Discuss: 1. Instructional materials enhance the effectiveness of teaching strategy.

In every lesson, we observe that teachers use instructional materials. For some students, they
think instructional materials like videos, pictures, and posters are used only to get their attention. Students
don’t realize the real purposes of instructional materials. The teachers use instructional aids like computers,
a projector, and charts to deliver the instruction efficiently. When I was in high school, one of my teachers
did not use any kind of instructional materials. She wanted us to write what she had discussed verbally. It
was really not a good experience because it was hard for me to learn through auditory. I realized she was
not teaching effectively. Teachers should use instructional material to cater to all learners in a
heterogeneous class.
Instructional materials enhance the effectiveness of the teaching strategy. How? These materials
are in different forms. It can be seen, heard, touched, smelled, and tasted. If teachers use more senses, it
will be easier for students to learn. Instructional materials such as short videos, films, and pictures contain
creative animation, effects, and transition, and meaningful ideas that have a positive impact on students.
These kinds of instructional materials will give students a feeling of “I want to learn more”. Thus, it will be
easier for a teacher to teach because learning is activated. Remember, “learning is an experience which
occurs inside the learner and is activated by the learner”. Instructional materials increase students’ active
participation in the learning process. According to Mathew (2012), instructional materials make teaching
effective as it enables learners to participate actively in classroom instruction. Instructional materials like
charts and graphs enhance understanding because they summarize data and serve as visual support.
Some students get confused when the teacher explains the percentage of something but they understand it
when there’s a chart presented. Instructional materials can substitute for first-hand experiences. These
materials engage and provide students with interactive learning experiences.
Instructional materials are useful in many ways. These materials can improve students’ performance
so it should be interesting, practical, realistic, and appealing. Significantly, instructional materials must be
aligned to learning objectives and relevant to the learner’s goal. Teachers should select and use
appropriate instructional materials to enhance the effectiveness of the teaching strategy. Through effective
teaching, knowledge will be successfully transferred and imparted to students.
 1. Instructional material no matter how good cannot replace the good teacher.

A teacher has two ears, two eyes, two hands, one mouth, one mind, and one heart. No matter how
good the instructional materials are, it can never replace a good teacher. Instructional materials such as
videos, texts, charts, and pictures can enhance understanding and can motivate students. Moreover, these
materials can enhance teaching strategy and can make learning interactive. There’s no doubt why they are
integral in the teaching-learning process. However, instructional materials can’t reach the level of flexibility
of a good teacher. Instructional material cannot encourage, motivate, inspire, and teach students the way a
good teacher can.
Instructional materials provide varied learning experiences but fail when the teacher is not present. A
good teacher has a mouth that gives students direction or instruction. He/she will tell students what to do
with the instructional material, what its purpose, and what its relevance to the lesson. During the class,
even the instructional material used is very engaging, some students will display undesirable behavior.
There are moments when they become disruptive or off-task but the teacher is good at dealing with
students’ behavior. A teacher has two eyes that see the problem and a mind that responds immediately to
the needs of students. They offer their hands and lend their ears to students. Instructional material helps
students understand the subject matter but when students ask a question, it is the teacher that listens and
answers their questions. Instructional material can change attitudes and feelings. For example, a picture of
children in street begging for food affects the emotions of students. But teachers are greater because they
understand the feelings and emotions of students. Lastly, the teacher has a heart that teaches with love
and care and inspires students to learn. No one can beat a teacher whose heart is committed to teaching.

In the 21st century, technologies are widely used as instructional aids. Most schools in our country
used technologies such as computers, laptops, projectors, etc. Technologies can enhance the learning
experience but this doesn’t mean that it can replace a good teacher. Bill Gates said that technology is just a
tool. In terms of getting the kids to work together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.

A good teacher leads, guides, facilitates, listens, responds, and mentors students. Indeed, there’s no
instructional material that can replace a good teacher.