My portfolio teaching practice 2 training | Page 9

Material for the development of the lesson, impromptu work, notes and
reminders.
The overhead projector
The overhead projector (OHT) not replacing the board is becoming
increasingly popular.
What are the advantages?
You can prepare overhead transparencies (OHT) in advance. This saves
time during the lesson and ensures that the writing is neatly presented,
and the pictures clearly drawn.
Students can write on OHTs and the results can be shown to the whole
class. The results of group work can easily be shared using this technique.
What are the disadvantages?
The OHT can be difficult to move around. OHT are relatively expensive,
especially those that can be used in a photocopier.
How can make the best use of the OHP?
Practice using the machine before trying it out with a class.
Before the class makes sure the OHP is working, try out your OHTs and
check that they are focused and can be clearly seen at the back of the
classroom. You may need to change the distance of the machine from the
screen or wall and or adjust the focus.
Visuals
Visuals can take many forms but the most common are real objects
(sometimes called realia) and pictures or photographs. They have a
variety of uses: for example, the illustration of colors, placed in, on,
under, behind an object such as a box they can demonstrate the meaning
of prepositions; they can be used to show word stress one rod for each
syllable in the word with a taller, different colored rod to mark the stressed
syllable.
Using visuals has many advantages:
They often illustrate meaning more directly and quickly than through
verbal explanation, they cut down unnecessary teacher talking time.
They attract the students’ attention and aid concentration.
They add variety and interest to a lesson.
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