An investigation into how visual aids are used in the process of teaching english to10th grade classes at krongbuk high school

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Chapter one consists of five parts. The first part introduces the background
to the study; the second part states the aims of the study; the third part gives the
scope of the study; the fourth part introduces the research questions and then in
the fifth part, the outline of the thesis is presented.
1.1 Background to the study.
Visual aids are considered very valuable teaching tools. Students began to
see visual aids at very early stages of their schooling ages: When they first
attended preschools or kindergartens. They saw the first formal use of visual aids
in the bulletin boards, blackboards and while boards which the teacher used to
illustrate concepts for early learning so it is obvious that when at higher levels
students are used to learning their lessons through visual aid
(Jeary_www.TonyJeary.com).
The reason for using visual aids in language teaching lies in the fact that
visual aids have three main following pedagogical values. Firstly, visual aids help
to get lessons into the learners’ minds. A study of U.S. Department of Labor
(www.osha.gov) stated that three days after a lesson, the students retain 10% of
what they heard from an oral presentation, 35% from visual presentation and 65%
from a visual and oral presentation. Secondly, visual aids can help the teachers
save time. Thirdly, they add interest into the lesson and improve learner’s
understanding. (www.csus.edu /b /burnetln /VASO1/ index.htm) .
Because of these above mentioned advantages reasons, the new English
textbooks for Vietnamese students, especially those being used for 6
th
to 10
th
grade students contain a variety of pictures. In order to know how pictures
included in the 10
th
grade students’ textbooks and other kinds of visual aids are
used in the process of teaching English in KrongBuk District, where the

researcher practiced her English teaching for two months, the researcher would
like to carry out the study: ” An investigation into how visual aids are used in the
process of teaching English to10
th
grade classes at KrongBuk High School,
DakLak Province ”.
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1.2 The aims of the study: The study aims to investigate:
1. What kinds of visual aids are used in the process of English at
KrongBuk High School?
2. What are they used for and how they are used ?
3. What do the teachers’ and the students think about the usefulness of
visual aids.
4. Whether the teachers like to use visual aids.
4.1 The reasons why they like to use visual aids.
4.2 The reasons why they do not like to use visual aids.
5. Whether the students like their teachers to use visual aids.
5.1 The reasons why they like their teachers to use visual aids.
5.2 The reasons why they do not like their teachers to use visual aids.
Based on the study, the researcher gives some suggestions on how to use
visual aids more frequently and effectively in teaching English at KrongBuk High
School.
1.3 The scope of the study.
Visual aids are considered as good teaching aids, there are a lot of visual
aids that teachers can use in the process of teaching in general and in teaching
English in particular. Blackboard is considered good teaching tool that teachers
use in every lesson but in this study, the researcher only want to focus on pictures
in tenth grade students’ textbooks and some simple visual aids that can be
prepared by teachers.
1.4 Research questions.

The study is to answer the following research questions:
1. What kinds of visual aids are used in the process of teaching English
2. What are visual aids used for ?
3. How often they are used and how they are shown to the students?
4. What are teachers and students’ opinions about visual aids?
1.5 Outline of the thesis
The thesis is composed of five chapters
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Chapter one: Presents the background to the study, the aims of the study,
the limitation of the study, the research questions and the outline of the thesis.
Chapter two: Reviews the literature related to the study. Firstly, it gives a
brief introduction of visual aids. Secondly, it states the advantages of using visual
aids in language teaching. Thirdly, it points out the requirements of good visual
aids and finally it gives tips for using visual aids.
Chapter three: Describes KrongBuk High School, where the research was
carried out, the subjects of the study, the data collection instruments.
Chapter four: Reports and dicusses the result of the study.
Chapter five: Gives suggestions and conclusion of the study
.
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CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviews the literature related to using visual aids in the
process of teaching English. It is composed of four main parts. The first part
gives a brief introduction of visual aids, which consists of two sub-parts:
Definition of visual aids and types of visual aids. The second part states the
advantages of using visual aids. The third part points out the requirements of
good visual aids. Then the fourth part presents some tips for using visual aids.
2.1. A brief introduction of visual aids.
2.1.1. Definition of visual aids.
According to Doff (1988), visual aids are pictures, objects and things for

