Filed under: Classroom Tips | Tags: blackboard, chalkboard, classroom presentation, classroom tools, EFL, English With Jennifer, ESL, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, Longman Pearson, teacher training, TESL, use of board, white board
When I was finally lucky enough to have a classroom of my very own, I requested two white boards. A large one covered the front wall, and a smaller one was hung on a side wall. Two or three steps led me back and forth between the two. I used the large board as my main work space. There I developed a visual presentation that students could use a reference during class and, for those who wanted it, the main board offered a set of notes to be copied and taken home for review. The side board was like a piece of scratch paper. I used it for things such as the requested spelling of a word, answers to an exercise, a scoreboard for a game, and homework assignments. Now even if I’m in a classroom with only a single board, I still maintain the practice of dividing my board space into what is more permanent and what is more temporary. It makes the task of erasing easier, and students quickly catch on to the organization of information.
Summary: Divide your workspace on the board. Keep in mind what information will remain on the board for some time, and what information holds a temporary spot. Erase as needed.
