Show and tell (sometimes called show and share or sharing time) is the practice of showing something to an audience and describing it to them, usually a toy or other children's-oriented item. In the United Kingdom, North America, New Zealand and Australia, it is a common classroom activity in early elementary school.[1] In a typical session of show and tell, a child will bring an item from home and will explain to the class why they chose that particular item, where they got it, and other relevant information.
![](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Show_and_tell.jpg/220px-Show_and_tell.jpg)
The exact origins of show and tell are unknown, but it was written about as early as 1954 in the journal Childhood Education.[2] Show and tell is used to develop storytelling ability, bridge school and home, forge connections and bonds between students, help teachers to gain a better understanding of their students, and enhance student's communication skills, including around feelings.[2][3] It can also be used to build public speaking skills such as voice projection and poise.[4] Variants of show and tell have been used to teach vocabulary.[5] Although often thought of as an activity for younger children, teachers have described successfully bringing it into classrooms of students in middle and even secondary grades.[4][6][7] The name has also been used to describe other educational practices, such as a way for students to demonstrate mathematical thinking.[8]
The teacher's role in show and tell can vary. The teacher may suggest a theme for the objects, such as particular vocabulary words.[5] During the presentation of the object, some teachers do minimal guidance, while other teachers take a more active role in preparing students for the activity, helping students give a successful share, and in guiding questions and comments from other students.[9] A 1994 paper found more involved teaching can lead to better psychological gains for students than a more passive approach.[9]
A 2014 study found over 50 picture books about show and tell.[2]
Show and tell has been criticized for the amount of time it takes, monotony, and for penalizing shy students.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ammer, Christine. (1997). "show and tell," The American Heritage dictionary of idioms, p. 580.
- ^ a b c Mortlock, Anita (November 2014). "Children's narratives at 'show-and-tell': What do the storybooks tell us about being known, being better and being judged?". Hekupu. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ Oken-Wright, Pamela (1988). "Show-and-Tell Grows Up". Young Children. 43 (2): 52–58. ISSN 0044-0728. JSTOR 42726052.
- ^ a b Nelson, Dorothy H. (1976). "D. and E.: Show and Tell, Grown Up". Language Arts. 53 (2): 203–205. ISSN 0360-9170. JSTOR 41404130.
- ^ a b Laner, Karen (1986). "Show and Tell: Alive and Well". The Reading Teacher. 39 (8): 869–870. ISSN 0034-0561. JSTOR 20199247.
- ^ Camp, Donna J.; Tompkins, Gail E. (1990). "Show and tell in middle school?". Middle School Journal. 21 (4): 18–20. doi:10.1080/00940771.1990.11495079. ISSN 0094-0771. JSTOR 23023756.
- ^ Gump, Steven E. (2006). "Quick Fix: Productively Waiting for Latecomers". College Teaching. 54 (1): 181. doi:10.3200/CTCH.54.1.181-208. ISSN 8756-7555. JSTOR 27559256. S2CID 143875835.
- ^ Hafner, Anne L. (2016-06-23). "Teaching-Method Scales and Mathematics-Class Achievement: What Works With Different Outcomes?". American Educational Research Journal. 30: 71–94. doi:10.3102/00028312030001071. S2CID 144173383.
- ^ a b Alsafi, Abdullah T. (1994). "Psychological Reality and the Role of the Teacher in Early-Education Sharing Time". International Review of Education. 40 (1): 59–69. Bibcode:1994IREdu..40...59A. doi:10.1007/BF01103004. ISSN 0020-8566. JSTOR 3444286. S2CID 143476489.
- ^ Timberlake, Pat (1973). "I Hate Show and Tell!". Elementary English. 50 (4): 651–652. ISSN 0013-5968. JSTOR 41388040.