Organizing Board Work Organizing Board Work

British Council Malaysia

PDP4ELT

Selangor 14

Using the board encourages students to remember what they hear, Using the board encourages students to remember what they hear, illustrates and clarifies information, and increases students' interest illustrates and clarifies information, and increases students' interest

about the input they receive.about the input they receive.

Avoid “talking to the board” as giving your back to students is not a good Avoid “talking to the board” as giving your back to students is not a good idea. You should be facing learners most of the time and what you idea. You should be facing learners most of the time and what you

have written on the board must be visible to them. have written on the board must be visible to them.

It is a good idea to divide your board into sections. One part for use It is a good idea to divide your board into sections. One part for use during the lesson which can be cleaned off and re-used. Another part during the lesson which can be cleaned off and re-used. Another part can be for important information which can stay there for the whole can be for important information which can stay there for the whole

lesson (to review at the end of the class).lesson (to review at the end of the class).

Use lots of colours to make the content clear and memorable for learners. Use lots of colours to make the content clear and memorable for learners.

Regularly go to the back of the class and judge your board (honestly!).Regularly go to the back of the class and judge your board (honestly!).

If your board is messy and untidy then, what your students write in their If your board is messy and untidy then, what your students write in their notebooks will be messy too. notebooks will be messy too.

Invite your students to write on the board more often.Invite your students to write on the board more often.

Reference: OTA Brazil 2011 Handouts (complete set) by Oxford University Reference: OTA Brazil 2011 Handouts (complete set) by Oxford University Press, 2009. Press, 2009.

Points to ponder...Points to ponder...

We use the board to...We use the board to...

- list some words students have problems with- list some words students have problems with

- call students' attention to some mistakes they have made in some - call students' attention to some mistakes they have made in some sentencessentences

- - help students to understand our lessons betterhelp students to understand our lessons better

- list down questions- list down questions

- write more examples- write more examples

- write new vocabulary students are learning in that lesson- write new vocabulary students are learning in that lesson

- help visual learners learn better as they see everything explained - help visual learners learn better as they see everything explained by the teacher on the board.by the teacher on the board.

Important things to keep in Important things to keep in mind...mind...

- W- We must really plan and organize our board work. e must really plan and organize our board work.

- We must also make sure that our handwriting is clear and readable. - We must also make sure that our handwriting is clear and readable.

- - It is also good to have a space for students’ work. Students feel It is also good to have a space for students’ work. Students feel appreciated when their work is displayed on the board and they will appreciated when their work is displayed on the board and they will feel motivated to learn more. It will somehow motivate and feel motivated to learn more. It will somehow motivate and encourage others to do their best so that sooner or later, their work encourage others to do their best so that sooner or later, their work will also be displayed.will also be displayed.

Some examples...Some examples...

Picture fromhttp://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com.br/2012/06/whiteboard-

work.html

Read more about it at Read more about it at http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/tips/improving-my-board-work

Watch some videos and pay attention to how teachers organize their Watch some videos and pay attention to how teachers organize their board atboard at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv_Ud2lq-Ww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX05JsVnMWw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRXTN7HwCTM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxu4N2blHLg

Videos from the book Videos from the book The Practice of English Language Teaching The Practice of English Language Teaching by by Jeremy Harmer (4Jeremy Harmer (4thth Edition, Pearson Education Limited, 2007) Edition, Pearson Education Limited, 2007)

Food for thought...Food for thought...