irregular verbs, or to build up irregular verbs, or to build up a class dictionary.a class dictionary.

The teacherThe teacherThe teacher can use hand The teacher can use hand

gesturesgestures, , facial expressions facial expressions and and mimemime (actions without (actions without words) to words) to elicitelicit vocabulary vocabulary items, items, clarifyclarify meaning and meaning and create create contextcontext. We can also . We can also build up a set of signals, such build up a set of signals, such as finger correction, which as finger correction, which learners recognise as prompts learners recognise as prompts to correct their own mistakes.to correct their own mistakes.

Key conceptsKey conceptsIt is a good idea to divide the It is a good idea to divide the

blackboard into different blackboard into different sections for different purposes.sections for different purposes.

Aids that you can prepare in Aids that you can prepare in advance, like charts, flashcards advance, like charts, flashcards and transparencies for the and transparencies for the overhead projector, will help overhead projector, will help you to make sure that lesson you to make sure that lesson proceduresprocedures match your aims. match your aims.

Key conceptsKey conceptsYou may save teaching aids and You may save teaching aids and

reuse them in future lessons.reuse them in future lessons.Make sure that you Make sure that you check any check any

equipment before the lessonequipment before the lesson. Use . Use the counters on cassette the counters on cassette recorders and video recorders to recorders and video recorders to make a note of where recordings make a note of where recordings begin, so that you can find the begin, so that you can find the place easily when you rewind.place easily when you rewind.

Key conceptsKey conceptsIf you use computers or the If you use computers or the language laboratory, language laboratory, advance preparation is advance preparation is essential. You need to plan essential. You need to plan all your instructions very all your instructions very carefully, as well as the carefully, as well as the sequencesequence of activities for of activities for the lesson.the lesson.