CHAPTER:11 SKILL OF EXPLAINING

 

CHAPTER: 11

Skill of Explaining

 

This Chapter Deals with

Skill of Explaining

Importance and Need of Explaining Skill

Components of Explaining Skill

Desirable (occurrence) Behavior

Undesirable (avoidance) Behavior

Suggestion for making effective Explanation

Merit of Explaining Skill

Demerit of Explaining Skill

Conclusion

Micro Leeson Plan on Explaining Skill

Skill of Explaining

From the psychological point of view, no class is homogeneous. Some pupils are intelligent, some have normal intelligence, some are matured and others are immature. But it is the duty of the teacher to impart knowledge to all. In the teaching learning process it is necessary to clarify several principles and concepts. To present the principles and concepts in the simplified form before the students, it needs analysis. So it is quite necessary for the teacher to acquire the skill of explanation. Without this skill, the teacher may not satisfy to all the students in class room.

The task of a teacher is to organize a number of learning experiences in the class room. He uses a number of interrelated statements to the principles and concepts for the effectiveness of teaching. The set of interrelated statements, which is technically known as explanation and the process is known as explaining. Explanation means to expound, to elucidate, to clear the ambiguity and to develop understanding. Finally the skill of explaining is defined as an act of bringing about an understanding about a concept, principles, or a phenomenon. Explanation is a verbal skill of teacher in which he has to do two tasks i.e. -:

(I)             Selection of appropriate statements and

(II)          Interrelating and using the selected statements.

 

Explanation forms a kind of bridge between telling and revealing knowledge to the students. The main objective of using explanation skill is to enable the children to develop their understanding. The skill of explaining is an art. To explain the concept the teacher uses many easy statements, audio visual aids, and illustrations so that it may become intelligible to the students.

Importance and Need of Explaining Skill

The skill of explaining is required when the teacher teaches some new lesson or topic. It gives him a lot of confidence. The teacher who is able to explain better is able to win over the students. The skill of explanation is needed in teaching learning process due to the following reason-:

v  It helpful in achieving the objectives of teaching.

v  It is related to teaching activity.

v  It helpful in developing classroom interaction.

v  It is also aids to teaching.

v  It is also helpful in understanding the students.

v  It forms a kind of bridge between telling and revealing knowledge to the learner.

v  It helpful to clear the ambiguity of the students.

v  It helpful in developing the confidence of the students.

 

Components of Explaining Skill: A good explanation is one which is understood by the pupils. It has some components which can be broadly divided into desirable and undesirable behaviors. If the teacher wants to make explanation more effective and interesting, he has to increase the occurrences of desirable behaviors and avoid the use of undesirable behaviors. The desirable (occurrence)   and undesirable (avoidance) behaviors are as follows-:

(i)     Desirable (occurrence) Behavior

a)      Use of explaining links: There are certain links and phrases which connects the statement. In order to make explanation more effective and attractive the teacher has to use the links such as -: But, why, from that moment, as a result, by which, on the other hand, therefore, hence, before, thereafter, consequently, in order to, in spite of, this is, because, that is what, while, thus, if then etc. the use of such links and phrases is very much helpful in bringing the continuity in statements to explain the concept.

b)     Introductory statement: The introductory statement is used by the teacher to draw and maintain attention of the students and it is also helpful to explain or announce the topic. It makes the students to ready mentally in the class to listen what is going to be explain. Such statement gives the overall view of explanation. As per example-: Dear student, today we shall study…

c)      Concluding statement-: At the end of teaching a teacher should use concluding statements to summarize or conclude the explanation. These statements give the students a consolidated picture of what has been explained. It may be moral value of the lesson as per examples-: “where will there is way” like this.

d)     Use of visual techniques-: “One picture is worth thousands of words”. In order to make explanation more clear, interesting and effective a teacher should use visual aids such as – Black board, charts, models, pictures, flannel boards etc. at the time of teaching. The students can better understand the concepts with the help of these visual aids.

e)      Technical words defined -: At the time of explanation, a teacher sometimes uses some technical or difficult words which if not defined properly and in a systematic way, then it would make the explanation difficult to understand. So the teacher should explain and defined the difficult words and terms properly. It helpful for the students to receive the clear meaning of the concept.

f)       Interesting to the pupils-: It is essential to make the explanation interesting for an effective understanding of the concept. The teacher can make the explanation interesting by providing examples from the daily experiences of the students and he has to use simple sentences and use of different Medias of communication etc.

g)      Covering essential points-: There are a number of attributes and non-attributes and generalizations and a number of interrelated concepts in a subject matter. So it is essential for a teacher that he has to cover all the essential points of the concepts.

h)     Testing pupils understanding-: testing pupils understandings is essential in order to know how far the teacher able to explain a phenomenon correctly and to know what extent students understand it. Only a few questions may be asked for this purpose.

