What’s the #1 …. (teacher resource)
** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1.
A Picture Library
If a teacher with a few years of experience doesn’t have one – they won’t get a job working with me. It is absolutely necessary, a small folder of pictures that the teacher has laminated and can use for all sorts of activities with students.
Pictures are crucial to teaching. Even more so with today’s visual/digital learners. The number one weakness I see with new teacher’s lessons that I observe is the lack of visuals for contextualizing learning and helping students “get it”. So teachers should be constantly cutting from magazines / newspapers and getting together a great library of visuals!
Nowadays, teachers can also have a digital “go to” library. Try Youtube. There are many collections of pictures to use for discussion in video format. Also, try Nat. Geographic’s “The BIG Picture”. Further, there are many powerpoints available online full of quality “image” content.
All sorts of activities you can do with pictures. From categorizing and listing vocabulary to questioning and story making. My favorite is the 5Ws. Student for each picture must ask and answer like a journalist, the 5ws for each picture. They write down their answers on the back and the next group can use their questions/ answers for a quiz!
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