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realia

realia

1 8.3
Real objects teachers use to help students learn
  • noun
  • /riˈeɪliə/
  • Specialized
: realia
  • During the history lesson, they brought in realia like old coins and photos to enhance the learning experience.

Examples

  • Limitation of print resources and short biographies can be supplemented by primary sources online, including documents and visual resources such as photographs, posters, portraits, realia, statues, monuments, and maps.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Although many school libraries collect realia such as model skeletons, the diversity of specimens found at the eSkeletons Project is beyond the budgets of most schools.

    Academic text (2007)
  • I suggest that each learning station have concrete objects, items, and realia for pupils to learn from.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Pupils should have ample opportunities to determine the area of circles that are in the classroom, whether in an illustration or realia.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Introduce the lesson to the entire class using objects, pictures of the realia, and abstract symbols and numerals.

    Academic text (1999)
  • What pupils select to learn may well emphasize learning from objects, items, and realia, which was strongly endorsed by Rousseau.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Dowd suggests that artifact and realia collections authenticate the experience for children.

    Academic text (1992)
  • A cousin visited with a box of letters, photographs, and certificates, realia belonging to our uncle, Joshua Henry Bates (1896-1918).

    Academic text (2014)
  • Teachers often use realia in the classroom to help students connect with the lesson material.

  • Using realia, such as traditional clothing and artifacts, makes the cultural lesson more engaging for students.

Surface Forms

realia singular
realia plural

Morphology

realia = real (semi-transparent) = real + ia

The connection to 'real' is clear, but the suffix '-ia' is a learned/Latin-derived nominalizing/collective ending that is not productive in everyday English and may be unfamiliar to many learners.

Etymology

The word realia comes from the Latin word realis, meaning 'real', and is like the English words real and reality. So realia are simply 'real things' — objects brought into lessons to show real life and help students learn.