Unit 7 Using The Audio-Visual Aids: Structure
Unit 7 Using The Audio-Visual Aids: Structure
Unit 7 Using The Audio-Visual Aids: Structure
7.1 INTRODUCTION
The basis of all learning is experience. The best way for effective learning is to
provide first hand experience like showing real objects, e.g., chair, table, boy, apple,
banana, etc. But you cannot being all the real things in to the classroom. You would
like to tell the students about distant lands, deserts, wild animals or events which
happened in the past. To make these experiences near reality, we need the help of
visual aids like flash-cards, charts, diagrams, maps, the globe, pictures, masks and
puppets. With the advancement of technology in the field of education, we are now
able to get video cassettes which provide great support to classroom teaching.
You must remember that a mere collection of audio-visual aids cannot make teaching
effective and meaningful. They are only aids and not a substitute for the teacher. We
should know what material is available and when and how it is to be used. While
using audio-visual aids, we should make the best use of the things available in the
classroom or things that are available in the locality.
To teach effectively and for effective communication we seek the help of audio-
visual aids This unit essentially gives us an idea about the need for audio-visual aids,
their types and use.
7.2 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
z explain the meaning of the term “audio-visual aids”;
z list the various kinds of audio-visual aids;
z appreciate the usefulness of audio-visual aids in language teaching, language
skills; and
z identify different kinds of audio-visual aids for language teaching.
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Using the Audio-Visual Aids
7.3 AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS: MEANING AND TYPES
You might remember that there is a step called “presentation” in lesson planning.
During “presentation”, you are supposed to strengthen the relationship between you
and your learners by effective transmission of your ideas and experiences and through
pupils’ participation etc.
Effective communication emphasizes the teachers role in terms of selecting the course
content and also of integrating the course content with appropriate materials like
pictures, graphs, models, charts, maps, radio, television, record player, video. All these
materials are complementary and supplementary to the course content. These materials
are called audio-visual aids. In other words, aids that are used by a teacher for effective
communication are called audio-visual aids.
Audio-visual aids are of various forms. Some say they are broadly of two types,
some say of three types, still others say of four or five types. But the materials or
audio-visual aids that are used at the primary level may be classified into three major
categories. This classification is based on the learners’ sense organs that are influenced
by the aids. An aid that influences the learners’ auditory sense (sense related to
listening or hearing) is called an audio aid. Such aids are the record player or the
gramophone, the radio (programmes) etc.
In visual aids the learners’ sight sense is involved. Such aids are the black-board, the
bulletin board, pictures, charts, photographs, posters, maps, the globe, models,
specimens, textbooks, silent motion pictures, etc.
The third category of aids are audio-visual. In these aids it seems that both the listening
(ears) and viewing (eyes) senses are involved. Such aids are television (programmes).
video (films), motion pictures, computers (computer-assisted instruction) etc.
Keeping the media (or medium) in mind, audio-visual aids could be divided into two
categories, print and non-print. Aids or materials highly dominated by printing are
called the print medium. The most appropriate example of the print medium is the
textbook or supplementary readers. The message of the writer reaches the reader
through the medium of print. All materials other than textbooks or supplementary
readers come under non-print media. T. V., video films, charts, pictures, graphs, etc.,
are the non-print material. Although this classification may not appear to be very
appropriate, this has been done to bring in the concept of the print medium.
Fig. 7.1: A notice board on which some newspaper cuttings are fixed and children are looking
at them.
Fig. 7.2: In a classroom a song is played on the record player and nursery children
are doing some actions according to the song.
Record players or gramophones are used when some songs or poems, chorus, prayer,
etc., are to be presented. Other programmes can be recorded from radio and if possible
from television programmes also. Audio aids help in developing the listening skill.
Nowadays audio cassettes are being produced on a large scale. They contain beautiful
recitations of nursery rhymes, poems, stories, etc. Apart from serving as a model of
good recitation, they also create interest among learners through the various sound
effects.
7.5.1 Record Player
The recording of one’s own recitation or narration helps us to improve pronunciation.
Also, it is very interesting and exciting to listen to our own voice. Tape recorders run
by battery are now easily available in the market. The tapes can be used again and
again. The learners can tape their own singing or discussions and teachers can use
this for evaluation of learners’ speech. Sometimes children use some unnecessary
words in the sentences. For example “I na was going na to school”. These errors can
be removed with the help of the tape recorder.
By using a tape recorder, you can devise a good number of programmes to develop
your learners’ listening skills. To help you in this we are discussing below some such
activities.
Activity 1
Call two children from higher classes like class VI or class VII. Before you instruct
them to read the written matter, be sure that your tape recorder is functioning well
and you will be able to record the programme smoothly. Ask them to read the written
pages as you desire. Record it and play the programme in front of the class.
Activity 2
You can also develop some programmes by asking two or three other teachers to
help. These programmes will be very effective if you discuss what and how to do
with the other teachers before you record the programme and after you play the
programme before learners.
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Activity 3 Using the Audio-Visual Aids
You can involve children to read out a story and record it. Or you can do so yourself.
Activity 4
You can record some radio programmes for your learners. There is a topic
“communicable diseases” in the Environmental Studies textbook. Suppose a radio
programme is broadcast by the regional centre on “communicable diseases — causes
and prevention”, you can record and play it before the learners.
This win give an opportunity to the learners to acquire up to date and authentic
information. Thus it win lead to effective learning.
Before you want to develop any programme by using the tape recorder, ensure that —
i) the instrument (i.e., the tape recorder) is functioning properly,
ii) the voice to be recorded is appealing and clear,
iii) the person can pronounce well,
iv) enough pause has been given between two recorded programmes for discussion,
v) the tape recorder is also equipped with the battery system. If the electric current
fails, it can run on the battery.
