Sources of Teaching-Learning Materials

According to studies conducted by education specialists, 75% of the information obtained by

pupils is due to perception, 13% via sense of hearing and the rest via sense of touch, taste and
smell.Basing on the findings of the above research, the senses of perception and hearing are
the two most important human senses in obtaining information. Hence, sources of teaching-
learning activities, and in particulars, instruments involving seeing-hearing, play an essential
role for teachers to achieve the aim of improving knowledge and mastering skills of their
pupils. The importance of teaching-learning materials can be explained briefly as follows:
1. The importance of teachers reference materials
Materials like syllabus, teachers guide book and resource book are essential for teachers to
study carefully so that they will be able to make proper preparation before teaching lesson
and get ready suitable teaching aids.
2. The importance of teaching materials for teachers.
Teaching materials here refer to teaching aids used when teachers carry out their activities in
class. These materials include chalks, writing board, charts, apparatus, specimens, concrete
materials, photographs, pictures, maps, globes, cassette and video recordings, transparencies
and projector, and computer.
3. The important features of these teaching materials are;
a) to help teachers to present their lesson precisely;
b) to stimulate the pupils interest so that they will concentrate on their lesson;
c) to make it easier for teacher to present their lessons. With the help of teaching aids,
teachers do not need much to explain a certain concept by using many words; and
d) using teaching aids such as prepared charts with important information, teachers can save a
lot of time because it is no longer required to write notes on the boards for the pupils to copy.
The important features of learning materials are:
a) to enable pupils to relate concrete things with abstract facts;
b) to assist pupils to enhance their memories. Usually, pupils can remember concrete
materials in a longer periods rather than abstract facts;
c) to assists pupils to carry out enrichment or remedial activities;
d) to enable pupils to do research by using project or inquiry-discovery method, and to draw
conclusion with the help of learning aids; and
e) to help pupils to solve problems themselves with learning aids.