          II.      Undesirable (avoidance) Behavior

a)      Using unrelated statements-: A teacher should avoid those statements which are not related to the topic being explained. It is because such statements create confusion and sidetrack the attention of the students.

b)     Lack of continuity-: Continuity is generally broken due to some irrelevant statements. Lack of continuity in explanation makes it difficult for the pupils to understand the concept.

c)      Lack of fluency-: The teacher should speak in fluent language so that all the students can listen and understand the thought of the teacher easily. If the teacher speaks half of the sentences and reformulates in the mid of the sentence, it disturbs the fluency of explanation and it may also result in students lack of interest.

d)     Use of fuzzy words and phrases-: Expressions which fail to make unambiguous meaning are known as fuzzy words. These words or expressions affect the clarity of explanation. There are some fuzzy words like - May, might, somewhat, almost etc which do not give unambiguous ideas about the concept. So for good explanation, the use of such words should be avoided.

e)      Use of inappropriate vocabulary-: The difficulty level of words used should suit the age, mental level and grades of the students. Use of inappropriate vocabulary should be avoided.

Suggestion for making effective Explanation

v     Before explaining any concept , the teacher should clear about the aims of the content.

v  Explanation should follow logical sequence.

v     The explanation should not complicate, lengthy and small according to the objectives of the lesson.

v     Explanation should be in simple language.

v     Explanation should be according to the age, experience and mental level of the students.

v     The speed of explaining should be adequate.

v     Visual techniques should be used for explanation.

v     Use of illustrations.

v     Use of questions.

v     Use of introductory statements.

v     Use of comparison method.

v     Use of dramatization method.

v     Highlight the main points.

v     Use of summary and concluding statements.

v     Full cooperation with the students.

v     Explanation should be given at the proper time.

v     It should be integrated with narration, description and questioning.

v     A teacher should remove all sort of misgivings before explaining so that no obstacles comes while explaining.

Merit of Explaining Skill

 

v     The skill of explaining acquired by the teacher makes him really a fit person for the job of teaching. It gives him a lot of confidence.

v     It helps in developing the power of reasoning and imagination of the students.

v     A teacher who is able to explain better is able to win over the students.

v     It helps in the clarity of the concept and thus provides everlasting effecton the mind of lesson.

Demerit of Explaining Skill

v  A lot of skill is needed for the skill of explanation.

v     It is not possible to present the whole picture of the subject matter before the students in a scheduled period.

v     This skill is not no more appropriate and sufficient for all kinds of subject matter.

v  Sometimes a farfetched teacher becomes egoist.

 

 

 

Conclusion: A teacher who fails to acquire the skill of explaining cuts a sorry figure. Such a teacher fails to be called a successful and effective teacher. For an effective and successful teacher the skill of explanation is must acquire. This skill is the combination of all the skills. No doubt the skill of explanation is one of the most important skills in teaching learning process. By using this skill a teacher can make his as a effective experienced teacher.

 

MICRO LESSON ON EXPLAINING SKILL

Pupil Teacher’s Name      : ……………………….                                                         Date: ………………

Roll No                                  : ……………………….                                                         Skill: Explaining

Subject                                  : English                                                                                     Duration: 5 Minute

Topic                                     : “Adjectives”                                                                         Class: VI

 

Content	Pupil Teacher’s Activity	Student’s Activity
“Adjectives”	·        Pupil teacher will tell the definition of an adjective- a word used with a noun to describe the quality or quantity of the person, animal, place or thing is called an adjective. ·        Pupil teacher will give different examples to make clear understanding. ·        Pupil teacher gives the following descriptions-: Ø  Adjectives of quality: large, honest etc. Ø  Adjectives of quantity: some, little, much etc. Ø  Adjectives of number: few, many, most etc. Ø  Demonstrative adjectives: this, that, these etc. Ø  Interrogative adjectives: what, which etc. Ø  Emphasizing adjectives: own, very etc. Pupil teacher will ask the student to give some examples of different type of adjectives.	Listen carefully and note down in their copies.   Listen carefully   Listen carefully and note down in their copies.         Students will give response.

 

Observation Schedule

 

Components of the skill	Evaluation
	So, so	Normal	Good
Desirable Behaviors (occurrence) 1.       Use of explaining links. 2.       Introductory statements. 3.       Concluding statements. 4.       Use of visual techniques. 5.       Technical words defined. 6.       Interesting to pupils. 7.       Covering essential points. 8.       Testing pupils’ understandings. Undesirable Behaviors (avoidable) 9.       Using irrelevant statements. 10.    Lack of continuity. 11.    Lack of fluency. 12.    Use of fuzzy words and phrases.. 13.    Use of inappropriate vocabulary.	0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     0 0 0 0 0	1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3     1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3 1  2  3	4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6     4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6 4  5  6