Television and video

2. The reveal

This technique involves co vering part of the OHP with a plain sheet of paper. Because paper is not transparent, any text on an OHT under the paper cannot be seen. Instead of using an overlay to show the answers to questions, you can have all the information on one OHT. Line up the piece of paper so it is covering everything e xcept the first question and answer. When you are ready to go on, move the piece of paper down to reveal the next question. Using this technique means that the students aren’t looking at all the questions at the same time. You can focus only on the question you want to.

The OHP is a very useful classroom aid but there are a number of practical considerations to think about when using one.

• Too much information!

Although the OHP is a very clear and convenient way of displaying information, try not to use it as the basis of a classroom lecture. If e verything is shown on your OHT the students might get bored because all the information is there and they won’t need to listen to you. So, either use it with the blackout technique and just reveal each point as you’ve talked about it, or put it up at the end of your lesson as a reminder and a summary.

• Placement and focussing

For the projected image to be clear and easy to read, the OHP has to positioned carefully and focussed manually. It’s best to set this up, if possible, before the start of the class.

• Bulb

Many OHP’s have a spare bulb inside the body of the projector. It is not uncommon for OHP bulbs to ‘blow’. If this happens in the class all is not lost if you know how to find and change the old bulb for the replacement one.

• Pens

There are many different coloured pens a vailable for use on OHTs. They come in different thicknesses. Be careful though as some pens are ‘permanent’ - this means that once you write on an OHT you cannot erase what you have written. If you want to be a ble to clean and reuse OHTs be sure to use a temporary marker.

• Copying on to OHT s

It is possible to obtain OHTs which you can use in a photocopier. However, normal OHTs will cause great damage to a photocopier. If you want to photocopy on to an OHT, make sure you have the right kind!

• Light

As the image from an OHP is projected light, it is often necessary to darken the room so that the information can be seen clearly. When using an OHP be prepared to turn of f some or all of the lights and close curtains and blinds.

Tape recorders

The tape recorder is perhaps the most common piece of technology that teachers have access to. Most course books have listening activities and the course cassette is an invaluable resource for the teacher.

Pre-recorded listening material is useful in the classroom. It brings variety to the lesson and lets the students hear English speaking voices other than the teacher’s. But the use of the tape recorder is not limited to pre-recorded course material. There are other sources of listening material such as radio programmes (see page 24) and music. Activities such as ‘jigsaw listening’ (see below) are a communicative way of using the tape recorder and recording the students themselves is a student-centred way of developing language skills and confidence.

Using music

Using the tape recorder to play music quietly in the background while students are working is a good way to create a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom.

Songs can also be used as sources of language learning activities. Students like to work with songs. It’s a change from normal activities and can involve them in a subject most young people are interested in. Songs contain a lot of useful language and can be used to highlight grammar, pronunciation and voca bular y. They are good for prompting discussions and e ven as a tool for introducing new language. Here are a few suggestions for activities with songs:

• Gap fill

Prepare a copy of the words of a song. However, in each line delete a word or words. The students have to listen to the song while reading the text and try to complete the text by filling in the missing words.

• Wrong words

Prepare a copy of the words of a song. However, in each line make a mistake, for example substituting words with other words of similar spelling/pronunciation. The students listen to the song while reading the text and try to cor rect the mistakes.

• Comprehension

The teacher pr epares a list of comprehension questions based on the song. The song is used as any other listening material. The students listen and answer questions.

When using songs it is important that the teacher chooses a suitable piece of music. It should not be too difficult for the students to hear the lyrics clearly. If possible, it should be a song the students like or even one they ha ve suggested.

Jigsaw listening

In ‘jigsaw listening’ activities, the teacher divides the class into groups. Each group listens to a different section of material and later they have to explain their section to people in another group. Jigsaw listening activities can work with all kinds of subjects. Many course books contain jigsaw listening materials but it is possible for teachers to create their own, although they may need access to tape-to-tape recording equipment and more than one cassette player. Here’s an example:

• News room

The aim of this task is for students to create their own radio news bulletin based on an actual one. As with most activities it requires a lot of preparation and planning by the teacher but it does lead to a complete and very productive lesson for the students.

First the teacher records a news bulletin, then copies different stories from the bulletin to different tapes. The teacher prepares a list of comprehension questions for each tape. In class the students are split into groups. Each group is given a tape and a time limit. They have to listen to their tape and answer the questions. The questions are designed to help the students understand the listening and give them a reason to listen.

After the time limit the students make new groups, joining up with students who have heard different stories. Together in these new groups the students have to share information about the stories they heard to decide on the contents of their own news bulletin. The students then use their own words and imaginations to recreate the news stories which can then either be recorded or ‘performed’ for the class.

Throughout this activity the students are using English extensively. They get a lot of practice of different skills and it is engaging and interesting for them.