Teach English in Sishui Zhen - Wuwei Shi

This entire unit was about different teaching aids that can be used during a lesson. Using teaching aids can help make lessons more interesting, but it's also a way to become less depend on the textbook. There are fifteen common resources that are often found in classrooms. First being a typical white or black board. Practically every school or institute will have a board, this can be used for writing, drawing, adding pictures, projecting things, etc. It is important to keep the board clean and organized. You want the students to be able to understand as they will most likely be writing what you have written on the board. Also, only put important information on the board, not everything that you are saying throughout the lesson. Next is the Interactive whiteboard (OHP), these are becoming more popular, except in less developed countries. It can be very useful during a lesson, but it is important to keep in mind that you should always have a back-up plan as it may not work. You can also use overhead projectors which help present pre-prepared lessons. It doesn't involve as much writing compared to a whiteboard. One of the disadvantages is that you need a darker room, the class should be a decent size for effective projection, and sometimes they don't always work. Visual aids include using objects, photos and pictures. This can help students a lot with meanings, and it helps reduce Teacher Talking Time. It is a great way to get students involved and help stimulate language. Worksheets and work cards can either be bought or made by the teacher, this way is especially good for using as a study stage during an EFA lesson. The cassette recorder was used quite a bit before modern technology, and still is.They can be used to record authentic materials, record student's communication and even the teacher can record and make their own dialogue for the lesson. Although, it is important that the teacher know how to use this before beginning a lesson as it may waste time in front of the students. CD players are a little more popular than cassette recorders now, they are great for listening activities and can improve students listening skills. Videos and DVDs attract the students attention and can be used for many things like presenting information, working on listening comprehensions, studying a certain topic. Just remember that the video has a purpose during the lesson rather than wasting time. Video cameras are great for activities during a lesson. It can also help the teacher to film their students and see what needs to be improved. Dictionaries are great for helping students when they have difficulties using the language during a lesson. Although, sometimes, students tend to translate word by word, so it is encouraged to use an English-English dictionary. Dictionaries help with pronunciation, usage and meaning. You can also use course books. Resource books are useful when you want to replace or adapt certain things from the course book. They have different exercises for the class to work on or even activities as well. Photocopiers are always available in schools. they are necessary for copying certain materials that aren't in the student's course books. Make sure when using a photocopier that the copies printed are clear and presentable and that you are not wasting paper. Computers are also becoming more popular in schools. It can great for adding images, presentations, activities for students to work on, CDs, etc. Unfortunately, not every school provides computers because of the cost, sometimes only the teacher will be provided with a computer, even then, not always. Finally there are online sources. There are thousand of websites that TEFL teachers can use throughout a lesson. This can include dictionaries, activities, media, ways of helping teach, different ways of learning, etc. All of these teaching aids are great ways of changing up lessons. Some teachers have different preferences when using any of these teacher aids, but all of them are great ways to improve the lesson and get away from the textbook.