LEARNING RESOURCE MATERIAL

 INTRODUCTION
It refers to teaching and learning materials. To ensure that students are fully
engaged in their learning, teachers employ a variety of interesting and
fascinating tools to teach the ideas described in the curriculum. Such resources
or materials can help students turn learning experiences into reality to make
learning more fun, engaging, and interactive. These are tools used
in educational activities, including positive learning and assessment. Learning
materials or resources are the materials that instructors may use to carry out
instruction and facilitate the achievement of a student’s educational goals.
These resources can be used by teachers as well as the students to gain more
knowledge on a particular topic. These days the options of learning materials or
resources are vast. Not limited to only books or classrooms. Students can seek
learning from various online sources available like videos, etc. It is known as
informal learning.
In today's ever-changing dynamic world, teachers, as well as learners, are
evolving, and so are their respective roles. The learner is taking up a more
active role in the classroom while the teacher is becoming more and more
passive in their approach. It is the responsibility of the teachers to make the
learner curious, have the drive to learn and be able to apply what is required at
the right time. However, the mode of learning is becoming such that the
learners engage more with the material that is provided to them, in addition to
the full participation of the class and their combined effort to seek knowledge.
This is where the importance of learning resources comes in.
 DEFINITION
1. Learning Resources Materials are materials that are used for teaching a
course.
2. A learning resource is an artifact that contributes to a learning process.
3. Learning Resource as a digital resource used for E-Learning, sometimes tied
to a given context. (Rensing)
4. A term refers to the material used for teaching subjects and assists learners to
understand the content easily.
5. Instructional material, also known as teaching/learning
materials (TLM), are any collection of materials including animate and
inanimate objects and human and non-human resources that a teacher may use
in teaching and learning situations to help achieve desired learning objectives.
 OBJECTIVES
• explain the importance of TLM in enhancing students’ learning;
• classify the TLM on basis of their characteristics;
• distinguish the use of different TLM in different contexts;
• prepare low cost TLM using locally available materials;
• involve students in designing and development of TLM;
• explore the web for finding teaching learning materials.

 PURPOSE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS

Teaching materials come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have in common
the ability to support learning.
The purpose and importance of teaching and learning materials is to make
lessons interesting, learning easy and enable teachers to easily express concepts.

Learning support
Learning materials can significantly increase learners’ achievement by
supporting learning. For example, an educational video may provide a learner
with new insights and an appealing worksheet may provide the learner with new
opportunities to practice a new skill gained in class. This process aids in the
learning process by allowing the learner to explore the knowledge
independently as well as providing repetition. Learning materials, regardless of
what kind, all have some function in student learning.

Lesson structure
Teaching and learning materials can also add important structure to lesson
planning and the delivery of instruction. Learning materials act as a guide for
both the teacher and the learner. They can provide a valuable routine in the
teaching and learning process. For example, by providing a summarizing poster
or video after each topic.
Differentiation of instruction
In addition to supporting learning more generally, teaching and learning
materials can assist teachers in the differentiation of instruction. Differentiation
of instruction is the tailoring of lessons and instruction to the different learning
styles and capacities within your classroom. Learning materials such as
worksheets, videos, group activity instructions, or any other, all allow teachers
to modify them to best activate each individual learner's needs or learning style,
for example by using different media.

 PURPOSE OF USING TLMS

TLMs are used to enhance the learning of students in classrooms. A teacher uses
it to make teaching-learning effective. TLMs also help learners achieve the
learning outcomes after classroom teaching and learning. Some of reasons to
use TLMs in classroom are of various types as described below:

i) Motivate learners –
Capturing attention is the first step to any learning and TLMs help in capturing
the attention of learner in classroom. Once motivated to look at TLMs, the
children are curious to learn new things. TLMs provide a variety of stimuli,
which helps in making classroom teaching most effective.

ii) Help in longer retention of information –

The more the number of sensory channels involved in interacting with TLMs,
the longer will be the retention of information. Therefore, the learning will be
effective and will last long.

iii) Facilitate holistic learning –

You have read about Blooms –Taxonomy of Objectives. Learning objectives to
be achieved through classroom teaching are in all domains- cognitive, affective
and psychomotor. Therefore, to achieve varied objectives, varied learning
experiences need to be provided, which can be done through the use of TLMs.

iv) Help in organizing classroom teaching –

As a teacher you need to organize learning experiences, making them as
realistic as possible. You can use visual or verbal TLMs to present accurate data
in sequentially organized manner. This helps teacher to verbal and visual
communication in classroom. Thus, you may use TLMs to overcome
shortcomings in verbal or visual communication. 61 Teaching – Learning
Materials

v) Facilitate change in attitude –

TLMs also help in changing attitude of learners towards learning in general and
subject content in particular. Pictures, models and other TLMs help in
inculcation of positive attitude of learners.

vi) Practical applications –

TLMs show application of theoretical knowledge into practical applications.
The theoretical knowledge studied in class is shown in concrete form through
TLMs for effective learning.

vii) Making learning fun –

TLMs help in making learning fun in the classroom. Students enjoy the novelty
of handling new objects and learn new concepts through them.

viii) Concept formation –

TLMs facilitate the formation and attainment of concepts among children. They
concretize the abstract concepts; thus children are able to understand them and
not resort to rote learning. Therefore, use of TLMs in classroom teaching is an
essential aspect about which you should focus your attention while designing
and developing your lesson. There are a variety of TLMs to choose from
depending on the context, level of learners and availability. The next section
will acquaint you with the various types of TLMs available.

Teaching learning materials provide a range of learning experiences to learners

from direct to indirect. Edgar Dale (1969) arranged the learning experiences
Teaching – Learning Materials a continuum of ‘directness to indirectness’ which
has correlation with continuum of ‘concreteness to abstract’. He called it a
‘Cone of Experiences’.
 Dale’s cone of Experience

The organizing principle of cone is progression from most concrete (direct)

experience at the bottom of the cone to most abstract (indirect) at the top.
According to Dale, the least effective method is at top i.e. more use of verbal/
textual symbols like reading or listening to spoken words.
The most effective method is at bottom involving direct, purposeful, concrete
learning experiences, such as hand on or field experience. As action learning
results in upto 90% retention, teachers should strive for making classroom
teaching nearest to direct experiences. As field or hands on experiences are not
possible in all the cases, a teacher should try and making the classroom
instruction most direct using appropriate TLM. The kind of TLM used affects
the learning.
For example, same content can be taught using different TLM and the retention
will vary according to TLM used. If you want to teach parts of a plant, you can
provide a continuum of direct to indirect experience to learners. You can
provide real experience of plant, which a student can see, smell, touch, and
handle in class. You may also bring a model or chart of plant to show its parts.
You may also explain the parts of plant verbally with the help of diagram on
chalkboard. Not all the learning experiences of same content ‘parts of plant’ are
similar and therefore, learning will not be similar as well.
Therefore, learning outcomes are highly dependent on the learning experience
given in classroom using teaching learning materials.

 TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

There are many types or categories of resources that teachers can use to support
the teaching and learning process.

Some resources or more traditional, others are more innovative. This subtopic
reviews and introduces different types of teaching and learning materials which
any teacher can start using tomorrow. Because a successful integration is more
than just getting the tools into your classroom, every tool is accompanied
with suggestions on how to engage the learners and enrich a teachers’ lesson.

Traditional and innovative resources

There is endless list of Teaching and Learning Materials. The ones we are most
familiar with are traditional resources. These may include any textbooks and
workbooks used in the classroom.

For example, language arts classrooms almost always have literature textbooks,
writing textbooks, and even vocabulary and spelling workbooks.

More innovative materials may include charts, maps, videos, images, diagrams
and flashcards.

In addition to these resources and to help find a way in the endless possibilities
of instructional materials,

 TYPES OF TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS

Teaching learning materials are of various types and thus are classified and
categorized in several ways. Edgar Dale’s cone of experience is one of the
simplest ways of categorizing TLMs. He experimented with different TLMs and
categorized them on the basis of type of experiences the learner acquires – from
concrete to abstract.
Another widely accepted and popular way of categorizing TLMs is based on the
senses they stimulate in learners, which, in turn affect the effectiveness of
teaching learning process. TLMs can broadly be classified into three categories.
i) Audio TLMs:
These TLMs primarily stimulate the hearing sense of learner.
It includes – human voice, telephonic conversation, audio discs/tapes,
gramophone records, Radio broadcast.
ii) Visual TLMs:
These types of TLMs involve the sense of vision. They stimulate the visual
impulses. These can be of various types as given below:
• Visual (Verbal) Print. (the text is the main instructional or teaching learning
aid)
• Textbook, Supplementary book.
• Reference books, encyclopedia, etc.
• Magazine, Newspaper • Documents and Clippings
• Duplicated written material • Programmed material or SLM
• Case Studies/Reports etc.
• Visual (Pictorial- Non Projected )–
a) Non-projected two dimensional –
Here the TLM is in form of an image or picture explaining the concept.
Examples of such type of TLMs are blackboard writing and drawing Charts,
Posters, Maps, Diagrams, Graphs, Photographs, Cartoons, Comic strips.
b) Non-Projected three-dimensional –
This category includes three-dimensional representation of the real object or
phenomenon. It helps learners in conceptualization.
It includes – Models, Mock-up, Diorama, Globe, Relief Map, Specimen,
Puppet, and Hologram.
• Visual (Projected but still) –
Here the images are projected or displayed on a screen and thus are nearer
reality than visual non-projected ones.
It includes – Slide, Filmstrips, Over Head Projector (OHP), Microfilm, Micro
card, etc.
 CLASSIFICATION OF LEARNING RESOURCE MATERIAL
Instructional materials can be classified by type, including print, visual, and
audio-visual, among others:
Textbooks, pamphlets, handouts, study guides,
Print
manuals

