During the first school years, teachers explain the topics emphasizing the visual component, the participation of the students and the playful dimension of learning. The bulletin board is one of the most widely used educational strategies in this regard. A bulletin board or school newspaper is, in short, a set of content where students distribute the most significant information on a given topic.
From a training point of view, these contents lose their effectiveness as school age increases.
A teamwork supervised by the teacher
In these works the students distribute the tasks and among all they create the bulletin board. Normally the support used is a cardboard on which various information is distributed: maps, texts, drawings, photographs ... There is no single model, since each newspaper can be created with its own style. The important thing is that the set of information has a certain internal coherence and that the structure of the work carried out is visually understood.
This procedure is used to consolidate some strategic themes and so that students can consult their content in the classroom itself, since these newspapers are displayed on the walls in a preferred place. Regardless of the content, cooperative work among students is important.
The wall newspaper is a tool for any type of content, whether scientific, humanistic or related to leisure. These contents should not be confused with typical photo collages.
To organize this type of educational work it is necessary for the teacher to previously organize the different materials to be used and for the students to have precise guidelines on what they have to do.
An example nutrition bulletin board
The issue of nutrition is important for the child population, since an incorrect diet causes obesity and health problems. A newspaper could include a general title, for example "basic tips for healthy eating."
The cardboard could include a nutritional pyramid with pictures of the different foods classified in nutritional groups. To complement the pyramid, a series of vignettes with basic advice related to healthy eating habits would be included. Likewise, for vegetables and fruit to be valued positively, healthy photos related to these foods could be provided.
With this mural displayed on the walls of the classroom, the schoolchildren would have in mind some important messages (for example, how to strengthen their defenses or how to have more energy throughout the day).
Photo: Fotolia - Makkuro_GL
