Flipcharts
Flipcharts are series of posters used to teach small groups about a particular subject. Each main idea is shown on a poster. Their use makes teaching much easier, as each poster reminds the trainer of all the important points. Posters should be made on good quality paper so that they will last a long time. Sheets of coloured plastic (such as the yellow plastic often used to dry coffee) can be cut up. This will allow trainees to copy posters to make up their own flipcharts.
Sets of posters should be bound together. Strengthen the top with heavy tape if possible. Punch holes in the tape and bind the posters together with either ring binders, string or strips of wood.
Chalkboards
The chalkboard (or blackboard) is widely used as a teaching aid. It is very useful for drawing diagrams or pictures, for emphasizing key words or points. Coloured chalks are cheaply available and can improve the interest of written material and diagrams.
Practise drawing and using the chalkboard before training sessions. Use a clean board cleaner that removes chalk properly. It is a good idea to have some material already on the board before trainees arrive. Avoid writing on the board too much – and don’t talk to the board! Trainees will get bored watching your back.
Repaint old, worn chalkboards. You can make permanent chalkboards simply by plastering a smooth surface onto a wall. A good size is 1 metre x 1.5 metres. Mix a mortar of four parts sand and one part cement. When the plaster is almost set, smooth carefully with a trowel. Cover the wall with damp sacking or plastic to allow it to dry slowly, preventing cracking. Leave for several days to dry completely before painting.
Portable chalkboards can be made from pieces of plywood. Sand the wood well before painting.
Paint
You can buy special blackboard paint. You can also make your own – two recipes are given below. Apply at least two coats of paint. Before using the chalkboard, rub the board with a cloth covered in chalk dust to condition it.
Recipe 1
- 1 part lamp black
- 1 part varnish
- 11/2 parts kerosene
Mix varnish and kerosene well. Then add lampblack and mix thoroughly.
Recipe 2
Use a tin of dark coloured matt (not gloss) paint – black, dark green or brown, for the first coat. To add abrasive to the final coat of paint, take two old kiln fired bricks and grind them together to make a fine powder. Sift the powder through a coarse cloth to remove lumps. Add 1 part of powder to 10 parts of paint. Mix together well.
Cloth boards
Also known as flannelgraphs, these are simply boards covered with rough cloth or flannel. Figures and pictures can be quickly added, easily moved about or removed from the board. They are very useful for telling stories or describing situations that keep changing. Used well, they will encourage interest and stimulate discussion of issues. They are particularly useful if you will be sharing the same information many times with different groups.
Preparing pictures to use on flannelgraphs takes time but, with care, they will last for many years. Use pictures that are appropriate for the local culture. Draw pictures or cut them out of magazines. Certain words and signs, such as arrows, may be useful. Mount the pictures on thin card. Glue small pieces of sandpaper on the back of the pictures so they will stick to the cloth. Alternatively, apply glue or a paste of flour and water, and sprinkle with sand or rice chaff. Make sure the pictures are large enough to see well.
Making figures and training materials would be a very useful group exercise for trainees. Flannel boards are ideal for training sessions in schools and markets because they attract and hold people’s attention.
Look after pictures with care and keep them arranged in the right order, ready to use again. Flannelgraphs can simply be a piece of flannel or blanket pinned up on a wall and rolled up when not in use. Make permanent boards by stretching cloth or flannel over a board and nailing or glueing it in position.
A portable board
A chalkboard can be combined with a flannelgraph. Cut a piece of wood into two halves and hinge them together (using either metal hinges or a strip of strong cloth glued to both halves). This will make it easy to transport on a bicycle.
Paint one side to use as a chalkboard. Cover with cloth when using as a flannelgraph. Attach a small piece of wood to the back and use a stick to prop up the board. Or attach string to one end so it can be hung up.
With thanks to World Neighbours and Healthlink Worldwide for some of this information.