Didactics 2°Bb Agustina Oviedo, Soledad Alvarez and Florencia Bassahún

Using blackboard/whiteboard
Agus:
Sole:
Flor:

Organization:
● No matter what kind of board it is, it’s a key element in the classroom for
teaching and learning.
● They can be: blackboards, whiteboards or even an interactive one.

The Blackboard/Whiteboard:
● Is a focal point of attention for students and teachers.
● Student’s seats and desks are usually directed to it.
● Works as a visual tool.
● The main point is to use the board in a purposeful way.
● It’s not a teacher’s notepad.

Students and the board:

● Students tend to look at the board a lot.
● Tend to copy down what’s written on it.
● Copying everything that's written on it brings students a feeling of security.
● Some students seem to need it/rely on it more than others.
● Helps students in a visual process to follow what the teacher says.
● They use it as a reminder of what the teacher said earlier once working
alone (for example, instructions).
● It’s essential for those students who are visual.

Teachers and the board:

● Board reliant teachers tend to note everything on the board, which might get
confusing for students.
● Great tool to engage learners in the learning process.
● Using symbols, visuals and colors help facilitate the explanation.

Board in a language lesson:

● Useful tool to convey and construct meaning.
● Illustrate syntax.
● Phonological aspects.
● Incidental lexical items.
● Target language examples.
● Corrective feedback.
Didactics 2°Bb Agustina Oviedo, Soledad Alvarez and Florencia Bassahún

● And more.

Board plan:
● When everything that arises in the class is noted on the board (board reliant
teachers) the information might confuse learners.
● To avoid confusion, teachers should plan what’s written on the board.
● The plan should include aspects such as:
● how the information noted on the board will be used at the different stages
of the lesson.
● what things will be necessary to write or draw on it.

Board drawing:

● You can draw on the board, even if you aren’t a talented artist.
● Even badly drawn pictures can be a source of learning and humour in the
classroom.
● It fosters students’ imagination.

“H” formation board plan:

➔ There are some ways in which we can organize our board. It’s important to
choose one way and be consistent in the use of that manner.
➔ One way in which we can organize it is in an “H” formation.

Summing-up:
Didactics 2°Bb Agustina Oviedo, Soledad Alvarez and Florencia Bassahún

● STAND RIGHT. While writing on the board, stand sideways without hiding what
you are writing and keep eye contact with your students

● PREPARE YOUR TEXT. Prepare beforehand what you are going to write on the
board. You can imagine an A4 paper as your board and write on it your text in
advance, and then copy this prepared text to the classroom board. Be focused
and write as quickly as you can.

● KEEP IT NEAT. Try your best to make your writing look neat and clear. You can
walk to the back of the classroom and check how your board looks like. Your
writing should be big and straight enough. If you think something is not clear
enough, do rub it out and write it again.

● KEEP STUDENT´S ATTENTION. While writing, keep your students’ attention by

reading the key words and phrases aloud. You can also pause for a while and
ask a student to read what you have written

● GIVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS. Tell students exactly what you want them to copy
and at which time you want them to finish copying. After you finish, stand back
and let them complete copying. When time finishes, say “Stop copying. You can
continue copying when I finish explaining”

● ORGANIZE YOUR BOARD. Divide the board into three sections: the left one for
key vocabulary and phrases, the right one for questions or home assignment,
and the center for main structures or language focus. Try to leave a space
under each section for temporary items that you can rub out as you go along
the lesson

● MAKE IMPORTANT FEATURES NOTICEABLE. important features are the points

which you want your students to distinguish and remember such as auxiliary
verbs, irregular endings, pronouns, contracted forms, … etc. You can do so by
underlining them, using different colored pens/chalk, circling them or even
making them italic.

● USE TABLES FOR PROMPTING. Build these tables with students, then use them for
controlled practice that are aimed at achieving accuracy such as substitution
and transformation drills.

● USE DIAGRAMS, MIND/WORD MAPS, BRAINSTORMING AND TIMELINES. You can use
these aids on the board to clarify time, space, quantity or to increase the stock
of vocabulary.

● STICK ITEMS ON THE BOARD. You can use the surface of the board to display all
sorts of items such as posters, flashcards, pictures, … etc. and have students
come out to the board for oral work pointing to or talking about these items.

Whiteboard use. Examples of an activity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsoTeN-e8GI