"A picture is worth a thousand words." Visual aids, such as posters, flash cards, videos, and films can enhance the learning process many times. Be sure to select them with an eye to the background of the students.

Review the needs for audio-visual materials in the curriculum

Audio visual materials are very useful, both for classroom training, and for use by THPs when educating community groups. Classroom materials may include training manuals, diagrams and posters, flip charts, films, slides and videos. Health education materials for community use may include posters, flip charts, and flannelgraphs.

Select AV materials that already exist locally

This may reduce costs. You can also adapt existing materials to the culture, environment and specific needs of the training group. Be sure to take into account education level, language issues, suitability of drawings, relevance of material, and religious and cultural beliefs and values.

Prepare your own materials

Uselow-cost local materials and use pictures as often as possible. Keep words and numbers at a minimum. Use colours and graphs and keep the display easy to understand. Be sure that any human figures reflect the dress of the community and look friendly and approachable. Take care to illustrate technical points accurately.

Pretest materials before using

This will give you a chance to adapt materials to a local audience to avoid misinterpretation by a target group. Be sure that the language is clear, the material interesting, the message comes across, and the drawings are understood.

Use AV materials effectively

Use a variety of AV materials to illustrate main points. Processes like delivering a baby may be better shown by using a film or video. When possible, make visual aids interactive by asking the trainees to explain or discuss what they see.

For examples of visual materials used in THP training programmes see Appendices 4, 5, 6, and 7.