Choose 4-5 Different Resources That You Use in Your Teaching and Analyse Your Use of Them with Your Learners.

Task 2. Choose 4-5 different resources that you use in your teaching and analyse your use of them with your learners. Why do you use them the way you do?
Introduction
A resource is described as something which can be turned to for support or help, or an available supply of something to be drawn upon when needed. (Grolier 1981)
Resources are a valuable aid when teaching and will help teachers reach the differing
Learning styles, needs and potential of learners. All resources used should meet the differing needs of learners, promote equality, support diversity and contribute to effective learning. You must also take into account the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, amended 2005) if you are considering making any changes to resources you use.
Resource How to use? Strengths Limitations
Power point Use as a focal/attention point for learners to follow.
Can be very interactive Use as a focal point for learners and a process that can be followed.
Gives prompts for teachers and can include a number of interactive features. These can include clips from “you tube” or other multi- media sources and these can be humorous, informative and can often give an example of what you are teaching. Can lead to “chalk and Talk”, some interactive elements can detract from the purpose, does not meet need of all learning styles and can produce “death by power point” for learners.
If teacher read verbatim from the slides it can also give learners a negative experience.
Different versions are sometimes not compatible with all computer systems.
Need printed back up
Video/DVD As part of a teaching session. Can bring subject or specific issues alive. Use of humour and celebrities can also help engage with learners. Entertaining offering visual stimulus.
Can get message across and reinforce more formal teaching methods.
Planning and research done for the teacher and can be used to tackle difficult/sensitive issues.
Can edit clips and use pre-prepared questions with learners. Does not stimulate all learners and does not meet all learning styles.
Often over-used.
May be used by teacher for convenience.
Need to check authenticity.
Difficult to differentiate.

Tutor resource CD and booklet Used on repeat courses where content rarely changes and learners are working towards a standardised award. Full course already written for teacher and teacher needs little preparation and follows step by step guidelines.
Logical format.
. Pre-written courses mean that you cannot add to.
You can’t just let learners work through the syllabus as this does not help differentiation.
Can be stale and out of date.
Blackboard/VLE To give access to learners unable to attend class. Allows learners to access blogs, group tasks etc. Available for learners to access from home/in their own time.
Tutor can add hyper-links and blogs. Can be very interactive. Is reliant on computer skills and access to the internet so is not totally inclusive.
It does not Not a two way process, teacher led.
Learners may not log on.

In my own teaching, the resource I use the most is power point, mainly because I am comfortable with it. However, since embarking on this course I have started to appreciate the range and benefits of other resources and there compatibility to the subject that I teach. To this end I have introduced computers and digital cameras to my teaching. This has enhanced the learning with many of the young learners and has captivated the learner’s interests. This introduction has also allowed learners to be more independent and has addressed a number of learning styles. One learner may prepare to read a script while another may learn better by watching a blog of the same subject.
I have found out through recent experience that using learning resources effectively to support learning is both challenging and exciting and has led to innovation in my teaching and more motivated and engaging learners
What the learner does is more important than what the teacher does. WWW.geoffpetty.com
In conclusion, using a wide range of resources that support learning and are inclusive has brought the class room to life. If you always have a clear rationale to justify the resources you have chosen and evaluate them afterwards it can only improve your session for next time and increase the tools you have at your disposal.

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Bibligograpy.
Grolier, 1981. in: Anne Gravells and Susan Simpson, 2008 in: Planning and Enabling Learning in the lifelong learning sector, Exeter, England:Learning Matters Ltd, p57.
WWW.geoffpetty.com
Disability Discrimination Act (1995, amended 2005)