“Learning Can Be Fun” with Educational Aids
Educational aids are products that make
routine learning fun. Very often we have heard the old proverb “All Work and No
Play makes Jack a Dull Boy!” So the emphasis is to make Learning Enjoyable!
It can pep up a child’s interest in a
concept, provide scope for exploration, is different from the traditional
method of teaching via worksheets and creates “learn via play way” environment
for the child.
Educational aids are not merely toys but are
dynamic teaching aids which can simplify the teacher’s job of ‘teaching’ and
the learner’s job of ‘learning’. It provides freedom to experiment while you
learn without the feeling of being right or wrong. They help contribute in
overall development of the child from intellectual development to fine motor
skills, emotional and social development. They also help to develop problem
solving skills, spark imagination and creativity, scope for role-play, eye-hand
coordination and in improving memory skills.
Many types and brands of educational aids
are scattered all over the market. As parents, teachers and therapists we need
to choose a product which would not only appeal to the child but also has great
learning value and is environment friendly. Many products are now available in
the market which does not use harmful colors and materials but safer natural-vegetable
dyes and hand made materials.
Educational aids have a vital contribution
to make in teaching a skill or a concept to a special child. Not only does it
allure their attention which a normal black and while worksheets fails to do;
it also aids them by stimulating their textual, auditory and visual needs. They
are an excellent tool for the teachers to break down complex concepts into
smaller units which can modulate the rate of learning according to the child’s
pace and growth. As a therapist for special children I feel the biggest
advantage is to modify the instructions as per the child’s level and pace. It
facilitates the teacher’s job to a great extent and the boosts the child’s
sense of self esteem.
Some of the educational aids that I have
particularly found useful while working with special children are the alphabet
tracing boards, the number stackers, sandy alphabets-numbers, the dressing
frames for teaching life skills, the stitching boards for teaching vocational
skills and peg boards to simplify mathematical operations.
I would the end with a few quotes to sum up
the article:
“Play
is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” –
Joseph
Chilton Pearce
“Children
learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.”
-O. Fred Donaldson
Aditi
Chaudhary