students to look at.
Dr. Lade Adeyjanju (http:// ultibase.rmit.edu.eac/Articles/nov 03/adey
anju1.htm) clarifies the definition of visual aids: are designed materials that may
be locally made or commercially produced. They come in form of wall charts,
illustrate pictures, pictorial materials and other two dimensional objects.
2.1.2. Types of visual aids.
According Doff’s classification, visual aids are some as follows:
- Flashcards: are cards with simple pictures, which can be held up by the
teacher. They can be used for presenting and practicing new words, structures and
for revision.
-Charts: are large sheets of card or paper with writing, pictures or
diagrams. They can be used for more extended presentation practice. They would
usually be displayed on the wall or blackboard.
- Real objects: are things in the classroom such as table, fan, window, ect
or things brought into the classroom to present vocabulary, practice language and
they are often inform of food, clothes, containers, household objects, etc.
- The teachers themselves: The teachers can use gestures, facial expression
and actions to help show the meaning of words and illustrate the situations. For
instance: The teacher can walk again and again before the students to illustrate
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the structures “present continuous tense" or using the facial expressions to teach
some adjectives, etc.
And according to Peter Hubbard, Hywel Jones, Barbara Thornton and Rob
Wheeler (1985), pictures that the teacher can collect from magazines, calendars,
greeting cards, free pamphlets and brochures can be used as visual aids to present
new situations and vocabulary.
Besides these above visual aids, video tapes and handouts and all sorts of
projectors with sound attributes are also considered common types of visual aids
used in the process of language teaching. A video tape electronically carries both
a picture and a sound track. Its features of sound, movement, vivid image, color

and variety hold a learner's attention the way film does. Video tape can be used to
program an entire presentation, or to support a teacher's remarks by highlighting
certain topics. (www.osha.gov)
And handouts are printed information given to the students, they can
reinforce important information, provide summaries, reading lists, supply
supporting data or set of exercises, etc. (,
Dr. Lade Adeyjanju
(http:// ultibase.rmit.edu.eac/Articles/nov 03/adey anju1.htm).
2.2 The advantages of using visual aids in teaching English.
Visual aids should be used in the process of teaching in general and in
teaching English in particular because of some following advantages.
First of all, visual aids can add learners’ retention of information. In many
studies, experimental psychologists and educators have found that retention of
information after meeting or other events was six times greater when information
was presented through visual and oral presentation than when the information
was presented by spoken words alone. Studies by educational researchers suggest
that approximately 83% of human learning occurs visually; the retaining 17% is
through these other senses: 11% through hearing, 3.5% through smelling, 1%
through tasting and 1.5% through touching. The studies also suggest that three
days after an event, people retain 10% of what they heard from an oral
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presentation, 35% from a visual presentation and 65% from a visual and oral
presentation (U.S.Department of Labor, 3, www.osha.gov)
Secondly, Doff (1988:82) states that ”having something to look at will keep
the students’ attention, make the class more interesting and the language used in
class more real and alive”. This statement is supported by Jeary
(www.TonyJeary.com) “using visual aids can focus learner attention in one place;
add strongly interest to your speech. An audience’s attention is quite naturally drawn
from the teacher to anything that is put on a screen, blackboard or
flipchart.”(aul htm.htm). Furthermore,

interesting visual aids, such as booklets, posters, or practice equipment will motivate
learners by capturing their attention and curiosity
(www.motivation.org/uk/_over_work/documents)
Thirdly, according to LennyLaskowsk
( visual aids have great
advantages in languages teaching because the students will feel comfortable when
knowing that their teacher is on his/her planned track. Furthermore, as the teacher
follows his/her plan, he/she will feel more relaxed and confident (Cross, 1999)
In addition, also by Doff (1988); visual aids can be used at any stages of
the lesson: to help in presenting new language or introducing a topic; as part of
language practice; and reviewing language that has been presented earlier. For
example: Flashcards are a handy resource to have and can be used at every stages
of the class. They are a great way to present, practice and recycle vocabulary and
when students are familiar with the actives used in class, they can be given out to
early finishers to use in small groups (Joanna Budden, 1, www.teaching
english.org.uk/think/resources/flashcard.shtm). Besides, good visual aids are not
just used once, but again and again and can be shared with different teachers.
Finally, most of visual aids are easy, inexpensive to make and update (Pat
McCarthy,1, />achingtips/visuals.htm). Teachers can make visual aids by themselves. For
instance, the charts felt-tip makers and graphic materials are readily available and
with a modest ability at lettering, the teachers can compose the desired visual aids
6
in house (U.S.Derpatment of Labor, 5, www.osha.gov) or the teachers can get
pictures from magazine, picture library which is built up by either as a joint venture
at their school or privately at home (Peter Hubbard, Hywel Jones, Barbara
Thornton and Rob Wheeler, 1985)
In conclusion, using visual aids in the process of teaching English has
great advantages for both students and teachers. For the students, visual aids help
to add the learner’s retention, keep their and attention and make the language
used in class more real and alive and visual aids also make them like studying.

