Visual symbols that primary school teachers must know and practice to draw

Lalit Kishore

Need• It has been generally observed that teachers

at many places straight away resort to the presentation of abstract symbols in the early primary grades and this leads to rote learning without formation of any mental images to be related to abstract symbols.

• Often, the teacher preparation institutions fail to impart the skill of drawing the visual symbols to the prospective teachers.

Common observationThe limitation of the chalk-and-talk method is well known and there exists some material which utilize the structures of alphabet with suggestive strokes to create visual codes but it has not been modified, adapted and standardised for use by teachers in their lessons.

EvidencesThere exist evidences that the sequence of learning process goes from concrete experience to semi-concrete or visual representation to analysis to codification in abstract symbols to semi- abstract or graphics for memorisation and long term retention.

First three stages of learning: Readiness for abstract learning

Last three abstract learning stages after readiness

Visual symbols and semi-visual symbols or graphics are important• Visual symbols are important since they

produce mental images and make neurons active besides being a bridge between direct experiences and abstraction.

• Also, Howard Gardner talks about multiple intelligences in which he mentions that most learners learn better through visuals and this intelligence can be fostered and nurtured by providing visual codification of the reality before moving onto abstract codification