Audio Cassettes, microphone, podcast

Visual Charts, real objects, photographs, transparencies

Slides, tapes, films, filmstrips, television, video,

Audio-visual
multimedia

Electronic
Computers, graphing calculators, tablets
Interactive

Text Books
You must have read many books. In books, text is the method of
communicating.
Books are written by authors for learners to help them learn new things. The
book specially written by authors for learners of a particular course is known as
textbook. Textbook is very important basic teaching learning material. It is
written
specifically to satisfy specific needs of the syllabus. In most cases, a textbook
serves as a focal point base for organizing learning activities. In some textbooks
like the NCERT textbooks both teacher’s and pupil’s activities are included in
form of questions, suggestions, experiments, topics for discussion, etc. As often
they are prescribed by the schools, and are based on specified syllabus under a
curriculum, they are often referred to as curricular material.
Textbooks are predominantly textual with some images. Normally, content in a
textbook is organized under chapters, units and lessons. Most textbooks are
written in factual or information giving style with little or no interactivity inbuilt
in the text. Thus, most of them do not serve the purpose of self-learning
materials for learners.
When textbooks are written in conversational style with activities, they serve as
a basis of self-study as well. They, therefore, assist learners to acquire good
reading skills and develop language comprehension. If textbooks are well
illustrated and written in interesting style, they act as interesting individualized
learning materials for the learners. Thus, the quality and utility of textbook
depends on the author.

While writing a text book for students, the author needs to keep in mind the
following points:
i) Text book should provide authentic content knowledge;
ii) Contents in the text book should be logical, coherent and sequential;
iii) Language used in the textbook needs to be simple, and comprehensible by
elementary students
iv) Presentation of contents needs to be conversational and based on sound
pedagogic principles;
v) Concepts and propositions need to be explained with examples and
illustration;
vi) There need to be a lot of activities, cases built into the textbook;
vii) Presentation of contents needs to motivate the learners throughout the
process
of learning.
GRAPHIC MATERIALS
Very often, it is not possible to bring concrete reality to classroom in form of
real objects (specimens) or their representations (models). In such situations,
you
may use graphics. Graphic materials help to simplify, illustrate, and concretize
learning experiences for learners. Maps, charts, posters are graphic materials,
which are widely used for teaching contents in sciences and social sciences.
Maps
You must have used maps to find your way to a new place. Google maps have
become almost indispensable finding our way around places. Maps are scaled
down representations of the real earth’s surface on paper. Every map is
symbolized summary of earth’s surface; therefore, it provides information in
condensed form.
The symbols used are through lines, dots, colours, words and signs.
Maps are useful tool in every discipline. In social studies, it is very important
for learning geographical, historical, and economical concepts. Details in map
are kept simple enabling learners to locate places, different physical features
and to read directions.

Maps are broadly classified into following categories:

• Physical Maps, which show climate, soil, forest areas, resources, rainfall,
etc.;
• Political Map which show political divisions of countries and places;
• Economic Maps are those maps showing the crop distribution, land use,
transport, etc.;
• Social Maps, show demographic distribution, in country. The literacy rate,
language, tribes etc. are shown on maps for easy comprehension;
• Historical Maps show boundaries, of the empires, routes taken by travelers,
places of war, treaties, etc.
Map reading skills should be taught to students. Some significant aspects of
map reading skills are: symbols of places; location of places – longitude,
latitude;
different physical features – land form, water form; human factors; climate and
resources; distances; transportation.
Charts
A chart is a diagrammatic representation of a system, process, and historical
sequence of event. It is visual representation used to summarize, illustrate,
compare or contrast, communicate the subject matter in effective and concise
way. Charts are used in all subjects for concept formation and development
among
learners. For example, in order to teach solar system the science teacher can
make use of a chart depicting solar system comprising sun and other planets.
If you look around, you will find wide variety of charts being used. The
different
types of charts are-
1) Process charts, which are used to show steps in a process. Life cycles of
insects, energy cycles, etc are shown as cyclical processes. Stepwise making
of a slide box or any other object may also be shown with the help of process
chart.
2) Organizational chart – are used to represent functional relation among the
different components in our organization whether manmade or natural. Food
chain, administrative hierarchy in institution, etc. can be shown on
organizational chart.
3) Time chart – are used to represent events, occurrences in chronological
sequences. Evolution of man, political empires, etc can be shown using
time chart, which helps learners to compare and contrast events in relation
to time. It is very important for wholistic comprehension of the topic or
subject under study.
4) Tabular chart represents data in tabular form for easy comparison and
understanding. For example, types of crops, plants, etc. are represented in
tabular form, which makes comprehension easier.
5) Tree chart shows growth and development from single source to many
branches like in a tree. In a time chart, it is generally a single line
representation whereas in a tree chart many branches are there like a tree.
For example, family tree is a familiar example.
6) Stream chart is opposite to tree chart wherein may branches come together
to converge into a single stream. For example – many rivers like Yamuna
fall in Ganga, which then flows down to fall in the sea.
7) Sequence charts or flip charts are collection of charts like flip charts used
to show many events or series of events in succession.
Poster
Poster is symbolic representation of a single idea. As a single idea is depicted
posters are usually bold, eye-catching to attract learners for giving a message.
Posters have both visual and textual components. Visual component is to attract
the attention of learner and thus has to be colourful and eye-catching. Text is
used to convey message related to visual and is called ‘Caption’. Caption
conveys the important message and the visual is to attract attention and
therefore to support the message to be converged. Ministry of Health for
generating awareness regarding ‘Rural Health’.
Models
Model is recognizable imitation of real thing (eyes) or abstract thing (magnetic).
Usually a model is similar to the original object in every aspect except the size.
The size of an object may be reduced or enlarged. When size is reduced, the
object is simplified to show only the essential parts. For example, globe is
model of earth simplified to show earth’s essential parts only. On the other
hand, when size is enlarged, it shows the details of the object. For example,
model of eye is enlarged to allow all the details to be seen easily and clearly.

Models are useful as these:

• Simplify difficult concepts;
• Reduce large objects to a conveniently observable size;
• Demonstrate interior structure of an object or system;
• Help learners to understand difficult part of object or system.
It simplifies difficult concepts, processes or complex situations by focusing on
essential features only and eliminating complex details, which may hinder in
understanding the concept. Models are useful teaching learning material. While
using models certan points need to be to the taken care of-
• Models should be large enough to be seen easily by everyone in the class;
• Models may be supplemented with other TLMs like chart to help leaners to
understand the relationships;
• If it is working model – check before you use in your class;
• Leaners should be allowed to touch the model and feel it for effective learning;
• True colour should be used in models for realistic learning. It also makes the
model more eye-catching.
Model can be of two types as described below:
1) Stationary or Non-working Model- Stationary or non-working model is the
type of model in which all the parts of model are stationary i.e there is no
movement. It is easier to make and is widely used as TLM, for eg. Model of
eye is a non-working model.
2) Working Model- Working Model is a model in which either all or some
parts are moving to show the process in the system. They appear interesting
to learners. Solar system where all planets revolve around sun is an example
of working model.
Overhead Projector (OHP)
Overhead Projector (OHP) helps in displaying still visual material as projection
on a screen. It is a simple projector which is very easy to operate and therefore,
popular among teacher. It is better than using chalkboard as it helps teacher to
talk and show visuals at the same time. As a teacher, you can observe the
reaction
of students and interact with them. It also helps in saving time as you can use
these visuals / transparencies again and again. OHP does not require a darkened
room and is easy to handle and transport from one classroom to another.
You need to use visual material either textual or pictoral by preparing
transparencies.
Transparencies need to be designed and developed for achieving the objectives
of the teaching-learning. There are two forms of OHP transparencies. One is
single transparency. If you want to use ten transparencies, then you may have to
make ten single transparencies. Second is using a continuous roll of OHP
transparencies. As you proceed with your classroom teaching, you unroll and
show it over OHP platform.
Single transparency – Thick transparent Acetate sheets are used to display
visual
or textual material while talking in class. They can be stored in boxes with
blank
sheets of paper in between two transparencies to ensure that they do not stick
together.
PowerPoint Slides
Slides are very effective as they combine the advantages of OHP slides with
verstality of computer. Images, animations, text, etc. can be inserted in power
point slides which make TLMs useful and effective. They can be easily used for
small as well as large audiences. They can be reused as many times as you
want.

They can be used for classroom teaching as well individualized study. While
making slides, following points as given below should be focused.
1) Appropriateness – It refers to the simplicity of slide presentation. Content
should be according to level of the learner. Each slide should be
contextualized. Graphics are preferred visual than tables.
2) Accurate – The content should be accurate. Word spelling, graphical data,
quotation, etc. must be double-checked for accuracy.
3) Legible – The text in the slide must be readable. Font size should be higher
for Titles – 36-42 whereas 24-32 for text on slides. The distance between the
lines should be 1.5 – 2. 50-70 characters including spaces and punctuations,
per line, sans serif fonts (Arial, Impact) are preferred for title and headings,
though they do not look too good in bold. Serif fonts like Times Roman,
Souvenir, Serifa are prepared for writing the text slides.
4) Comprehensible – The slides should be comprehensible to learners – For
this:
– Use one line per point and use brief phrases. You can elaborate in it
during classroom teaching;
– Use one slide per minute, if you are running through;
– Do not cram everything on the slide;
– Do not copy tables or photographs from books;
– Use abbreviation, which are universal;
– Avoid complicated figures as they may confuse the learners.
Audio Materials
Your voice is the most common form of audio medium, which may be used in
classroom teaching. You use voice to communicate with others. Voice creates
sound, which delivers message to others.
Sender – ——————àSound/message ————————-à– Receiver
In a classroom when a teacher talks the message is sent to students in the form
of
sound. It is one of the most natural ways of communicating.
To make your voice effective medium of communication you should modulate
your voice; express your feelings; emphasis, pause at appropriate places. The
skills of using voice as an effective classroom transaction are integral part of
teacher training programme.
Many audio TLMs are available to help in making classroom teaching effective
Audio CD/DVD
Audio recordings in form of CD or DVD are very popular TLM. Stories poems,
songs are frequently used in elementary classes. Discussion and debates with
important personalities can be recorded and prepared in form of Audio CD to be
used in classroom to motivate students. NCERT, NIOS prepare Audio CD/DVD
for children which are very effective TLMs.
You can use a DVD or CD players with speakers in your classroom to seen
these audio CD/DVD. You may also prepare your own audio CD/DVD. Using
your mobile, voice recorder or soft wares on computer.
Radio
Radio is a popular mass medium, which has been with us from very early times.
These days all of us are tuned to Radio through FM channels. Popularity of
Radio is due to its easy access, speed and immediacy. Back in 1917 radio was
visualized as means for mass education. In India, first radio station was
established in Mumbai (Bombay) in July 1927. Two more radio stations in
Calcutta and Delhi were established in 1936. All India Radio (AIR) broadcasted
radio programmes for the country. In 1937 Calcutta station broadcasted school
programmes for the first time and it continues till date.
School educational programmes are still in demand and are used by teachers to
generate interest of students. Gyan Vani is a dedicated FM channel for
educational broadcasts. It is used to broadcast educational programmes from
Educational Media Production Centre (EMPC) of Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU), New Delhi. Audio programmes developed by Central
Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) of NCERT for school children are
also broadcast by Gyan Vani.
Radio is used to-
– broadcast lectures by eminent educationists, scientists, etc.
– broadcast drama, stories, commentary, news, etc
Radio is popular all our country, urban as well as rural, settings.
While preparing Radio programmes selection of topic is very essential. Topic
should support verbal communication i.e. verbal inputs are needed to topic.
Sound, music, special effects are added to audio programmes to make it
interesting and effective. It helps in creating visual images through sound and
thus enriches imagination in children, CIET, State Institute of Educational
Technology (SIET) and educational technology divisions of SCERTs produce
topic and need based audio programmes for school children.. IGNOU also
produces audio programmes for its student teachers enrolled in teacher
education programmes.

Podcasts
a mass broadcast medium whereas Podcasts are personalized broadcast.
Podcasts are prepared for specific target and made available to the target group
for specific learning objectives. Podcast is portmanteau of words ‘pod’ from
iPod and ‘cast’ from broadcasting
You want to narrate a story to your class. You record it and play in your
classroom teaching. If children want to hear it at home. You can make it
available through Podcasts. Podcasts can be easily made using computer
software. Podcasts are uploaded on web to be listened at any place and Students
can download it to hear at any convenient time and place.