For the teachers, visual aids are easy to make, do not cost too much money
and time to prepare and can be used at any stages of the lesson and can be shared
with other teachers.
2.3. Requirements of good visual aids.
Visual aids are considered good teaching aids if they meet these following
requirements:
First of all, visual aids must be legible and clearly visible to the entire
learners. If visual aid is not visible and legible it is not an aid
(www.meas,ncsu.edutip.visual.htm). Far too frequently, visual aids are hard to
see. The lettering or the graphs which are too small for the teacher and the
students to strain to read them. Furthermore, the teacher displays an object that is
difficult to see would be almost as bad as not using anything. At the same time, it
is also considered a complete waste of the learner’s time. At least, the lettering
size to use for distances from the board, chart, or flashcard to the last row of the
learners must be: 2.5cm letters for 9 meters or less, 5cm letters for 9 to 15 meters
and 7.5cm letters for over 15 meters. (www.meas.ncsu.edutipvisual.htm.htm)
Secondly, visual aids should be clear, simple, have few words and are easy
to grasp. Albert Einstein says that:”everything should be made as simple as
possible, but not simple”. Visual aids are used in teaching process as tools to
support the teacher’ presentation. They give learners brief summaries, prompts to
practice, clear idea of what the teacher will explain to them. If there is too much
information in the visual aids, it will take learners too much time to read or to
take notes. By doing like that, the usefulness visual aids will be lost. Jeary
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(TonyJeary.com) also states that:” the best visual aids are pictures or graphics
supported with short simple words and phrases.
(www.meas.ncsu.edutipvisual.htm.htm)
Finally, the teachers are also visual aids. The teacher should have good
grooming, wear appropriate clothes (no clanky jewelry, no extreme fashion no
excessive make _up). In short, the teachers should be simple. Besides the teachers

should always give a happy and friendly look to the learners and a smile on his or
her face is the most important visual aids in teaching process. Anne Miller
(ual_visuals_virtuosity.php.htm)
2.4. Tips for using visual aids.
Using visual aids in the process of teaching English seems to be very
simple but actually it requires many things and to use them effectively, the
teachers should follow some tips as follows:
Firstly, the teachers must prepare in advance. Teachers have to know
exactly what learners will do or get by seeing the visual aids. Teachers need to
prepare pens, papers, film, ect. to support learners in case they do not have.
Visiting the class in advance is another thing that the teachers must do (Kaye
Vivian_http:// users.cl.9.net.Kayevivan.htm.). By doing like this, the teachers will
be sure about the elements in the classroom like windows, doors, whiteboard, the
room’s width and permanent audio visual equipment, like electronic screen. All
of these will help the teachers use visual aids more effectively.
Secondly, the teachers should use visual aids not just display them. All
aids should be used as teaching devices, never to merely intention fill in time or
to decorate the room. (bible.ca/lesson_planner/chapter_2.htm,1),
(www.humboldt.edu/jmf2 /floss/visual aids.htm.)
Thirdly, according to tips,5 teachers should use color
for emphasis, distinction and clarity. Use of color in visual aids dramatically will
improve retention of information. Highlighting headings and key points, graphs,
charts is good, functional use if color. Using color for aesthetic value is
acceptable but does not over use it because according to Tony at www.
8
TonyJeary.com, too many color and different fonts can destroy the simplicity the
teachers need for effectiveness. The teachers should be careful with colored
backgrounds because some color can make black figures or text less distinct.
Yellow and bright blue are good background colors; dark blue and red usually are
not, unless the figure or text is reversed to white. If possible, the teachers should

