2) Mechanical aids 2. Visual aids 3. Teaching materials: 1) Why do We Use Materials/What are Materials for? 2) The Role of Materials in Relation to Other Elements 3) How Can We Learn About Materials? To master a fl Ps must be engaged in activities which are characteristic of the language; they should hear the language spoken, speak, read and write it. Classroom practices which are restricted to teacher’s presentation of linguistic material (vocabulary, grammar) and the testing of Ps’ knowledge cannot provide good learning. The teacher covers “content” but doesn’t instruct Ps. The majority of Ps remain passive, and work only to memorize what the teacher emphasizes.
To achieve effective classroom learning under the conditions of compulsory secondary education, the teacher must use all the accessories he has at his disposal in order to arouse the interest of his Ps and retain it throughout the lesson which is possible only if the Ps are actively involved in the very process of classroom learning. To teach a fl effectively the teacher needs teaching aids and teaching materials.
Teaching Aids. By teaching aids we mean various devices which can help the fl teacher in presenting linguistic material to his Ps and fixing it in their memory; in testing Ps’ knowledge of words, phrases, and grammar items, their habits and skills in using them.
Teaching aids which are at teachers’ disposal in contemporary schools may be grouped into (1) non-mechanical aids and (2) mechanical aids. Non-mechanical aids are:
A blackboard, the oldest aid in the classroom; the teacher turns to the blackboard whenever he needs to write smth. while explaining some new linguistic material to his Ps, correcting Ps’ mistakes, or arranging the class to work at some words and sentence patterns, etc.; the blackboard can also be used for quick drawing to supply Ps with “objects” to speak about;
A flannelboard (a board covered with flannel or other soft fabric for sticking pictures on its surface), it is used for creating vivid situations which would stimulate Ps’ oral language;
A magnet board (a board which has the properties of a magnet, i.e. , can attract special cards with letters, words, phrases or pictures on it) used with the same purpose as a flannel board.
Mechanical aids are: audio cassettes (ordinary and twin-track); the same tape may be played back as many times as is necessary, the
twin-track audio cassettes allows the P to play back the tape listening to the speaker’s voice and recording his own on the second track, the lower one, without erasing the first track with the voice of the speaker, the audio cassettes are considered to be the most important aid in teaching and learning a fl.
Television and computers: television would make it possible to demonstrate the language in increasingly varied everyday situations; Ps are invited to look, listen, speak, and type. Computers can be utilized for presenting information to the Ps, for drilling, or testing; the computers can provide an interaction between the pupil and the “programme”, the learner obtains a stimulus and a feed-back from his response;
A language or digital laboratory, this is a special classroom designed for language learning. It is equipped with individual seats or semi-private stalls. They are connected with a network of audio writing, the nerve centre of which is the monitoring console which has a switch board and tapedesks. There are two main types of language laboratories – library and l-ge laboratories. The library system is suitable for Ss capable of independent study; each student selects his own material and uses it as he wishes.
The language laboratory is used for listening, writing and speaking.
Teaching aids support the lesson plan and assist learning. In a legal research skills context, teaching aids use the senses of hearing (through audio tapes, CDs) and sight (through visual aids such as handouts, worksheets/books, overhead transparencies, videotapes and PowerPoint). Research indicates that whilst only about 12% of what we learn comes from hearing, 75% comes from what we see.