IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME) e-ISSN: 2320–7388, p- ISSN: 2320-737x Volume 11, Issue 3 Ser. V (May – June 2021), PP 01-05 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/7388-1103050105 www.iosrjournals.org 1 | Page How Visual Aids can Help in EFL Classrooms – A Case Study at Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration Nguyen Van Thinh * , Ta Thi Mai Huong, Dang Thi Ngoc Anh Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration Abstract: Visual aids studies, especially in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), have recently been largely conducted and widely discussed. In fact, the positive attainments in education settings where visual aids are used prove the terrific potentials of this tool in promoting not only the learning process but also academic performance of the language learners. Visual aids have firmly been deemed a crucial means during the teaching and learning of language. On the one hand, it is commonly assumed that employing visual aids in language classrooms serves as advanced organisers which helps inspire and facilitate language students’s learning. In return, the application of these organisers would bring a positive outcome compared to the traditional teaching method. The paper depicts the situation of how and to what extent visual aids have been exploited at Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration (TUEBA). Accordingly, insights for a more effective application of this special tool to head for the flourish of English teaching and learning at TUEBA are proposed. Key words: EFL classroom; language learning; visual aids --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 21-05-2021 Date of acceptance: 06-06-2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Visual aids studies, especially in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), have recently been largely conducted and widely discussed. In fact, visual aids have firmly been deemed a crucial means during the teaching and learning of language, which is believed to produce a higher level of engagement and interaction in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms. In the meanwhile, language practitioners’ awareness regarding the role of visual aids in language classrooms is supposed to mount. This paper attempts to explore the current situation of using visual aids as well as teachers' and learners' attitudes toward the application of this genre of teaching aid at TUEBA. This study, which was conducted during a semester at TUEBA, involves the participation of 15 lecturers from the ELT Department and 200 students from 3 faculties. Primary data, mostly derived from survey questionnaires and observation, are the main source for analysis and discussions. Accordingly, the paper suggests some ideas for selecting and designing appropriate visual aids for language teaching and learning. II. Literature Review Acting as an intriguing and efficient means that hugely assists the presentation and absorption of information, understandably, visual aids have perennially attracted intensive interest and concerns of researchers. Therefore, there have been a number of related studies and conceptions regarding this type of education aid. Normally, visual aids are perceived as any items in form of audio or visual manners (Lester, 2006; Leisher, 2009) which facilitate the process of delivering and attaining particular content. Thus, it is easy to encounter visual aids in educational settings in a great variety of forms, ranging from slides, map, model, images or photos to video clips, films, recordings, etc. It can be said that visual aids help enable the understanding as well as memorization (Yi-Hsun Lai, 2011) of even complex disciplinary knowledge thanks to their illustrative function. For the same token, this visual device is proved to efficaciously boost the cognitive attainment while embedding the visible experience (Wileman, 1993) into learners’ minds. Recent linguists, including Gistituati (2019), Mohammadi (2010) further developed this concept, according to which visual aids are defined as an amazing educational material not only promoting students’ performance on productive skills i.e. speaking but reducing strains and anxiety during lesson time. Depending on the main purposes as well as target objectives of each education program and lesson, different types of visual aids may be relevantly employed. In general, visual aids are often classified as follows: