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TEACHING MEDIA IN ELT CLASSROOM
Dalmukhanova F., Burkitova N.
Sh.Yessenov Caspian University of Technologies and Engineering, Aktau, Kazakhstan
Annotation. This article is about teaching media which takes a role as a tool that will
help the teachers in explaining and delivering the material to the students. Besides, there are
given the types of media techniques that can be used, especially in teaching English vocabulary.
Key words: teaching media, flashcards, skills, learning process.
Teaching Media is a tool that can be used by the teachers to deliver their materials to
students during teaching and learning process, so they can reach a certain learning goal. In
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teaching and learning process, teachers not only need a method but also a media. It takes a role
as a tool that will help the teachers in explaining and delivering the material to the students.
There are so many media that can be used, especially in teaching English vocabulary,
and one of them is flashcards. It is an inexpensive media and easy to make. Besides, it can be
used in collaboration with drilling. Flashcard will ease the students in understanding the
vocabulary because it provides them with the picture or the name of the object picture and
drilling will help students to increase their accuracy and build up their confidences.
Since the development of media, including types and function of media, a lot of teaching
media that can be used for teaching have been created and improved, one of the examples is
flashcard. Flashcard is a paper containing a picture and name of the picture. Bruner defined a
flashcard as a simple picture on a piece of paper or card, which is probably the most widely
visual aids in language teaching [1]. Another definition comes from Scrivener defined flashcard
as a kind of cards contains pictures, words, instructions that are arranged in various
combinations [2].
In language teaching, flashcard, as a teaching media, is really needed to help the teachers
in explaining the material and to give a variation in teaching It also helps and easiest the students
to understand their teacher’s explanation.
Media in wide meaning is people, material or event which can create condition, so that
students can get knowledge, skill, or attitude. It means that, teacher, book, and environment are
included in media. Whereas media in narrow meaning is graphic, photo, picture, mechanic and
electronic tools that use to express, process, and also convey visual and verbal information.
Some basic criteria for teaching media, those are:
a. Teaching media has physical meaning. It is called as hardware and it is an object that
can be seen, heard, and touched using the five sense.
b. Teaching media has non-physical meaning and it is called as software.
c. The emphasizing of teaching media is in the visual and audio.
d. Teaching media is a tool to help teaching-learning process both inside and
outside class.
e. Teaching media can be used massively (radio, television).
f. Teaching media is used to communicate and interact between teacher and students in
teaching-learning process.
Based on the explanation above, it can be assumed that media relates to method,
techniques, or strategies used by the teachers in teaching and learning process. The use of media
in teaching and learning process will help teachers in explaining the materials and help the
students to understand the teachers’ explanation easily. Besides, using the media, the teaching
and learning process will not be bored and the class atmosphere will be interesting because
media provide the concrete object.
There are some functions of teaching media in teaching and learning process [3]:
a. Using media in teaching and learning process is not an addition function,
but it has its own function as an aid to express effective teaching and learning
atmosphere.
b. Using teaching media is an integral part of all learning situation. It means that
teaching media is one of element that should be developed by the teachers.
c. Using teaching media is more important to accelerate teaching and learning process
and help students in comprehend material from teachers.
There are some types of teaching media that can be used for teaching and
media are classified into seven categories, such as:
a. Graphic media: any kinds of printed media. Such as books, pictures, photographs,
maps, charts, posters, graphs, diagrams.
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d. Project media: a kind of media that need projector to show the messages, such as
slide, filmstrips, transparencies, films, video, tapes, records,
e. Audio media: a media that can be heard, such as radio, audio cassettes, etc.
f. Video media: it is a combination between audio and visual, such as television, CD,
computers.
g. Activity media: it is a media that can act some activities, such as, demonstration and
role-play.
Selecting the best combination of media for teaching is always be a part of
teachers’ preparation before delivering the material. The teachers have to be careful in
deciding the teaching media because it gives a little impact on teaching and learning process.
Halliwel explains the main categories of factors that may influence the choice of media are[4]:
(1) Task factors, the type of objectives, and hence the type of learning activities which should
be provided for the learner, (2) learner factors. Some learners may learn better from certain
media than from others, and (3) economic or availability factors. This may limit the choice in
practice.
