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Instructional Aid in Teaching History

Instructional aid is different types of useful materials, devices and symbols that make the study
more comprehensible and interesting. It is effective tools that “invest the past with an air of
reality”. They provide the learners with realistic experiences. They ensure a proper grasp of the
subject and develop historical imagination. They bring the past in to present. They also present
an experience or a unit of knowledge through audio visual stimuli and help in quick and effective
learning. They help in the proper understanding of terms and concepts ideas and institutions and
the variety of historical phenomena.

1.1What are teaching aids?

Definition:-

Teaching aids are devices presenting units of knowledge through auditory or visual stimuli or
both with a view to help learning. They supplement the work of teachers and help in the study of
text books.

1.2 Objectives of teaching aid in Social studies.

 Supplement the spoken word

 To make social studies real and life-like
 To develop and improve attitudes and interest
 To make learning permanent
 To supplement the text book

1.3 Types of teaching Aid

1.3.1 Printed aids:-

 Periodicals
 Books
 New paper

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Diaries is a written account what someone has accomplished or a daily account of events in
one’s life. Personal diaries, dialogue diaries and travel diaries are some of the many kinds of
diaries.

Diaries can be most appropriately used in social sciences and history to allow students to become
creatively involved with the past. Diaries may be based on factual information /on fiction. There
are opportunities to safely record events, secrets, hopes, values, frustrations and fears. Usually
diaries provide a largely personal and different perspective on a historical event than a textbook
would provide. Diaries help students became more relevant to students.

1.3.2 Visual Aid:-

 Film strip
 Model
 Graph and charts
 Pictorial materials
 Globe and Map
 slide

Filmstrips- can be projected on a large screen for a group or they can be viewed by
individual students on mini-viewers. Filmstrips may be used for large groups or
individualized instruction, for introducing a unit or teaching a lesson.

Diagrams, Tables, Graphs and charts:-, tables and charts give a visual representation and
or summary of factual information. A diagram visually illustrates a fact, concept/generation.
A table provides a large amount of information in a condensed form. A graph illustrates
statistical information on a single way. A chart visually illustrates large /small amounts of
information

The most commonly used charts in social studies are:-

 Genealogy chart
 Flow chart
 Tabulation chart
 chronology chart

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Its purpose

For presenting materials symbolically

For summarizing information

For creating problem and stimulating thinking

For motivating the students

Map:- A map is a picture, plan or a diagram showing the earth or part of the earth. Maps are
representations which are usually on a flat surface. A map is an accurate representation of plain
surface in the form of a diagram drawn to scale, the details of boundaries of continents,
countries, of etc. Maps provide significant information about the world around us.

Maps and globes are an integral part of the social studies. They are useful in the study of history,
geography and political sciences. There are basic skills which need to learned and practiced
throughout one’s school career, orientating the map and understanding directions, recognizing
the scale and computing distances, reading and interpreting map symbols, locating places on
maps by way a grid system. Maps can also be used to develop critical thinking skills, inferential
skills, interpretation skills and computation and calculation skills.

Historical maps-map in history reveal the changing times and the growth and decline of various
kingdoms. Knowledge of lines of boundaries and other symbols is necessary.

Globe:- is a spherical representation of the earth. Knowledge of map is unreal without the
knowledge of globe-the true map. A globe gives a true idea of the total environment at a glance
in a classroom situation.

Advantage:-

 To locate countries, mountain, rivers etc

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Pictures:- Social studies can visualized by the pictures of the excavations of ancient cities. A
lesson in history can be made interesting and stimulating by showing the pictures of kings, and
Queens, costumes and dresses, forts and weapons, monuments and tombs etc.

Photographs Pictures, taken with a camera, provide students with accurate visual information
and an opportunity for creative outlet if they take the photos themselves. Photographs provide
students with information about physical properties of people, places and events and or ideas,
different emotions experienced by people expressed through facial expressions and body
language, the natural progression of events, the order in which things have happened or are
happening, cause and effect and the past.

Photo-journal: - is a compilation of picture, often on a related topic which tell story. The
teacher will need a good supply of magazines and newspapers from which students can get their
photos.

The characteristics for good visual aids were mentioned as follows;

1, the aid should be large enough to be seen by all the class.