7.5.2 Radio Programmes
Listening to a radio programme needs prior training in listening skills. The learners
are to be guided properly before they listen to a radio programme as radio programmes
cannot be repeated unless they are immediately recorded.
Radio programmes are of two types. One type of radio programme is called education
radio broadcasts — which provide scope for participation of teachers and students.
They also supplement school activities. You along with your students may listen to the
programme and take notes on them. As a follow-up activity, discuss the programme,
the main events, the content, the dialogue, the characters, etc., with the students to
evaluate and consolidate their learning.
The second category of radio programmes are those where a general discussion on
social issues, health and diseases, about the universe etc., is held. Those programmes
which you consider useful for your students may be recorded and used to supplement
your presentation inside the classroom.
Before you guide learners to listen to any radio programmes, check whether —
a) everybody has his / her own copy and pencil to take notes,
b) learners know in general what to note down,
c) you also have noted down a few points for a further discussion on the topic, and
d) learners will be able to grasp the programme by listening to it once.
Check Your Progress
Note: Compare your answers with those given at the end of this block.
4. Fill in the blanks with appropriate answers.
a) Audio aids stimulate ............................................... of learners.
b) For effective pronunciation of alphabets or words ................ are essential.
c) Audio aids help to develop ................................ skills.
d) The tape recorder and the radio come under ............................... aids.
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Curriculum Transaction
7.6 VISUAL AIDS: IMPORTANCE AND TYPES
Aids which require the involvement of learners’ visual senses (senses related to
“sight” or “seeing”) are called visual aids. Visual aids are designed to influence the
eyes of learners to enable them to understand what is being shown. In language
learning visual aids are helpful in developing language skills such as speaking and
writing as they stimulate learners’ sense of sight.
Generally, visual aids are classified in the following two major categories:
The chalkboard, pictures, posters, flannel boards, charts, photographs, maps, the globe,
graphs, objects, specimens, models, puppets, materials made from clay and textbook
illustrations etc. are visual aids.
Category 2 : In this category we include those aids which are well-integrated with
machines or electronic equipment. The overhead projector and the silent motion picture
fall in this category.
Fig. 7.3: A classroom situation — a black board, a globe on the table and charts on the wall
The most commonly available aid in the classroom situation is the blackboard. Now
since boards are available in many colours, such as green, white etc., we can call
them chalk-boards. These can be used for writing words and summaries or drawing
pictures, diagrams, maps, etc. They can be used again and again, as they can be
easily cleaned with a duster.
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Using the Audio-Visual Aids
Fig. 7.4: A Blackboard in the classroom with some alphabets written in bold hand-writing
Posters are nothing but large size pictures. Materials developed by the Department
of Pre-school and Elementary Education, NCERT (New Delhi), for developing the
understanding of young children can be collected or borrowed for use. You can also
develop posters with the help of an artist.
iv) Flannel-Board
You can prepare the flannel-boards very easily by fixing flannel cloth or thick khadi
on a wooden board. The flannel should be tightly stretched. The cloth can be fixed on
a piece of plywood. Now cut small pictures or figures and paste them on the smooth
surface of a sand paper. Stick them on the flannel board.
Let us see how we can display a story on the flannel-board. Here the story “The
pitcher and The Crow” is presented as an example.
In the above story we have discussed two major things. One of them is about the
sentences conveying the story of “The Pitcher and The Crow”. Another thing is the
flannel-board activities meant for learners.
Let us see, whether these flannel-board activities help us in developing the following
language abilities in learners. In other words, are our learners able to :
a) understand the meaning of the words thirsty, pitcher, picked up, pebble etc.,
(Flannel- board activities cannot help the learners understand the word “thirsty”.
It can be analysed through other activities by showing the picture of a thirsty
person).
For this particular story, along with the flannel-board you can possibly come with a
pitcher and fill it with a little water and by dropping pebbles show the students how
the level of water comes up. Remember, to fill the water up to a certain level so that
it easily comes up to the neck or the pitcher.
v) Charts
Presenting factual information by teachers in the form of charts also develops learners’
ability to comprehend given ideas and information. Preparing a chart may reduce
chalk-board activities.
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For example, you want to show the birds and animals that fly in the sky, roam in the Using the Audio-Visual Aids
jungle and swim in water. You can display this information by dividing the chart paper
into the three parts showing sky, jungle and water. You colour it accordingly. You can
also draw birds, animals, fish, crocodile etc., to represent their habitats.
You might have prepared or guided your learners to prepare the time table for a year.
You can possibly instruct students to prepare it on chart paper.
vi) Graphs
Learners’ abilities to recognise concepts such as “more”, “greater than”, “higher”,
“taller”, “smaller” etc., can easily be developed through graphs. Two types of graphs
help us in developing such concepts — bar graph and pie graph.
A bar graph is a figure where bars are drawn or pasted upon a graph paper. The bars
can be drawn either vertically or horizontally.
For example, a vertical bar can be used to show between groups A and B which
group has secured the highest marks, which has the lowest marks and what percentage
of marks group ‘B’ learners have secured. The learners can easily answer these
questions by inferring the information from the graph.
Children are very interested in puppets and puppet shows. Through puppetry you can
see puppets doing all sorts of activities-singing, dancing, riding on horse back, fighting,
playing a tabla or a sarangi etc.
Fig. 7.7: Pictures of hand puppets, stick puppets and finger puppets
Fig. 7.9: Children are watching TV and teacher is also sitting on a chair in a corner
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