Classroom Displays

What is a Classroom Display

A display is a teaching method used to make the classroom into a more interesting and stimulating place. The decorating and brightening effect may have direct effect on the student's motivation hence impacting their learning. A display can be either informative or displaying the work of students.

Hints and Tips in Creating a Classroom Display

The basic rule of display is that it is split into four elements- 

.THE BORDER 
.THE TITLE
.THE BACKGROUND 
.AND THE CONTENT ITSELF 

Knowing this simple fact will allow you to decide how to go about tackling your display.
You should only ever concentrate on two of these elements otherwise the display can start to look too busy.
Also, creating any pictures you create for a background will be distorted by the content you place over it. 
over-ambitious, hand-painted picture may end up looking very overcrowded, thus it is best to keep to simple scenes or patterns for your background.


The next important thing is to always keep in mind: it is 
the content that is the most important element so should always be the most prominent aspect of the display  (can easily be forgotten in the throes of display-making).

You need to decide whether the display is informative, or for sharing children's work (it could be both). If it is to convey key ideas or vocabulary, it may be best to keep the display simple and reasonably plain, any decoration should aide the information being displayed, not detract from it. Themed displays such as History or Art can afford to be a little more flamboyant.

It is always good to improvise in using available resources when the usual display materials are scare. In the absence of cartridge papers and cut-outs, teacher could encourage students to seek other resourceful materials such as cereal boxes and scraps of material to use in their displays.

Some miscellaneous tips for classroom display

• change displays regularly, to maintain freshness and interest
• Displays need maintenance, keep up running repairs if things come loose, gets damaged or untidy
• Encourage students to bring in interesting picture and objects to add to displays
• If displays are aimed at the class, think about the eye level of the students including when they are sitting at their desks. This is not the same for adults. This information should influence the height of the display
• Give display titles, include explanations and other signpost(such as pointers) if these are helpful
• When you visit other schools and classrooms look out for other good display ideas

Below is a video illustrating some classroom displays

Brain Teaser

After watching video, I want you to use your newly acquired knowledge and chose one display from the video and tell whether it is an effective display or not

Some other points to consider when  setting up a display

Font choice

Colour choice

Layout

Mounting

Reasons for making displays

Some reasons for making displays are:

• Displays may consist of direct teaching aids
• Displays may consist of supplementary teaching aids that simply reinforces what is being taught
• Displays can be used as a interesting way to introduce new topics to your students
• Displays can form central basis on a piece of 
• classwork or topic, which would require students to make a report and record the the progress that has been made
• Display can be used as a method of class management.

blog created by  Steven Mcinnis of group 10, for technology education presentation