TEACHER DEVELOPMENT CLUB TIP #19: Pass The Chalk Teaching Method

INTRODUCTION 

Provide chalk or a soft copy. Whoever has it must answer your next question, and they pass it on to the student of their choice.

WHAT IS PCTT?

PCTT is a simple teaching/learning process of passing chalks to students/learners and let them write on the board. Or it is the teaching/learning technique whereby a teacher allows students to write on the board instead of him being the dominant user of the board. 

HOW IS PCTT APPLIED?

PCTT is applied by the teacher and students as active participants in the process. A teacher may guide students to practice a certain vocabulary. He/she write a vocabulary inside the circle on the board and allow students to raise up their hands and go to the board to write the other words associated with the vocabulary on the board.

A teacher who is teaching themes from a literary text may use this technique when discussing the issues/themes of a novel, play, or a poem by writing the word ‘theme’ inside the circle on the board. Then the teacher may ask students to create groups and allow them to compete by going to the board and write as many themes as possible in order to be the winner. The teacher may be decorative by making sure that each group uses coloured chalks to distinguish their points written randomly on the board. 

WHEN IS PCTT APPLIED?

PCTT can be applied at any stage of the lesson.

At the beginning, it may be used to start the lesson well by dealing with the certain vocabulary that will be common in the lesson.

At the middle, the PCTT may be used to make clarifications on some items or issues. The technique can also be applied at the end of the lesson as students and teacher finalize the lesson. 

WHERE IS PCTT APPLIED?

PCTT can be applied in the following environments: 

SETTING: The PCTT can be conducted within the class and outside the class as well. But it is mostly applied within the class because of the nature of many immovable boards in our classrooms. But if the class has movable boards, the teacher and students may consider going outside for more interactive learning. 

RELEVANT TOPICS: This PCTT can be applied in any topic and at any class level. This is because it is common for any class to have the board and the chalks or marker pens.

WHY IS PCTT IMPORTANT?

The benefits of PCTT are:

• To engage students into T/L process.
• To motivates students.
• To increase confidence to students.
• To make students good problem solvers.
• To help the teacher reach his/her teaching goals.