USING FLASH WITH YOUNG LEARNERS

MORELLA MONJE BLANCO

LEONARDO MEDINA VILLANEDA

LANGUAGE LEARNING RESOURCES

UNIVERSIDAD DE CALDAS - UNIVERSIDAD SURCOLOMBIANA

NEIVA 2008

DEFINITION

A card with words or numbers of pictures that are flashed to a class by

the teacher

WHY FLASHCARDS ARE USEFUL

To exploit the visual and kinesthetic intelligence of our students.

To combine the written with the visual form of a word or sentence.

To help students memorizing vocabulary.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES You can use them with students of all ages. There are lexical fields that cannot be

illustrated through flash cards (abstract words).

They’re cheap

You can use them anywhere

You won’t get eyestrain

They don’t break down, and they never go out of date.

Recognized as a fun and effective way to learn, reinforce, test, and retain information.

Functionality of repetitive drilling and the ability to vary order. Can be used for self or group study

ACTIVITIES FOR USING FLASH CARDS

Memory Activities• Memory games• Memory Tester

Drilling Activities• Invisible Flash Cards• The Parrot• Whispers

Identification Activities• Reveal the Word• Fast Finger

Interaction Activities• Create a story

TPR Activities• Point to• Ladders• Go for it

Production Activities• Mad pointer• Upside down• Just a little bit• Just a glimpse• Pass the ball• The missing card

WHERE TO GET FLASHCARDS Buy them Make them yourself Students make them Download free printable flashcards form the internet Here there are some links

english.com/flashcards/files/ppthttp://www.esl-library.com/index.cfm?PageId=6http://www.flashmybrain.com/?gclid=CNyJkJrq8ZMCFQECGgod8EbtVQhttp://www.learnresources.net/

CRITICAL VIEW POINTS

Everyday our students demand for activities that develop not only the cognitive dimension, but also the

emotional, linguistic and social ones. In this way, the use of flash cards integrates these

aspects and somehow contributes to the attainment and development of the

language learning process.

Sometimes we think that resources and activities such as visual aids, games, contests, TPR activities and songs are exclusively for children. However, we can arrange the type of INPUT to be

presented and come up with challenging and appealing activities that may have

a positive response in our students.

CRITICAL VIEW POINTS

CONCLUSIONS

We as teachers must take advantage of the great variety of materials and resources available nowadays for

teaching English. Flash cards are easy to obtain or create. Thus, the way we use

them depend on the creativity and purposes we have for our lessons and

students.

CONCLUSIONS

Every time we intend to carry out any task or activity, we

should take into account the multiple intelligences that Howard Gardner mentions when dealing with learning processes. Flash cards can help developing more than

one if we as teacher combine and integrate activities that

include the use of this valuable resource.