| is Realia? | | | | Realia for Young Learners |
| If you're thinking the word 'realia' sounds vaguely Latin, | | | | If you are going to teach English to young children, |
| then you'd be correct. In the TEFL classroom, the | | | | realia is a must. Young children are at the perfect age |
| word realia means using real items found in everyday | | | | to learn a language and as visual learners, you should |
| life as an aid to teaching English. Using realia helps to | | | | try to tap into their natural creativity. Bring in fruit, |
| make English lessons memorable by creating a link | | | | vegetables and lots of toys. Children love to role-play |
| between the objects and the word or phrase they | | | | and enjoy playing games, so ask them to move |
| represent. So how and why should teachers use realia | | | | animals onto tables, under tables, or around the |
| in the classroom? | | | | farmyard. Make up simple stories using toy animals or |
| The Advantages of Using Realia | | | | puppets, and children will enjoy their English lessons, |
| As English teachers, the use of realia is only limited by | | | | and be motivated to learn. |
| your imagination. It is possible to use realia to teach | | | | Using Realia for Learning Vocabulary/Grammar |
| almost any subject. Using realia stimulates the mind, | | | | It is unrealistic to bring real objects into your classroom |
| and is one way of encouraging creativity by involving | | | | for every single word that you wish to teach and |
| the senses. Realia saves time, as recognition of an | | | | some words will lend themselves better than others to |
| object is immediate and so cuts out the need for | | | | using realia. Remember, realia can be used indirectly as |
| lengthy explanations and drawing funny pictures on the | | | | a tool for teaching grammar; for example, items of |
| board. Elicitation becomes much easier and holding up | | | | food and drink are perfect for teaching uncountable |
| the object with a raised eyebrow will usually result in | | | | and countable nouns. |
| the desired word being spoken. | | | | Using Realia in Role-play |
| Realia breathes life into new vocabulary, and the | | | | Don't stop at using realia to learn vocabulary or |
| chances of your students remembering the new | | | | grammar. Use objects in role-plays to make the |
| words you have taught them increases. Take the | | | | situation more realistic. This could be something as |
| word biscuit: the probability of remembering it becomes | | | | simple as a mobile phone or your train tickets. Using |
| much higher after experiencing the taste, touch and | | | | realia is only limited by your imagination: here are some |
| smell of the object! Realia doesn't have to be limited to | | | | ideas on how to use realia in your lessons. |
| food or drink. Timetables, tickets, newspapers, clothes... | | | | * Use your country's flag and a map to show students |
| in fact any object you can think of can be used as a | | | | where you live and to help them learn the names of |
| teaching aid. | | | | foreign countries. |
| Won't I look silly bringing teabags into the lesson if I'm | | | | * Stage a fashion show after learning the vocabulary |
| teaching adults? | | | | for items of clothing. |
| No! Adults are usually very receptive to realia, and find | | | | * Utilise toys such as plastic animals and toy cars in |
| this approach unusual and refreshing. Bringing realia into | | | | games for young learners. |
| your lessons is a great icebreaker, and serves as a | | | | * Bring in items such as biscuits and plastic cups to |
| useful tool to prompt conversation. It also takes some | | | | practise ordering drinks. |
| of the attention and pressure off you by concentrating | | | | * Timetables, tickets and pedestrian maps of London |
| the students' minds on the object and word in question. | | | | are great for practising role-play scenarios such as |
| Many adults have had bad experiences of learning | | | | asking for directions, or buying tickets. |
| English at school, and often remember their English | | | | * Teaching business English? Use mobile phones to |
| lessons as being dull and repetitive. Using realia and | | | | create telephone conversations, practise giving |
| other visual aids will generate interest and help create | | | | numbers, arranging meetings, or discussing a new |
| an atmosphere conducive to learning. | | | | product. |