Teaching Pedagogy Teaching Aids / Materials Notes - Teaching Aids Materials

Teaching Aids/Materials

Teaching aids are materials that the classroom teacher uses to help students understand the concepts she-introduces during her lesson. These teaching aids can take numerous forms.

8.1 Teaching Aids : Meaning and Definition

In the teaching of EVS at primary level, teaching materials serve as a means to help a teacher to introduce or explain a topic effectively. A well planned and specific teaching is possible with the help of appropriate teaching material. Teaching materials make the lesson interesting and easy to understand. Teacher can break the monotony of the class by introducing new and attractive teaching aids. Activity based learning employs a variety of teaching learning materials and focus on student's interaction to learn new concepts.

Context specific learning aids enhance the process of teaching. Teaching materials have the potential to affect a student's cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of learning process.                                                        

Teaching aid can be defined as, "A tool used by teachers to help learners improving their reading and other skills, illustrate or reinforce a skill, fact or idea and relieve anxiety, fears or boredom. Since many teaching aids are like games.

8.1.1 Types or Classifications of Teaching Aids

The teaching aids can be classified mainly in three types. These are as follow

      1.      Audio Aids Audio Aids are those aids which make use of sense of hearing. Some examples are: radio, tape recorders and language laboratory etc.

       2.      Visual Aids These types of aids appeal to the learner's visual organs. Some of the visual aids are: chalkboard, soft boards, charts, maps, picture and drawings, flash cards, pictures and drawings, maps, poster etc.

      3.      Audio-Visual Aids These aids appeal to both the sense organs hearing and visual organs of the learners. They facilitate in attaining the cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives of teaching. Some of the prominent audio-visual aids are: T.V, films and computers, slides, film strips, OHP etc.

8.1.2 Aims of Using Teaching Aids in EVS

The primary purposes of using teaching aids during class teaching are as follow

·               To explain the properties of the associated objects.

·               To illustrate natural phenomenon like volcano, rain, earthquake etc.

·               To define a thought idea or concept in a better way, e.g. to explain the directions in a map or on a globe.

·               To refresh or reinforce student's learning when it is impossible to create a real atmosphere or situation during the teaching process.

·               It helps a teacher with the lesson plan of a topic and subtopic.

8.1.3 Characteristics of Teaching Aids

A good teaching material should be able to

·               make positive transfer of knowledge, possible through the presentation of concepts and facts from the related field.

·               provides meaningful representations of abstract ideas.

·               should be able to give more accurate impression of a subject matter.

·               stimulate as well as direct students 10 achieve the target knowledge or skills.

·               develop the perception and attention of students towards the content.

Audio-Visual Teaching Materials (Description)

Audio-visual aids are multisensory materials and help the process of learning i.e. motivation, classification and stimulation. Audio-visual aid can be divided.in following types

        1.      OHP It stands for over head projector. It is a device used for projecting the data printed on the top of the projector transparencies on the screen, in EVS, a teacher can use OPIP as a teaching aid to explain while displaying content, such as How charts, hierarchies of civilisations, classifications, pictures etc.

        2.      Educational Films An audio-video teaching material is the best kind of teaching aid because it affects all the domains of learning of students, i.e. cognitive, affective and psychomotor. A film or movie is an audio visual teaching aid. An EVS teacher makes use of this teaching aid as part of the teaching material by playing various educational films and videos for a faster and deeper understanding of the topic. These films may be related to wild life, aquatic life, current environment issues, science etc. This type of teaching aid make students creative and imaginative and motivate them towards learning.

        3.      Television TV watching employs both visual and hearing sensors. TV lessons can provide better quality instructions. Now-a-days, there are many channels that provide the new and different kind of concepts to students on EVS related topics. Some such channels are: Discovery, Animal planet, Discovery Science, National geographic, Discovery kids etc. An EVS teacher can take the help of the programmes as a source of information to his/her students.

        4.      Computer/Laptop A computer or laptop is one of the most used type of teaching aid where on the internet all variety of information is available. A teacher can search and provide any sort of information from the internet in a reliable way. An EVS teacher can store information or data for future use. It provides the facility to prepare the content on a soft copy, which is an eco-green process and thus contributes to saving trees.

Teaching with the help of the computer presentation tool, power point, is effective as well as attractive as it provides information through the use of well designed slides.

8.1.4 Information and Communication Technology in Environment Education

·               With introducing new technologies in the educational process, new possibilities Open for all teachers as well as for pupils. Technology provides teachers with the means with which they can add strategies to their teaching.

·               Latest interactive inventions can be easily brought to class. Technology is an especially viable source for younger children.

·               They contribute a range of tools to children to explore, create and to communicate when used in an appropriate manner with qualified teachers, technology can support and extend learning and educational possibilities for the children.

·               It is essential to find a balance between adjusting the elements for a healthy childhood with the unique capabilities that technology has to offer.

8.1.5 Textbooks as a Teaching Aid

Textbook is one of the most commonly used teaching aid used by almost all teachers as they are designed keeping in mind the curriculum and mandates of administration.

Textbooks provide the teachers many advantages in the classroom, as

·               Textbooks are especially helpful for beginning teachers. The material to be provided and design of each lesson are carefully spelled out in detail.

·               A textbook series provides a balanced, chronological presentation of information.

·               Good textbooks present a detailed sequence of teaching procedures that tell teacher what to do and when to do it.

But we must remember that a textbook is only as good as the teacher using them. While using the textbook, a teacher must consider the following points

·               Use the textbook as a resource for students, but not the only resource.

·               Use a textbook as a guide, not a mandate for instruction.

·               Be free to modify, change, eliminate or add to the material in the textbook.

·               Supplement the textbook with lots of outside readings.

·               Supplement teacher information in the text book with teacher resource books, attendance at local, regional or national conferences, articles in professional periodicals and conversation with experienced teachers.

8.1.6 Selection of Teaching Aids

·               Teaching aids should be able to make the learning easy for the child. They should be child centred.

·               Teaching aids should be such as to be able to realise the educational objectives.

·               Teaching aids should be based on interests and aptitudes of the learners. Teaching aids should be able to maintain the curiosity of the learners and keep motivating them.

·               An effective and creative teaching material reinforces student's learning.