Audio Visual Medium

It is the most effective of all TLMs as it is nearest to reality and thus generates
interest and motivate learners. Televisions, Video, Multimedia programmes,
interactive video are audio-visual TLMs used by Teachers.
Television –
Children are extremely fond of cartoon networks on Television. In a similar
manner if we have Audio Visual TLMs for capturing the attention of children,
then learning will be interesting and effective. Gyan Darshan of IGNOU is a
Channel dedicated to educational programmes. Educational programmes
prepared by CIET for children are regularly broadcasted. SIETs produce
programmes in local languages for children.
Television is useful as it brings to children a wide variety of programmes in
their local language. They can use it to learn about new things and then clarify
the points they did not understand with their teacher.
As a teacher, you should try to prepare children to watch the programme. You
should ask questions related to the topic being telecast on TV. This will raise
their curiosity level and they will be more alert and focused while watching the
TV programme. After watching the programme, there should be discussion.
This will help in retention of the points learned and helps in consolidating the
learning. Both pre and post screening discussions are important as they help in
concept construction among learners.

Video CD/DVD
Video programmes are developed on specific topics to be used in classroom
teaching. A script is prepared and the programme is developed using cameras.
Professionals generally develop video programmes. Though as a teacher, you
can prepare short films for your students and make them available through CD
or DVD for them to watch in class or later at their home. Video programmes
may be run on DVD player as well as computer. CIET of NCERT has
developed many Video CD and DVD s for school children National Institute of
Open Schooling (NIOS) develops programme for children. Besides many
private organizations also develop programmes but the cost is more and thus not
all children can be benefited by theses video programmes.
Computers
Computer is the modern-day wonder, which has penetrated all spheres of life.
As a teaching learning material, its potential is enormous. It supports group as
well as individualized learning and this increases its scope of use in variety of
situations and variety of ways. A computer can record, analyze, interact with
students, store and manipulate data on an extensive scale.
It may be used as a TLM in variety of ways. You can use it for various
purposes.

• Give practice to students especially in math and languages. A student is

presented with a series of exercises, which he/she has to do, and the computer
gives the feedback. This helps students in practicing the new learning.
• Provide the learning material in small units and gives immediate feedback
and this reinforce further learning.
• Games are great stimulator for learning. New concepts may be introduced
through games.
• Animation is another feature possible on computers. Children love animated
programmes. Thus, animation may be used to capture their interest to teach
difficult and affective domain topics.
• Simulate the complex topics and help students to understand. Topics like
cell , its organelles, photosynthesis may be simulated on computers for better
understanding.
• Interact with learners at each step for them to be motivated to learn further.
When computers are used for teaching learning process it is called Computer
Assisted learning (CAI) or Computer Mediated Learning (CMI). Here the
computer interacts and communicates with the learner according to the
predesigned programme. The students are guided through the new concepts in a
predetermined manner. The computer interacts with the learner at every step
and thus it is interactive learning and the learner is always active.
You should use these TLM as making the teaching learning effective in your
classes. You should use the type of TLM which is appropriate to the concept
taught.

 PREPARATION OF LOW COST TEACHING LEARNING

MATERIALS FROM AVAILABLE LOCAL RESOURCES.
You want to use Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) to teach your class. What
will you do? You will go and buy it. Oh! The model and chart you want are
very costly. The school has not enough budgetary provision for costly TLMs.
What should you do then? You also realize that you can easily design and
prepare the chart with little cost.
The waste materials like used wrapping papers, cardboards, etc. can be used to
prepare TLMs. You will be able to design and develop TLMs at low
cost using waste materials. Also the locally available materials can be used
which will not be costly and you will be able to use TLM in your classroom
teaching without financial burden. It will also give you an opportunity to
involve your students in creating TLM. (details in 7.6). Let us discuss how to
make teaching learning material using local resources with some examples.
A) Making a Neighbourhood Map-You want to teach children about their
neighbourhood and want to use map for teaching. How to get a map of the
neighbourhood? It will not be available in shop. You can make map of the
neighbourhood with the help of help of students and community. You can
request children, their parents or your neighbours to help in developing
neighbourhood map.
Steps
1) Procure a large sheet of paper and coloured papers to draw the map.
2) Sit in-group and identify important and most frequented places in the
neighbourhood.
3) Make a list of places. Also, select pictures and symbols to represent those
places like… for house, for doctor, etc.
4) Start from your school. Make it in the middle so that you can map the
surrounding neighbourhood. Indicate the roads and important places in vicinity.
5) Then you can move around in maps and make the important places and the
roads connecting.

6) You will get a neighbourhood map to teach your learners.

7) The map will help you in teaching Neighbourhood to children in your class.
It will generate their interest as it reflects the learner’s own lives. Thus, you
are able to use map at a very low cost.
8) Maps can be used for co-community’s natural resources; level of education;
out of school children, etc.
B) Flannel Board
Flannel boards can be used in classrooms in variety of situations. Advantage
of using a flannel board is that it provides flexibility of using material to
teach students.

