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Achalk talk is an illustrated presentation in which the speaker draws pictures that emphasize lecture points and create a memorable experience for the listeners. Originally done with chalk on a blackboard, chalk talks now use chalk, crayon, pastel, or dry-erase markers on a whiteboard. Since their inception, chalk talks have been both a popular form of entertainment and a pedagogical tool.

Preaching

Because of an article in the Deseret News published on September 17, 1895 the roots of "chalk talks" can be traced to the Methodist church -- and to a single individual, Mr. Frank Beard (1842-1905). ^[1] Beard was a professional artist whose wife was a Methodist. When the women of their church asked Beard to draw some pictures as part of an evening of entertainment they were planning, the chalk talk was born.^[2]

A book by Jeanne Bridge, "Chalk Talk for Catechists," gives an introduction to chalk talks as a catechetical method. The book describes a method of "speaking the message" by illustrating with simple chalk drawings, along with the talk, that highlight the main points of the lesson. The word which is predominant is at a lead together with the word [this phrase says nothing], so that the word and the picture may stand as one unit. According to Bridge, the main advantage of this method is that it can be used by people who are not good at drawing; she claims that those with little artistic ability but good speaking abilities are the most frequent users.^[3]

Bridge's book she uses everyday dialect for a better understanding and gives simple examples to show how a wide variety of chalk figures can be built up from a basic 'figurine'. She also proposes a wide range of standard attitudes and gestures capable of depicting various situations.^[4]

Vaudeville and Chatauqua assemblies

Chalk talks were popular acts in vaudeville and at Chautuaqua assemblies^[5]. The experience of real-time illustration could be educational as well as entertaining.^[6] Some performers would do caricatures of audience members. The "tricks" or illustrative techniques used by performers were called "stunts."^[7] Winsor McCay began doing vaudeville chalk talks in 1906.^[8] In his The Seven Ages of Man vaudeville act, he drew two faces and progressively aged them.^[9] Popular illustrator Vernon Grant was also known for his vaudeville circuit chalk talks. Pulitzer prize winning cartoonist John T. McCutcheon was a popular chalk talk performer,^[7] and artist and suffragist Adele Goodman Clark set up her easel on a street corner to convince listeners to support woman suffrage.^[10]

The chalk talk format again gained attention in the 2000s in television advertisements for United Parcel Service. Andy Azula, the creative director for The Martin Agency, starred in a series of UPS advertisements in which he draws on a whiteboard.^[11][12][13]

Advantages

The teacher centers 'chalk and talk' approach with a focus on the average student in the class and this is the most common method of instruction. Among the various established method of instructions, the lecture is the easiest, the most accepted, the safest, the oldest and the most basic method[cite]. Adopting an interactive style in lectures can improve students assimilation of the subject. Keeping in mind the large amount of information, usually attempted to be pumped-in during the lecture, it is often said [by whom? Cite] that lecture is only one way of communication.^[14] That is why the teacher should not restrict class to just ‘Talk’ but should attempt to use the 'Chalk' whenever possible. The 'Chalk' is included as an Audio-visual or other equipment used for demonstration, explanation or illustration, preparatory reading resources such as books, journals or even hand out in relation to the topic on which lecture is to be given and this 'chalk and talk' makes communication a two way method. The 'Chalk and Talk' method of Instruction remains the best, provided the teacher takes it upon themselves to bring around the students to learning.^[15]

Disadvantages

'Chalk and talk' teaching method is not enough says Rachel Thienk. It is said the teachers should not exclusively rely on this method to engage the students says an officer from the Ministry of Education. "Teachers who use the chalk and talk method need to use more teaching aids that can inspire student's interests in learning and also assist students in concept formation," said Dr Ee Ah Meng, consulting counselor at the ministry, during a talk at the Sayyidina Abu Bakar Secondary School. He said the teacher should not only depend on the lecture method but also use the two way communication in the classroom scenario. He also says some students are quick learners and takes time to acquire the simplest topic thus the teacher should make sure that the students are actively participating and all range of students are getting engaged in class. Dr Ee also emphasized that teaching methods should be child-centered and two-way communication a must. More activity-based approaches and class participation between the teacher and students should be adopted. He added, "When students are actively involved in a particular lesson, learning becomes more interesting and meaningful".^[16]

Chalk talk and technology

The primary goal is to improve student's learning an effective one. The wish is to use technology to enhance the traditional chalk and talk lecture, not to replace it. Specifically the wish to improve the quality of the lecture and the quality of the notes taken by the students during the lecture with the coming of technology. As students learn more during the lecture and take better quality notes, they will be more productive during their homework and study time if it is improved with an appropriate technology.^[17] The preparation time for lecture method is approximately the same as for a traditional chalk and talk lecture. Teacher can create the file, print one copy, and develop the lecture notes in approximately the same amount of time as developing traditional chalk and talk lecture notes on blank paper. Everyone know how to surf the web and use a word processor, so there is no new software that must be learned to use this lecture process. The classroom must have a projector that is mounted in the ceiling and shines on the board and a computer installed in the classroom that is networked so that the faculty member can use the technology conveniently.^[18] Technology has become available in the last few years that makes it much easier to prepare the lecture notes. The teacher is able to spend more time with students during class and less time writing and drawing on the board. The students are able to spend more time thinking and less time on writing. In the end the teacher can feel they are providing a better learning experience to their students.^[14]

Animation

Chalk talks formed the basis for early animated films, as seen in the films of J. Stuart Blackton and "Komikal Konjurer" Alfred E. Smith.^[9]

Pedagogy

Chalk Talk in academics is a silent way to construct collaborative mind-maps or other diagrams with the intent to "reflect, generate ideas, check on learning, develop projects, or solve problems."^{[citation needed]}

Academic interviews

A chalk talk is often a part of the interview process for a faculty position in academia, wherein the candidates detail their research plans ^[19]

Athletics

Chalk talks are often used by athletic coaches before and during games to diagram certain types of plays or strategies. This is very effective when game planning and making in-game adjustments because it creates a visual for the players.

References

External links

• Charles L. Bartholomew's Chalk Talk and Crayon Presentation: a handbook of practice and performance in pictorial expression of ideas
• Frank Beard, Chalk lessons, or The blackboard in the Sunday school
• Golden Chalk Classics (chalk talk archive)
• William Allen Bixler, Chalk Talk Made Easy