Visual Aids in the Classroom

Visual Aids in the Classroom
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Hi, again! Let’s start talking about the use of Visual Aids in the classroom.

The use of magazine photos is a valuable teaching asset since they can be used in so many ways.

First of all I suggest mounting them on cardboard (I use the backs of cereal and pasta boxes! “Waste not want not! You’ll notice I’m a born recycler!).

Try to find photos with some action in them (ex. people doing things). These kind of photos help the students to use his imagination in writing up short dialogues. I suggest writing some verbs and vocabulary on the back of the photo card. This starts them off!
Photos can stimulate forming questions. Generally the first time we use photos together, I have them write down the questions. Then, later on, the photos can be used for oral practice.
Photos can be used when creating a “virtual store”. It’s easy to find clothes catalogues, supermarket leaflets, furniture store ads etc. After mounting the photos, write a price on each item. The “customer” can choose what he wants to ”buy” using, of course, the appropriate expressions and vocabulary that has been previously discussed in the lesson.
Photos of “faces” can be used in more then one way.

a) First the students can “Label” the parts of a face. (Ex. forehead, eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.)

b) “Hello, nice to meet you”

A “pretty face“ (male or female) is given to each student and after pasting one on a sheet of paper, they begin to “ask” (in written form!) questions to find all the information they can about this “person”: What’s your name? Where do you live? Do you go to school? How old are you? etc. etc. I tell them to be “nosey”!
Use photos of famous people for the question game, Who Am I?

One student chooses a photo from the box. The other students take turns asking him questions to find out his identity. The student with the card answers the questions.

Examples:

Are you Italian? No, I’m American
Are you an actor? Yes, I am.
Did you star in a film recently? Yes, I did
Etc. etc.

Ok, that’s enough for today. I still have other suggestions on how to use photos in your lessons, but I’ll save them for next time. Again I’d be very happy to hear your comments and hope you find my suggestions useful and workable in your class situation.

Here’s another Nice Thought:

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” (Vincent VanGogh)