Instructional Materials

Traditionally, teaching aids and instructional materials have been viewed as separate
entities:

 Teaching aids are devices used to deliver information and are not necessarily

designed to fulfill course-based goals. Promoting mental stimulation and sensory
engagement, teaching aids enhance the overall classroom instruction
experience. Classic teaching devices include whiteboards and projectors.
Computers, tablets and other interactive objects add to the classroom
experience, as do scientific tools like microscopes and telescopes.
 Instructional materials are resources with embedded information used to meet
specific course-based learning goals, outcomes and objectives. If a teacher uses
selected resources to teach their students during instruction and active learning,
it’s instructional material. This includes assessment and testing items that help
students retain information. 

Today, it’s fair to say the separation has blurred. With advances in educational
technologies and the ever-growing interactivity of resources, conventional teaching aid
and instructional material designations overlap significantly. With an incredible amount
of student learning taking place online, now more than ever, teachers rely on multiuse,
highly adaptable tools to reach students in a classroom setting and virtually. Digital
media, computers and other resources offer both “delivery of” and “interaction with”
information for students.

Examples of instructional materials include:

 Traditional resources: Textbooks, reference books, lesson plans, workbooks,

flashcards, charts and supplemental reading materials
 Graphic and interactive materials: Physical objects, photographs, illustrations,
charts, graphs, maps, multimedia, movies and games
 Presentation items: Lecture notes, slideshow applications and interactive
presentation software like Prezi, Pear Deck and Canva
 Tests and assessments: Classroom assignments, quizzes, essays,
standardized tests and group projects

Let’s explore how you can utilize various instructional materials to boost your teaching
strategies.

4 Main Types of Instructional Materials

The right materials save you time creating lesson plans and assessments so you can
focus on what you love most — teaching! Check out these core instructional material
types with resource examples, and learn how these resources will support your
instruction.

1. PRINT MATERIALS

Whether it’s a textbook, handout, pamphlet, manual, study guide, assignment file,
syllabus or rubric, print materials are — you guessed it — any resource a teacher uses
that is printed on paper. 

Educational texts have been used for centuries. Considered the foundational backbone
of instruction, books continue to steer and supplement course foundations and lesson
plans. 

While digital texts have their benefits, studies show that reading print materials offer
significant learning advantages over their digital counterparts. Students who read print
books score better reading comprehension and retention scores than those who read
the same material digitally. And print resources improve reading attention and cognitive
focus.

Incorporate these valuable print materials into your teaching experience: 

 Books: Use various print textbooks and supplemental books focused on subject

fundamentals, problem-solving, skills practice, student activities
and differentiated instruction. Books speed up your course planning — many
offer time-saving step-by-step lesson plans, worksheets, testing and assessment
materials. From breaking down math basics to exploring the world of science,
harness the power of books in print.
 Reference books: Carry a variety of up-to-date reference materials in your
classroom. By teaching children how to look up vocabulary information, read
 maps and interpret reference details, you’ll set them up for a lifetime of research
and discovery. Include an area where students can access grade-level-specific
essentials like a world atlas, children’s dictionary and student thesaurus. Use
a vocabulary builder to help students boost their vocabulary skills and prepare for
standardized tests.
 Workbooks: Help your students strengthen their skills while having fun using
workbooks. Frequent, focused practice through weekly activities increases
learning retention and leads to subject mastery. Supplement your science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum with grade-
appropriate math workbooks for students to practice quick problems each day of
the week. Science workbooks provide weekly science units, daily worksheets
and hands-on experiments that are easy to incorporate into the classroom.
 Practice sets: Upgrade your curriculum daily with 180 days of exercises. Ideal
for use in the classroom and at home, practice sets build students’ language,
reading, writing, grammar, mathematics and science skills every day for the
entire school year.

2. ELECTRONICS, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA DEVICES

Digital and instructional devices support teachers and learners, diversify student
engagement and encourage learning outside of the classroom. Quite the step up from
notebooks and chalkboards, electronic teaching tools have changed the game
significantly. Today, you can link to professional resources, digital data, software and
systems in seconds with the click of a mouse or swipe of a finger. And you can share
course materials with your students just as quickly.

Computers, smart devices and research equipment empower teachers to incorporate

multimedia during instruction and monitor students’ progress easily. Teachers can
easily transport laptops from home to school with ease, making lesson planning,
grading and feedback easily accessible. 