avoid using blue with orange, blue violet with yellow orange and violet with
yellow in your visual aids.
Fourthly, the teachers should remove or cover the visual aid when he/she
finishes using it (Chris@witt com, 2). The moment a visual piece is presented, the
learner's attention is drawn to it .When the teachers finish using one visual aids ,
the teachers should not show it any more when he/she continues with another
teaching point.
Finally, variety is what is needed because to use only flashcards, for
example, and to use them every lesson, would be almost as bad as never using
them at all. Cross (1999, 119) suggests that teachers should use all kinds of visual
aids, whenever possible and appropriate.



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CHAPTER III: THE STUDY
There are three parts in this chapter. The first part, setting, gives the
general introduction about KrongBuk High School. The second part, description
of the subjects, describes the subjects of the study. The instruments to collect the
data are presented in the third part.
3.1. Setting.
KrongBuk High School, where the study is carried out, is located at the
centre of KrongBuk District, DakLak province. It is a big school with 2535
students and a teaching staff of 106 members.
There are totally 58 classes in this school, including 20 tenth grade classes,
21 eleventh grade classes and 16 twelfth grade classes. The total number of 2535
students consists of 1478 boys and 1057 girls and it includes 809 tenth form
students, 978 eleventh form students, 748 twelfth form students. Their age ranges
from 15 to 18.
106 teachers in the teaching staff are in charge of different subjects.

Eleven of them are teachers of English, including 6 males and 5 females. Most of
them are young teachers, the oldest of whom is 44 years old and the youngest one
is at the age of 24 and there are six tenth grade teachers of English.
3.2. Description of the subjects.
Six tenth grade teachers of English and a group of 200 tenth grade students
are the subjects involved in this study. The students were chosen at random from
20 tenth grade classes and in each class 10 students were chosen.
The six tenth grade teachers of English at KrongBuk High School are
young teachers and most of them have been teaching English for 6 years. All of
them said that pictures in textbooks were very useful and they used them in every
lesson. They all said that they rarely learnt English through visual aids when they
were at high school and university. Four of them sometimes used some other
kinds of visual aids besides the pictures in the students' textbooks.
10
The students participating in this study all studied English for four years at
secondary school. Most of them like learning English through visual aids very
much.
3.3. Data collection instruments.
The instruments to collect data for this study are questionnaires, follow up
interviews and observations.
3.3.1 Questionnaires.
Questionnaires are used as the main method to collect the data for the
study because of the following advantages:
Firstly, questionnaires are considered an economical and convenient
means to collects the data, and using questionnaire is a best way to collect
respondents' ideas in a short time. Secondly, it is easy for the researcher to design
questions in a questionnaire and to analyze the collected answers. Moreover,
using questionnaire is a good way not only to the researcher but also to the
respondents. The respondents are given time to read the questions carefully
before answering them. What is more, they are not obligated to release their

names, so they are encouraged to state what they think. Especially, most students
are usually afraid of being interviewed directly, so questionnaires are advisable
(Gillham, 2000)
Questionnaires are distributed to six teachers of English who teach English
to tenth form classes and a group of 200 students of the School to get the
necessary information for the study. Besides the close-ended questions, the
respondents are offered opportunities to give their own opinions if necessary.
• The questionnaire for the teachers
The questionnaire for the teachers is composed of 14 questions.
Questions 1 helps to find out what kinds of visual aids are used in the
process of teaching tenth grade English at KrongBuk High School.
Questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 help to answer what visual aids are used for
and how they are used to teach different aspects/skills.
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Question 9 helps to find out the reasons why visual aids are used in the
process of teaching English at KrongBuk High School.
Questions 10 is designed in the questionnaires to seek the teachers'
attitudes about the usefulness of visual aids they have been using,
Question 11 is given in the questionnaires to find out the reasons why
visual aids are not used in the process of teaching English at KrongBuk High
School.
Questions 12, 13 and 14 are included to seek the necessary information
about the subjects of the study.
• The questionnaire for the students
The students respondents in this study were asked to state their opinions
about learning English through visual aids, including whether they like or dislike
learning English through visual aids or not, why they like to learn English though
visual aids, what kinds of visual aids they like their teacher to use, how often they
like learning English through visual aids, their opinions about the usefulness of
visual aids, their reasons for not liking to learn English though visual aids besides

