The blackboard or chalkboard is a visual aid most widely used by the teachers in classroom instructions. It is such a most easily usable medium through which a teacher can show his skills and abilities in the classroom for the benefits of the learners
Introduction
The blackboard or chalkboard is a visual aid most widely used by the teachers in classroom instructions. It is such a most easily usable medium through which a teacher can show his skills and abilities in the classroom for the benefits of the learners. Despite the advent of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching-learning process, the use of blackboard in lesson transaction is still same as before. Therefore, all teachers should try to master the skills of using a blackboard.
Components of the skill of blackboard writing:
· Legibility
· Size and Alignment
· Highlighting main points
· Utilization of space
· Blackboard summary
· Correctness
· Position of the teacher
· Contact with pupils
Legibility:
Teachers’ handwritings on the blackboard must be legible so that the learners can read them without any difficulty. Legible and good handwriting motivate and reinforces learners to make their handwriting good as well. Illegible handwriting, on the other hand, irritates the learners and because of which learners can make mistake in their writings too. Legible handwriting refers to a) every letter should be distinct b) having sufficient space between two letters and two words c) having clear distinction between capital letter and small letters e) should not use two different shape for the same letter in different words or in the same word.
Size and Alignment:
Teachers should also be concerned about the size and alignment of their handwriting on the blackboard. Size of the letters should be large enough and uniform so that learners of the last bench can read them easily. The size of the capital letters should be larger in comparison to the small letters. However, size of the letters may vary in relation to different size of the classrooms. Teachers have to identify the ideal size of his handwriting for a particular classroom. Along with size, teachers’ should try to make their handwritings horizontal as much as he can. Having adequate space between lines, all the sentences written on the blackboard should be parallel to each other or to the base of the blackboard.
Highlighting main points:
Teachers should highlight some points or words underlining with coloured chalks to draw attention of the learners, or to give emphasis on a/some particular point/s, or to show similarities and/or differences between the highlighted points to the learners. However, he should not use coloured chalk or highlight words/points pointlessly.
Utilization of space:
Teacher should try their best for proper utilization of space of the blackboard. This means that he should write on the blackboard with a planned way which are important and essential to be written. Writing on the blackboard is time consuming, and therefore, he should not write unnecessary words or statements on the blackboard. This implies that writing unnecessary words or statement on the board is nothing but waste of time.
Blackboard summary:
In simple, blackboard summary means the salient points of the lesson. It
is developed by retaining the main points of a lesson and rubbing off the other/secondary
words or statements. Teacher should develop a blackboard summary with
continuity in the points so that he can summarize the lesson quickly but
clearly. A clear and simple blackboard summary helps learners recollect the
whole lesson at a glance. However, to develop a blackboard summary is not a simple
task. So, the teacher should be well prepared and planned from the very beginning
of their lesson planning.
Correctness:
Teachers must give emphasis on correctness of sentence, spelling, punctuation, grammar etc. while writing on the blackboard. If the teacher make mistake then the learners also do the same mistake. In addition, mistakes done by teacher may lower the attentiveness of the learners in the classroom. Furthermore, only one mistake done by a teacher may convey multifarious negative messages to the society about the teachers. Thus, it may also lower the image of the teachers in the society.
Position of the teacher:
During writing on the blackboard, teacher’s position should be on the side of the blackboard so that the writings on the blackboard are visible to the learners. On the other hand, if the teacher writes standing in front of the blackboard then the learners will not be able to see and write. Therefore, teachers should write on the blackboard, extending his hand as much as possible, standing on the side of it so that learners can write them uninterruptedly.
Contact with pupils:
At the time of writing on the blackboard, teachers should maintain eye-contact with the learners. To control the learners and maintain discipline among them teacher should maintain such type of contact with the learners. As far as possible, while writing, teacher should pronounce the writings aloud so that the learners can hear them. It will help improve learners listening skill as well. There are some learners who are lazy in writing. So, for such learners teachers should not rub the board without asking them whether they have written completely or not.