In the lab, in the classroom or at home, the right tools help teachers find unique
approaches and make learning fun. Embrace a spirit of connected, immersive teaching
with these classroom staples:

 Computers, laptops and tablets: Computers link teachers and students to a

massive knowledge base. One-to-one technology means each student uses one
device as a tool for course training, and you can create customized lesson plans
for each student. Research shows that tablets encourage independent
thinking and improve computer skills, and since they are portable, these devices
can strengthen learning at home. Make it easy for students to charge and store
tablets in class using a charging and storage cart.
 Microphones: Ideal for student testing, language training and recording lesson
plans, a high-quality microphone is an excellent addition to a teacher’s toolkit.
 CD and cassette players: Play music and audio media for enriched learning.
A Bluetooth-capable boombox can conveniently stream audio from your
 computer, tablet or smartphone. Create a group-friendly listening center to allow
multiple students to listen to CDs, audiobooks and more using headphones
without disturbing classmates.
 Other audiovisual media: Create a sensory experience for your learners with
moving pictures and sound. While multimedia tools work wonders to engage the
entire class, these resources are especially beneficial for learners who
speak English as a second language (ESL) and students with learning
disabilities, language disorders, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), hearing impairment or Down syndrome. Captivate young learners
with interactive DVDs that feature educational songs and animated characters
that teach skills in a fun way.
 Calculators: Whether you need basic calculators for young learners, more
advanced scientific models or graphing calculators for calculus students, equip
your mathematics students with these crucial handheld devices.
 Binoculars and telescopes: Encourage students to explore the world around
them with young-learner binoculars and telescopes with knobs designed for small
hands. Watch your little explorers identify native animals, explore the details in
the moon and delight in curiosity in the wonders of our planet — and beyond!
 Microscopes: Watch your students zoom into science as they participate in
hands-on learning. Microscopes bring your lessons to life with the power of
observation. With models available for all ages, even very young students can
experience the world of the close-up with a microscope designed for pre-K
students.

3. VISUALIZATIONS AND GRAPHICS

It’s no secret that images capture students’ attention — and quickly! The brain can
process images seen with the eye and attach meaning to them in mere fractions of a
second. Because visual representations of information associate concepts with
symbols, they naturally play to the strengths of human biology to help your students
better absorb and recall new information.

The majority of your students are visual learners — approximately 65% of learners need
to see graphs or pictures to grasp a concept. And research shows that teaching with
visual aids stimulates thinking, improves the learning environment and helps students
develop a deeper personal understanding of the topic.

Tap into the processing power of visualization tools to help students connect more
deeply with your content:

 Infographics: Using a combination of images and words to explain text-based

information, infographics are ideal for explaining statistics, breaking down
complex concepts, illustrating unseen processes or telling a story to convey
content in a dynamic way. 
  Graphic organizers: Tables, flow charts, diagrams and graphs are great
examples of graphic organizers — that is, visual explanations of statistics and
other data. 
 Other helpful visuals: Use maps, photographs, illustrations, transparencies and
real objects to supplement your lessons.

4. GAMES AND INTERACTIVE RESOURCES

Game-based learning improves problem-solving skills and makes it possible for

students to learn through experiences. Ignite your children’s imaginations and boost that
brainpower by teaching with interactive game resources:

 Games: Games remove the intimidation factor of learning and turn complex

concepts into play. From teaching young children to count with exciting number
pattern games to improving essential STEM skills with quick-thinking 10-second
challenges, games can enhance learning in every area of study at all grade
levels.
 Role-play: Role-play allows kids to process and apply information in a simulated
real-world environment. Whether children pretend to shop for groceries or treat
sick stuffed animals at an animal hospital, the act of role-playing in the classroom
gives kids plenty of learning opportunities. They can learn how to respond to new
situations, communicate with classmates, work out solutions and imaginatively
explore course concepts. Consider building social, storytelling and oral language
skills using puppets. Encourage your young learners to role-play with veterinarian
and doctor playsets, tool sets and food sets.
 Learning placemats: Students can write on educational placemats with dry-
erase markers or washable crayons, providing an interactive visual aid for
practice and study. Use map placemats for geography lessons or put the periodic
table of the elements at your students’ fingertips in science class.
 Puzzles and brainteasers: Build your students’ creative and critical thinking
skills using puzzles, writing and logic challenges, wordplay games and “what if”
questions.