the pictures in the textbooks and their suggestions to have visual aids use more
frequently and effectively. Because of these, the questionnaires for the students
were distributed after the questionnaires for the teachers had been collected.
The questionnaire for the students is a set of 8 questions. To avoid
misunderstanding of the students, it is translated into Vietnamese.
Question 1 aims to find out whether the students like learning English
through visual aids or not.
Question 2 is to investigate the reasons why the students like studying
English through visual aids.
Question 3 is to find out which visual aids the students like their teachers
to use when learning different aspects/skills.
Question 4 is to find out how often the students like learning English
through visual aids.
Question 5 the students' opinions about the usefulness of visual aids.
12
Question 6 the reasons why the students do not like studying English
through visual aids.
Question 7 aims to seek the students ‘suggestions to have visual aids use
more frequently and effectively.
Question 8 aims to seek necessary information about the subjects of the
study.
3.3.2 Follow-up Interviews.
In addition to questionnaires, to seek further information, follow-up
interviews were conducted with the four teachers of English who used other kinds
of visual aids besides pictures in the students’ textbooks and some students. The
interviews focused on difficulties that these teachers often faced when teaching
English through visual aids and the students’ attitudes about visual aids and their
suggestions.
3.3.3 Observation.
Besides questionnaires and interviews, observation is also used to collect

information because according to Hayllar, Brace and Vea Tony (1996):
Observation plays an important role in most research and sometimes it can be the
main technique used in a project. Observation involves looking and recording
what is observed. In the study, the researcher took some photographs to illustative
her observations.
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CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter reports and discusses the results of the study. The findings of
the study of the study are presented in five main following issues:
(1) What kinds of visual aids are used at KrongBuk High School.
(2) What visual aids are used for and how they are used. This section is
composed of three parts: part one answers purposes of using visual aids, part two
presents the frequency of using visual to teach different aspects/skills and part
three shows ways visual aids are shown to the students.
(3) Teachers ' opinions about using visual aids in teaching English. This
section consists of three parts: part one presents the teachers' reasons for using
visual aids, part two reports the teachers' opinions about the usefulness of visual
aids the teachers' reasons for using visual aids, part three is about the teachers'
reasons for not using visual aids besides the pictures in the students’ textbooks.
(4) Students ' opinions about learning English through visual aids. This
section is divided into seven parts: part one answers whether the students like
learning English through visual aids, part two gives the reasons why students
want to learn English through visual aids , part three shows kinds of visual aids
the students like their teachers to use when teaching different aspects/skills, part
four shows how often they want to learn English through visual aids, part five
gives the students' opinions about the usefulness of visual aids, part six gives the
reasons why students do not want to learn English through visual aids and part
seven gives some students ‘suggestions to have visual aids used more frequently
and effectively.
4.1 What kinds of visual aids are used.

What kinds of visual aids are used at KrongBuk High School is shown in Table 1.
What kinds of visual aids are used in teaching
English
Teachers’
responses(n=6)
Pictures in the students' textbooks 6(100%)
Magazine pictures 2(33.3%)
Flashcards 2(33.3%)
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Wall charts 2(33.3%)
Real objects 2(33.3%)
Whiteboard 3(50%)
Handouts 4(66.6%)
Overhead projector 1(16.7%)
Video tapes 1(16.7%)
Teachers themselves 6(100%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.
Table 1: Teachers’ Responses on What Kinds Of Visual Aids Are Used.
Table 1 shows that all English teachers who teach English to 10
th
form
students at KrongBuk High School (n=6,100%) used pictures in the students'
textbooks and teachers themselves in the process of teaching English. Four of
them used handouts. Flashcards,overhead projectors, video tapes were used by
one teacher. The reasons for not using other kinds of visual aids may be English
textbooks for tenth grade students contain too much knowledge that the teachers
did not have enough time to use other kinds of visual aids expect for the pictures
in the students' textbooks.
4.2 What visual aids are used for and how they are used.
4.2.1 Puposes of using visual aids.

