Use of visual resources

for communicative
activities
 Module 2
Use of visual resources for communicative activities
Rgimen: Prerrequisito
Evaluacin: Cualitativa

Visual aids are defined as any device used to aid in the communication
of an idea. From this definition, virtually anything can be used as an aid,
providing it successfully communicates the idea or information for which it is
designed. (In Makame, A., 2011). According to the Cambridge and Oxford
dictionaries online, they are something that appeals chiefly to vision that you
show your students, such as a picture, film, a real object, chart or map, in order
to help them understand or remember information, a situation, a concept or
to help you make a point.

Kinds of visual aids

You have several choices to enhance the impact of your learning session,
appealing directly to your students imagination and prior knowledge.

Electronic Non-Projected Projected

Computer Books Films
The Internet Manuals Filmstrips
TV Puppets Slides
Real objects
Flashcards
Journals
Photographies
Posters
Authentic printed materials
Drawings
Maps
Board (chalkboard/whiteboard)

In the following sections some of the most useful visual aids for teaching
English are overviewed:

Using the board, flashcards & realia

They are visual didactic material and a teaching and learning tool. They
represent a concrete reality through photography, drawing, number or word.
The representation can be lexical (decontextualized representation of objects)
or situational (represents the fact under the circumstances they take place).

Kinds of pictures you can use

photos picture stories

drawings magazine ads
paintings newspaper and website illustrations
illustrations stills from video
symbols doodles
cartoons Inkblot tests
flashcards your own drawings and scribbles
collages comic strips

Advantages of using flashcards

- Mobilize students prior knowledge
- Facilitate the acquisition and fixation of the learning.
- Stimulate the imagination.
- Encourage interaction (They encourage participation, help
remembrance, stimulate student activities, if used dynamically).
- Can be used in various stages of language learning and teaching for
different purposes
- Can be used to work sociocultural aspects and cultural, aesthetic,
ethical and moral values.
- Grant control of linguistic material to the teacher (s/he decides the
function of language and vocabulary s/he wants to present and
adapts it to the levels, ages and interests of students).
- Create class environments that mimic real life.
- Reduce teacher talking time.
- Appeal to different learning styles, especially to visual learners (most
of Ss are visual!).
- They are easy and cheap to make.

Some considerations when using flashcards

Make sure
- Flashcards are big enough to see from the back of the classroom (If
not, you should walk around the classroom to show the picture).
While showing the picture, make sure you are not too close to a
group and keep an eye on the rest of the Ss.
 - They are relevant to the lesson topic and to the teaching and learning
objective.
- You cannot take the real object to class (Real is better. You cannot
take a giraffe to class but you can take a flower, instead of its
picture!)

Guidelines to design an activity using flashcards

- Give clear instructions (or rules or scores in case it has a game
format).
- Appeal to previous knowledge (opinions, interests, experiences, etc.).
- Make sure Ss really need to communicate. For example: Look at this
picture what happens? Is anything wrong? What do you think the
man/woman is thinking about? What do you think is going to
happen next? Discuss the answer in pairs. The, the T. calls on
volunteers and share opinions).
- Promote interaction: For example: Work in pairs, show your picture
to your partner for 20 seconds. Then your partner will describe the
picture to you. Then Exchange roles).
- Promote collaborative or cooperative work. For example: Each of you
has a picture (flashcard), put them together and invent a short story.
Answer the following questions. Who? Where? What happened?
Why?
- Your choice of pictures must involve a clear situation, context and
language functions articulated with them.
- Promotes the manipulation of flashcards, use of gestures, movement
(action).
- The practice you design is transferable to real life. For example: Look
at these pictures, how do they feel? (Flashcards: sad, happy, angry,
hungry, etc.) He feels happy/sad/etc. Now, walk around the
classroom to ask and answer questions about how you and your
classmates feel.
- Promotes cognitive conflict (Ss need to get new knowledge).
- Complement other activities of the session. For example you are
working with parts of the house, take lots of pictures so that you show
and not only tell. If you are working with reading or listening, show
a picture to introduce the topic; if you want your Ss to speak, take
show pictures that invite them to speak. For example show a picture
of a tattooed person and ask: What do you think of tattoos? Would
you get one? What do parents think about tattoos? Is it expensive
 /cheap to get one? Ask your Ss. To discuss the questions in pairs and
then they share their opinions with the whole group.
- Considers the students communicative level. Not too easy, not too
difficult.
- Supervise your SS to ensure results according to plan/objective.
- Encourage the use of formalisms, courtesies, interjections, gestures,
typical English (Please, er, lovely, etc.).
- Do not leave flashcards on show for too long (Ss lose interest).

When to use flashcards

- To enrich the vocabulary. For example. You tell your Ss, the following
class you will be talking about appliances and electronic devices. Ask
your Ss to brink pictures from magazines!
- To enrich language use in language functions. For example you are
working with this/these/that/Those but you want to do it in a
communicative way. Then you tell your Ss that they are going to buy
some things and that they need to choose them from a shelf behind
the seller. You write this short conversation on the board: Hello, can
I have that shampoo? Which one this one? No, that one? Or. May I
have those earrings? Which ones these ones or those ones? Those
ones. Thank you.
- To complement to other resources in English class, especially,
flashcards with situations, for example: Audio + flashcards, text +
flashcards, story + flashcards, approach problem + flashcards,
activities + flashcards, etc.
- To introduce grammar, listening, speaking, Reading and writing.
- To set a situation. Show a picture with a situation. For example
Meeting someone. Ask your Ss. Where are they? Are they Friends?
Is it a formal conversation? What are they probably saying? Divide
the group into pairs (or groups depending on the picture) and ask
them to answer your questions or ask them to create the
conversation they imagine that is taking place!
Note: There are plenty of examples of activities, using flashcards in the
articles chosen for you.