Steps in making the flannel board:

• A plywood board of desired dimension should be obtained;
• Cloth like Velvet, Wool blanket or any other hard textured cloth can be
used. The cloth needs to be stretched and fixed on the board with the
help of nails;
• Flannel boards are used to display pictures, messages. You can add, move
the pictures easily on flannel board;
• For pictures to stick on flannel board a small piece of sand paper or twoway
tape should be used on the back of the pictures.
C) Low cost Experimental Aids
i) Expansion of Gases- A simple experiment to show this can be made
from a fused bulb, a balloon, a candle and a match stick. The steps
involved are described briefly here.
• Remove inner content of fused bulb. Ensure that no sharp ed00000ges are left.
• Fix a balloon on the open end of the bulb
• Heat the bulb.
• The gases expand and thus the balloon will blow up.
ii) Expansion of Liquid can also be demonstrated. You will need additionally,
to earlier experiment of gases, a cork and an empty ball point refill. The
steps involved are described briefly here.
• Empty fused bulb.
• Fix an empty ball point refill inside the cork.
• Fill the bulb with colored water as expansion will be more visible
in coloured water.
• Fix the cork on the bulb.
• Heat the bulb.
• You will see the water over flowing through the refill. This shows
that gases expand on heating.
iii) Use of Cardboards- Cardboards may be effectively in teaching concepts
in math. Shapes, sizes, addition, subtraction, multiplication, fraction,
etc, can be taught using cardboards.
iv) Use of Match Sticks – Match sticks may also be used for teaching children
geometrical shapes. Two sticks may be joined by a bicycle valve tube or
any other narrow tube material.
The above examples are suggestive list of low and no cost teaching and learning
materials. You can try to make a large number of TLMs at home at no or very
little cost. You only have to let your imagination run free and you will realize
that you have a basket full of TLMs to choose and use.
Educational resources are also available as open resources on internet for
teachers to use. It is known as Open Educational Resources (OER). As a
teacher, we may not reinvent the wheel again but use the teaching learning
materials available on internet and released for others to use, adapt, modify,
reuse and distribute with proper acknowledgement to the original author or the
creator.
 PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS IN COLLECTION,
PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TLMs
The basic philosophy of TLM is that teacher is a part of the whole process of
collection, preparation, and maintenance of TLMs. Whether the TLMs are to be
procured or prepared, you, as teacher, should involve students at each stage.
This helps in developing in students a feeling of ownership and commitment
towards the school and its resources. Proper utilization, care and maintenance of
all these and such other resources constitute a vital aspect of classroom and
school management.
The material used to prepare the TLMs should preferably be available locally
and easily procurable. This will reduce the cost of the TLMs and thus you will
be
able to develop TLMs at low or no cost. Involvement of students in design and
development of TLMs inculcates in them confidence and postive attitude
toward
TLMs and its use in the classroom teaching-learning process. Therefore, as a
teacher, you must ensure that all the students are involved in design and
development of TLMs. This will be done in three major steps as listed here.
• Collection
• Preparation and
• Maintenance
Before involving students in the design and development TLMs, need analysis
should be done focusing on the material required for the process.
Collection
This is the first step towards the development of TLMs. Students in school
come
from diverse backgrounds and, therefore, have access to a large variety of
materials
for preparation of TLMs. Students should be encouaged to use their imagination
and be innovative in their collection of materials for the TLMs. Students should:
• Make an analysis as to what material could be used in preparation of TLMs;
• Explore the local neighbourhood area for collecting the materials;
• Collect scrap and discarded, usable material for making the TLMs. This will
have a postive effect on local environment as recycling and reusing of waste
material helps in conservation of environmmet;
• Materials like sticks, bamboo, plastic, rubber cardboards, ply, wood, wires,
pins, etc can be easily procured from households;
• Collection of materials should be an ongoing process and continue through
out the year;
• Start from your own houshold and then to neighbourhood and then farther
to community. The puropose of such collection should be shared with others;
• Collected materials should be reviewed on weekly basis and categorised on
basis of the nature of material;
• Collected materials like plastic, wood, pins, glass, cardboard should be kept
separately;
• Students should share their experience of collection of materials in the class.
This will help in sharing idea of collection amongst the class. At the same
time, the whole experience will help in confidence building and leadership
skills in students;
• The collection of materials for TLMs will help students to be environmentally
aware and thus a long commitment towards reusing resources, minimisiing
wastage will be inculcated at early stage in life.
Involvement of students in collection will help in achieving affective objectives
as well which are generally not developed in the classroom teaching-learning
process.
Preparation
After collection of variety of material for the preparation of TLMs, the next step
is actual preparation of TLMs. The TLMs should always be designed according
to the level of students.
Teachers should guide and facilitate students to construct simple TLMs
themselves. Students should be divided into groups and each group be assigned
the task of design and development of TLMs. As a teacher, you may adopt
many
strategies in motivating students.
• You may ask all the groups to work on one TLM. This will give you different
TLM on the same topic. Thus, creative differences amongst the group will
be exhibited.
• Students should be allowed to construct simple TLMs themselves. As a
teacher, you should only provide guidance when sought.
• Students should be eccouraged to improvise in preparation of TLM.
• TLMs should illustrate the teaching point clearly. Do not overcrowd with
many points, pictures, or words.
• TLMs should be as simple as possible. This makes them easier for the learners
to see and understand. Leave out too much details and backgrounds as these
draw attention away from the teaching point.
• TLM should be proportionate and to the scale. Making an object too small
or too large from its actual size will hinder in transference of learning.
• It is advisable to pre-test the TLMs. Pretesting may be done on the students
or through discussion with fellow teachers.
• Preparation of TLMs will vary according to the nature of TLMs.
Maintenance
As a School teacher, you must understand and learn the basic principles and
procedures commonly applicable for maintenance system of TLMs anytime and
anywhere. Some of the general principles are listed below:
• Proper and adequate storing space should be made available for upkeep of
TLMs;
• TLMs should be neatly arranged and maintained;
• All the TLMs must be well maintained. TLMs should be checked periodically
for any damage and repairs be carried out as and when necessary;
• Item-wise inventories listing all the TLMs placed in the room may be prepared
and displayed at many locations in the storing space. This will help in ready
referral;
• All the TLMs whether purchased or prepared must be correctly entered in
the stock registers and maintained in good condition;
• TLMs shown in the school stock must be frequently checked, physically
verified and controlled to ensure their optimum and effective use and proper
storage;
• TLMs procured and earmarked for specific use should not be misused or
wasted;
• Students should be involved in this process of maintenance as in the collection
and preparation stages. They should check regularly the status of the TLMs
and any fault or detoriation may be brought to the notice of the teacher.
Maintenance is an important activity as it instills and inculcates in children the
importance of sustainabilty. You know it by experience that many TLMs get
damaged or broken through continuous use over a period. For example, a chart
after being used many times will get crushed at places or torn at the edges. If
such TLMs are not periodically serviced and repaired quickly, they will be
further
damaged and will become unusable eventually. If you remember an old saying,
a stitch in time saves nine stitches later. Timely repair of all such TLMs
enhances
their utility and life span. So, maintenance of’ TLMs should be done in a well-
planned
and designed system of checking, servicing, repairs, and replacement of
TLMs. It is strongly advised that spending a small amount of money on quick
and timely repair is a wise decision indeed. In case of costly equipment like
electronic gadgets a system of Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) may be
given. This is highly recommended for maintenance of all costly TLMs as well
as laboratories.