What visual aids are used for is shown in Table 2.
What visual aids are used for Teachers’ responses(n=6)
- To introduce new lessons 6(100%)
- To teach vocabulary 5(83.3%)
-To teach structure 0(0%)
- To use as prompts for practice 5(83.3%)
- To review newly learned language 3(50%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.
Table 2: Teachers’ Responses on Puposes of Using Visual Aids
Table 2 shows that all the teachers (n=6) used visual aids to introduce new
lessons, five teachers (83.3%) used visual aids to teach vocabulary and the same
number of the teachers (n=5) used visual aids as prompts for practice. When
being interviewed why they did not use visual aids when teaching structures they
15
said they were used to giving a lot of examples to be sure that their students could
understand the lessons well. And through the observation, the researcher saw that
most visual aids were used to introduce new lessons, to teach vocabulary and to
use as prompts for practice newly learned language.
4.2.2 The Frequency of Using Visual Aids to Teach Different Aspects/Skills.
This section presents the frequency of using visual aids to teach different
aspects/skills.
BẢNG
16
4.3.3 The teachers' reasons for not using other visual aids besides the
pictures in the textbooks.
The reasons of the teachers for not using visual aids are shown in Table 7
below.
17
BAÛNG
As can be from table 3, all teachers (n=6,100%) always used the pictures

in the textbooks in the process of teaching English. Besides the pictures in the
textbooks, teachers at KrongBuk High School also used other kinds of visual aids
but the purposes and the frequency of using them were various.
Pictures in the textbooks were the only kind always used by all the
teachers and they were used to introduce new lessons. When being interviewed
why they mainly used the pictures in the textbooks to teach this aspect, these
teachers said that they thought the pictures in the textbooks were useful enough
and they always used these pictures as they were designed to lead into the new
lessons. Furthermore, they explained that they usually wanted to use the pictures
18
in the textbooks because they were not sure of the usefulness of other kinds of
visual aids.
Table 3 also reveals that four teachers usually used the teachers
themselves when introducing new lessons. Three teachers sometimes used white
boards to review the newly taught language. As the researcher's observations, the
teachers usually used the white boards to present the summary of the lessons,
structures or some important notes. The reason for using white boards to review
newly taught language given by the three teachers were that they wanted to use
this kind of visual aids to refocus the students on some important points in each
lesson. By doing this, they were able to save time and in that way the students
could also take some notes to review newly learned language. Besides, there were
some white boards available in the school library.
Three other teachers who never used any kinds of visual aids to review
newly taught language. When being interviewed about this, the three teachers
said they often asked the students to look at the green board again and repeat the
language that they had taught to the students. The main reason for not using any
other kinds of visual aids to review newly taught language given by them was
that there was so much knowledge in the students’ textbooks that they did not
have enough time to use them.
From this table we also can see that handouts were used to practice newly

taught language by four teachers with different frequency: two teachers usually
used them and two teachers sometimes used them.
One or two teachers sometimes used magazines pictures, flashcards, wall
charts, real objects, overhead projectors and teachers themselves. When
introducing new lessons, two teachers used flashcards, teachers themselves, one
used magazines pictures and one used real objects.
There were five teachers who sometimes used the pictures in the
textbooks to teach vocabulary and most of them never used any other kinds of
visual aids to teach this aspect. When being interviewed, all the teachers said they
realized the usefulness of visual aids in teaching vocabulary, for them visual aids
in general and real objects in particular were very useful to teach this aspect but
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firstly because the shortage of time and because there were no materials to make
visual aids and there were too many new words in the students’ textbooks that the
teachers could not usually use visual aids. Secondly, the number of students who
were good at English and fond of learning English was not big so they often gave
direct meaning in Vietnamese and sometimes they gave example to illustrate the
new words to be sure that the students could understand the reading texts. Also
according to them, it was the easiest way to make the students like learning
reading skill. And through the research’s observations, five teachers usually gave
the students a lot of new words, it was not like the theory that the teachers should
give from 6 to 7 new words in one period or just give key words.
As can be seen more from table 3, all the teachers never used visual aids
to teach structures. The reason for not using visual aids to teach structures given
by the teachers Were firstly, the language focus parts in the students’ textbooks
always contained too much knowledge wit a lot of exercises. If the teachers used
visual aids, there would not be enough time to finish all the given exercises.
Besides the pictures in the textbooks, they wanted to be sure that the students
could understand the grammar points so that they often wrote/gave examples
whenever they taught new grammar points.

