Since God’s Word thoroughly equips (2 Tim. 3:16-17), we must “in every way … make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10) to grab and keep people’s attention. While these passages don’t reference the use of audiovisuals in teaching, we do have a God who created us to learn through our senses and who Himself communicates audio-visually. For this reason, Bible teachers will benefit from a training session on audiovisuals.
Begin the Training Session with a Forced Choice Activity
Which would you prefer … attending a lecture with visual aids or without? If you would prefer attending a lecture without visual aids, go stand on the left side of the room. If you would prefer attending a lecture with visual aids, go stand on the right side of the room.
- Why do you suppose everybody (or, almost everybody) chose the right side? (Undoubtedly all will go to the right side. If not, almost everyone will go to the right side. — Let several people respond before having them sit down.)
Key Reasons for Using Audiovisuals in Teaching
1) God made people to learn audio-visually.
(Write the point at the top of the left side of a white or chalk board. Below it, draw a circle and divide it similarly to the one below. Put the percentages in as you speak.)
God made people with five senses through which we interact with our environment and hence learn. Studies show that how we learn breaks down this way:
3% through our sense of smell
3% through our sense of taste
6% through our sense of touch
13% through our sense of hearing
75% through our sense of sight
Obviously using all of the senses, where possible, would yield the greatest impact on learning. But, at minimum, to teach the way God made people to learn, we must try to engage people not only through the sense of hearing but also visually … audio-visually.
2) God Himself communicates audio-visually.
(Write the point at the top on the right half of a white or chalk board. Discuss the following questions. List their responses to the first question below the point. You’ll find input in the article, God Communicates Audiovisually, that you can add to the discussion if not already stated by group members.)
- What are some examples of God communicating audio-visually?
- Why do you think God communicates using audiovisuals?
- In what situations might God be against the use of visual aids? (Ex. 20:4-6)
- What does all this infer for us as communicators of God’s Word?
Tips for Choosing & Using Audiovisuals
Since audiovisuals are so important in teaching, it’s vital we learn to use them well.
(For this part of the session, consider ordering the reproducible Tips for Choosing & Using Audiovisuals Worksheet which you can distribute to each teacher. The worksheet uses an acrostic with the word AUDIOVISUALS wherein each letter in the word gives a tip.
If you have sufficient time, you could go over the tips together and then have them break into pairs or triplets to work on the two exercises. If your group is small, you might want to do this together. To benefit from the exercises, it’s essential to first review the tips.)