Existing media resources can also be used to engage students and facilitate active
learning strategies which promote deeper learning. For example, media provides a useful
platform for teaching with cases, cooperative learning, problem solving, and for giving more
interactive lecture demonstrations.
The use of flashcard in learning as a strategy for teaching vocabulary can be resting way
of teaching, because flashcard contains pictures, words, or symbols, or the real shape of the
things’ name. Usually flashcard is used for teaching vocabulary as the basic knowledge that
have to be understood better before the others. It will be best if this media is used for teaching
young learners
or beginner learners, and elementary level. Because these three levels of educations are
still focusing on enriching the vocabulary. This media will help them better. When the teacher
tell them a name of thing, they do not have to imagine the shape of the thing, let the teachers
show them the picture, then, they
will know the shape of the thing’s name. So, they will get a clear understanding
or shape of the thing.
There are so many teaching media that can be used to teach vocabulary, including
flashcards and it can easily be made by the teachers. The teachers have to prepare internet
access, printer, A4 paper in different colors, laminating machine, laminating pockets, scissors,
rubber bands, and magnetic paper or tape.
there are some types of flashcard:
1. Quiz Card
It is a card that can be used to vary the methods used to test students’ skills, making the
test into a fun game.
2. Role Play Cards
It is card that may encourage the students to learn in a fun way. Here, the students can
use their existing vocabulary and learn new words in a foreign language.
3. Flashcards with Associations, Synonyms, and Opposites
This kind of flashcard develop both vocabulary and language fluency. It is believed that
this way can independently develop students’ vocabulary faster and more stimulating than
having the teacher explain the word.
4. Flashcards about numbers and times
It contains the numbers and time. For example, 1, 2, 3, etc (for flashcard number)
and three o’clock, four o’clock, etc (for flashcards times).
5. Flashcards for Dictation and Reading
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The purpose of dictation cards is to make it easier for students to learn spelling by
reading the cards first. For example: reading card (use), dictation card ( u - -)
Here, the teacher will provide some ways on how to use flashcard as a media in teaching
English vocabularies. In this first way, students have to find out the name of the picture
displayed by the teacher, the way is:
1. Teacher prepares the association flashcard related to the topic of that meeting (e.g,
animal)
2. Teacher divides students into some small groups
3. Teacher prepares the flashcards based on the amount of each member of each group
4. Teacher reads the rules of the activity
5. Teacher display the picture of the animal
6. Every representative of each group have to run and to front of the class to find the
displayed picture’s name.
7. If they found it, they have to stand on the flashcard word
8. Do the same activity to every representative of each group or every student in each
group will get the chance
9. After that, the teacher drills every single vocabulary which was used in the activity
10. At the end, teacher may ask students to draw their favorite animal and label or write
down the animal names under its picture.
Another activity called as “stick me on the wall” with topic synonym, here is the way:
1. Teachers prepare the words with its synonym
2. Teacher sticks the synonym words on the wall and the other synonyms are on the
teacher’s table
3. Each students will get two similar words
4. Teacher reads the rules
5. This way or games can be played either individually or in group
6. They have to hurry, run to the wall and find out the word’s synonym
7. Stick the word on its synonym
8. After all the words met the correct synonyms, teacher may ask their students to repeat
and drill the words.
These two activities can be adapted based on the students’ level and the topic that will
be discussed on the day.
Flashcard as one of instructional media that can be used in every students’ level with
the adapted topic. The variation types of flashcard can help teachers in designing various
teaching activities and creating a fun atmosphere. It will get a better result on student’s
vocabulary mastery accompanied by teachers’ creativity in utilizing the media.
REFERENCES
1.Jerome Bruner, Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press, 1986.
2.Jim Screvener. Classroom Management Techniques. 2012., Cambridge University
Press.
3. Collins.. Media, Culture and Society: A Critical Reader. Beverly Hills, CA.: Sage,
1986.
4. Halliwel, S. 1992. Teaching English in the Primary Classroom. London. Longman
Group Ltd
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