Also from table 3, only one teacher who sometimes used overhead
projectors, two teachers who sometimes used wall charts and two teachers who
sometimes used handouts to practice newly taught language. The results were the
20
same as the researcher's observations that most teachers usually let the students do
exercises or tasks in the students’ textbooks and they seldom used visual aids to let
students practice newly taught language. When some visual aids were used, they
often came in form of exercises or prompt to practice writing. When the researcher
interviewed some teachers whom sometimes used visual aids to practice newly
taught language, they said they did that way to let the students have chance to do
more exercises, made some tasks became easier, more real and alive.
4.2.3 Ways Visual Aids Are Shown To The Students.
Table 4 shows ways visual aids are shown to the students.
How visual aids are shown to the students
Teachers'
responses(n=6)
Students look at pictures in the students’ textbook 6 (100%)
Students look at visual aids hung on the board 4(66.7%)
Students look at films 1(16.7%)
Students look at video screen 1(16.7%)
Students look at visual aids as well as hearing the tape
recorder
0 (0%)
Students look at the teachers 6(100%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.
Table 4: Teachers ' Responses on Ways Visual Aids Are Shown To the
Students.
As the table reveals, all visual aids are shown to the students by asking
them to look at pictures in the students’ textbooks and asking them to look at the
teachers themselves. There were four teachers (66.7%) showed visual aids by

asking the students to look at visual aids hung on the board. Table 4 also shows
that there was no teacher letting their students look at visual aids as well as
hearing the tape recorder. That may be because when hearing the tapes the
students must pay their attention to the tapes to do the given tasks. Also from
table 4, we can see that there was one teacher (16.7%) showed visual aids by
letting the students look at films and one teacher showed visual aids by letting the
students look at video screen.
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4.3 Teachers 'Opinions about the Usefulness of Visual Aids in Teaching
English.
This section presents teachers' reasons for using visual aids teachers'
opinions about the usefulness of visual aids and their reasons for not using visual
aids.
4.3.1 The teachers' reasons for using visual aids.
Table 5 reports the reasons of the teachers for using visual aids.
Teachers' Reasons for Using Visual Aids
Teachers’ responses
(n=6)
Because they make the language used in class more real
and alive.
4(66.7%)
Because they keep students' attention. 4(66.7%)
Because they make the class more interesting. 4(66.7%)
Because they provide informal atmosphere. 4(66.7%)
Because it is easy, inexpensive and readily available to
make them.
2(33.3%)
Because they improve learners' understanding and
retention.
4(66.7%)

Because they save both the teachers and students’ time. 4(66.7%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.
Table 5: Teachers ' Responses on Reasons for Using Visual Aids
Besides The Pictures in The Textbooks.
The four teachers who sometimes used other kinds of visual aids besides
the pictures in the textbooks responded in this table. As can be seen from table 5
most the teachers of English at KrongBuk High School (n=4(66.7%) used visual
aids in the process of English teaching because firstly they thought visual aids
could make the language used in class more real and alive, secondly, according to
them visual aids can keep students' attention, thirdly they believed that visual
aids could make the class more interesting, fourthly they realized that visual aids
could provide informal atmosphere besides they thought visual aids could
improve learners' understanding and retention and they used visual aids because
according to them using visual aids could help both the teachers and students
save time.
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According to two other teachers (33.3%), they used visual aids in the
process of English teaching because they found out that it was easy, inexpensive
and readily available to make them.
4.3.2 Usefulness of Visual Aids.
Kinds of
v.a
Opinions
Pictur
es in
the
text
books
Magaz
ines

pictur
es
Flash
cards
Wall
charts
Real
object
s
White
board
s
Hand
outs
Video
tapes
Over
head
proje
c
tors
Teach
ers
them
selves
Very
useful
6(100
%)
2(33.3

