Using Visual Aids & Manipulatives Erin Lowry Senior English Language Fellow Centro Colombo Americano Manizales December 1, 2008

Overview of Workshop To familiarize teachers with a range of simple visual aids and manipulatives that are available To show teachers how to make their own visual aids To show teachers how to use visual aids and manipulatives effectively

To familiarize teachers with a range of simple visual aids and manipulatives that are available

To show teachers how to make their own visual aids

To show teachers how to use visual aids and manipulatives effectively

USING VISUAL AIDS What are visual aids? How can they help us teach and our students learn? When can you use visual aids?

What are visual aids?

How can they help us teach and our students learn?

When can you use visual aids?

Visual Aids You’ve Used… Yourself Blackboard Real Objects Flashcards Pictures Charts Others

Why Use Visual Aids? To help present a topic As part of language practice When reviewing language that was presented earlier

To help present a topic

As part of language practice

When reviewing language that was presented earlier

What are Manipulatives? Objects that can be touched or moved by students to reinforce a concept A way that students can physically interact with their learning.

Objects that can be touched or moved by students to reinforce a concept

A way that students can physically interact with their learning.

Why Use Manipulatives? 1. Manipulatives help reach students whose learning styles are often ignored, i.e. kinesthetic, tactile.

1. Manipulatives help reach students whose learning styles are often ignored, i.e. kinesthetic, tactile.

Why Use Manipulatives? 2. Manipulatives empower students to process and organize information at their own pace.

2. Manipulatives empower students to process and organize information at their own pace.

Why Use Manipulatives? 3. Manipulatives add “novelty” to the classroom & get the students’ attention.

3. Manipulatives add “novelty” to the classroom & get the students’ attention.

Why Use Manipulatives? 4. Manipulatives can be used in a variety of ways: -introduce -process -review -recall -organize

4. Manipulatives can be used in a variety of ways:

-introduce -process

-review -recall

-organize

Using Real Objects Allows language learners to see, hear, and in some cases touch the objects Good for teaching: Vocabulary Specific grammar points Drills Speaking activities And more…

Allows language learners to see, hear, and in some cases touch the objects

Good for teaching:

Vocabulary

Specific grammar points

Drills

Speaking activities

And more…

Using Flashcards Memory activities Drilling activities Identification activities TPR activities

Memory activities

Drilling activities

Identification activities

TPR activities

Tips for Making Flashcards They should be large enough Pictures should be clear Should be made so that they can be used again and again

They should be large enough

Pictures should be clear

Should be made so that they can be used again and again

Sorts By sound Vowel / consonant Initial, middle, end By pattern By sight

By sound

Vowel / consonant

Initial, middle, end

By pattern

By sight

8 Types of Sorts Picture sorts Word sorts Word hunts Closed sorts Open sorts Blind sorts Writing sorts Speed sorts

Picture sorts

Word sorts

Word hunts

Closed sorts

Open sorts

Blind sorts

Writing sorts

Speed sorts

Picture Files

Using Charts To display more complex visual information, like a series of pictures that tell a story To organize tables of structures or related vocabulary (like verb forms) To diagram how something works

To display more complex visual information, like a series of pictures that tell a story

To organize tables of structures or related vocabulary (like verb forms)

To diagram how something works

Using Videos Advantages: - Ideal for all group types Disadvantages: - Requires special equipment - Not ideal for discussion and interaction - Requires accurate cueing

Advantages: - Ideal for all group types

Disadvantages: - Requires special equipment - Not ideal for discussion and interaction - Requires accurate cueing

Using Overhead Transparencies Advantages: Good for large groups Easy to create Easy to transport Ideal for interacting with groups Easy to update Disadvantages: Not long lasting; wear out with age

Advantages:

Good for large groups

Easy to create

Easy to transport

Ideal for interacting with groups

Easy to update

Disadvantages:

Not long lasting; wear out with age

Big Books

Picture Books

Types of Manipulatives Task Cards

Task

Cards

Card divided into 2 pieces with a design cut-out Students match one part with the other Best for information that has a 1-to-1 relationship

Card divided into 2 pieces with a design cut-out

Students match one part with the other

Best for information that has a 1-to-1 relationship

Types of Manipulatives Puzzle Pieces

Puzzle

Pieces

A blank puzzle where information is written on each piece Students put the puzzle together Best for information in a sequence

A blank puzzle where information is written on each piece

Students put the puzzle together

Best for information in a sequence

Types of Manipulatives Sequence Strips

Sequence

Strips

Sequence Strips Information is written on strips of paper Students put the strips in the correct order Best for information in a sequence

Information is written on strips of paper

Students put the strips in the correct order

Best for information in a sequence

From Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis

Other Examples

Graphic Organizers Common language classroom g.o. functions Describing Comparing and contrasting Classifying Sequencing Cause and effect Decision Making Common designs Cluster/Word Web Describing Wheel Fact and Opinion Five W's Chart KWL/KWHL Chart Sequence Chart Spider Map Tree Chart Venn Diagram

Common language classroom g.o. functions

Describing

Comparing and contrasting

Classifying

Sequencing

Cause and effect

Decision Making

Common designs

Cluster/Word Web

Describing Wheel

Fact and Opinion

Five W's Chart

KWL/KWHL Chart

Sequence Chart

Spider Map

Tree Chart

Venn Diagram

USING THE BOARD

How Could it be Organized?

Using the Board The board is one of the most useful visual aids No special preparation, always available Should be used to make things clearer to class & help focus attention

The board is one of the most useful visual aids

No special preparation, always available

Should be used to make things clearer to class & help focus attention

Basic Principles of Using the Board Write clearly Write in a straight line Don’t hide the board Talk as you write

Write clearly

Write in a straight line

Don’t hide the board

Talk as you write

Some Other Tips Space the amount of content (don’t clutter your board too much) Charts and tables help organize information Write clearly, legibly and keep the font size reasonable Give students time to copy The blackboard can also be a part of the learning process

Space the amount of content (don’t clutter your board too much)

Charts and tables help organize information

Write clearly, legibly and keep the font size reasonable

Give students time to copy

The blackboard can also be a part of the learning process

References Corrales, K. (2008). Getting Your Hands on Learning: Manipulative Tools in Content ESL/EFL Instruction. Latin American Journal of CLIL . Retrieved November 21, 2008 from http://biblioteca.unisabana.edu.co/publicaciones/index.php/laclil/article/view/4/4 Doff, A. (2002). Teaching English: A Training Course for Teachers. Cambridge. http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_the_blackboard http://www.usingenglish.com/weblog/archives/000228.html http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Mumford-Relia.html http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/graphic-organisers

Corrales, K. (2008). Getting Your Hands on Learning: Manipulative Tools in Content ESL/EFL Instruction. Latin American Journal of CLIL . Retrieved November 21, 2008 from http://biblioteca.unisabana.edu.co/publicaciones/index.php/laclil/article/view/4/4

Doff, A. (2002). Teaching English: A Training Course for Teachers. Cambridge.

http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_the_blackboard

http://www.usingenglish.com/weblog/archives/000228.html

http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Mumford-Relia.html

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/graphic-organisers