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Step 1
Use teaching aids only after a thorough introduction of a topic. Although students love to get their hands on materials, the items are worthless if they are not properly introduced. Teaching aids extend a lesson beyond the classroom lecture.
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Step 2
Supplement a lesson with hands-on active exploration. Students remember what they are taught through experiential learning. Make a lesson plan that includes at least some time for active exploration of the subject matter. This can be as simple as a dictionary lookup game. Anything that puts students at the center of the discovery creates a positive learning environment.
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Step 3
Ask students to bring in objects related to a topic. In this way, students can connect what they learn at school to their life outside the classroom. This tried and true method allows the knowledge to enter students' long term memory.
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Step 4
Expand the lesson beyond the classroom. Taking students out of the classroom and onto the playground or into the neighborhood increases the impact of teaching aids. This focuses students' attention on the lesson while relaxing them at the same time.
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Step 5
Create an environment of exploration and allow students to go back to the teaching aids from previous lessons when they have free time. Certain topics interest some students more than others. A teacher will be more effective if they can discover an individual student's interests.
