Explaining means describing logically 'How', 'Why', and sometimes 'What' of a concept, phenomenon, event, action, or a condition. Each and every teacher from lower to higher classes explain ideas and concepts to make their learners understand. Thus, skill of explaining is the most commonly used teaching skill in every classroom. From this point of view, explaining is an activity of the teacher to fill up a gap in learner's understanding.
Meaning of Explaining
Explaining means describing logically 'How', 'Why', and sometimes 'What' of a concept, phenomenon, event, action, or a condition. Each and every teacher from lower to higher classes explain ideas and concepts to make their learners understand. Thus, skill of explaining is the most commonly used teaching skill in every classroom. From this point of view, explaining is an activity of the teacher to fill up a gap in learner's understanding.
Techniques of Explaining
To become an effective explainer, in reality, one must have to acquire the skill of explaining ideas, concepts, phenomenon up to the mark that their learners can simultaneously understand and can enjoy his class. In this regard, there are various techniques of explaining such as question-answer technique, use of audio-visual or by making certain related statement, with which a teacher can explain a particular idea or a concept . However, if classroom environment demands, then a teacher can use more than one technique to make his explanation more effective.
Components of Explaining
- Initial Statement
- Using Explaining Links
- Brevity
- Interpreting Pupil's Cues: Verbal and Non-verbal
- Use of Illustration, Example and Analysis
- Continuity
- Fluency
- Explicitness
- Concluding Statement
Initial Statement
It is the beginning statement of the topic, concept, issue, or phenomenon to be explained in the class. These statements create readiness on the part of learners to listen what is going to be explained. Therefore, the teacher should use simple and easy words in his statement. Through his initial statement, the teacher should try to establish rapport with the learners too.
Using Explaining Links
Explaining means describing a particular topic using several sentences. In such a situation, there must have logical continuity among the sentences. Thus, to maintain that continuity, it is necessary to use some linking words, which are generally conjunctions or prepositions, such as - so, therefore, because, though, that, since, why, as a resulst, in order to, before, after, but, thus, due to, etc. Use of linking words make the explanation clearer and make them easily understanble.
Brevity
This means, the explanation should be precise and clear. The teacher should not use irrelevant statements as they distract attention of the learners. At the same time, he should not repeat the concept or idea he already described earlier. However, the teacher should have to decide the length of his explanation in view of the age level of the learners. Generally, for the lower age-group learners, the explanation should not be too compact.
Interpreting Pupil's Cues: Verbal and Non-verbal
The teacher should observe the learners to test whether they have understood his explanation or not. This can be done through learners verbal as well as non-verbal expressions. Through verbal expressions learners expresses verbally like 'yes I got it' or 'sorry sir' etc. Most of the times pupils remain silent but their faces, sitting postures, etc. expresses whether they have understood or not. In general, learner's bright faces implies that they have understood while their pale faces implies the opposite. If the teacher confirms that the learners could not understood his explanation he should try to make them understood adopting other technique/s.
Use of Illustration, Example and Analysis
Illustration is a process of making clear the concepts taught by linking it with something already known and understood by the learners. Examples are situations or objects in which principles, ideas or concepts are being applied. Analysis means to analyse thoroughly by breaking the constituent parts of a concept or idea or phenomenon. Difficult and abstract concepts or ideas can made easy to understand by using illustration, example and analysis. Without use of illustration, example and analysis, teachers explanation would be mere explanation having no stimuli to motivate and gain sustained attention of the learners.
Continuity
During explanation the teacher should maintain continuity so that logical sequence of ideas remain on track. Thus, he has to acquire fluency in describing constituent parts of a concept one after another with logical sequence. For this, he must have to remember his initial statement as well as expected concluding statement.
Fluency
Fluency means maintain consistency in speaking. To explain a concept fluently, the teacher must have thorough and deeper knowledge on that particular concept. And if he explain fluently, the learners will be able to understand easily. Thus, he should not use complex sentences, unfamiliar words, incomplete sentences during explanation. Again, fluency in speaking helps gaining sustained attention of the learners. Without sustained attention no learners can learn an easy thing easily.
Explicitness
It means during explanation the teacher must give those information to the students which are exact and appropriate. Rather than using terms like some, few, perhaps, may, probably, somebody, he should give the exact number, exact amount or exact name etc. to the learners. So, he should have clear knowledge on a particular topic he taught.
Concluding Statement
Concluding statement implies certain statements which are made to conclude the whole explanation. It must have logical link with the initial statement of the explanation.
Conclusion
The actct of explaining is done for the learners sake. Keeping in mind this, the teacher should try to master the skill of explaining to the best. He should also remember that without thorough knowledge, no one can explain even an easy concept fluently.