For a teacher, which of the following methods would be correct for writing on…

Concept: The blackboard is a visual teaching aid that supports the teacher's spoken explanation; it is not a substitute transcript of it. In micro-teaching, the skill of blackboard writing is assessed on two criteria:

• Selectivity — only the key ideas, terms and structure of the lesson are put up, so the board carries a skeleton of the lesson rather than the whole of what is said.

• Legibility — every mark is neat and large enough to be read from the back of the room.

Sparse, readable board work lets a learner follow the teacher's voice and the written cue at the same time; a crowded or hurried board forces the learner to choose between copying and listening.

Application: Applied to this item, the practice that satisfies both criteria is writing the important points as clearly as possible. “Important points” is the selectivity criterion, and “as clearly as possible” is the legibility criterion. The board then carries a condensed, readable outline of the lesson which the teacher expands on orally while the class follows and copies.

Cross-check against the other practices described:

• Writing fast and as clearly as possible constrains the pace and the clarity of the writing, but says nothing about which material is selected. A teacher can write quickly and neatly and still put up far more than the key ideas, so this practice can meet the legibility criterion while leaving the selectivity criterion unaddressed.

• Writing the matter first and then asking students to read it fixes the completeness of the written matter and the order of writing and reading. The board becomes a text to be read after the writing phase rather than a cue that accompanies live explanation, and the selection of content is again not addressed.

• Asking a question to students and then writing the answer as stated by them is a sound participation device in its own right, but it makes the board's content depend on the wording the class happens to supply, which need not be selective, well organised or accurate.

Result: for a teacher, the correct method of writing on the blackboard is writing the important points as clearly as possible — a selected, legible outline that supports the spoken lesson rather than replacing it.