Kinds
of media for teaching
English
teaching media are very important to help students acquire new concepts of, the
skills and language competences. They are many kinds of media which can be used
by the teachers in the teaching learning process, but the teacher should be
selective when choosing. They are:
A chart is a combination of pictorial, graphic,
numerical or vertical material which presents a clear visual summary.
The poster can be defined as a graphic
representation of some strong emotional appeal that is carried through a
combination of graphic aids like pictures, cartoons lettering and other visual
arts on a placard. It aims for conveying the specific message, teaching a
particular thing, giving a general idea etc. Posters exert a great influence on
the observer.
Flashcards are small cards with a picture or symbol
on them used both in teaching and In development work. In the classroom,
flashcards are commonly used to teach reading. A picture, for example, of an
elephant may be drawn or stuck on a card and the word ‘elephant’ written
underneath it or on a different card.
Graph is defined as a visual representation of
numerical data. Graph is fundamentally a tool for expressing number
relationships, which is much easier to visualize than can be done if the
statement were made only in words and figures. It offers a judicious technique
for analyzing, comparing and prophesying of facts which are vital to an
intelligent study of a problem.
A map is a flat drawing or representation of an
area, such as a village, which shows the location of natural and man-made
features and resources. A map is drawn or made to be smaller than real life,
and is not always to scale.
Among the various types of materials available still
projection, slides and film strips are the foremost visual aids. They are of
great value in teaching. Slide Projector or Dias cope popularly known as Magic
Lantern, is an optical aid to the process of teaching. It is used for
projecting pictures from a transparent slide on a wall or screen.
It is an improvement upon slide projector (magic
lantern). The device may be used as a slide projector or as a film strip
projector. Instead of using different slide for different topics or more slides
for one topic, one strip or piece of still film is prepared. There is not much
difference between a slide projector and a film strip projector. In a slide
projector we use separate slide while in a film strip, a strip of film (having
ling strip of many slides) is exhibited. The film strip projector is a recent
development and it is growing to be a more popular means of pictorial
representation.
A whiteboard has a smooth shiny white surface, which
can be written: on with special pens and wiped clean with a dry cloth.
A cartoon is a simple picture of an amusing
situation; sometimes it is a satirical comment on a serious or topical issue. A
strip cartoon is a sequence of framed drawings, which tell a story. Both types
are to be found in newspapers, magazines and leaflets. In development
situations a cartoon is a method of conveying a specific message.