%)
1(16.7
%)
1(16.7
%)
2(33.3
%)
1(16.7
%)
4(66.
7%)
1(16.7
%)
1(16.
7%)
6(100
%)
Useful
1(16.7
%)
1(16.7
%)
1(16.7
%)
2(33.3
%)
No ideas 0(0%) 3(50%)
4(66.6
7%)
4(66.6

7%)
4(66.6
7%)
3(50%
)
2(33.
3%)
5(8.33
%)
5(8.3
3%)
0(0%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.
Table 6: Teachers' Opinions about the Usefulness of Visual Aids.
As can be seen from the table 6, all the teachers (n=6,100%) thought that
pictures in students' textbooks and the teachers themselves were two very useful
kinds of visual aids. The four teachers who sometimes used other kinds of visual
aids besides the pictures in the textbooks and the teachers themselves also
believed that these kinds of visual aids were very useful however; they expressed
different level of appreciation. It, thus, can be said that all the teachers realized
the value of visual aids though they did not use them very often.
The teachers' reasons for not using visual aids
besides the pictures in the textbooks.
Teachers’
responses (n=6)
Because it takes time to prepare visual aids 2(33.3%)
Because pictures in students' textbooks are useful enough 2(33.3%)
Because there are no available materials to make visual aids 0(0%)
Because I do not have enough time to use visual aids 2(33.3%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Teachers.

Table 7: Teachers' Responses on Reasons for Not Using Visual Aids.
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As can be seen from table 7 there were only two out of six teachers
(33.3%) who only used the pictures in textbooks in the process of teaching
English. When interviewed, both the teachers said the pictures in students'
textbooks were useful enough. Furthermore, it took time to prepare visual aids.
And English textbooks contain so many tasks and focused too much on
knowledge that they did not have enough time to use visual aids, they gave some
examples to identify their responses: there were a lot of vocabulary that students
did not know in the reading texts, listening lessons were not easy to all the
students, ect.
4.4 Students ' opinions about learning English through visual aids.
In this section the researcher presents whether the students like learning
English through visual aids or not, the reasons why students want to learn
English through visual aids, kinds of visual aids the students like their teachers
to use when teaching English, how often they want to learn English through
visual aids, the students' opinions about the usefulness of visual aids, the
reasons why students do not want to learn English through other kinds of
visual aids besides the pictures in the textbooks.
4.4.1 Whether Students Like Learning English through Visual Aids.
Table 8 shows whether students like learning English through visual aids or not.
Whether Students Like Learning English
through Visual Aids
Students' responses (n=200)
Yes, a lot 160 (80%)
Yes, a little 37(18.5%)
Not at all 3(1.5%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Students.
Table 8: Students' Responses on Whether Students Like Learning
English through Visual Aids.

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As can be seen from table 8, most of the students (n=197, 99%) liked
learning English through visual aids, 80% of whom (n=160) liked them very
much and 18.5% (n=37) liked them a little. Only 1.5 % of them (n=3) stated that
they did not like learning English through visual aids. The reasons why they liked
and why they did not like learning English through visual aids are presented in
4.4.2 and 4.4.6.
4.4.2 Reasons Why Students Like Learning English through Visual Aids.
Table 9 gives the reasons why students like learning English through visual aids.
Students' responses on why they like learning
English through visual aids.
Students' responses
(n=200)
Because they make the language used in class
more real and alive.
157(78.5%)
Because the pictures in textbooks are very
beautiful.
129(64.5%)
Because I can understand the lesson more
quickly
173(86.5%)
Because I can remember the lesson well 181(90.5%)
Source: Questionnaires for the Students.
Table 9: Students' responses on why they like learning English
through visual aids.
We can see from table 9 that 157 students (78.5 %) stated that they liked
learning English through visual aids because they thought visual aids could make
the language used in class more real and alive. It was the same as the researcher’s
observation, that the students were more active and the lessons were more

interesting when the teachers used some visual aids in their English classes. More
than 80% of them liked learning English through visual aids because according to
them visual aids could help them understand the lesson more quickly. Especially,
90.5% of them (n=181) stated that visual aids could help them remember the
lesson well so they wanted their teachers to used visual aids in their English
lessons. There were 129 students (64.5%) assumed that the pictures in textbooks
were very beautiful that made them like learning English.
25