This teaching tool is called by different names:
Visual Board
Frick Board
Slap Board
Felt Board
Choreograph
Videograph
The tool consists of only two Parts - a board covered with flannel and objects having fluzzy and napped backing.
The principle involved is the interlooking of fibres of two rough or hairy surfaces, so that the pieces pressed on to a background which is hard and vertical will stay. It can be illustrated on a larger scale by pressing two tooth brushes or hair brushes together, so the bristle inter-1ook. In case of flannel graph similar principle of friction helps an object to cling to the surface of the board.
The flannel board is usually painted to depict a background scene appropriate to the story being told. Paper cutouts of characters and objects in the story are then placed on the board, and moved around, as the story unfolds. These cutouts are backed, either with flannel, or with some other substance that adheres lightly to the flannel background, such as coarse sandpaper.
Plain, undecorated flannel boards can also be used as a visual aid during presentations, allowing the speaker to display and remove charts and graphs as needed.
Advantages: * Permits numerous and varied arrangements of visua1 materials. * Is appealing, because the audience is fascinated in watching the steps in the presentation. * Permits the development of a complete story. * Permits the use of either chart or small pieces of material. * Promotes conscientious planning, which must precede the development of the material in the first place.
Disadvantages: * Transportation and storing of boards and materials is a problem. * Suitable tables to support boards must be available. * Time and cost of making material for presentation present a problem. * Cost of boards themselves can't be overlooked. * Presentation is limited a new idea involves a lapse of time before the new