2, the important part should stand out, this was done by using colors, cross hatching or shading.

3, only essentials are included. All unnecessary details eliminated.

4, a teaching aid used for a specific instructional purpose.

 It should not be used to fill in time or certain students.

5. All lettering and notes should stand out.

6. It should be portable, easily moved and transported.

 The aid may be used for several years.

7. It should be displayed before the class only when needed.

 It should be covered or removed when not in use.

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8. It should be made to scale , models or aids not in proportion confusing the learner and gave
him a false impression of an object

9. It should be durable and strongly constructed to withstand continued use.

10. It should conform to accept technical practice in the field.

1.3.3 Audio Aids:-

 Tape recordings
 Phonograph discs
 Radio.

Folk songs-folk song, historical and usually culture specific provide us with valuable
information about people and history. Folk music is the song of the common people. It provides
insight into the interest, attitudes, values and beliefs a particular people during a particular time.

Oral history-oral history in the classroom is one way students became actively involved in their
own learning. Students play the role of the historian at work. Students collect the oral history/
memoirs of the people who lived during a particular time period. Further, oral history often
creates historical documentation which would otherwise not be available.

All levels, elementary to post-secondary, benefit from oral history. Oral history provides
meaningful historical knowledge and methodology behind that knowledge. Oral history is
exciting and fun. Students actively seek out information. Acquiring, analyzing and summarizing
an oral history require that the student interview a person or persons who lived during a
particular time period. The teacher may want to introduce the concept of oral history by first
having students interview their peers interviewing out of the class.

1.3.4 Audio Visual Aids:-

 Motion Pictures
 Television
 Dramatization

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Dramatics- Involve a reconstructed experience and step in where contrivances fail. Participation
is better than mere watching. As generally we cannot participate in the experience and have to
be spectator’s observation comes upper-most in education. This category includes items like:-

 Demonstrations
 Field Trip
 Exhibits
 Motion pictures
 Radio
 Recording and pictures in which we simply watch and listen.

Meaning of Audio-Visual Aid

It is any device which by sight or sound increases one individuals experience beyond that
acquired through reading may be described as an audio-visual aids.

Advantage of Audio-Visual Aids

 Provision of sensory experiences

 Provision of substitutes for direct experiences
 Supplement to direct experiences
 Important Motivators
 Effective aid to the slow learner
 More efficient learning
 Development of the power of imagination and observation
 Meaningful learning

Correct use of the Audio-Visual Aid

 Use when required

 Treat as a mass
 Simple
 Preferably grow before the students
 Property exhibited.

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 Field-Trip and Excursions:- Field-Trip is one form of Audio-Visual Aids.

Advantage:-

 Provide first hand information

 Correlate school life with outside world
 Provide actual source-material for study

Histrionics:- This include

 Drama
 Plates
 Tableaux
 Mock performance and soliloquies

History Lab Can have models of various projects going on in the country, models of castles
temples, monasteries, palaces and buildings. Social science lab in history are now becoming
popular ,The lab techniques helps students to develop the social science skills .The use of social
science labs and materials other than dry woods and text book is significant in making social
science education real and concrete . It offer an opportunity to make the teaching of history
more interesting and exciting .Social science lab should be set up separately from the classroom ,
just like science lab, where students can work ,explore, study view, watch ,read and listen. Large
number of activities’ such as historical pictures, collecting and preparing specimen , coins
stamps ,posters writing editorials , doing inquiry exercise, making models, and producing
historical and contemporary context, researching ,role playing/stimulating ,sketching, using
documents of various kinds, creating models.

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BIBILIOGRAPHY

Biadgelign Adane, General Teaching Methods and Techniques, Addis Ababa University
Press, 2010.

Dr. Y k Singh, Teaching of History. A.P.H Publishing Corporation, New Delhi; 110 002,
2004.

G. Harold Silvius and Estell H. Curry, Teaching Successfully, Mckight publishing, 1953.

Harry Dand, Techniques of Teaching. Ashish publishing House; New delhi-110 026, 2004

V.K. Nandah, Teaching of English. Anmal publication PVT.LTD, New Delhi 110 oo2,
2006.