A Study of Teachers’ Perspective on Use of Visual Aid in English Education in Primary School, Year 1-3

Abstract: People have need for different aid supporting them when learning a foreign language and most of us benefit from the use of more than one aid. Teachers offer a variety of techniques when teaching English, to ensure that as many pupils as possible are able to assimilate English education. Digitalization and research have brought the use of visual aid in English education to increase over the years. The aim of this study is to explore lower primary school teachers’ experiences of using visual aid in the English classroom in order to discuss which possible effects visual aid can have for pupils’ language competence.  In primary school year 1-3. The study is a qualitative study in the form of semi structured interviews with seven primary school teachers in the south of Sweden. The interviews provided an insight into the participants' individual actions, opinions and experiences on visual aid in English education. The results from this research confirm a generous use of visual aid, such as pictures, images, body language, film and drama among the teachers in this study. All seven participants experience increased engagement in classroom activities and refer this specifically to the use of visual aid. The teachers use visual aid to enhance and clarify content, to ensure acquirement of English vocabulary and to create a varied and diverse education and they consider the use of visual aid in English education to increase pupils’ language learning. The main purpose is to ensure that as many pupils as possible acquire English communication skills. It appears that the teachers in this study regard the benefits to exceed the challenges. One benefit is a motivating and interesting education with a high level of pupil activity in which pupils’ ability to succeed in English education increases. A challenge is to offer necessary aid to beginners and motivate pupils with highly developed English skills to acquire further knowledge in the same education. In further research it would be interesting to explore pupils’ view on the use of and benefits and challenges from visual aid in English education.         Keywords: English education, Foreign language learning, Primary school, Young language learners, Visual aid, Pictures, Drama, Film.