The term refers to objects and materials from everyday life, especially when used
as teaching aids to make the learning experience more memorable for the learner.
Kinds of realia you can use
 - Authentic material: tickets, posters, postcards, newspaper.
- Real objects: Clothes, containers, balls, purses, suitcases, glasses,
dishes, etc.
- Organic things: Food, plants, etc.
- Fake things: plastic animals, money (bills and coins), dolls or action
figures, etc.
- Anything!! (that is safe and relevant to the session learning
objectives).

Advantages of using realia

Being a manipulative, allows direct management by students
(Enrich sensory experience)
- Realia stimulates the mind.
- Makes the learning experience more memorable.
- Encourages creativity through senses.
- Eliciting is easier.
- Appeals to different learning styles.
- Activates prior knowledge.
- It is easier for students to remember vocabulary.
- Generates interest and attention.
- Motivates and creates a positive learning environment.
- Makes the learning experience more vivid and closer to real life.
- Adds dynamism to the lesson development.
- Adapts to the teaching of any student age.
- You can use it at any lesson stage.

Some considerations when using realia

Make sure
- It is relevant to the lesson topic and to the teaching and learning
objective.
- It is safe to take it to class.
- Guidelines to design an activity using realia
- Give clear instructions (or rules or scores in case it has a game
format).
- Appeal to previous knowledge (opinions, interests, experiences,
etc.).
- Make sure Ss really need to communicate.
- Promote interaction
- Promote collaborative or cooperative work.
 - Your choice of realia must involve a clear situation, context and
language functions articulated with them.
- Promotes the manipulation of objects, use of gestures, movement
(action).
- The practice you design is transferable to real life.
- Promotes cognitive conflict (Ss need to get new knowledge).
- Complement other activities of the session.
- Considers the students communicative level. Not too easy, not too
difficult.
- Supervise your SS to ensure results according to plan/objective.
- Encourage the use of formalisms, courtesies, interjections, gestures,
typical English (Please, er, lovely, etc.).

When to use realia

You can use it to teach anything:
- Use it to teach grammar (Countable/uncountable nouns, sense
verbs, direct/indirect objects, etc.);
- To introduce vocabulary (food, clothing, etc.);
- To invent, illustrate, tell and retell stories (E.g. Put several little items
in a bag and ask your SS to create a story); make role-plays more
realistic (at the doctors office, at the supermarket; at the bus stop,
at a flea market, etc.);
- To introduce functions (making a reservation at a hotel; calling to
make a dentist appointment, meeting someone, etc.).
Note: There are plenty of examples of activities, using realia in the articles
chosen for you.

It is a visual aid and a teaching resource. It is usually used for writing and
drawing. However, it is like a blank page just waiting to be filled with the
teachers strategies and students imagination.

Advantages of using the board

- Generates interest.
- It is a reusable teaching resource.
- It is also an organizational tool (organizes session work, group, pair
work, etc.).
- Favors interaction if used dynamically.
- Makes new language memorable.
 Some considerations when using the board
- Plan what you want to write on the board in advanced (Include it in
your lesson plan!).
- Write clearly (Clear handwriting, correct spelling and grammar).
- Separate the board into sections (What you will erase soon, what you
will not erase, what is central to the session).
- After writing, move away so that your Ss can see what you wrote.
- When writing try not to give your back for too long (keep an eye on
your Ss!)
- Room layout: Remember that your audience needs to be able to see
you as well as your visual aids. Try to involve every member of your
audience by changing the layout of your room. Below are some
suggested layouts to help maximize contact between you, your
audience and your visual aids. (University of Leicester, 2009).

University of Leicester (2009)

When to use the board

- To reinforce oral instructions
- To organize class work (Points to cover, division of work, etc.)
- To present new language material (functions, conversation models,
vocabulary).
- To stick pictures, flashcards, strips of words, posters.
- To draw backgrounds for conversations (parks, woods, the kitchen, a
supermarket, etc.).
- To ask Ss to participate (writing, sticking pictures, playing, etc.)

Note: There are plenty of examples of activities, using the board in the
articles chosen for you.
 Summary
Use visual aids to increase the effectiveness and the effect of your
teaching (and learning!) session to hold the students attention to save time to
relevant information, to make learning experiences last longer, to display
information clearly, and to introduce variety into your teaching strategies.
Remember you can also mix techniques to create more impact.

Make sure you are using these visual aids to complement communicative,
language teaching and that they are relevant to the learning objectives.

Lesson plan template:

Review how to plan a lesson in the Handout for Module 1.

Content:
Prerequisite:
Duration of activity
Materials required: FLASHCARDS [WHAT KIND?]; REALIA [WHAT KIND?], BOARD?
Assessment:
Follow-up activity:
Self-assessment:
OBJECTIVE
MATERIAL/TEXT
TIME PROCEDURE
REFERENCE
DECIDE IF IT IS RELEVANT TO USE VISUAL AIDS.
DECIDE AT WHAT POINT OF THE LEARNING
SESSION YOU WILL BE USING THE VISUAL
RESOURCES
Annimo (s/f). 10 Creative Ways to Get Your ESL Students Talking with
Pictures.
Makame, A. (2011). "Effective use of audio-visual teaching aids, Mr. Ameir
M. Makame." Taken from http://slideplayer.com/slide/5250541/
University of Leicester. (2009). Learning Development. Taken from
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/study-guides-
pdfs/presentation-skills-pdfs/Using%20visual%20aids.pdf