CONCLUSION
Teaching learning materials (TLM) are designed and developed towards
achieving the learning objectives. TLMs are, therefore, tools, which are used by
teachers to help learners to learn concept with ease and efficiency. TLMs have
been in existence in our educational system since ancient times, (Lal, 2011).
The role of TLMs in the classroom is to make learning real, practical and fun
for children. Teachers use TLMs to illustrate or reinforce a skill, fact or idea.
TLMs also help in bringing novelty and freshness in classroom teaching as they
relieve learners from anxiety, fear and boredom. They help to provide a range of
learning experiences to learners from direct to indirect. TLMs are used to
enhance the learning of students in classrooms. A teacher uses it to make
teaching learning effective. It also helps learners achieve the learning outcomes
after classroom teaching and learning.

REFERENCES
1. Lal, H. (2011). Manual of Low Cost Technological Aids. Faridabad: Sai
Publications.
2. Kumar, K.L. (1996). Educational Technology. New Delhi: New Age
International.
3. IGNOU (2000). Educational Technology: State of the Art. New Delhi:
IGNOU.
4. Shabeer P. Basheer, Text book of Nursing Education, Emmess Publications,
2018 (Page no 185 - 213)
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources
6. http://www2.education.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.Bilash/best%20of%20bilash/
Images/dalescone2.gif
7. http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/33122/1/Unit10.pdf
8. http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/33123/1/Unit11.pdf
9. http://www.ischool.zm/media/ptddl_m1_wholemodule.pdf
10. http://www. s i l . o rg/lingualinks/literacy/referencematerials/
glossaryofliteracyterms/whatisateachingaid.htm
11. http://georgeyonge.net/sites/georgeyonge.net/files/Lesontwerp_Ch5.pdf
12. http://www2.unescobkk.org/elib/publications/nonformal/M5.pdf